This may be my final comments.

I tried to get a copy of RHEL 8.2 and it was a convuleted path.  After
all the BS and the not a robot crap.  I just was not going to waste any
more time one it.
Red Hat RHEL is basically dead.

I down loaded a copy of Linux Mint.
After a lot of fooling around I manged to get it to run but it will not
execute anything.  Another "nugatory contrivance".

I had a feeling I was in for a lot of work.  To set up the network in
manual ip  I could put in box address,mask was defaulted to "24", route
was easy.  It took me a lot of imagine that the 24 was the number of
bits.  However I need to be able to set mask to 255.255.0.0 so we can
talk to machine tools and my bitscope with something other than a
browser.
As with all the other systemd crap "root" was gone.  I simply invented a
root person.  Then the fun began.  I set up accounts to look just like
we have on other SL 6.6 systems.  When you set up a user you can set up
user id the same as other account, use a different home location, etc.
Once this is done nothing worked.  I reviewed the /etc/passwd
and /etc/group and there were numerous error - thing different than what
I set up.  Once I fixed this it looked good but didn't help much.  I
suspect that systemd keeps another set of files some where and just
ignores the PW shadow passwd, and group.
To run a small engineering shop we have 25 computers running around the
shop all talking to the server SL 6.5.  There is a complete back up of
all boxes to a disk in the server and a synology box twice a day.  For
doing the grunt work there is about 135 .csh files that are run by
"cron" in the middle of the night.  
For example we get an order for a system, parts we manufacture.  Its
entered into a file.  During the night scrips look at parts lists,
checks inventory and build a "partsToBuy" for purchasing.
We cam also take a drawing of pc card layout and generate the CNC
control program to make parts.  The dirty work being done by computer in
the wee hours.
In mint and systemD none of this works. You simply cannot execute a
script.  Sure you can manually find it and execute it from "screen".
Who ever mangled Linus has never worked in an engineering company or a
manufacturing facility.
It's just like the new path statement - has numerous references to
Games.  
Mint is OK for a single user but it not usable in and engineering /
technical/manufacturing/scientific operation.

Conclusing: I could be wrong but when linux is systemd'd it becomes
worthless as a general purpose UNIX like computer.
My gold standard for functional sysems are Windows 2000 Professional, SL
5.11 with 3.4 Kde.   In comparison the new linux stuff is just a pile of
manure - no BS.

Next on our list is devian that does not have systemd. and finally BSD
4.3.

I have use BSD for 30 years.  I first experince withe UNIX was in 1979
one Sunday afternoon.  Was at my brothers house and he worked for AT&T,
in a few minutes he loged in, uploaded the time card data for his group,
ordered a host of material, ordered a telephone exchange to be build 3
years later - it took about 1/2 hr @ 300 baud.
My second experiance  was a Convex Super Computer that run BSD 4.1. It
has 64 68040 processors running in parallel, 5 disk controllers and 5
disks striped as raid 5 all running in parallel. 
My self and 20 electrical, mechanical, and software engineers built a
full aircraft, engine, engine control model for the A320 and CFM
engines.  A make file controlled the build.  You just specified the
aircraft, engine model, engine control sw version hit return and it
built a complete model suite for you in about 3 minutes.
I was built in C - anything at the time other than Fortran 66 was like
passing gas in church.  We could link up C control, Fortran engine
models, ada maninence model and it all worked.
The reason I am telling you about this is that Linux has been hy-jacked
by a bunch of kids that have not build anything real.
They specialize in eye candy and have gotten a real computer confused
with a cell phone running at the idiot level. Proof -  My 3 year old
grand son can call grandma.

When we finish the rest of the evaluations I will send you a set of
notes as to what works and what doesn't.

My first SL was 4.5.

I would like to thank all of the SL members for their sound advice and
solutions to problems that work.  The internet is full of noise.
I would hope that the labs start a new Linux based on a real linux or
UNIX.

Remember my GOLD standards  Windows 2000 professional, and SL 5.11 with
kde 3.4 a working computer with no BS.

What am I dong here a Sunday afternoon anyway.  Working on MINT -
another lump of COAL.

Thank You All
Larry Linder