Re: New Member
Shawn
First: Welcome to the club ... :)
On Thu, Jul 12 2007, at 16:30 -0400, Mr. Shawn H. Corey wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I have recently signed up to your mailing list and would like to introduce
> myself. (I have been lurking for a few days to get a feel for this list.)
>
> I have been using computers for many, many years and UNIX since S5R4. And
> yes, that means I have done some sysadmin. (I even have a B manual, B the
> language before C; I never used it but I can answer questions you may have
> on it. In other words, I am very comfortable with *NIX.)
>
> I have a PowerBook G4 running Ubuntu 7.04. And it's crappy. So, I'm
> looking for alternatives.
>
> First, I'd like to know how to convert my system over to Debian. I have
> looked at the website (and noticed that a complete Debian is 22 CDs), so I'm
> asking what's the best way to convert my machine to Debian?
>
> Second, what's involved in this "install from network"? The website says
> you must know what you're doing but leaves no clue about what information I
> need to do it successfully.
For a network based install:
IIRC all you'll have to do is get the basic few files onto a CD to
start it. That is, burning some little "network install" image onto
some CD, and then booting your Powerbook with it should be enough to
trigger the complete Debian install. I only would recommend that
approach if you have a fast DSL line ... because most of the software
you'll install will be fetched from the Internet during the install
... There should be documentation on debian.org on that subject ...
>
> Third, how do I determine what drivers I need? Ubuntu really sucks at this.
> I'm trying to avoid a repeat.
Actually I don't seem to understand what you're talking about.
I don't see why you should care for drivers while doing the install:
Debian seems to be rather clever to see what you need for your
hardware ....
I don't remember having ever been caring too much for f***ing drivers
on Debian in the last 2 or 3 years, with both this alubook:
$ cat /proc/cpuinfo
processor : 0
cpu : 7447A, altivec supported
clock : 833.333000MHz
revision : 0.5 (pvr 8003 0105)
bogomips : 16.57
timebase : 8320000
platform : PowerMac
machine : PowerBook5,8
motherboard : PowerBook5,8 MacRISC3 Power Macintosh
detected as : 287 (PowerBook G4 15")
pmac flags : 00000019
L2 cache : 512K unified
pmac-generation : NewWorld
and a previous, older Powerbook (Titanium IV) ...
Yes, especially if you're on "unstable" Debian there might be issues
from time to time. But at least here I haven't been bitten too often
by them ...
>
> Just in case you want to know what inspired me, see:
> http://www.magma.ca/~shawnhcorey/200707/1183732322.html
> http://www.magma.ca/~shawnhcorey/200707/1184097840.html
>
> I guess that what I'm really asking is, "Can Debian give me a system I use?"
Yes. Because if someone like me is able to run the "unstable" version
of Debian then you - given your experience with *NIX systems - will be
much more fit for it. Me, that is - literally - someone who at the end
of 1998 didn't even know how a keyboard works on a computer. I started
with Windows 98' then, switched to Redhat Linux at around 2001, then
installed Debian since around 2003, IIRC.
I still believe I do not know too much about computers, except that
they have to work. That's why I have installed Debian.
As to the technical side of Debian: As I said, I'm running "unstable"
Debian. And it works like a charm here, on a Tibook G4, and on a newer
alubook. Nearly everything I need is working just fine.
And yes: I have to fight every 3 or 4 months (if I got the statistics
correct) to find out the reason for something that does not work as
expected here (again: I'm talking of "unstable" ...).
But given the fact that I'm extremely lazy when it comes to set up a
computer with the necessary software I can't see at the moment that I
would ever change to anything else than Debian ...
> A tough question which I don't expect you to answer. That is, not
> directly. But I'm dipping my toe in the waters to see if I like it.
No one can guarantee a problem-free Debian, especially if you'll
switch from the "stable" version to the "unstable" one ...
>
> Any comment would be welcome.
This is Clive Menzies's site: He's running an IT business and
recommends Debian for Macs, if I recall correctly:
http://www.clivemenzies.co.uk/
(The "Linux" link on the page above ...)
>
>
>
> "For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing
> them."
> Aristotle
>
>
Whatever your choice will be:
Good luck!
Best Regards
Wolfgang
--
Wolfgang Pfeiffer: /ICQ: 286585973/ + + + /AIM: crashinglinux/
http://profiles.yahoo.com/wolfgangpfeiffer
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Reply to:
- References:
- New Member
- From: "Mr. Shawn H. Corey" <shawnhcorey@magma.ca>