Why I use Debian. Was Re: [plug] Mandrake - printing

[Greg Mildenhall]

On Fri, 25 Feb 2000, John Summerfield wrote:
> > John Summerfield wrote:
> > > Greg Mildenhall wrote:
> > > > Then I reiterate: Anything distribution-specific is not a "killer app.".
> > > > It is either poorly programmed or ridiculously restricted by license.
> > > You are entitled to your views,  but have the grace to recognise they are
> > > not held by others as universal truths.
> > They may not be "universal truths" but they still largely appear to be
> > very valid and accurate statements.  A piece of software that runs only
> I said 'ships with' or 'xxxLinux includes.' I especially did not say 'runs 
> only on.'
And we care what you said why? Is it not inordinately clear from the above
that Christian was talking about what I said?

Thankyou for clearing up what you were talking about, though. I didn't
think you could have meant those as examples of distro-specific apps, but
it seemed the only way to interpret it. I now gather you are talking about
applications that are available bundled with one distribution, but not
with another.

> > While you seem to like to dimiss other people's points of view with an
> > arrogant, casual carelessness, perhaps you should consider the substance
> > of what they are saying more closely first before doing so in future. 
> > Or, at the very least, provide some sensible evidence or reasoning in
> > return.
> In years to come, you will blush at this twaddle.
I sincerely hope you are blushing now. He is only giving voice to what
most people must think about your posting. You very rarely read posts
before you reply to them, and you very rarely respond with more than
rhetoric.

> First, I was referring to packaging; a reason to select one distro over 
> another is what's in the package. If I really want Oracle, and xxxLinux 
> ships with Oracle, then there is a reason to prefer xxxLinux over yyyLinux.
It's a pretty slim reason. It is a reason if you have no Linux
distro CDs to begin with, and need to choose where to start. Even then,
you'd be better off asking around to see what distro to get. Once
you've decided on your distribution, you should find a CD with the
application you want on it - presumably the cheapest you can find,
regardless of what else is on the CD. You may now have access to another
distribution.Should you install it? That's up to you. Should you replace
your existing distribution with it? Only if you have very good reasons
that have nothing to do with where the application came from.

> Packaging is a convenience. Red Hat Linux 6 shipped with VV SDK. Getting 
> RHL plus VV was more convenient than getting Debian and downloading VV.
So what is wrong with getting both CDs? Then you get the best distro _and_
the application you want. If Debian isn't the best distro for you, then
get the Redhat and a Suse CD or a Mandrake CD. It'll cost you another 5
bucks, and you'll have the distribution that is right for you.

> If I choose a distribution because it contains software I want to use, 
> then it's a rational choice. It would not be rational (by my principles)
> to choose a distro that contains none of them and go to additional 
> trouble and maybe expense to get the other bits & pieces,

John, that is some of the best Debian advocacy I've seen. Look everyone,
the Redhat user says "Having the right distribution means nothing, they
don't do anything for you." while the Debian users says "The right
distribution is worth 'the additional trouble and expense'".

Debian GNU/Linux: For those who know the worth of a good distribution.

-Greg