On Fri, 9 Mar 2001 09:27:53 +0000 (GMT)
Michael Brown <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> On Wed, 7 Mar 2001, Pete wrote:
> > Another thing that slows performance initially
> > are things like slocate. I know that it is necessary to update the
> > database and that once the database is updated, the next update goes
> > relatively quickly. However, if you have a number of partitions/hd's
> > the initial update takes forever, and all your resources are gone. A
> > new user would have no clue what is happening.
>
> Seconded - the initial slocate update can bring a machine to a virtual
> halt for quite a long period of time, certainly long enough for a
> newbie to (wrongly) conclude that "Linux is slow".
Not so much slow - 'maybe it's hung' ...... especially on slower older
machines.
Comments from a 12-month 'newbie' on this point....
Hows' about this...
The newbie sees the last section of the install process after X has been
set up and _assumes_ that when she/he clicks 'ok' the system is going
to reboot and be ready to rock.
The system does in fact reboot, then appears to do little but rattle the
HDD-cage for quite some time while those various databases are
finalised. Why not tell her/him what's happening??
"Please wait while final settings are written.." or some such, That
other opsys does this and that's where most newbies will be coming from,
that at least is more meaningful than a long weight (sic) !!
And while on the issue of slocate - it's taken me almost 12 months to
find how to tell the slocate script _NOT_ to parse /mnt/cdrom,
/mnt/windows and any other non-linux partitions.
---
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"The number of UNIX installations has grown to 10, with more expected"
(The UNIX Programmer's Manual, 2nd Edition, June 1972.)
