3 questions about new installations & updates

[Robert Holtzman]

On Sun, Nov 27, 2011 at 01:23:01PM +0000, Liam Proven wrote:
> On 25 November 2011 23:11, Robert Holtzman <holtzm at cox.net> wrote:
> > On Thu, Nov 24, 2011 at 06:59:44PM +0000, Liam Proven wrote:
> >
> >         .........snip.........
> >
> >> So, to answer #1, no, don't switch to Debian. It's less friendly,
> >> rather more old fashioned and does not include useful things that
> >> Ubuntu does. It also does not have a relatively friendly, welcoming
> >> support community like Ubuntu. If you have to ask, you don't want it.
> >
> > First, Debian is no more or less "friendly" than Ubuntu, Ubuntu being an
> > outgrowth of Debian...
> 
> The point for Ubuntu's creation being that building a working desktop
> out of Debian was too hard. It is much better now, but it's still not
> as simple.

Not sure what building you're referring to. The squeeze installation
installed the Gnome desktop. It was fully functional at that point.

> 
> > and Debian's default Gnome 2.30.2 desktop is more
> > like Windows than Ubuntu's Unity or Gnome 3.
> 
> And this is an /advantage/, is it?

It can make the transition easier for a windows user. Other than that,
no.

> 
> > Other than some proprietary drivers, what useful things does Debian lack
> > that Ubuntu doesn't? The only thing I had to install was
> > flashplugin-nonfree.
> 
> Proprietary graphics-card drivers, proprietary wireless card drivers,
> or a tool to install them?

That's what I just said.

> Actual known named Mozilla apps, as opposed to renamed ones with the
> icons changed?

That's certainly not a show stopper.

> 
> > Squeeze (Debian 6.x) worked for me out of the box.
> 
> Debian 6 won't recognise any of the PCMCIA *Ethernet* cards on my old
> Thinkpad, let alone Wifi. It doesn't work with /wired/ Ethernet cards.
> I had to get a USB Ethernet adaptor in the end. The 3rd or 4th one I
> tried (I forget) worked. None of the others.

Not to be snide, that's your problem. Probably hardware. I had no
problems with wifi or ethernet.

> 
> > The Debian support community is as welcoming as is Ubuntu's and about as
> > populous.
> 
> It must have changed dramatically in recent years, then.
> 
> > As far as it's being friendly, check the debian-users archive
> > and read the recent (current?) "Debian: A noob query" thread. The only
> > thing I find lacking in the Debian-users list is the entertainment
> > factor this list provides.
> 
> I will!

Now for the snide part. You might do a little research before firing up
the FUD machine.

-- 
Bob Holtzman
If you think you're getting free lunch, 
check the price of the beer.
Key ID: 8D549279
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