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

[James Duncan]

Robert Davies wrote:

>On Wednesday 05 March 2003 20:53, you wrote:
>  
>
>>Robert Davies wrote:
>>    
>>
>>>On Wednesday 05 March 2003 17:23, you wrote:
>>>      
>>>
>>>>Martin Garton wrote:
>>>>        
>>>>
>>>>>On Wed, 5 Mar 2003, .waffle wrote:
>>>>>          
>>>>>
>
>  
>
>>>My problem was, I needed a 'Fresh' release, packages that had been tested
>>>reasonably and passed from unstable, that would add new software, and
>>>major releases of things like Destkops, which don't impact underlying
>>>server code.
>>>      
>>>
>>Like testing maybe?  Packages go to this when they have cleared
>>unstable, though I use unstable without problems.  It is worth noting
>>that unstable packages have already been proven stable in the
>>experimental distribution, and I have had my machine broken exactly 0
>>times tracking sid (unstable) pretty much daily.  IMHO the name does a
>>lot to put people off but it is as stable as say mandrake.
>>    
>>
>
>testing may live on after sid was created, but woody was the only game in 
>town when it was unstable and Potatoe was the current stable version.  At 
>times woody *was* very broken.  Those who did use it told me at LUG meetings 
>they had to keep an eye on the lists and only make 'fairweather' updates, 
>I've also seen serious breakage at times reported in uk.os.linux.
>
>So when Woody came out officially, I think I'd already been happily using 
>another distro for 18 months, and have no reason to change.  Gentoo has 
>aroused my interest again in trying another distro out, but I don't see any 
>advantages of Debian over what I have currently installed, and quite a few 
>disadvantages.
>
>There's a well known psychological reason that can explain fandom and 
>devotion.  Basically if you have to put a lot into something, then because 
>you have time invested, you are fully bought in and committed.  To feel it 
>wasn't worth the effort implies you wasted your time.  It's much easier to 
>slag off what automatic tools do, as you've not 'bought into them' with your 
>own efforts.
>
>I liked Debian myself a lot when I had it, it was only really the slow 
>release cycle and lack of near to state of art stable releases, that made me 
>cut my losses and buy a commercial distro. 
>
>Rob
>
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>  
>
No, don't get me wrong, I think Debian could do with a 'wizarding', at 
least as an option.  To be honest my main love of Debian is for 
idealistic reasons.