Re: [vox] Re: Fwd: shoud i get linux?

[Rick Moen <rick@linuxmafia.MAPScom>]

Quoting Ken Bloom (kabloom@ucdavis.edu):

> I'm not aware of any laptops that are preloaded with Linux on them....

Bigger question is whether such would be desirable.  Having seen
preloads, I'd greatly prefer to install my own system, after consulting 
http://www.linux-laptop.net/ .  If as seems likely, your price includes
the mandatory monopoly OS that you then discard, oh well.

> Debian is generally considered to be more stable but usually has older
> software- it's a tradeoff.

This "older software" characterisation is obsolete, and harks back to
when you had to choose between Debian-stable and Debian-unstable.
These days, one would want to run the Debian-testing development track,
which is a judicious step back from bleeding edge but not too far.

Most novice users would want to start with the Debian-based Libranet
desktop distribution, which can be trivially cut over to track the
Debian-testing branch, post-installation.  http://www.libranet.com/ 

> If you're not interested in this point at committing fully to Linux, or
> you're squeamish about installing Linux yourself, then you can sign up
> for a LUGOD installfest when you arrive in Davis. We can help you to
> install Linux, even if you haven't cleared out space on your hard drive
> before arriving.

In the latter case, he'd be well advised to thoroughly defragment and 
health-check his partitions, before coming.  I've seen people have to
spend hours _during_ an installfest taking care of that belatedly.

-- 
Cheers,            There are only 10 types of people in this world -- 
Rick Moen          those who understand binary arithmetic and those who don't.
rick@linuxmafia.com
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