[lug] Debian is better?

[Jack Swope]

I am a RedHat user and administrator.  I have tried Suse, Mandrake, 
Caldera,  and Slackware.  I currently have 20 some machines running 
RH7.2 through 8.0 and I would have to agree with the dislike for RH8.0. 
 It is a typical .0 release from RedHat and not really ready for prime 
time.  I like the ease of use of RedHat especially the rpm functions.  I 
kind of miss linuxconf.  It wasn't a perfect tool but at least it wasn't 
named redhat-config-???? and you could run it from a console instead of 
having to be in X.  I personally like tools and GUIs as I have to 
administer a fair number of machines and it is typically easier to teach 
users how to do certain things with a GUI rather than a CLI.

That would be my 2cents worth.  

Also, I have found that the upgrade from 7.2 or 7.3 to RH8.0 works 
fairly well.  It doesn't take away very much and most of the systems 
just continue to work.

jdavis wrote:

>Hello,
>  While at BestBuy this weekend I spoke to there Linux install
>tech. He informed me that I am almost a looser for using
>RedHat and not Debian, he then proceded to hit me about the
>face with a CDRW. Just kidding about the CDRW. So I installed
>Debian on a extra hardrive. After a weekend of Debian use I
>wonder if I am missing something. I did not find apt-get easier
>to use than rpm, givien this is 2 years of rpm exp vs. 1 weekend
>apt-get exp...but I am a much more Linux informed user than I was
>2 years ago...even 6 months ago. I could not get the video drivers
>from Nvidia to compile either, error was...the compiler you are
>trying to use is not the same one that compiled your kernel?? 
>Anyway, I like the idea of using new distros and would like
>to continue to explore Debian as a replacment desktop distro..
>(due largley to dislike of rh8) Is Debain a good option for
>a Desktop distro? I ask this because Ximian Gnome wont work for
>Debian3.0 (3.0 is the stable right?) and xine bitched when i used
>apt-get...mplayer cried, Evolution worked :) So i just want to know
>if I am wasting my time or...I just need to learn more (with in reason)
>about Debian and non-Redhat Linux. I also once heard refrence on this
>list to stale and broken being the main Debain relases..is this cause 
>for concern when picking a desktop distro. The tech at Best-Buy also
>said that Debian is more powerfull than Redhat...I dont really know
>what he means by that. I actually think its the dumbest thing I have
>heared in a while. Really, what makes a Linux distro more powerfull than
>another? I would say support contracts and software that *works*...
>as well as the ability to customise. I think Redhat comes *closer* than
>most to to gettting a 10/10 on all. Back to the subject...I would
>like to hear peoples desktop distro choice and why, and exp you have
>had with other distros to make $X your default.
>
>Hope someone actually reads this far :)
>
>thanks,
>jd
>
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-- 
Jack Swope
Systems Administrator
Minolta-QMS, Inc.
Core Technology Laboratory
Boulder, CO
(303)443-7227 x 310