Linux Distributions Are Too Big

wish bot sent in a link to a ZD Net story that talks about how Linux distributions are too big. Many valid points... of course IMHO my distribution is exactly the right size, and I apt-get all the bloat if I want it, later.

Comments

Zzzzzz-DNet

[squiggleslash]

Why do people take any notice of ZD-Net? The articles in it usually consist of poorer logic than you'll find at a pub frequented by Windows users on a Friday night, written with less justification than a MPAA legal brief.

Linux is "too big" is it? And what Linux would that be? And compared to what? Is Slackware "too big"? Has RedHat, the thing presumably most ZDNet readers think is Linux, grown larger than one CD lately? [Last time I looked, the other two CDs in the box were bonus bits and source code] The article mentions SUSE and Debian, but correct me if I'm wrong, but SUSE is a distribution that was developed so that users would have everything available in one package. Calling it "too big" is like saying that buildings everywhere are "too tall" because the Empire State Building has "too many" floors.

And Debian? Another distribution aimed at a particular group of users? How much has this guy had to drink?

What exactly is the point of this article? And why is Slashdot taking any notice of it? Is it time we install Censorware on the Slashdot editor's PCs so they can't see certain sites which are havens for third-rate writers who can turn any observation into a complaint?
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Not too big, but the installs still need work.

[Ami Ganguli]

There's absolutely no harm in packaging as much stuff as possible on the CD. You just have to make the installs easier to manage for the newby user.

That goes beyond nice pointy-clicky interfaces. RedHat (as far as I remember) has the choice between Workstation, Server and Custom install. A good first step. But what you really need is a bunch of tasks, not arbitrary classifications that nobody understands, and not a huge list of applications to choose from.

The install should ask you what tasks you need to perform with your computer:

• [ ] Create Documents
• [ ] Surf the Net
• [ ] Manage my accounts
• [ ] Write 'C' applications
• ...etc.

And should should then install a nice set of applications based on those choices. On top of that, maybe a little guided tour/tutorial that explains what the applications are.

Re:funny...

[lizrd]

They seem to be really stuck in the MS mindset where you buy the OS and that's all you get. If you're lucky, they throw in a calculator and an address book. A linux distro is different. It comes with everything that you need to get your work done. To get the functionality that I have in my default Mandrake 7.2 install (yes, I have a good firewall) in a MS environment I would need a hell of a lot more than 2 CDs and that's just for the things that I use. Let's make a list:

• MS Windows - 1 CD
• Visual C++ & MSDN docs - 3 CDs
• Paint Shop Pro | Photoshop - 1-3 CDs
• MS Office - 3 CDs
• Various Drivers for my hardware - 3-5 CDs

In addition, there are a bunch of things that I'd have to download right away. Let's think about those:

• ICQ
• AIM
• WinAmp
• PGP
• Putty

There are probably some others that I've forgotten but it's pretty obvious which is easier to be productive at. I'd estimate that this whole process would take me at least 5 or 6 hours by the time that I got everything installed, setup with my ISP and so forth. My last Mandrake install from 2 CDs took me only about 2 hours from inserting the CD to the point where I was using the Linux equivalent of all the programs listed above and that's mostly because I have a slowish CD reader.
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