[ale] Linux for sale

Geoffrey Myers geof at abraxis.com
Thu Sep 4 08:45:39 EDT 1997


Steve Nicholas wrote:
> 
> Geoffrey,
>   I agree with what you are saying.  If Linux is to be successful, it
> will need to boil down to one or two distributions.  Each that is
> offered has their own 'characteristics'.  One for cheap and one for 'the
> full works'.  Right now, Redhat and Caldera fit the bill, but Slackware
> (grew up on it) and Debian (some sware by it) also may fit the bill.
> Who's to make the decision (certainly not me.)  Each distribution has
> it's strong points (Redhat is fine, but I miss Slackware in some
> instances.)  I guess the question is......who makes the decision????  I
> may have left out some distributions, but please don't feel slighted.
> The point remains the same.  No flame wars are wished to be started.
> Feel free to forward this to ale, as it should have been except I'm
> trying to keep this email out of my work account.  Netscape (Linux)
> wants to send it to you ONLY!!
> 
> Steve

I agree with you, I wouldn't want to be the one to make the decision.  I
too cut my teeth on Slackware, still running it with kernel updates
(2.0.31) and elf.  I've got Red Hat on my laptop.  I like the rpm
approach to RedHat, yet I like the control I have with Slackware.  That
maybe because I've spent so much time on the Slackware, and I'm new to
RedHat. I'll forward it to ale as well. Curious though, why wouldn't
Netscape let you forward?  I'm sending this to you and ALE via Netscape
4.0b7.  Drop me private email if you would like some assistance
regarding that.

> 
> > I think that the main problem here is that, for the most part, Linux is
> > getting a lot like UNIX was, that is, so many variations, their
> > defeating each other.  If there was a single strong distribution of
> > Linux, it would help.  I think Caldera and Red Hat have the right idea
> > with their 'commercial' and 'rpm' respectively.
> >
> > The install problems do exist with Windows packages, but the problem is,
> > MS is big enough and embedded enough to say, what the hell.  I received
> > a quote from an interview of one of the MS support teams.  The question
> > was, what are they going to do about it crashing, the solution was that
> > it reboots 50% faster.  This to me is complete bullshit.  I've been
> > forced to use NT for work for my webserver and the last time I had
> > problems with it the tech suggested rebooting.  You see, Microsoft is
> > training people that rebooting is the solution.  I told him, hey this is
> > a server, figure that damn problem out and fix it, don't reboot the
> > blasted thing.  This guy holds a Microsoft Certification.
> >
> > I recently 'uninstalled' a modem on an NT 4.0 laptop,  it trashed all
> > the networking stuff and I had to remove and reload it all.  So you see,
> > Microsoft has these problems as well, they just have the marketers and
> > trainers telling people that it's okay.
> >
> > As for the information provided by man pages, what the hell does MS give
> > you?  A dialog box that says 'It's screwed' with a little 'OK' button.
> > Had one just today, that said, "Can't find specified file" problem was,
> > didn't tell me that bloody file name.  I'll take man pages over the MS
> > help any day.  Then again, I'm a wirehead I guess...
> >
> > --
> > Until later:
> > Geoffrey Myers   geof at abraxis.com       http://www.abraxis.com/geof
> >
> >         Opinions expressed by me are mine, all mine, only mine.....

-- 
Until later:
Geoffrey Myers   geof at abraxis.com	http://www.abraxis.com/geof

	Opinions expressed by me are mine, all mine, only mine.....






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