3D - 2

Is there a good "stepping" order for Unix Like Distros?

I've been a computer science unit since before I developed an addiction to caffeine and in doing so, I found it somewhat "necessary" to start using unix-like operating systems. I've been an avid user of the newbie versions of linux over the years, PCLinux2008, OpenSuSe, Ubuntu, and some others; however, I really don't feel like I've learned enough. Recently, I tried installing the newest version of debian and had to fix/compile almost everything. My sound card didn't work (download driver->recompile alsa and oss), my video card wasn't able to use 3d redering engines (download video card driver, compile, modify xorg.config), wireless card didn't work (download open source driver, compile, modprobe), even my freaking ethernet card didn't work (this one was a real pain in the *** because I had to download two different firmware versions before it would work). Anyway, I ended up just saying screw it; because even though I had the system fully running, it took me about 20 hours to get it where I would be able to use it for work and class, and I wasn't willing to do it all again if I downloaded some type of virus or ran a bad script, or something. Long story short, I was wondering if there was some good stepping stone lineup for unix-like distros. Notice I said UNIX-LIKE, they don't all have to be linux. Please actually give a REASON why you would recommend a particular path...

Public Comments

1. I'd say this path: Ubuntu/Fedora -> Arch/Slackware -> Gentoo Ubuntu/Fedora are really easy to use, but extensible enough to allow you to do "advanced" features with them. Arch and Slackware you will have to do a lot more work on keeping them maintained, but are generally easy to use for every day purpose. Gentoo requires compiling your own kernel. Yeah. It's pretty advanced, but apparently works quite well.
2. Your first mistake is in assuming that the "newbie" versions aren't full Unix systems: they are. They just have some additional GUI and auto-config tools to make things easier to set up and configure. And so what's wrong with that? You can still dig under the hood to the underlying Unix functionality. Actually: go get the code and figure out what the guys who wrote these tools did. I say focus on either Red Hat or Suse, since they're the ones used most in business (particularly Red Hat in US). Might also want to brush up on Python as that is the language the RH guys used to develop most of their configuration tools (at least last time I looked)