Ubuntu: "We're not Linux"

[Snowhog]

Call me lazy, but that's how I skip the semi-annual installation games.

Nope. Not crazy.

One of the reasons that I run a multi-boot configuration (three *buntus currently; Ubuntu and two Kubuntu's) is so I have a 'main' OS I use regularly, and the previous release. When a new release comes out (I normally wait until it is officially release, but with Precise, I installed it when it was Beta RC2?) I install it 'fresh', wiping out my non-main OS. I then get to play with it, but still have my main OS intact. With Precise, I've actually been using it as my main OS since I installed it -- it has been that stable (for me). It has been dist-upgraded daily. As others have opined, Precise has been the best Kubuntu so far. Each release just seems to get better and better.

[jpenguin]

I've been using Fedora 16 KDE on my x86_64 desktop, very happy with it. After all, although I tried Gentoo, Mandrake and Peanut Linux first, the first linux I really used was YellowDog

[GreyGeek]

I've had too many bad experiences with the RPM package system in a wide variety of RPM based distros, which is why I prefer distros based on the deb system. Of course, YMMV.

[Flip the Switch]

You can, no doubt, see that my last attempt was at least 10 years ago. I did download a debian iso about 5 years ago but it wouldn't boot after I burned it, even though the checksums were good. I'm curious to see how this 64bit iso I dl'd will do.

I will be interested to hear how you get on with it.
Debian is one of the distros I haven't played with, although tempted.
I have always been put off by the rumours of user unfriendlyness.

[NickStone]

You can, no doubt, see that my last attempt was at least 10 years ago. I did download a debian iso about 5 years ago but it wouldn't boot after I burned it, even though the checksums were good. I'm curious to see how this 64bit iso I dl'd will do.

I will be interested to hear how you get on with it.
Debian is one of the distros I haven't played with, although tempted.
I have always been put off by the rumours of user unfriendlyness.[/QUOTE]

I have installed Debian using the text based installer and in my opinion it is no more "unfriendliness" than other distros. Anyone with a good level of computer skills should have no problems installing Debian.

[woodsmoke]

I didn't like Debian a few years ago because one had to d/l both a live cd and install cd and curiously, the live cd would do stuff that the install cd would not, and it always had problems with some hardware such as wireless or printers.

However, they now provide a live/install cd and it works pretty well.

I posted a year or so ago that I made a Debian Install and then did KDE on top of it, and it worked "fine" but the default settings were....some how ..."cold" and that Koffice and Kontact worked ok on it along with Akonadi and Nepomuk, but there was .....just.....something.....kind of like seeing a bird out of the corner of my eye...it just wasn't as "comfortable" as Kubuntu.

I commented on that and several people said to the effect: "There is no "essentially" no difference between Debian with KDE and Ubu and KDE.

I always thought it was possibly a sitution of "nuances" of the graphics of things like the branded themeing of Firefox or stuff, maybe the "glow" of stuff when it is hovered, just nuance stuff.

But, the big point is that KDE on Debian, did, indeed work and was not "hard to setup", for my rather middle of the road machines.

woodsmoke

[GreyGeek]

Debian Report:

I downloaded the Debian amd64 bit KDE iso. It weighed in at 640MB, and features KDE 4.4.5.

I used the latest version of VB to create a guest host with 20GB of virtual HD.

It immediately found my wifi connection and established a download rate of 1.8MB/sec.

The install was not graphical. One is presented with a series of blue console screens featuring red background for highlighting. Being console based the install interrogation went very fast. It sets up BOTH a root account and a user account. After the 640 MB on the iso was used up it made a fast internet connection and pulled down over 900 more applications. The total time of install was about 25 minutes. Using the 1GB iso would have probably bypassed the necessity of doing a live install of downloading apps, but I don't know how much faster it would be.

The sudo command is not used. However, when I "su"'d to root to install the latest version of VBoxLinuxAddtions.run, I was told that I didn't have permission. The "whomai" command said I was root. I have to figure that one out.

The KDE 4.4.5 DE presented itself very nicely. Being 4.4 it shows the age, but the DE was, during the limited time I've used it so far, without bugs or failures of any kind that I could notice.

At first blush I'd say it is an excellent distro. I plan to add more stuff and play around in the days ahead, but Debian 6.0.4 with the KDE 4.4.5 as the DE is an excellent option and is now on my list of goto's should something happen to Kubuntu.

[Flip the Switch]

At first blush I'd say it is an excellent distro. I plan to add more stuff and play around in the days ahead, but Debian 6.0.4 with the KDE 4.4.5 as the DE is an excellent option and is now on my list of goto's should something happen to Kubuntu.[/QUOTE]

Well, that's worth knowing so thank you for the info.
I might d/l it and have a play, as you say, just in case somat 'orrible 'appens to Kubuntu.

[claydoh]

Has anyone noted (other than a very brief comment on the blog) that the official release notes for 11.10 quite clearly state a Linux kernel as a heading??

