Rüdiger Kuhlmann wrote: [Rearranged for better readability]
> In short: If you're a beginner, > go for SuSE. If after a while you feel the urge to try something different, > go for Debian. No! If you're serious about Linux, then you'll have to learn how Linux works anyway. And although I appreciate any help I can get in configuring my machine, it will very often boil down to editing config files yourself. Now, if you're beginner, than you'll sooner or later run into trouble with any Linux distribution (probably sooner, anyway), and this is where the second advantage of Debian kicks in. First of all, this mailing list and others are the best source of help I've ever experienced in Linux. Secondly, because of the clean infrastructure Debian provides, it is easier to learn the details of the configuration files and apply the various tips you'll find on the WWW and through the mailing lists. Debian will not touch files you've changed, unless you explicitly allow it to do so. Compare that to RedHat which will let rpm overwrite any file you've changed every time you update a package. SuSE is even worse, because of its centralized rc_config. And, mind you, I've used both for a long time (still have to use RedHat at work). BTW, I used to suggest SuSE to beginners. Not anymore. > First of - don't buy it, ask a friend for a copy. Linux is free, and Debian > in particular has no company behind it, in opposite to SuSE or RedHat. I would disagree here, too. Granted, I run woody and upgrade over the net every week or so. Also, wenn I install Debian at work I'll simply get the ISO images from the FTP servers or do a net install. But, although Debian is not a cooperation, it can use any money it gets, and 30 bucks or so is not a bad investion. BTW, Felix, you're from Germany so I would suggest the Debian distribution packaged by Lehmanns. Cheers, Viktor -- Viktor Rosenfeld WWW: http://www.informatik.hu-berlin.de/~rosenfel/ Geek Code (3.1): GCS/SS d-@ s+: a20 C++@ UL++$ P+ L+++ E--- W++ N++ o? K? !W O? M? V? PS++@ PE+(-) Y+ P?(+++) t+ 5+ X- R? !tv b+ DI+ D- G e>+++ h-- r- !y+
