[Sussex] Taking the plunge

[Gavin Stevens]

> > However I finally set up my system - either Debian & WINE, or 
> > Win95/Debian 3 dual boot, I shall need to use some Windows apps. for
> > sound/MIDI recording & editing & music score creating & printing. I
> > will try Linux sound related apps., but there doesn't seem to be much
> > in the way of well developed score writing packages just now. If there
> > were, Windows wouldn't even feature as an option for me.
> 
> I presume you've checked out Rosegarden:
> 
> http://www.all-day-breakfast.com/rosegarden/
> 
> .. I've found the beta's of the new version to be very impressive as a
> score editing, sound recording and MIDI editing tool.

I will try the latest Rosegarden when I get Woody installed. Sadly, 
the last version I tried just didn't work. Also, I have quite specific 
needs for score writing & I get quite tired of mouse-based input very 
quickly. Mozart (for Windows) is keyboard based & is very intuitive to 
use. That said, I will continue to try Linux alternatives.
> 
> > It is a true sign of the help I have received on this list & at sites
> > like DebianHelp.org, that I've gone from trying Debian 2.2 as a
> > complete Linux newbie to wanting to run Debian as my sole OS.
> > 
> > It would be v nice if the install for Debian 3 is a bit nicer than it
> > was for 2.2. Here's hoping.
> 
> Debian 3's install is in a similar vein to Debian 2.2, but a little
> nicer to use.  It's a shame that a distro as useful as Debian (and
> indeed Gentoo) can't have an installer that is a little more Newbie
> friendly.  Horses for courses though I guess.  I imagine 90% of new
> Linux users come via Red Hat, Mandrake, SuSE, Lindows or the like, so
> maybe this isn't such an issue.

This was more of a "whingette" than anything, & after putting Win98 
on my step-son's machine last week (I have NEVER had a clean 
install of Win98 on anything), I can readily forgive Debian - at least 
Debian actually works when you know all the tricks. Also, having 
taken the road less travelled & installed Debian 2.2 as a newbie last 
year, I actually learned loads in a short space of time. One thought, 
though: if Debian had a user-friendly installer, it would become very 
popular with "Joe User", 'cos when it's all installed, it's very easy to 
use. (I should include myself as a "Joe User" perhaps, as I'm not a 
programmer or anything, just a user with a bit more knowledge than 
average & a realisation that I don't like Windows any more).

At least Debian 3 will a new installation & I will be a bit wiser from 
the first time.

Gavin.
>