[plug] ComputerBank meeting Tues 24th 7:45pm

[Bradley Browne]

I would be interested in watching the installation of Debian on these computers
:-P

I have yet to fully grasp the Debian install and would like to see how it is
done a few times.  I am aching to get some of that apt-get action and can fully
concur, from my limited experience mind you, that .debs are easier to install
than .rpms.  I have pondered for days how to install the rpms necessary to get
something done in RH but dselect, while _apparently_ cryptic, is better
documented and knows about, and fulfills, dependencies.

I am *very* interested in this project and would like to donate my time, in
whatever form.

Brad

Gary Allpike wrote:

> Bob,
>
> Do you think that people that dont know how to use a mouse would know how
> to install RedHat or even Windows ???
>
> In MY opinion, Debian is *very* easy to install, answer a few questions,
> hit enter a couple of times and it is done.  The biggest problem with
> people installing Debian is that people dont take 2 minutes to read the
> documentation.  How many people that say "Debian is hard to install" have
> actually ever stopped and read the screen of instructions that appears
> when you start dselect ?
>
> However, given that the machines will be provided with the OS already
> installed, I dont see that this is an issue.
>
> The ongoing maintenance of debian is very much easier than any other
> distribution in my experience. The apt-get method of downloading and
> installing packages couldnt be any easier.  (Once again, since we will be
> providing the machines pre-installed and configured this would also be
> pre-configured.)
>
> To install slackware would be complete insanity in my opinion.  It would
> have to be the hardest to install, and the most difficult to maintain by a
> very long way - on top of which, even the latest version is still very
> much libc5 based - which is certainly going to cause problems with almost
> everything now being compiled against glibc2.
>
> The other issue of course is support.  Come into #linuxaus on
> irc.linux.org.au and ask for assistance on RedHat - you're likely to draw
> a stoney silence, whereas a debian related question is going to get you
> numerous answers.  At the time of writing this email, the #debian channel
> has 98 people in it, #redhat has 11 .....  Then there is also support from
> savvy people such as myself, Christain and Matt.  I stand by my previous
> statement (right, wrong or otherwise) that I wont get involved with
> installing RedHat or Slackware - yet I feel very sure that I could make a
> very valuable contribution.
>
> regards
>
> Gary Allpike
>
> On Thu, 19 Aug 1999 bob at contact.omen.com.au wrote:
>
> > Thanks for the interest in ComputerBank guys :).
> >
> > Ok, please keep in mind that the whole point of the exercise is to give
> > people who may not have _any_ skills with computers a way in. To that end
> > KISS is needed sometimes otherwise you'll just scare people away and
> > that's not going to be helpful :). Debians unfriendly install could be a
> > strike against it at this point in time for these people, perhaps once we
> > have people up to "advanced" we can introduce hard options, but to be
> > really usefull CB have to teach what's under the hood not just end user
> > progs (while maintaining the KISS principle) so compromises have to be
> > made.  If debian has any advantages for teaching CB would like to hear
> > them and we're alway ready to be persuaded that "it's not that bad,
> > really" but at the moment the consensus is that Slackware and RedHat fill
> > the organisations needs. (We did discuss creating our own distro but
> > thought that it may be a bit ambitious at the moment :).
> >
> > Please feel free to present any arguments in favour of your favorite
> > distro but please keep in mind that some of the recipients of these
> > machines are going to have to be taught how to use a mouse!
> >
> > --
> > /-- Bob Ogden  bob at contact.omen.com.au --------------/
> > /  -... --- -...   --- --. -.. . -.       Finger  for PGP key -----/
> >
> > Does your system break in 134 days?
> >
> >
> >