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Does a distribution like this exist?

Last response: in Linux/Free BSD
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Curious to know if there is a stable and tested distro (I mean on par with Red Hat Enterprise/Debian stable) that has extremely cutting edge non-vital software (eg. Firefox, Thunderbird, Blender, etc. at the latest non-beta version) in the default repositories? Keeping Fedora updated (and in a working state) is a pain in the bum. If anything I've been having regressions of various degrees over the past few releases, but I'm really keen on newer software.

I wanted to do something like this for StrayOS, but that would require packaging my own rpms and have my own repos, which can get very messy.

In short, is there a easy way out? Any such distro out there like that with LXDE by default?

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I'll look into it.

Problem is that I often need newer than unstable packages.

Must be a personality flaw from playing too much D&D.

Edit: I just realised the packages I want don't actually exist yet. I was hoping for a package to fix lxpanel crashing... oh well
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I'd start making the transition to debian based distros, even though I'm starting to really dislike Ubuntu. There are plenty of others who haven't sold themselves out to handheld devices (like Mint). It just seems like anything with .rpm (RedHat, Fedora, CentOS, SUSE) aren't as friendly if you need the newest packages that were created an hour ago. Extremely stable if you don't need them however.

If you're way more hard core than me, then correctly deploying an Arch distro and maintaining it effectively would be your choice. But that gives you similar problems as StrayOS as far as making your own packages and repos, it just seems like its not as messy.

Beeffalo said:
... But that gives you similar problems as StrayOS as far as making your own packages and repos, it just seems like its not as messy.


Nope, that's exactly what the AUR is for. There are even pacman wrappers that interface with the AUR directly.
http://aur.archlinux.org/

For example to grab the latest lxpanel with 'packer' built right from the git repo:
( http://aur.archlinux.org/packages.php?ID=34790 )

  1. sudo packer -S lxpanel-git


Yes its that damn easy. Downloads the pkgbuild, offers chance to modify the build script, then automatically builds into a package and installs.
to update system (including latest packages from AUR) 
  1. sudo packer -Syu


Unfortunately this is a mixed blessing, as arch is a rolling distribution and is no where near debian stable.

After long deliberation, I've decided to wait just a few days for that Firefox/Thunderbird update.

Sure, Fedora is pretty slack when it comes to updating them, but I realised that on Ubuntu/Mint Firefox is updated on the day of release making it "good enough" for me. A friend talked me out of using Debian stable and backports citing security reasons.

Most likely I will wait for the LTS Linux Mint 13 and get my update then.

I prefer Mint to anything right now due to the fact its so simple, everything I need, etc.. also I currently have mine themed with the Ubuntu Ambiance theme, its rather nice and simple to setup. I can't wait for Mint 13.

Yes, but the patches can take a while to come through. That's why the OP was asking about bleeding edge versions of applications, the ones before the mainline releases. Firefox for example has nightly builds available with all the latest fixes and additions.

http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=solusos

OMG it does exist! No LXDE but it is very lightweight (review says 152MB idle) with a Windows-esque modified GNOME 2. Better than waiting for the LXDE patch.

Adn it's from the UK, so they spell centre correctly. :p 

It's not quite ideal, but I might have to install it onto my production computers. (Have you ever put Fedora and stable in the same sentence?)

:D 

Just like to share. Review:

http://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20120528

nhasian said:
I use Fedora because not only has it been very stable for me but it also uses newer technology faster than Ubuntu does.


She talks about Fedora in the first post. That's what she was using previously.

amdfangirl said:
http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=solusos

OMG it does exist! No LXDE but it is very lightweight (review says 152MB idle) with a Windows-esque modified GNOME 2. Better than waiting for the LXDE patch.

Adn it's from the UK, so they spell centre correctly. :p 

It's not quite ideal, but I might have to install it onto my production computers. (Have you ever put Fedora and stable in the same sentence?)

:D 

Just like to share. Review:

http://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20120528

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Ikey strikes again (dead center)!
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