[aclug-L] Re: Why Debian?

["Clint A. Brubakken" <cabrubak@xxxxxxx>]

Carl D Cravens wrote:
> 
> On Thu, 12 Oct 2000, Greg House wrote:
> 
> > Guess I'll be the dissenting opinion. My personal opinion is that Debian is
> > probably great for systems you take a long time to very carefully set
> > up...tweak...tweak again...get it JUUUUST right, and then never touch again.
> > Provided systems that are using older hardware and don't need any of the
> > features or fixes of current software released...
> 
> This perfectly describes my personal Debian server and most of what we do
> here at Boeing as well.  We want to set it up and never touch it again.
> When you've got nearly 100 HP-UX servers alone (not to mention the
> RS/6000, Sequents and Suns in the other groups) you want to set it up and
> mess with it as little as possible.

So a god reason to use Debian here is because if you need to change the
configuration, you can just telnet or ssh to the box and edit the config
files, you don't have to get an X display to configure the "proper" way,
and then of course if you have a 100 like machines, you could just rsync
the new file out to all them.



 
> > The installations took hours and hours of manually answering questions about
> > how I wanted a ton of packages which  I didn't care about configured and 
> > then
> > when it was all said and done still didn't have everything I wanted 
> > installed or
> > configured.
> 
> It does have pre-designed installation "types" (server, workstation,
> developer, etc.), though it still has the problem of all those packages
> asking how you want them configured.  Though it doesn't take me hours and
> hours... I can have a Debian server installed and running rather quickly.

With 2.2 it you can configure what level of questions it ask you


> We're not recommending it to new users... it will be supported by
> professional Unix admins with years of experience.  I just need strong
> evidence to give to non-technical management about which distro they
> should choose.

I think the fact that it spent at least 6 months in testing and bug
fixing, before it was released is very important. The ease of adding new
software with apt. And the fact you know it well are good points in its
favor.
-- 
Clint Brubakken
Developer, Computer Science Services Group, LLC
President Air Capital Linux Users Group 
Wichita, KS
cabrubak@xxxxxxx
---
Marge:  Homer, you're his father.  You've got to reason with him.

Homer:  Oh, that never works.  He's a goner!

                  Bart the Daredevil

-- This is the discussion@xxxxxxxxx list.  To unsubscribe,
visit http://tmp2.complete.org/cgi-bin/listargate-aclug.cgi