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Richard Brown wrote: > Hi Robin > > On 27/03/07, Robin Menneer <robinmenneer@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: > >> I've just read this file (above) and am confused again, clearly debian >> is so wonderful that I have been misled in getting ubuntu. Help ! >> >> > It's wonderful until you see the hoops you might have to jump through > to get your system going. Stick with Ubuntu, learn how to use it. Get > the konsole out. Learn shortcuts.... Get a second-hand box and use it > to test install various flavours. Find out the difference between > package managers. But most of all enjoy what you are about to learn. > It really is quite fun! > I know many people will strongly, to put it mildly, disagree with me, but... If you want linux as a desktop with graphical user interface and support for lots of different bits of hardware and all the other stuff that wimps like to have then you are much much better off with ubuntu. Sure Debian is very stable, use it as a mail server and it'll never fall over, use an older piece of kit for your server and Debian will have saved you money spent on buying new kit. But the only possible reason for using it as a desktop is ideological (not neccessarily a bad thing). It is not the easiest distro to install and has little going for it looks wise. Nothing wrong with the look 'n' feel, but nothing great either. And while not rubbish at detecting hardware it is not as good as some others - ubuntu among them. Stick with ubuntu if you find it works for you. If there is a debian live disk you might check it out, but I don't think there is. Debian is not the most user friendly distro out there. As for the billions of applications you could install, unless you have some really specialist requirement which is particularly tricky to install and of which Debian is the only distro with a pre-built package, they make no odds really. I'm not a big ubuntu fan myself. Personally I go for pclinuxos which I find excellent in terms of look 'n' feel and really good on hardware detection. There is a live disk version of it so you could have a look if interested. The makers have put a lot of effort into making it user friendly, particularly for linux newbies, but then so has the ubuntu team. A matter of taste really. I know that ethos behind a distro is important, but the builders of pclinuxos, ubuntu, kpoppix, DSL etc etc are hardly running lap dogs of the capitalist hyiena. The purity of the Debian teams vision and commitment is its great strength, not its looks or ease of use. Simon -- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG http://mailman.dclug.org.uk/listinfo/list FAQ: http://www.dcglug.org.uk/linux_adm/list-faq.html