[Tfug] My experience "recovering" Windows compared toinstalling Debian

[Glen Pfeiffer]

On 07/28/2007 05:19 PM, Predrag Punosevac wrote:
> I didn't get. Why did you need  to reinstall "Windows" (MS-DOS)  
> after it crashed. 

I think I was a little ambiguous in my choice of words. When I 
said "rebuilt", I did not mean that there were any hardware 
problems. I only rebuilt it in the software sense.


> Which MS application has such unique fitures that could not 
> have been done better with open source software?
 
Huh? I never made that claim.

Selective quoting would really help me see the context in which 
you ask this question. 


> I fail to see why did you waste 10 hours of your life doing it 
> (unless you were making $70 per hour).

Well first, waste is relative. We each hold a personal conviction 
on what we think is waste. And in this case it should remain that 
way; personal.

Secondly, I care about my family more than money. My in-laws are 
going through a very rough time, and they deserve a break. They 
got such a break when their neighbors gave them the computer. I 
made it even better by fixing it up for them.


> And just as a thought about Debian (for which I have the 
> highest regard despite the fact that I am FreeBSD user) Ubuntu 
> or PC-BSD would take only 15 minutes of installation for fully 
> functional desktop for an average user (with most applications)

I think the Debian install with the GNOME desktop environment 
took around 20 minutes. I then spent additional time installing 
w32codecs, libdvdcss2, msttcorefonts, java5, mozilla flash 
plugin, lots of extra 10 games, etc.

Does FreeBSD or PC-BSD include all that in the 15 minute install? 
That is certainly impressive. :-)

Even so, I also spent time configuring user accounts, desktop 
settings, transferring files from old computer, etc. These are 
very non-technical users and would have no idea how to change the 
nautilus settings for double versus single click actions.

-- 
Glen