Debian Questions (nothing hard)

[Once-Ler]

I'm a caldera user... this is irrelevent... I just want to know some things about debain. So If anyone wants to point out what makes debian unique and super cool, this is the place to do it. Also any differences (between the two distros) stated will be much appreciated.

Thank you much
-Will

[H. M. Murdock]

Well for one thing, apt is awesome, it allows you to update, add and remove software very easily. It can even upgrade to the next major release when it comes out. Debian does not come out with major releases as fast as other companies like redhat and mandrake do, therefore it usually has less bugs and security holes. I use debian at school andwhen I get home for the summer, I plan on replacing the redhat server I have at my parents with a debian one.

Just my $.02

Murdock

[Molecule Man]

It also means that Debian is farther behind the Technology curve and supports less new hardware. Upgrading the kernel on your own is more painfull than other distros, and debian puts stuff in funky places, not that Caldera doesn't as well.

[slacker_x]

For a desktop box, and an intermediate to advanced user, I would reccomend installing sid which is the unstable version of debian. All the latest programs with the convenience of apt.

packages do break now and then, but it is usually not a big problem and you can avoid problems if you check #debian on irc.debian.org

for the server I guess it would depend what type of things you are planning on doing with it.

[ColdPack]

Originally posted by Molecule Man:
<STRONG>It also means that Debian is farther behind the Technology curve and supports less new hardware. Upgrading the kernel on your own is more painfull than other distros, and debian puts stuff in funky places, not that Caldera doesn't as well.</STRONG>

Uh, no it doesn't. If you want the latest and greatest, install debian then use apt to uprade to "testing" or even "unstable". It's really quite easy. Then you have the latest and greatest cutting edge stuff.
And debian has probably the most logical layout... it follows very strict rules as to where things are put. All packages in debian follow those rules. That is very unlike red hat and mandrake, etc.
And upgrading your kernel is REALLY easier than other distros because you can create a new kernel and save it as a .deb package and install it that way. Truly the easiest kernel upgrade and recompile I've ever done.
Have you ever done this stuff? It just seems that you're saying things that are totally the opposite of the truth.
That's not a flame... really... I just get a sense from this post that you've never actually used debian or done any of the things you're talking about.

[ 12 April 2001: Message edited by: ColdPack ]

[rod]

I have to agree with sixpack... Ahhhhh, I mean ColdPack.

Download the kernel of your choice. Move it to /usr/src. Unpack the kernel.

cd /usr/src/linux

make xconfig - menuconfig (whatever and make your selections)

make-kpkg kernel_image (this will make a .deb file of your kernel)

dpkg --install &lt;yournewkernel.deb&gt;

This will install the new kernel and set up the appropiate symbolic links. Prompt you to make a boot disk and run lilo for you.

How much easier can it get.

This all assumes that you have Debian's 'kernel-package' installed.

Gotta love it....

Regards,
Rod

[recluse]

Man the more I read about Debian the more excited I get about using it. I'm d/ling Progeny right now, though I only have a 56k and it's taking forever (surprise huh?).
:rolleyes: Mandrake :rolleyes:
:p Debian :p

-geordan

[Lend273]

Libranet is an excellent debian distro.
Excellent tech support also.

Len

[Craig McPherson]

http://users.ipa.net/~cmcpher/newad.jpg

[Lend273]

VERY cool Craig !!

Len