watch for heresay

[Kirk Wood]

On Sat, 13 Oct 2001, Tony Baechler wrote:
> ...  I have no experience at all
> with Red Hat but have read that various config tools require graphics, so
> I would stay away from it for now. ...

Sorry, but this is **not** a good thing to say. When you decide something
shouldn't be used because you read somewhere that something is
required. The truth (which hopefully is important) is that every needed
config tool is available in both console and X tools. And guess what?? The
console tool came first like so many other items in the Unix/Linux
world. The X programs are front ends. Perhaps you should ditch the system
because there is also a web front end for the major tool? Basically, we
should refrain from spreading hearsay.
 
The rest of the post was quite refreshingly honest in stating it was based
on personal experiance. While I don't discount the experiance, here is
another view. I have installed Debian, Redhat, and Slackware. The only
distrobution I have had any problems with was Slackware. Once I figured
out my mistake, Slackware was pretty easy.

If you are downloading, then Debian is the smallest distro to get. This is
hands down the truth. The initial download for Debian will always fit in
less then 10 floppys. Debian has tools to create iso images, but doesn't
make them. Their reason is simple: they want to minimize downloading and
every CD they have seen has many packages many people don't want or
need. Instead the software gets what is needed and nothing more.

For the complete novice, RedHat and Debian have the easiest
interfaces. I highly recomend RedHat's linuxconf for ease of use. With the
one program you can do most configuration needed. It comes standard on a
redhat install. It is available for debian and might be for slackware.

Slackware has the highest learning curve for admin. That being said, it is
the easiest to maniputlate on a basic leve. All Linux systems use text
files for their config. Slackware is the easiest to directly modify the
text file.

=======
Kirk Wood
Cpt.Kirk at 1tree.net

"When I take action, I'm not going to fire a $2 million missle at
a $10 empty tent and hit a camel in the butt. It's going to be decisive."
	- President George Bush