I am no Ubuntu apologist, but this is all a big ado about a beta release note, if you ask me. A page hit generator.

[Ole Juul]

I am no Ubuntu apologist, but this is all a big ado about a beta release note, if you ask me. A page hit generator.

I too think there's a lot to do about little here. In my opinion, the blog comments on the article, although intelligent, lack insight and basically go off on a discussion of little relevance. To me this "We're not Linux" statement is just another version of the old "beware of imitation" sales pitch. It's perfectly fine and simply states that "we think we're special". It's a statement of commitment.

As for the discussion about Debian, I've installed it on various machines over the years and really like the installer. The graphics are clear and easy to read. My preference for installations is to install the basic system and then pull in the bits that I like. For Debian there is a nice installation file that brings you to the command line and a great system already - just like FreeBSD. To me that is a real plus, OS wise. As for the DE, such as KDE, I have never understood why that gets so mixed up with the OS in regular talk - that is really confusing. The reason I started using Kubuntu was because I wanted KDE, not because of it's OS.

As for Debian being "behind" I do think that's a plus in most instances. Like dibl's wife, I really like stability and am still waiting for Canonical to get version 6.04 finished - they seem to have just left it. lol Is it true that nobody likes perfection? Or is it the case that the attention span is so short that when something new comes along the previous version gets forgotten? OK, that's a fanciful view of the world on my part. Nevertheless, even Debian lacks long term stability. I did run into a serious problem with Debian "being behind" when they didn't have SATA support and I was unwilling to pay extra for an IDE drive that was going out of style. In fact, that's when I installed Kubuntu 6.04 which has since been regraded to 8.04.

[ardvark71]

i really like stability and am still waiting for canonical to get version 6.04 finished - they seem to have just left it. Lol

(Something is wrong with the smiley function, guys...)



(Here we go)

[GreyGeek]

As far as that article goes, I agree with the opinion that it was just a page hit generator.

All Canonical is doing is creating a marketing niche that differentiates its distro from the other 300+ that are out there. Anyone who knows anything about Ubuntu and its children KNOW that it is Linux to the core, regardless of the market-speak from Canonical. The rest of the article complaining about passing fixes upstream is just pure, recycled anti-Canonical nonsense.

I, for one, appreciate the contributions that Mark Shuttlesworth made to FOSS by creating Ubuntu and Kubuntu. Those that don't agree can get every penny they spent on purchasing Kubuntu refunded. So, even though he is no longer paying Jonathan Riddell to work on Kubuntu, and its development now depends on the other 11 dev volunteers and other contributors, he IS supporting the infrastructure necessary to the development of Kubuntu. I suspect that sometime between now and 2012 he will probably drop the infrastructure support as well. When that occurs I feel confident that others will step in and help, and that Kubuntu will move upstream to Debian. This forum is as much about KDE as it is Kubuntu (that's what the "K" stands for) and its mission won't change.

[Jonas]

As far as that article goes, I agree with the opinion that it was just a page hit generator.

All Canonical is doing is creating a marketing niche that differentiates its distro from the other 300+ that are out there. Anyone who knows anything about Ubuntu and its children KNOW that it is Linux to the core, regardless of the market-speak from Canonical. The rest of the article complaining about passing fixes upstream is just pure, recycled anti-Canonical nonsense.

I, for one, appreciate the contributions that Mark Shuttlesworth made to FOSS by creating Ubuntu and Kubuntu. Those that don't agree can get every penny they spent on purchasing Kubuntu refunded. So, even though he is no longer paying Jonathan Riddell to work on Kubuntu, and its development now depends on the other 11 dev volunteers and other contributors, he IS supporting the infrastructure necessary to the development of Kubuntu. I suspect that sometime between now and 2012 he will probably drop the infrastructure support as well. When that occurs I feel confident that others will step in and help, and that Kubuntu will move upstream to Debian. This forum is as much about KDE as it is Kubuntu (that's what the "K" stands for) and its mission won't change.

I agree with you, but when Canonical speak to the market they also speak to the developers. Branding might be one thing, but when I speak to friends who say "PC" when they mean "windows", might have heard of "Linux" but they've never heard Ubuntu. I don't think that it's especially wise to distance yourself from the one brand that upholds the philosophy. If Canonical don't want to be "Linux" they're biting their tail, both towards the devs and the market/branding. This said I also is happy with all that Shuttlesworth contributed with, for Kubuntu. My experience with Ubuntu OS is not what made me keep GNU/Linux but KDE and KFN. I wouldn't complain one bit if Kubuntu went upstream with a real user and developer funded infrastructure, I'd chip in with all I could.

B.R

Jonas

[dequire]

Kubuntu and the state of free consumer software

Kubuntu is going to be just fine. The sky is not falling. in the long-run, I think we'll look at this as a good thing. Or at least one with as many posititves as negatives!

[GreyGeek]

I agree. I expect to be using Kubuntu & KDE until I begin drooling on my shirt and can't zip up my pants. But, according to my wife, that could be tomorrow!