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Apt-get remove SUSE; apt-get install Etch
desktoplinux.com — Ever since comparing seven Linux distributions on my "old thinkpad" testbed, I've remained impressed with the flexibility and ease-of-maintenance of Debian-based Linuxes. In my followup article on using Etch as a desktop OS, I pondered converting my primary desktop from SUSE to Debian. I've done it. Here's my tale...
deviceguru- 25 diggs
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- CurtHowland, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2I've tried a lot of different Linux distributions, over the last 12 years. Usability and ease of installing has come so far it's not even worth comparing.
Debian is what I return to when I want to get a long-term system in place. Even the "terrible" upgrade problems in Debian Unstable, such as the Xorg and Libc6 transitions, are minor compared to something _really_ bad like XP-SP2.
The credit belongs to the Debian Developers. The effort and dedication of that all-volunteer force in making a _working_ system are legendary.
Here's a cute site for the Windows-encumbered: http://goodbye-microsoft.com/- schestowitz, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Followed by something like: http://www.howtoforge.com/the_perfect_desktop_debian_etch
- CurtHowland, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3Oh, and shouldn't that be "apt-get --remove --purge Suse"?
- CurtHowland, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Ok, one last comment here. For those of you who want to have a bit more fun than typing "apt-get install kde", try "dselect".
The "dselect" application presents a list of all the available packages. If you type [/] and search for kde, for example, "kde" will not be what comes up first. Some other package with the letters "kde" in it will, so just repeat the search [] several times until "kde" is the highlighted package. Type [+] to add that package, and have a list of all the related packages presented to you. Just [enter] will accept the list as given.
There are several other front-ends for apt, such as "aptitude" and "tasksel", but I have found "dselect" to have a much finer grain of control. It's also a good way to look through the available packages and see if there is something you would like, "Gee, I haven't played Empire or MoonBuggy in ages!", that you might not have thought of. "Textedit? Really? Just like in the old UNIX days? Wow, I have to have that!"
Heck, if you're really nostalgic, install OLWM for that SunOS-4 look and feel. :^)
Those are the kinds of things you'll never find by just typing "apt-get install kde". - baalzebub, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1better yet...
bash:# rm -r /*
and reboot with a Slackware CD in the drive...
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