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

[Bradley Browne]

The problems I have with the Debian install is that there is more _power_ and
_complexity_ in the process.  You are given many more choices.  Choices are hard to
make and so I found myself a little thrown the first time I had to install it.  I
found Slackware easier to install because I can make most of my choices post-install,
Redhat easiest becaiuse of the lack of choice, and Debian hardest because of the
prevalence of choice.

It will get easier for me every time I do it.  Don't get me wrong, it is easy to
install a Debian system if you either know what you are doing (not me entirely) OR
have no idea what you are doing (not me entirley either).  The middle ground is where
I fall, trying to apply what I have learned in other installs and transferring that
knowledge to Debian so that I can install all those packages that are familiar or
have similar utility.  I love that it will configure as you go, but even this
confuses me.  I look forward to the day, some day soon I hope, that I can make a
standard brad.list and then just install, and possible configure (?) all the packages
I want without intervening.

Cheers,

Brad

Christian wrote:

> > 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.
>
> In all seriousness, what is it exactly that people have problems with
> when installing Debian?  Is it dselect or something else?  I'll admit
> dselect as intimidating the first time I tried to use it (at least until
> I read the instructions...) but other than that, I don't remember Debian
> being vastly different to the others.
>
> Regards,
>
> Christian.