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Console login prompt & other basics



Hi, after several re-installs and poking around scripts to no avail, I am
deciding to seek expert help in unravelling the quirks and mysteries of
Debian.  I have rudimentary, on and off,  experience with Linux [from Red
Hat 5.2 to RH 7.2]; willing to learn and experiment, but time is a
constraint.  

For this post, let me stick to some startup questions.

Basic info re: hardware and software:  
Hardware: Dell Laptop CPi 
Software: Debian Potato release 2.2r6, produced by LAN Comp systems [circa
April 2002].

My questions:

1.  I'd like a console login prompt, and then start X on my own with startx,
or startkde [or such like];  rather than directly go into a GUI/X-based
prompt.  I thought this was controlled by runlevel in inittab and launching
xdm.  I tried to trace through the init scripts but found no clues.  Any
pointers would be appreciated.

2.  Although I selected gnome-related packages for installation [via the
"simple" option in tasksel], and the packages appear to have been unpacked,
I cannot launch gnome, e.g, with gnome-session.

3.  Netscape does not appear to get installed; on a previous install, I had
to manually install it via dpkg and dselect.  What are some reason(s)
netscape might not automatically install?

4. Of course,it took me a while to figure out the "correct" netscape package
to install from the huge list in /var/lib/dpkg/available.  But since that
list appears to follow no particular organizational scheme, it was a
problem.   Is the debian.org/packages the best place to get "short"
descriptions, collated in various ways?  

5.  Overall, what would help me are: (i) some notes on Debian's installation
"rules", logic, etc; (ii) features unique to Debian vis-a-vis other Linux
distros; (iii) following up on (ii), notes on configuration, startup
scripts---location; whether they  deviate from other Linux distros [as seems
to be with xdm above], etc.  E.g., the "User Guide" [under books] seemed
pretty helpful, but was no help in my problem with the Potato release.  

TIA for any help.  

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
P.C. Venkatesh
Risk Analysis Division, OCC
Mail Stop 2-1, 250 E Street, S.W.,
Washington D.C. 20219, USA.

vox: 202 874 8698
fax: 202 874 5394
email: pc.venkatesh@occ.treas.gov 


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