Chris wrote:

> In article <T8KdnVCYZ5UrFdPenZ2dnUVZ_smdnZ2d@rcn.net>, Robert Glueck
> <rglk@web.de> writes
>>I hadn't realized, Chris, that you're poised halfway between Windows XP
>>and Linux, testing the waters and perhaps wanting to make the
>>transition. In such a situation, why don't you start out with an easy
>>Debian distro such as Ubuntu/Kubuntu or Mepis which are quite
>>user-friendly and save a transition to straight Debian for later, if at
>>all.
>
> Partly because I am attracted by the pure non-commercial nature of
> Debian, which makes it the extreme opposite of Windows and hence defines
> the other end of a continuum.
>
> Also - I thought it would be better to concentrate on one distro from
> the start - so as not to have to unlearn details of configuration.
I have done many installs on several differnent PC's and I have always had
to use dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86. It hasn't mattered in my
experience which kernel except when dealing with my DVD/CD burner, which is
an internal IDE drive. The kernel 2.4 requires you to lie and make it look
like a scsi drive. The first problem was I couldn't get anyone to give the
info on how to actually do this. I did, however, get the suggestion to try
2.6 because it directly supported the drive. They were correct. I have
successfully burned CD's and DVD's. The burn app even launches
automagically when I insert blank media (just like windows stuff, but for
free).

The only thing I still missing in the Linux world is an Open Source app that
can replace Microsoft Access. I have been using PostgreSQl database and it
is great, but there is no database access forms packages like Access gives
you.

In article <434ec613$0$49019$14726298@news.sunsite.dk>, Madhusudan Singh
<spammers-go-here@spam.invalid> writes
>Chris wrote:
>> I'm trying yet another install of Sarge, this time starting
>> with:
>> "boot: linux26".

>You do *not* need to reinstall.
>Debian is an install once, upgrade forever type of distro, as I am newly
>fond of saying.

I agree with you - up to a point.
Fixing problems is for experts: clean installing is for beginners.

Even with Windows, it can sometimes be so difficult to diagnose a
problem that doing a clean install is more time-efficient.
Diagnostic skill is very rare - and diagnosis needs a lot of background
knowledge ... without such knowledge one would not be able to frame
reasonable hypotheses to test.

A benefit of clean installing is the firm anchor of a known starting
point.
--
Chris

>> Oh good! I'm trying yet another install of Sarge, this time starting
>> with:
>> "boot: linux26".
>> Is the 26 kernel likely to be better for me?

>I know I like the 26 kernel. I think it should work w/ the harware you
>mention as well

It is working fine - and I liked the set-up wizard that came up at the
end of the install.
--
Chris