[PLUG] Re: Mother board/ Linux OS suggestions

[Greg Helledy <gregsonh@gra-inc.com>]

When assembling a new machine a year ago, I decided to check out what 
all the hubbub was and installed the then-current Kubuntu.  It was very 
attractive and everything that was included on the install CD "just 
worked".  I think it might be the perfect choice for someone new to 
linux.  The things I did not like were:
1.  The default apt repository was quite small, and when you added the 
additional ones mentioned on the website ("universes", I think they 
called them) you quickly got into broken packages with unmeetable 
dependencies.
2.  Despite being Debian-based, a lot of things are done differently 
from what I was used to (I had been using Libranet, upgraded with 
Debian, since 2002).  I found the differences frustrating because they 
seemed pointless to me.  This may not be an issue for you since you're 
not used to Debian anyway.

Before I get labeled an elitist bastard, I'll add that I don't work in 
IT and just want a flexible and reliable home computer.  People I know 
are only aware that I use that Loonix stuff so I wouldn't get any creds 
for using Debian anyway.
I started with Mandrake years ago, and tried SuSE for a while but found 
that a newbie-ized distro that was 100% Debian-compatible was what 
worked for me.  Debian seems to come a long way from potato so the 
newbie-ized version may not be necessary anymore.  I doubt someone with 
experience using linux would have trouble.

Greg Helledy

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