Re: The Real Problem With Debian
* Rick <rspillan@ic.sunysb.edu> [02-10-2002 02:04]:
>
> Debian is supposedly a great OS, it is configurable, custimizable, and
> powerful, but Debian is ultimately misleading for many people. Debian is an
> OS that may be used on a server, or a developer's computer, so he can really
> feel the balls in his system, but it should not have been used on my
> computer, or a couple of my friend's computers.
Yes and no. I have been using Gentoo on my desktop for the last
couple of weeks, but guess who's back? I like both. Gentoo for the
new stuff and their support for new hardware, Debian for almost
everything else. For just getting things done I want Debian, to
satisfy my still lingering lust from having shiny new hardware I
want to compile (emerge) everything under the sun.
> The Real Problem With Debian is that it is MANUAL. Everything must be done
> manually, now although there may be a script or two to ease things along,
> these often DON'T WORK.
Your experience, not statement of fact.
> I have spent two weeks fighting slackware, trying to
> get it to work with my printer, and sound card. Then I spent two
> weeks fighting Debian, trying to get it to work with my mouse,
> printer, network card, and sound card. After installing Mandrake,
> everything worked instantaneously, sound, card, network, printer,
> EVERYTHING. It ran faster too, I don't know why, but it did, and
> it had newer programs, like KDE3.xx. Which distro do you think I
> stuck with?
Which distro? I wouldn't know was it not for your smackdown of two
other well respected distros.
> This is not an attempt to convert any Debian users on this list, but it is a
> statement. I spent a month fighting Slackware and Debian, and 45 minutes
> fighting Mandrake. Full balls is nice, but how about having a system that is
> full balls, but ALSO is as easy to configure as mandrake?
That would be great. However from what I know Mandrake took a while
to get there (i.e. it is not been like that forever). Ultimately at
this moment it's the distro for you. I hope you will continue to
have this same experience. One piece of advise though. Do not get
locked in. I haven't seen anything from Mandrake to suspect
something like that might happen, but keep your eyes open, just in
case.
> People on IRC tell me that my hardware is flaky, yet it works perfectly with
> Mandrake. People on IRC were rude, and even elitist, and made fun of me more
> often then helping me. A stark contrast to the helpfullness of the folks on
> the mailing list, odd.
If people are of no good to you (i.e. not friendly, helpful etc.),
fuck 'em. What's the point of getting hurt by someone who you never
met before or will never hear of again. Just raise you're eyebrows
and _silently_ recognize that they are sorry little people.
> The ironic thing is that my computer was so stock, it was Lynksis NC100 card
> (tulip module) with a ESS1969 Solo card, a s3ViRGE 4mb video card, and a
> Logitech USB wheel mouse. This should not have taken me two weeks to
> configure on ANY distro. The point is that Debian is flaky, it is too stark,
> some call configuration tools "bloat", and call guis "evil", but
> configuration tools are the way of the future, and guis have been around for
> 20 years. The problem is that these are the same people that work on Debian,
> it is too bad some of the corporate "customer comes first" mentality didn't
> get into Debian. I donated $4 to Debian, more then many can claim, I guess I
> got EXACTLY what I paid for. Good luck to all of you, and thanks again.
Okay, that was uncalled for. Most of what you wrote till now was
fair enough, considering it was your opinion. I'll leave it at that
with regards of voicing my opinion about this message.
As said, I spent the last couple of weeks in Gentoo/KDE. I am
getting a bigger and bigger distaste for GUI and graphical setup by
the day.
I can't write a script, but can read them. Not to speak of regexps.
To me they look like Chinese written by a monkey on drugs. But after
the albeit minor frustration of getting a few things to work
in KDE using wizards, I love them more than ever.
Why did I bother responding? Well, I am rather new to Linux and
still like to feel good about my choice. Writing this stuff down,
makes me realize that it's futile to even discuss stuff like this.
Good luck to you. I am happy that you are at least making a choice.
Perhaps you should try to be more careful in voicing your opinion
the next time.
Bob
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