[RULE] Hi everybody

[James Miller]

I'd like to just make some general observations on some things that have
been mentioned here recently.  These are the remarks of a computer
hobbyist (as opposed to someone with special training or abilities), and
so may not be too well-informed.

First, I'd just like to observe that Debian seems to me a much better
choice than RH on which to develop a sub-distro friendly to older
hardware.  That might seem like kind of a counter-productive assertion to
make on a list already dedicated to a certain distro (RH), but I just
don't know how or where else to say it.  I hope it doesn't seem like I'm
trying to show disrespect or lack of appreciation for RULE developers - on
the contrary, I am amazed by their talent, devotion and especially
concern.  I feel a real kinship with those who try to do "more with less,"
as we say in English, and I hold them in utmost respect.  Sorry if this
sounds self-contradictory or paradoxical: I suppose it's just part of the
nature of my thinking.

If I may, let me just offer a few of my reasons/observations for thinking
Debian a better base.  First and foremost is the package management system
apt-get.  I suppose if one doesn't have a good - or any - internet
connection, this is not such a compelling factor.  I also understand that
apt-get and things like it (I think there's one called "Yum") have been
"ported" to RH.  Let me just ask if any RULE users are using these package
management systems?  If so, do you feel that this system of installing new
progs and system updating is superior to the traditional RH package
management system?  I haven't really used RH much since 7.3, so I may be a
bit behind on rpm's capabilities as well.

Second, Debian has a stock kernel optomized for i386.  I think it comes in
either 2.2.x or 2.4.x series.  So, there's no need to compile a special
kernel for the sub-distro.

In closing, I'll just remark that, though things like Gentoo's portage
system (or the scripts Raul mentioned, which sound similar) look about as
attractive as apt-get, I see them as unadvisable for a couple of reasons.
System resources is the main one - it being fairly unreasonable to build
an entire OS on a low-resource machine.  I would also add that, for my own
fairly mundane (and probably pretty average) computing needs, having to
set compile flags and those sorts of advanced system tweaks are not worth
the trouble.  I can only foresee some very limited instances in which the
"stock" programs wouldn't work fine for my needs.

I hope I don't start a distro war here or anything.  My comments and
insights are probably pretty uneducated and limited: please assume
ignorance above all else.  I have thought long and hard about the problems
of tweaking Linux for older hardware - to the extent I'm really capable
anyway - and about the break-neck pace of computer development against
which this must happen.  I just want to offer my thoughts in a forum where
there is a potential for constructive dialogue and where I can hope to
learn more from others who think in like ways and know more than I.

Please offer your feedback on my thoughts, proposals, mistakes and
presumptions.

Thanks, James


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