> From: Mike McGinn [mailto:mikemcg...@mcginnweb.net] > I have a Dell Inspiron 1545 laptop with 4G of RAM and have been a 'buntu > user > since release 7.04. With each release of the new OS from Kubuntu I have > been > less and less happy with the so called "quality" and I am planning a move to > Debian. As a Kontact user the problems reported with the new versions of > that > particular package are dictating the move to Squeeze. (I subscribe to both > the > kde-pim users and developers mail lists.) > > I have been experimenting with an installation in a virtual machine and I am > getting ready to make the jump. I am happy with what I have experienced in > my > VM and I just want to know if there are any pitfalls I have not foreseen. My > system is backed up every night, so I am not worried about losing anything.
The most noticeable difference to me has been the lack of drivers. You are pretty much on your own finding drivers for things. Debian supports older hardware quite well, but there is usually a long wait for it. Upgrades from release to release are more tricky than Ubuntu. It is sometimes easiest to just install the new version "clean". If you run packages from Testing (starting, say 6 months after a release), go all out in Testing . Mixing distributions leads to heartbreak. Ditto Sid. IF you run things from Sid, you're better off running a full Sid system rather than a mixed system with some packages from Testing and some from Sid. The only things to get from Experimental are possibly the latest iceweasel, or a new kernel. But wait on the latter until the kbuild package is released, if you are going to need the kernel headers to compile hardware drivers (the classic example being nvidia-glx kernel module). The headers depend on linux-kbuild, and the kernel guys often don't get around to packaging it right away. I'm sure there are people with better advice, Keep it coming, guys! -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/005601cdfa50$a2862380$e7926a80$@allums.com
