Re: Installfest Distros (was Re: Adding Debian Repositories …

On Thursday 27 January 2005 06:47 pm, Eric "Shubes" wrote:
>
> I'm interested to hear what some senior pluggers (e.g. Alex, Dennis,
> Alan, hans) think about this.

Senior? I don't know. I think Dennis is closer to AARP than I am. :^)

A few years back when I started my journeys with Linux, there was The Three:
Red Hat, SuSE and Debian. Not to slight others (like Slackware, The First),
but these were the three that looked like the principal choices.

Now there are so many excellent choices. Nevertheless I have continued with
Red Hat via Fedora. Corporates still recognize the Red Hat name best when
Linux is discussed.

Ubuntu sounds pretty nice, but they use GNOME and I like KDE. (Yea, a Red Hat
guy using KDE.) So, I have not tried it. That it comes on one CD for HD
install and is easily updatable, from reports here. Sounds like a good
choice for new users.

I also understand that we need to be efficient and calming at the InstallFest.
It is amazing to me how people would never accept no choice when buying a car
but cannot accept choice when it comes to computers. We should not drown
someone in choices.

Here is, finally, my thoughts on picking an "InstallFest Distro." Think of
them as general rules, keeping in mind the goal of having the new user walk
out with a working Linux.

- - Have as many distros at the InstallFest as members willing to help install
them. If no voluteer wants to install Fedora, no Fedora will be installed
that day.
- - Have them in the easiest installable form, on a server for "net" installs is
easiest for many, CD(s) for others or those users that want to take home CDs.
- - Have intelligent "triage" with the new user. Have the new user describe
what they want the Linux for, why they want Linux, where it will be used, who
will be using it, etc. The volunteer will then determine the "best" distro
to meet this information. Examples:
- -- "I will be using this at work. The boss wants to see Linux in business for
a database or file server." = Fedora for the Red Hat name or SuSE for the
Novell name.
- -- "Me and my wife want to surf and write documents." = Ubuntu for
friendliness and smooth operation.
- -- "I want to learn Linux adminitration." = Debian or maybe Slackware
- -- "I want Freedom!" = Debian for it's "free-ness"
- -- "I want it on my laptop" = Boot Knoppix to decode hardware needs and then
research the net for what distro was successful on that laptop
- -- "I don't care, I just want to try it." = A bootable CD or Ubuntu or
whatever those other single CD distros that are so nice.

OR ignore all of that and pick 3 or 4 and just use those. :^) I really don't
care about the issue enough to push any particular solution. So, I will fall
to the back again and let those that care come up with an answer. I'm sure
the result will be fine.

Alan
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