Re: [PLUG] apt-get / rpm freshmeat article

[LeRoy Cressy <ldc@netaxs.com>]

Thanks for getting the point that I was trying to make.
mg wrote:
> 
> On Sun, 17 Sep 2000 Darxus@chaosreigns.com wrote:
> 
> > On 09/17, LeRoy Cressy wrote:
> > > sounds a lot like the windows world that promotes what is installed is
> > > what you get.  In late 94 I put linux on my system because I wanted to
> >
> > You will always have a choice.  Feel free to install from tarballs.
> >
> 
> This quite true (as a slackware user I still install from tarballs all the
> time although I'm trying to get into the habit of using pkgtool now) but I
> dont think that that was LeRoy's point. There is a current trend in
> distributions to shield the user from having to hand-edit plaintext config
> files. The logical end of this path is windows-like environment where
> plaintext config files are gone and flashy frontends and wizards are the
> only way to get something done. As LeRoy pointed out this is just fine
> until you need to do something that the frontend never though anyone would
> ever have to do. It also keeps the user from really learning how things
> work. I have gained an invaluable amount of knowledge from having to dig
> through config files and man pages in order to get things done. I think
> back and wonder if I would have gained the same knowledge if all of the
> nice frontends to things that exist today existed back when I started
> learning linux. I dont think I would have. I might know how to get things
> done but I dont think I would have the intimate knowledge of various
> pieces of software (or even protocols) that I do now.
> 
> That being said, I realize that there are many people these days using
> linux who dont want or need to learn every nook and cranny of the
> system. That's fine but as LeRoy also pointed out this leads to an
> insecure machine. This is a problem that lies with the distribution in my
> opinion but that's a whole new issue.
> 
> mg
> 
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-- 
Rev. LeRoy D. Cressy   mailto:ldc@netaxs.com         /\_/\
                       http://www.netaxs.com/~ldc   ( o.o )
                       Phone:  215-535-4037          > ^ <

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: 
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)


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Philadelphia Linux Users Group       -      http://www.phillylinux.org
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