A Little Light Reading

[cavy]

Hi fellow pepperminters,     

I always have found disto documentation and forums a font of knowledge    and a source of frustration    . 

Quite honestly have a gander at these links. 3 out of 7 don't have that "Haynes Manual" feel or approach.

https://peppermintos.com/guide/

https://www.debian.org/releases/stable/amd64/

https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/index.html

https://wiki.archlinux.org/

https://wiki.centos.org/FrontPage

https://www.linuxliteos.com/manual/

https://wiki.manjaro.org/index.php?title=Main_Page

"Ubuntu is an ancient African word, meaning I can't configure Debian". Reminds me of my youth, trying to fix my motorcycle. The Haynes Manual shows you how to strip an engine in an defined manner, but not how to service the clutch or set the tappets, that do not need to be completely disassembled.

It will be interesting to see if we agree on the three sites   

[scifidude79]

Peppermint, Linux Lite and Manjaro.  Those are the ones I figure aren't too bad, manual wise.

Debian and Arch, don't get me started.  I've never had anything but issues with either.  It's been ages since I tried Debian, though.  However, I did try Arch again a couple years back, I followed their installation guide to the letter, didn't get a usable system and wound up wiping over the install with Peppermint 6.  Fedora is OK, but their documentation leaves a lot to be desired.  No "quick start" guide there.  CentOS I've never actually messed with, but their documentation definitely seems somewhat large and comprehensive.

By the way, you want light reading?  This is how I started with Linux:



I borrowed that from my local library.  No lie, it's about the size of a medical school textbook.  Now, this was 2009, so the Linux versions in it were pretty old, but it was enough to get me started and knowing that I was going to like Linux.  Shortly thereafter, I picked up a magazine that came with Ubuntu 9.10 (the current version) and Kubuntu, and a few other -untus, so that I could install the current version.  However, I used the knowledge I learned in that huge book to install it properly.

[PCNetSpec]

"Ubuntu is an ancient African word, meaning I can't configure Debian".

LOL .. I don't agree with it. but LOL anyway

A better definition would probably be:-
"Ubuntu is an ancient African word, meaning Debian packaged properly, and why the heck should I need to fix Debian manually anyway"


The more in depth references such as the CentOS/Debian/Fedora manual and the ARCH wiki are all great resources for when you've got the hang of things and know how/where to look for answers .. but yeah, they're certainly not new user friendly, you can get lost in their information overload for months (I know from personal experience).

You can add the Redhat and OpenSUSE documentayion to that "info overload" list too
https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en/red-hat-enterprise-linux/
https://doc.opensuse.org/

[cavy]

@ scifidude79

Debian and Arch, don't get me started.  I've never had anything but issues with either.

Debian is unnecessarily hard, due to their FOSS ideals, but Arch (lately Manjaro) is a train wreck in waiting. CentOS is....don't, their licence agreement gets lost in the bios, if you do, don't use G3 or KDE, both are a mare.   

I have several "medical sized" Linux books that certainly qualify as esoteric gobble do goop.   

Spot on with the 3 user friendly sites   


@ PCNetSpec

"Ubuntu is an ancient African word, meaning Debian packaged properly, and why the heck should I need to fix Debian manually anyway"

yep, the fun and games I had to get Debian to play, currently trying to work out how to use anacron, for fstrim. They don't have it set, nor does the on-the-fly scripts work.   

In a quirky way found CentOS dox better than Fedora, whereas Fedora functions, but both have very sensitive security and block apps or report faults, that don't seem to be there...?   

openSUSSE, hmmm, grumble, grumble, hiss.   

[The PoorGuy]

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[cavy]

@ The PoorGuy

openSUSSE was like asking a postman for directions in a strange town, and finding  they couldn't speak English, lol...! It's rpm, but unlike any other rpm I have tried.

[scifidude79]

Well, OpenSUSE is based on SUSELinux, which is an Enterprise class Linux distribution.  You don't stand out in the business world by being the same as everyone else, and there are a few Enterprise class Red Hat based distributions.  SUSE tries to be different to stand out from them.  I used to occasionally run OpenSUSE, but I haven't in years.  I don't even remember what I didn't like about it, besides their graphical package manager.  I hated that that thing.

[cavy]

Well, OpenSUSE is based on SUSELinux, which is an Enterprise class Linux distribution.  You don't stand out in the business world by being the same as everyone else, and there are a few Enterprise class Red Hat based distributions.  SUSE tries to be different to stand out from them.  I used to occasionally run OpenSUSE, but I haven't in years.  I don't even remember what I didn't like about it, besides their graphical package manager.  I hated that that thing.

Yep, know that feeling.

First time I ever installed SUSSE, it some how missing an internet connection, even though I had it hardwired during the install. lol....! Turned out to be a known bug.

Recently tried their rolling release, like its code-name, "tumbleweed", blown away, err imploded.

In reality, I had got used to sudo, su, yum and dnf. zypper, apper and their package-manager was more effort than I wanted to put in.

[scifidude79]

Yeah, using "yum" felt like I was going for a snack. 

[VinDSL]

Recently tried their rolling release, like its code-name, "tumbleweed", blown away, err imploded.

Heh !  I've been testing Tumbleweed for a few months.  I like it, but it's 'oil & water' compared to Debian-based distros.

There's a learning curve involved, for sure ...   

[cavy]

@ scifidude

Yeah, using "yum" felt like I was going for a snack. 

As we mentioned yum, are you off snack, lol


@ VinDSL

Heh !  I've been testing Tumbleweed for a few months.  I like it, but it's 'oil & water' compared to Debian-based distros.

There's a learning curve involved, for sure ...   

It is KDE and G3 desktops, thats the problem,irrespective of distro.

my observations: https://sites.google.com/site/myonlinehousekeeping/home/peppermint-7

[VinDSL]

[...] G3 desktops, thats the problem,irrespective of distro.

Resistance is futile !  Prepare to be ENSORCELLED  !     

[The PoorGuy]

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[VinDSL]

I guess it's all in what and how much one is willing to learn so that one can become proficient in what one is using.

That being said what I became was confused.

Yup, Debian-based distros are MUCH more user friendly than openSUSE.  No doubt about it.

To make the situation worse [for beginners] openSUSE offers limited community support.

For backend devs, it's pretty much 'six, one way -- half-dozen the other.'

Tumbleweed appeals to Power Users, Software Developers and openSUSE Contributors.  [bake your own]

And, the SUSE Build Service offers packages from the same sources as Debian and Ubu, so no big deal.   

[PCNetSpec]

Tumbleweed appeals to .. [snip] .. openSUSE Contributors...