Re: Debian is not a "main distro"?

["Stephen J. Carpenter" <sjc@delphi.com>]

On Wed, Sep 30, 1998 at 07:41:44AM -0700, Jarrod Henry wrote:
> 
> 
> On 30 Sep 1998, Steve Dunham wrote:
> 
> > Not me, it takes me under 10 minutes to install a rather complete
> > RedHat system (incl. about 5 minutes to install all of the packages)
> > and at least an hour to install Debian.
> 
> What you DON'T mention is how Redhat installs EVERY THING.  For example,
> if you select mail, you get EVERY MAIL READER MADE.  Plus, it opens up all
> the services, typically.  Including the VERY fun imapd.
>
> 
> Point is, if you are installing a Unix, you don't WANT to do it in 10
> minutes.  That's too fast.  You'll miss something, and often it will
> compromise the security of your box.   Debian steps you through all parts.
> ANd so what if it byte compiles stuff?  

I agree... but to be fair...last I checked, redhat DOES have the 
ability to "Select Packages Individually". This allows an experianced
user to be more discriminating.

I am not a big RedHat fan by far BUT...their install is a bit better than
ours in some ways.

The clincher for me was a person here where I work. He is a Sysadmin for
one of the other departments, he runs slowaris mostly but has a bunch of
RedHat machines.

He tried to install debian and FUBARd the thing...came complaining to
me about it...I fixed most of it.

I think our install can use work...hopefully apt will fix that.

also...just to throw out an idea...
would it be possible (feasable even) to have an "alternate" on the install
to instead of rebooting...
chroot to /target (or whetrever it is mounted) and configure the new 
system/install packages ?

I think this could be a benefit for people who have a CD and want to get it 
finished as quickly as possible.

also... an option to edit lilo.conf woul dbe nice :)
I have found that a few of my machines have requires the Linear option
(note: RedHat has the ability to specify an append line...maybe we should too?)

-Steve

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