Re: Toshiba Laptop

[Heather <star@betelgeuse.starshine.org>]

> Contrary to popular belief, the different
> distributions of Linux do not vary in hardware support
> (at least not as far as I've seen).
> 
> That said, the act of hardware configuration may be
> different under Debian.  Before you switch, you may
> want to note all of your hardware settings.  Then they
> will be easy to reproduce under Debian.
> 
> Dhruva

The main differences are likely to be:

1. SuSE 6.4 keeps init stuff in /sbin/init.d
	we keep it in /etc/init.d - per the LSB
	(note: so does SuSE 7.1)

2. if you're using USB, it will become non-obvious - 
   SuSE has been building it in for a long time.
	it only got put in the "normal" 2.2 kernel in 2.2.18
		so we won't have it in any earlier kernel package
		you may have to build your own kernel to toggle those on
		*and* you'll have to add the modules to your modutils setup.
	but, they will be the same modules you are already using.

3. our docs are one less directory level deep.  And some have had a dummy
   manpage forced on them, to provide FAQs or otherwise cover for the 
   upstream-maintained docs only coming in Info format any more.  

   (grumble grumble stupid GNU ism.  Grump!)

4. apt-get update && apt-get install <packagename>
   it's soooooooo much easier than chasing down new security patch RPMs on 
   your own.  And if you hate the commandline you have a choice between 
   aptitude, console-apt (aka deity), or (I don't recommend this) an incredibly
   alpha gnome-based utility.

Welcome to debian :)

* Heather Stern * star@ many places...  at the moment, my SuSE workstation...