[Nottingham] Debian devotion [was: OE Reply Fixer]

[Robert Davies]

On Wednesday 05 March 2003 13:44, you wrote:
> On Wed, Mar 05, 2003 at 12:25:09AM +0000, James Gibbon wrote:
>  > I tried Debian (3.0, I think) a few months ago - it wouldn't
>  > recognise my DAT drive or network card,
>
> Do you mean that the default installation kernel didn't support the
> hardware ?  Just configure && compile a new kernel.  And in the case of
> network cards, I'd be surprised if none of the four install-time kernels
> on the standard Debian 3.0 disk 1 cd had support for (although perhaps
> by way of a kernel-module) this device ?  What was it ?
>
> "Half decent Linux distribution in 'cofiguration required before use'
> non-shocker".

I think the problem is, finding out what driver name and parameters, you have 
to set.  It can be quite a search and confusing if you don't know.  
Furthermore if you don't have time to keep up with kernel news, sometimes the 
best module to use changes on you, as newer drivers are developed.

Hence my suggestion, of recording /etc of the commercial distros which have 
intelligent installers that recognise and help configure the basic hardware 
for you.

The fact is, the easier Linux is to install and use, the far greater the 
number of users, most ppl just want to get a working system and do some 
'work' rather than have a hobby of running and administrating their own PC.

Rob