Survey: Which Linux desktop would you run a test of Oracle on and why?

I'm struggling with getting CentOS 4.1 (RHEL 4 clone) configured as a desktop that I can also run an instance of 9i, 10gR1, and/or 10gR2 on. There's no way I should be having this many problems with an effing wheel mouse, missing or sorely out-of-date RPMs, problematic RPMs (openssl and a libcrypt.so.5 snafu), and so on. I still plan on using it for a headless Linux server for Oracle testing, but not for a desktop.

I had formerly been using Gentoo, but I'm sick of the way the Gentoo Team keeps breaking Portage (try a revdep-rebuild after upgrading openssl if you haven't done a emerge world in the last six months). I'm thinking of going back to Gentoo and employing workarounds, but would just as soon having something a little closer to "Oracle Certified" if only to ease Oracle testing.

My main goals are:

1. Useable and customizeable desktop. (e.g. Enlightenment WM)
2. Oracle 9.2, 10.1, 10.2+ installable and as usable as a "supported" Linux.
3. Avoid distros which make me do more work while attempting to protect me from myself (e.g. Ubuntu).

Ideally, I'd like to get away from the RPM Hell, which significantly narrows down the field, but I'm willing to be convinced otherwise.

Thoughts?

Rich

Rich Jesse                        System/Database Administrator
rich.jesse_at_quadtechworld.com      QuadTech, Sussex, WI USA

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