[Gllug] Debian

[Simon Wilcox]

On Tue, 21 Oct 2003, John Hearns wrote:

> Maddog said that he knew Linux had 'arrived' the day that his
> local LUG conducted an experiment. They put a distro CD into a PC,
> and simply kept hitting return. After a few returns, they had a fully
> installed and functioning Linux system.
> So sorry, I do think Linux has already passed this test.

I think it would be fair to say that some Linux installers may have
"arrived" but the Debian installer has not.

There *are* installers that can autodetect hardware and make the 
installation process as easy as you describe. The Debian installer is not 
such an animal, for all its supposed power.

Take my recent experience with setting up a dev server for the office, a
bog standard Dell Poweredge 2450 that was needed in a hurry (when aren't
they !). I had decided that I would try Debian on it as I am not happy
with the Redhat dependency issues that others have mentioned and wanted to
use the fabled Debian package management system.

Within seconds the installer was asking me detailed questions about the 
hardware in the machine, the answers to which I did not have to hand. End 
of installation attempt :-(

Contrast this with Redhat 8.0. Stick the cd in the drive, power up and
watch it detect the hardware and install a working system with minimal
intervention on my part.

Now I agree that my needs here, for a working server in a short time, are
different from those running production systems. The point is that the
Debian installer does not meet Mad Dog's definition of "arrived".

Simon.


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