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Re: MSDOS name conversion



I have tried to stay out of this discussion, but feel the need to make a 
few points.

Splitting packages at the source makes Debian more inclusive. There have 
been many comments about why bother from people who already have Linux 
and are connected (well or otherwise) to the net. This indicates to me 
that the poorly connected are under represented in this group. 

I came to Debian last year after loosing my old Linux box to a lightning 
strike. The machine I started with was a DOS box hooked to my internet 
provider. After several failed attempts to collect all the packages, I 
solved my problem by downloading the boot, root, base disks, netstd, 
netbase, and ppp. With this I was able to get a minimal system that could 
connect to the net (BTW, I would have liked to have had this in the base 
system...) and slowly and carefully downloaded the rest.

However, even this solution will not work for everyone. Consider the 
person who is well connected at the office but has no connection at home. 
(my partner, for instance, works in an all DOS/Winblows environment fully 
net connected...Yech) It is these people that we should be trying to get 
into Debian Linux (these people are more vulnerable to the proprietary 
software houses).

My fundamental argument is that Debian should be as inclusive as 
possible. Splitting large packages into floppy sizes helps to include 
more people in the distribution and so, is a good thing.

Parity on Dudes!

Dwarf

------------                                          --------------

aka   Dale Scheetz                   Phone:   1 (904) 877-0257
      Flexible Software              Fax:     NONE 
      Black Creek Critters           e-mail:  dwarf@polaris.net

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