Is it best to always use the latest release? (Distro)

[MailPurgatory]

Hi all--

I've spent some time reading the forum messages on distros and I have a question that I don't think has been answered (or I couldn't find it!)

Rather getting into another debate on "what is the best distro", my question is:

- Is it always better to use the latest distro release?

i.e. RH 7.1 vs 7.3/8.0, Mandrake 8.0 vs 9, etc.

As a Linux newbie, here's my dilemma... I've played around with various distros and their versions over the last few years but have never stuck around long enough to get a good feel. RH, Mandrake, Caldera... never had much of a problem installing. I was having a tough issue to devote the time to learn it past the install.

Now that I have some time, I'd like to give it another go. I've got all of these CDs but they ain't the latest distro releases. The MS Windows brainwash of always getting the latest patch/release is so firmly burned in my mind that I'm pretty certain that's not the Way Of Things with Linux.

Since the box that will have Linux won't be connected to the 'net, I'm just interested in playing around with the OS.

Other than hardware support issues (my box doesn't have cutting edge stuff-- the components are around 1 to 2 years old), anyone have any pros and cons to this thinking?

[Silent Bob]

I have heard people say that it is best not to go for x.0 releases, reason being that the x.1 release will iron out most of the peculiarities of that 'series'

Personally I never really paid any attention to it though

[MMA]

My advice is to use the LATEST "STABLE" version of the distro. It might not be the latest, but its the one that has been tested vigorously, and if you need help people know how to help you.

Its always good to go for tyhe latest, one of the reason, as you've mensioned, is the compatibility issue of hardware. Its also other stuff like user friendliness and compatibilty with other programs. It is most of the time better then the old version.

[swangods]

I agree with the above statements about using the latest stable release. In addition, the MS way of constant service pack /etc isn't always the best option either. Sometimes, more so with service releases and packs than with your everyday update, you can foul things up that weren't a problem. Not always, but it's happened more than I care to count.

On a sidenote - you can always upgrade piecemeal the components of a distro which you want to have the latest-and-greatest. As several threads have noted, the latest version isn't necessarily a great release in terms of content. Red Hat 8 has taken a beating, and I myself am critical of it, for its choices. Granted, some of it is for legal CYA (ie. exclusion of support for mp3 and jpeg), but some of it is just ... well, some people can't find rhyme or reason in it.