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(going OT)Re: Has anyone used the debian CD , which comes oreilly book



On Friday 26 April 2002 01:22 am, Karsten M. Self wrote:
[snip]
> >
> > while i have no urge to contest anything you say here, karsten,
>
> OT -- I really wish you (and others) would.  Particularly when I'm
> blowing smoke.
>
> > i do think that www.oreilly.com/catalog/debian/chapter/index.html is a
> > decent resource to offer to debian inquisitives who might be working
> > with the delusion that purchasing a book and cd gives them an
> > appropriate introduction to debian, particularily for those who've
> > been, perhaps erroneously, directed to debian as a direct route from
> > windoze to linux.
>
> I don't.  I read the book, several times.  I generally love O'Reilly
> (the books, not the man, though I respect him too).  There are
> occasional stinkers, and this is three of them.  The CD (this is the
> VA/SGI/ORA "Slink-and-a-half" distro that was given away by the crate at
> LinuxWorld San Jose, 2000) was a monster, and just plain wrong in
> several regards.
>
> In a similar vein, I usually *don't* like the Sams imprint.  Strongly.
> But they've got one of the better (though still dated) Debian
> introductions:
>
>     Thomas Down, _Installing Debian GNU/Linux, Sams, 11/1999, $3.70
>     197 pp.  ISBN: 0672317451
>
>     http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0672317451
>
> If you insist on going the book route, it's far better.  The disk is
> also more current (though still dated, at 1999).  Interestingly, the
> book is cheaper new than used....
>
> Even Down's book is missing a lot (a really good overview of apt).  But
> at least it doesn't have the gratuitous padding that ORA's book did.
> I'd recommend the Debian Project's own installation guide,
> debian-policy, and the lists, myself.
>

the point i may have failed to make is that the link i mentioned offers free, 
as in beer, as in web accessible reference to debian that specifically 
addresses those concerns that 'doze users ordinarily consider, and yet 
promotes an understanding of debian-linux, rather than the more common and 
lame distros as an alternative to windoze, and does a creditable effort at 
explaining the degree of additional idealistic and intellectual investment 
that the average windoze-dependent but nonetheless idealistically aware and 
potentially adventurous user needs to confront in order to have a salient 
grip on their first adventure into the real world.

so, yeah, apart from simply asserting my own point, in this case, i am 
contesting your preceding post. happy, now?

apart from any of that, shit, dude, your sharing of your own experience is 
always regarded, at least by me, though i'm sure by most of us on the list, 
as one of the bonuses of being on the list. please don't turn into one of 
those jerks we could all name who have lost the grace to accept an expression 
of appreciation.

ben


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