Why can't linux be nice AND easy ?

[Dogbert]

Ok, done with the ranting.

I got myself a Gentoo 1.2 install CD but for some reasons the installation manual isn't 100% right about how to do things.

The problem ? Instead of looking for the stuff in the Stge 2 & 3 files that I have untared, it wants to search stuff on the fricking net !

Since I'm connected tot he internet through adsl, I can't do the net install cause there's no way to connect to the net from boot.


Now, since Mandrake is a big chunk of bloatware, Slackware can't be updated and is dependency hell, what are the 'least worst' options for a Linux newbie that loves tweaking his stuff to death (only to reinstall it again) ?

Redhat ? FreeBSD ?

[Dogbert]

Damn I miss BeOS

[bsdgeek]

FreeBSD, but Gentoo is cool <i>if</i> you can get the stupid install finished.

[Slougi]

The installation isn't that bad. You could also install another distro and then switch to gentoo. Or just set up a temporary router using win98 or something...

[albatorsk]

Dependency hell? With Slackware? The nice things about slack-packages is that there are no dependencies in the pkg-system. At least none that prevents you from installing anything.

[leech]

I personally like debian myself, but a lot of people whine aboutit. The dependancies are all handled by apt.

Leech

[Gear]

I installed gentoo 1.2 with stage 3, and it didn't require any net access. All went beautyfully sweet, and fast. However, after detecting the builtin LAN, and configuring it, i could wget, scp or install by FTP. Maybe you have some specific problem?

I installed FreeBSD, OpenBSD, Debian, Slackware, SuSE, RedHat and I find the Portage system the best of all, provided that you have a fat pipe, and a fast cpu.

I (did) have some problems with Devfs, and Zip drives.

[Axl]

Originally posted by Dogbert
Damn I miss BeOS

BeOS IS still alive. The hardware support that can be difficult though.

https://www.openbeos.info

[WyWyWyWy]

BeOS was really cool
I really hope OpenBeOS and BlueEyeOS can work together... (stupid licencing restrictions)

FreeBSD is very cool, I use it as my main platform together with WinXP, while W2K and BeOS (!) being secondary platform. Also got Gentoo installed (really wasn't that hard providing you have another machine to use the net!), haven't booted into Gentoo for a couple moons now...

RedHat next version looks very very interesting, more interesting than any other desktop Linux. SuSE 8.1, Mandrake 9, Lyricos all look alright.

OpenBSD too much "elite-ism" too my liking, and technically isn't really very advanced.

NetBSD although I haven't got it installed at my home machine, it definitely is the most advance and stable of all BSDs. Could be a little bit too hard too difficult though.

Lindows hehe damn.

[leech]

There's another one coming out (soon TM) called Xandros, it's debian-based. Anyone remember Corel linux? It's Corel 3.0 basically. Looks like it'll have Kernel 2.4.19, Xfree86 4.2 (hopefully .1 with the security update) and Enhanced KDE (whatever that means.) Corel was so easy to install it was scary. WAY easier than any windows based OS. Four clicks and you had it up and running.

http://www.xandros.net

Looks like it's going to be released September 30th. 'bout time!

Leech

[WyWyWyWy]

Hmm to me Xandros is just another Windows wannabe. It is trying to look EXACTLY like Windows 95... yes 95

[MadScot]

There is nothing wrong with the Win95 interface. If it increases useability and linux marketshare, I'm all for it. Whatever works...

MadScot

[Axl]

Originally posted by WyWyWyWy
BeOS was really cool
I really hope OpenBeOS and BlueEyeOS can work together... (stupid licencing restrictions)

What is BlueEyeOS? Could you please give me a link.

[Dogbert]

Ok, successfully installed FreeBSD, didn't like it because of lack of gui based configutation tools, not to mention I the fact I didn't find a way to install the boot loader on my primary HDD.

I need something a little more straightforward than that.

So the options now are (already downloaded them all):

Slackware 8.1
RedHat 7.3
Mandrake 8.2

[WyWyWyWy]

URL:
http://www.blueeyedos.com/ (doh!)

It is an OpenBeOS-like project that uses Linux kernel instead of its own. VERY closed community and no files released so far, though they are not idle. Will use the Gonx UI (a BeOS concept UI that looks VERY VERY cool.) GPL licenced. Not binary compatible with BeOS (unlike OpenBeOS), but source compatibility is on the way. Uses AtheOS GUI engine (I think?) and some XFree86.

Very promising, as promising as OpenBeOS, but less well-known.

See their website for screenshots, and search for Gonx on Google...