Hello, I have to agree with chip. I've worked on Unix for 6 years or so and until the last year I'd always dismissed Linux (sorry) mainly because of my experiences with it in the early 90's. Why have I changed my mind? because with the increase power of the internet and open source it means that developers, users, everyone can get involved in making Linux better. In the early days finding information on why your Linux install wasn't working was a nightmare.
Earlier this year someone encouraged me to take another look, so I did, I discovered Red Hat and Mandrake both had brought Linux a little closer to what I expected from my years of working on Unix (a little more stable). But then I found Debian (via knoppix) which allows me to install packages without backtracking every dependency under the sun - much more like Unix. For a laugh I thought I'd put Debian on a Small HP Unix Server and to my astonishment it went on first time no problem, as stable as any UNIX operating system (been up for 2 weeks now). Can you imagine running the same operating system from your laptop to your desktop to your Unix server to your mainframe machine. I'm now installing applications on it and they are working like a dream. Sorry to dribble on, but I'm totally shocked by the Debian and by the improvements in general to Linux. I'm off now to install mysql. -----Original Message----- From: Chip Rose [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: 11 October 2002 00:41 To: Debian Subject: New Debian User - Totally Impressed Greetings, I just switched to deb3.0 from Mandrake8.0. I am beyond ecstatic with it. The install was easy (used 7cds from Linux Central), user-friendly, the defaults were acceptable even for a total beginner. I don't know a whole lot about Linux even after my past several years of constant use - the Redhat/Mandrake world has fogged my brain I guess. I've installed and used Redhat 5.0, 5.1, 6.0, Mandrake 6.0 and 8.0 over the past few years, and have been using Linux exclusively for that whole time. Redhat crashed often, and was a mind-numbing puzzle to update RPM's and figure out where things installed - nothing matched the Linux info I was reading on the web. Mandrake was more graphical and easier - I tired of puzzling over the thing - just wanted something stable, and I knew (thought) that Linux was more stable and powerful than M$-Windows. But despite its graphical ease, Mandrake crashed constantly! I thought it was my flaky hardware (not!), and I despaired of using Linux. I had often bragged to friends about how stable Linux was, how resource-efficient, and how Linux users rarely had to turn their computers off or reboot because of crashes. But it was practically a lie! I was so embarrassed when my system would crash constantly, even when no apps were running - yaaaghh! I've been using Debian3.0 for 3 days now - fast and stable - tons of packages that are easy to get and install. Already I've learned how to start ppp from the console and how to do it via scripts (chat/provider/pon/poff) - something I could never do in Mandrake/Redhat - I normally just rely on kppp to do the job for me, and I never learned anything in the process! Even rebooting my computer with Mandrake would cause a kernel panic - I had to wait 5 minutes before turning my computer back on or else Mandrake would freeze/kernel panic during the boot. Doing a system halt would segfault under Mandrake! I couldn't leave my computer on at the kdm logon screen - it would freeze the entire system. Once I spent a long hour on the web creating an online retirement plan with a lot of details, and then my computer just FROZE UP and I lost everything! Yaaaghhhhh!! The list just goes on and on.. I could talk your ear off with it all. Normally I wouldn't have dared to type such a long note without first saving it, in case Mandrake would crash and I'd lose all my wonderful typing. Sorry for abusing bandwidth and list etiquette with this long email - I'm just on cloud nine because I'm finally using a REAL Linux, and I can now truthfully say: LINUX IS UNBELIEVABLY POWERFUL AND STABLE!!!!! Debian Linux that is! Thanks again for listening, Chip Rose [EMAIL PROTECTED] Virginia Beach, VA "Debian Rules" -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] ******************************************************************************************** " This message contains information that may be privileged or confidential and is the property of the Cap Gemini Ernst & Young Group. It is intended only for the person to whom it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient, you are not authorized to read, print, retain, copy, disseminate, distribute, or use this message or any part thereof. If you receive this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete all copies of this message ". ******************************************************************************************** -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
