Why not the simple things?

[Jan Willem Stumpel <jstumpel@planet.nl>]

<sigh>
I installed my first version of Linux in February 1995, was
fascinated by it, loved it, etc.

But I am exasperated by it now. Why is it so difficult to get the
*basic* things right? Why are the basics a problem *each time*?

After my last upgrade I lost, for instance, the proper function of
the keyboard.

Why is it so difficult to tell Linux once and for all that down
arrow means down arrow, NumLock means Numlock, delete means
delete, etc.? After years of work I had it working properly, but
now, after an upgrade to unstable (in order to get Mozilla 1.3 to
work) I face the whole uphill struggle all over again. And there
is no documentation (anyone tried to make sense of the
keyboard&console HOWTO?).
</sigh>

JWS