On Mon, Jul 03, 2000 at 10:07:40AM -0400, Michael J. McGillick wrote:
: - Red Hat split the kernel up into multiple packages, instead of just
: one. While some feel this was a good thing, how many times have we seen
: on this list "How do I upgrade my kernel?". How is managing 10 - 12
: packages easier than installing 1?
It makes perfect sense actually. Most people much prefer modularity.
When's the last time you needed both UP and SMP kernels? When is the
last time you built a firewall that needed to have the kernel sources?
: - Red Hat released Xconfigurator. This is an excellent package. Only
: problem is it relies on other packages, which in turn rely on still more
: packages, getting the end-user to the point that if they don't install
: most of the packages in the distribution, you can't use it.
Xconfigurator requires:
XFree86 - You DID want X, right?
kbdconfig - You also wanted to configure your keyboard too.
mouseconfig - Not to mention your mouse
XFree86-xfs - And you might want to display a font or two, right?
kudzu - Invokes Xconfigurator to support new display adapters
initscripts - I'm not totally sure why, but you've already got it anyhow
glib/gtk - To display the success message when X starts
newt - Displays text-ish GUI
slang - required by newt, a default install item
popt - required by a BUNCH of things, used to parse CLI options
I don't see any packages there that aren't installed as a part of the
dependencies of several other parts of the system. Besides, RPM will
correct you with respect to dependencies.
: - Bash is still installed by default as the primary system shell, and has
: not been converted to Bash2. Bash2 is clearly superior to Bash.
Agreed, bash2 should be the default.
: - Minimal security is in place after an install. Telnet, FTP, etc. are
: wide open if you happened to have installed those packages.
Wide open? You make it sound as if users can immediately gain entry to the
entire filesystem unchecked, which is simply not the case. Sure, I dislike
telnet and other cleartext protocols, but I'm not going to scream because
they are enabled by default. I'll disable them. Would you complain the
same way about Solaris, Irix, HP-UX or AIX? They all do the SAME THING.
: - The "public" FTP is incredibly slow.
Use a mirror.
: - Red Hat is not 100% FHS compliant. I'm still checking on this one, but
: my understanding is that this is the case.
I don't know anyone that is 100% FHS compliant.
: - There is no telephone technical support. I know that Red Hat physically
: has people in a "technical support" area, but anyone who has called for
: real technial support will understand what I mean.
No? http://www.redhat.com/apps/support/programs.html
: - Customizations and patches original sources. I thought the idea of RPM
: was to have pristine sources and manage those. Why are the kernel sources
: patched then with stuff from Red Hat that has yet to be approved by the
: group producing the kernel? I've seen this with other packages, like
: Apache as well.
Yes, and they remain true to that idea. Look inside any Source RPM and see
for yourself.
: - Red Hat appears to be going the route of Microsoft. RHCE, increasing
: price for the operating system, customizations to the OS that require Red
: Hat be installed or packages don't work, etc.
RHCE != a bad thing. It's a way to show people you at least know the
basics. That's what an MCSE is, isn't it? It sure isn't proof that
you're hot stuff.. You DO know what MCSE (or MCSE+I) stands for, right?
Must
Consult
Someone
Experienced
+
Immediately
Increasing the price for the OS? I got RedHat 6.2 for the same price I
got Mother's Day + 0.1. Free. Don't confuse available value-added
options with a price increase.
--
Jason Costomiris <>< | Technologist, geek, human.
jcostom {at} jasons {dot} org | http://www.jasons.org/
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