[GRLUG] Ubuntu 6.06

[john-thomas richards]

On Mon, Jun 19, 2006 at 02:46:02AM -0400, Bob Kline wrote:
[snip]
> Leading to the first question.  Would Debian itself
> have any additional advantages,  or does Ubuntu/
> Kubuntu capture the essence of it?   What I have read
> about Kubuntu suggests that it uses the same
> program library as Debian,  but probably loads fewer
> packages during a standard installation.  Just
> guessing.  Any of the real experts here have an
> opinion on this?

Ubuntu is largely based on Debian but does not follow it as closely as
it has in the past.  There is now some variation in the packaging as
100% compatibility with Debian is no longer a goal of the distro.

I prefer Debian to the Debian-based varieties because I like the
original.  Debian has been quite innovative for years.  apt-get get and
menu come to mind.  If Ubuntu is able to make money for its parent
company (you did know it is a commercial distro, right?) and can
continue providing free software, and if it meets your needs, by all
means use it.  Debian has never been commercial and so faces little if
any pressure to release before it is ready.  There is also little
concern that it will be around in five years.  Progeny was a great
Debian derivative...

Which is better?  Debian is much more intentional about quality than
other distros (not a slam, just an observation).  It is for this reason
that Debian's stable release is "out of date" (is it really?).  It is
also for this reason that Debian Stable is *stable*.

> I can say I don't like sudo.  I'd much rather have a
> traditional superuser approach.   Does Debian still
> use the traditional approach?   If so,  that could be
> a reason to switch over at some point.

Use sudo to change root's password.  You will then be able to log in as
root.

[snip]
-- 
john-thomas
------
I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet.
Mahatma Ghandi