Re: Why is Debian lagging so much behind Slackware?
On Tue, 14 Aug 2001 21:47:07 -0400
Gilles Pelletier <gipe@videotron.ca> wrote:
> Is apt-get really worth this huge delay? We do plan to teach the newbie
> some fundamentals.
>
> BTW, in case you wouldn't know, even newbies like to be cutting edge...
> even more so than oldies I'd say : )
I know I'm gonna piss everyone off, but Debian isn't appropriate for
newbies who actually want to learn unix fundamentals. Apt is a really
great system and all, but it doesn't really fall into the "unix
fundamental" catagory (yet ;). I also see a lot of people talking about
the larger number of packages and ease distribution upgrades in Debian,
the former is actually a detriment to someone who actually wants to learn
how the OS works (hand installs are a learning experience) and the latter
is not a consideration for those wet behind the ears (move to something
civilized later). Slackware pushes a lot less automation and forces you
to actually learn to use command line utils, edit scripts and text files,
and generally pick up more skills that will actually be valuable if your
travels in unixland should actually take you outside of its hallowed halls
(god forbid). I and a great deal of my computer-geeky type friends cut
our teeth on Slak and we all consider our "l33t ski11z" the better for it.
Of course, if learning to take your distro apart and put it back together
again isn't your friend's bag, by all means go Debian or Progeny.
Reply to: