On Mon, 15 Jun 1998 21:34:08 -0400, rs202 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >I've been scoping the various distributions of Linux for a few weeks, >reading and so forth. I've just discovered Debian's Packages directory. >This distribution looks like it would be incredibly simple to maintain >with the way the packages are typed & organised. I don't see any other >distributions which come close to this kind of categorisation and simple >installation. > >What are the drawbacks with Debian's package system, if any?
The packages are controlled very tightly by the Debian organisation, with all official packages being quality checked to ensure that they interoperate correctly with others, follow Debian guidelines, etc. This strictness can lead to a delay between software releases and their inclusion in the official Debian set, although you can guarantee that when it's there it will work pretty damn well. People who want software instantly may prefer it otherwise. Of course, you can install from tarballs or RPMs if the mood takes you, but you have to be careful about system integrity if you do that. Perhaps the biggest drawback is that it's so easy. Debian system administrators may have a hard time coping with a Slackware setup, if forced to do so. Rob Wilderspin -- "But I need it to crash once every few days - reboots are the only chance I get to sleep..." ----------------------= (send replies to rob@) -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
