I have very little experience with linux, though I have been given the task to set up a database server running a data warehouse based on PostgreSQL. My question is which version of Fedora I should choose. I thought of version 12, but I am worried since it is only one month old. If I run into a bug, it could take me months to see that it is not simply me doing something wrong. Another perspective is that if I chose version 11 or 10, then I could run into old bugs or issues that are so complicated for the user and that have been fixed or made easier in newer versions.
Also... Are there any "need to have" features in fedora 12 when running a datawarehouse?
Uptime for the server is not as important as performance.
Actually you should install the latest stable version of Fedora which I belive is 12. If you find that you need to updates for certain versions of software which would include your database you can always use follow the instructions for upgrading Fedora using yum found on the offical website.
Good luck, and hope this helps some.
I wouldn't install Fedora, especially not 12. They made a change to the way it handles its' package management that basically allows non-root users to install anything in the repos. They may have patched it by now; I'm not sure, since it wasn't considered a bug, but rather an intentional policy change.
If you want that Redhat goodness with long support cycles, take a look at Centos.