On Mon, 2006-06-05 at 21:42, Alexander Henry wrote:
> So your "frustration with Ubuntu" was caused by your suddenly  
> understanding more about the nature of Linux?
> 
> The Linux kernel is a tarball of C code you can compile yourself.  It  
> can't even get itself into a CPU, it needs LILO or GRUB on the MBR of a  
> hard drive to do that.
> 
> Every program that comes with Linux comes in a tarball of C code that can  
> be compiled in a UNIX environment with ./configure && make && make install.
> 
> Every program may or may not compile with your UNIX environment, it's up  
> to the program writer to make sure it does that, and a systems  
> administrator to spoon-feed options to ./configure.
> 
> Every one of these programs might or might not have hooks or use libraries  
>  from some other program, or have compiler options to turn on these hooks.
> 
> Anyone can write a patch for a program, and share it with the world.  Then  
> others can download the program from the main provider, download the  
> third-party patch, compile, and use it themselves.
> 
> Every distribution is a package of kernel with patches, programs with  
> patches, program configurations, and a manager program to help take care  
> of it all.
> 
> That's it!  Ain't no magic, and it's very possible for one person to wrap  
> their head around it all.  Lots of one- or two-man Linux distros out  
> there.  Just takes time.
> 
> Currently, Ubuntu seems to take the most time and care making their distro  
> for Aunt Tillie's desktop, plus they have a marketing effort to make sure  
> she knows it exists.
> 
> Because Ubuntu is Debian Linux, it comes with all the advantages of Debian  
> Linux, and because Ubuntu is taking so much time and care polishing what  
> is considered Linux's biggest weakness, Linux desktop for Aunt Tillie, yes  
> it is a big deal.  If catering to Aunt Tillie by way of patch-writing,  
> careful thought into /etc files, and marketing is what makes Ubuntu the  
> "Windows of Linux", hey I think that's a compliment.
> 
> I think Red Hat tried to become the Windows of Linux but failed.  They  
> stopped halfway into the job, removing advantages of Linux and introducing  
> new disadvantages.  I think Fedora and Suse are playing a serious game of  
> catch-up because of this (e.g. RPM vs apt-get).  Ubuntu, knock on wood, is  
> not making this mistake.  Ubuntu is keeping all the strengths of Debian,  
> which are huge, and helping with Debian's faults, which are small for  
> hackers but showstoppers for Aunt Tillie (e.g. cups).

I agree, Ubuntu is great.  Although my Ubuntu machine has been
temporarily supplanted by Centos for my current project, Ubuntu is the
one I recomment to newbies.

Vaughn


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