[Sussex] Searching for a distro....

[Steve Dobson]

Hi Matt

On Thu, 2008-02-14 at 21:51 +0000, Matthew Macdonald-Wallace wrote:
> I've been using Ubuntu for about a year now on my laptop and I figure
> that it's time for a change! :o)
> 
> Here's my wishlist:
> 
> 1) A distribution that has no "free vs. libre vs. open" zealotry
>    attached to it

Don't all distributions that include GPLed software have some form of
"free vs. libre vs. open" zealotry at some level?  In fact about the
only distro that doesn't have that kind of zealotry associated with it
is OS-X.  I'd even rule out Windows because their zealotry is against
free/libre software (although they do seem to like open now that they
want you to use a WAMP stack).

On the other hand Debian, while vocal about the subject, does give you
the choice by separating non-free from free (by their definition).  That
isn't "undue or excessive zeal" in  my opinion.

So, as I see  it, this is either a condition that 

> 2) A distro that has good package management (portage/apt etc)

Does this mean that you consider RPM packaging to not meet your own
quality requirement? 

> 3) A distro that is highly customisable (a la gentoo) yet does not have
> huge build-times (??based on binaries??)

What customisation does gentoo offer that Debian does not?  I don't know
of any packages/apps/programs that do don't have some kind of
configuration file that is customisable separate from the binary (kernel
not included).  Debian go to the effort of compiling all their packages
so that somewhere in /etc is the default config file.  That doesn't make
the package more or less configurable, just easier to find and configure
it.

> 4) A distro that use SysV init, _NOT_ upstart

Debian offers both and defaults to SysV.

> 5) A distro that has a huge amount of software available for it (this is
> probably a repeat of 2!)

I think not.  Both Ford and Morgan build cars, Ford have more models and
produce more cars.  Morgan had craft each one.  Which provide the better
quality?

Debian has a huge number of packages.  Somewhere around 10,000 source
packages.

> Here's my reasoning:
> 
> 1) I just want my distro to work.  Freedom (as in speech) is nice, but
> for me it doesn't even figure on my "I want" list.

I'm always amazed at this kind of statement.  Not requiring freedom to
me means that you will accept tyranny.  Why would anyone want to have
someone else dictate what they can and cannot do?

> I want to watch
> youTube, listen and watch RealMedia/MP3/WMV/WMA encoded formats on my
> laptop _without_ having to add deb repos from people I don't know/trust.
> It's my opinion (and I'm aware that it isn't shared by a lot of people!)
> that Linux will never make it as a desktop until the community (or at
> least part of it) drops the "you can't use that, it's proprietary"
> attitude. (/me dons the flame-proof suit of pragmatism...)

For many distros (Debian included) the decision to include or not
include a package has a strong legal and/or finical element, and just a
political stance.

If you want do these things legal then you need to pay all the dues and
levies for all states and dominions in which you use your software to do
those things.  I say this not because of my political stance on Free
Software, but because I don't which to be guilty of incitement.

Steve

-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 189 bytes
Desc: This is a digitally signed message part
Url : http://mailman.lug.org.uk/pipermail/sussex/attachments/20080215/e8a2e9c8/attachment.pgp