Re: Curious...Are most of you in tech-related careers/schooling?
* Scott --sidewalking-- <sidewalking@webpipe.net> [030117 02:00]:
> All,
>
> I am new to the Linux world and have settled on Debian as my winning
> horse for learning Linux, to the best of my abilities. The talk on
Good choice, the packaging system is amazing.
> this list is a little out of my comprehension now, as I am so new,
> but I am still taking general ed classes in college, and am hoping I
> can survive the math classes to pursue a CS degree. There is a
> class or two on Unix essentials or Unix internals, but that is all.
> Some programming, of course, is involved.
>
> I wonder if all (or most) of you are in similar careers and that is
> why you are so proficient with compiling and testing and tweaking
> all of this stuff.
I am working in the field mostly in web applications. I have recently
moved over to linux permanently (I have windows running in an emulator
when I need to have windows for work related stuff), and it has been a
lot of fun, and frustration. Ultimately, very rewarding, and this
mailing list as well as google groups has been critical to me achieving
anything with linux.
That said now that the learning curve is cresting a bit I would never go
back to a windows type platform and for my work it kicks ass.:)
I use the packaging facility extensively to install software, and
although I do compile from source, that is a matter of untarring the tar
ball looking for the README and INSTALL files and reading them
thoroughly following the instructions and praying. If something goes
wrong I have been getting better at debugging the problem, or asking for
help in an appropriate forum. I rarely have problems, but when I do I
usually have no idea what to do, so look for something else.:)
> Or is it just a hobby that has gone on for so
> long that you have advanced your knowledge of Linux/Debian to these
> levels that all of you are at?
I have been interested in unix-type systems as I quickly became more
unhappy with windows, especially as each release hid the command-line
more and more. I have recently made the plunge, and I have to say that
this is the only way to do it, just as you have probably spent hours and
hours trying to figure out problems in windows, you need to do the same
with linux, and you will be amply rewarded with a fast responsive
system, that can be configured to an amazing degree.
Good luck in your adventures, and hope you come to love *nix systems as
much as I do.
rohan
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