[NTLUG:Discuss] Discuss Digest, Vol 85, Issue 18

[Robert Pearson]

On Fri, Jan 22, 2010 at 2:50 PM, Chris Cox <cjcox at acm.org> wrote:
> On Fri, 2010-01-22 at 12:34 -0800, Dennis Kaptain wrote:
> ...snip...
>> It is my observation
>> that Linux is easier to install than any version of windows if you include the drivers for every device you have and
>> all the applications. Windows is not bullet proof or even stable (although I must say more recently Windows 7
>> is looking much better). You will have applications crash. You will have data lost. You will have applications that
>> conflict with each other and cause headaches. Updates will break your system and cause things to fail.
>>
>> In Linux (I can speak for Fedora 11) you will have the same kind of problems. I expect in other distributions you will suffer the same ills.
>> I've seen things break with an update. Programs that seg fault on start up and some just plain weird stuff.
>>
>> The thing is, modern day computers and operating systems are very complex systems. Far too complex for any single
>> person to master on their own. That is why there exist teams of developers who make applications, kernels, drivers,
>> and who knows what else. Each person can take care of his or her piece and hopefully when they all come together
>> there won't be too big of a mess.
>>
>> The difference is, in Linux you have a hope of fixing things. In windows... most likely not.
>
> Well said.  And very true.  But there's an expectation level and level
> of acceptance that Windows users make with regards to their OS.
> So, Windows gets forgiveness, Linux does not... because
> it's different.
>
> Maybe Linux should put up BSODs?  Maybe we should popup dialogs
> saying something awful happened and ask the user to press the
> 'Ok' button? :-)
>
> You have to be willing to learn something new with GNU/Linux, but
> as you pointed out... at least there's not an inpenetrable wall
> in the way.  I only get frustrated in Linux for a moment... with
> Windows... it lasts and lasts and lasts... (but we feel ok, because
> our Window's friends are all in the same boat).
>

Maybe we could bring back Bryan J. Smith?
After my first two installs of Fedora Core (1,2?-3,4?, I don't
remember but it was early) I started having update problems. I tracked
this down to specific repositories that were giving me code that was
incompatible with interdependent code from other repositories. I was
tearing my hair out when Bryan J. Smith suddenly started posting on
the NTLUG mailing list.
Between his NTLUG postings and my personal emails with him, I got the
update and repository problems straightened out. He was on top of the
problem.
The answer was:
[Google search string] "Hawaii  site:thebs413.blogspot.com" (without the quotes)
returns:
"BS' Blog: Linux Distributions: Packages v. Ports
Probably the most significant repository was the University of
Hawaii's Fedora Project, ... The resulting Fedora Project, taking the
name from U of Hawaii, ...
thebs413.blogspot.com/2005/07/linux-distributions-packages-v-ports.htm"

Once the U of Hawaii repository stopped being updated (reason
unknown), I never got another decent update or stable install of
Fedora and dropped it. In all fairness I had about the same experience
later with SuSE and openSuSE, after their purchase, and dropped it. I
have a generally low opinion of Update Managers and repositories with
the exception of Debian. Ubuntu has done passable well. Mint copies
Ubuntu. PCLinuxOS has had problems but they fixed them fairly quickly.

Other searches of interest on Bryan's now defunct blog:
[Google search string] "repository  site:thebs413.blogspot.com"
(without the quotes)
[Google search string] "Fedora  site:thebs413.blogspot.com" (without the quotes)

IMHO, YMMV since I have not run Fedora in years (2005?)
I currently use Ubuntu 9.04, Linux Mint Gloria (Mint 7) and PCLinuxOS
2009. I am not a cutting edge guy.
My needs are simple now.