[linux-audio-dev] Hello - FYI - intro

[james at dis-dot-dat.net]

Don't give up just yet!

On Tue, 24 Aug, 2004 at 12:38PM +0200, mark at kfm.co.za spake thus:
<snip>
> energy - to drown people - to open portals of thought and 

Drown people?  That's a Freedom that linux doesn't really give you.

<snip>

> My linux thought is that the main difference between linux and 
> windows is that under windows everything is packaged i.e. that 
> one installation will actually get that desired product to work - 
> while under linux a lot more time is spent on finding the correct 
> patches mixes matches reading than end time using/producing. 
> Obviously linux has flexibility power stability way beyond the 
> confines of windows or mac but it is the tieing up of those 'loose 
> ends'  which make it easier for a new user to get going that make 
> the ultimate difference. While windows users have licence issues 
> some linux users have other.

I know where you're coming from.  As an experienced user, I have no
problem with manually keeping a system udpated, patched ans running
smoothly.  Generally, I know where problems that occurr are likely to
come from.  The thing is, I don't want all that hassle.  If I did,
I'd use LFS.  Instead, I use Gentoo.

Gentoo isn't just for ricers.  Personally, I find it has the nicest
package management (although that's probably not the best way to
describe it).  I've also used Debian, but I still prefer Gentoo -
mainly because it's a little more configurable (like USE flags and
such) and it's a lot more up to date - Debian is safe, stable and
tested to death, Gentoo has regular updates to all components, and
still seems more stable than Debian Sid.

Now, I recommend you give Gentoo a try.  Sure, there'll be some pain
- the install process consists of some instructions and a command
prompt - but it's worth it.  For a start, you know how your system is
constructed to some degree.  Secondly, installing stuff and keeping
stuff updated is a doddle.  To install Jack, I type "emerge
jack-audio-connection-kit".  When Jack gets updated, my system
updates next time I do an "emerge world".  Thirdly, the documentation
is really nice and #gentoo on irc.freenode.net is a very helpful
channel.

Now, I know that other people will favour other distros.  I know that
Gentoo isn't for everybody.  But I like gentoo, and I think you
might, too.

Give it a whirl.  If you're reinstalling all the time anyway, why not
try it out.

Have fun.

James

<snip>

-- 
"I'd crawl over an acre of 'Visual This++' and 'Integrated Development
That' to get to gcc, Emacs, and gdb.  Thank you."
(By Vance Petree, Virginia Power)