[TriLUG] different versions of 7.2 for sale]

[Jon Carnes]

>
> I think that the Red Hat installer is on a par feature-wise, with any
> other distro, give or take a few features here or there.  The point I was
> trying to make was that there isn't much difference feature-wise between
> Red Hat and Mandrake.  Certainly there's not enough difference to the
> point where it makes sense to steer newbies away from RH because of the
> installer.  But that's just my opinion.
>

Absolutely right - for you, and for most folks on this list, the difference 
is minor.  And that will lead to RH's installer never getting better or 
ever becoming the best.  

But that's not really a big deal, because the installer gets the job done, 
and that is good enough for the server market! 

Of course if I hand my wife (sorry dear!) a copy of RH and a copy of 
Mandrake and tell her to install two physically identical systems with 
Linux, she will never finish the RH install.  never.  And I know this for a 
fact, because she tried to install RH once, and she got too frustrated and 
lost.

It doesn't matter how good a distribution is if you can't get it installed.

Still, about any seasoned Linux guru wanna-be could install any version of 
Linux (maybe even FBSD for that matter).  Again, if that is the market that 
Red Hat wants to persue, then that's cool.  After all, I can always give 
new folks a copy of Mandrake to cut their teeth on.   And as you pointed 
out, both distro's have solid foundations. 

But please don't dismiss little differences, and assume that just because 
the functionality or feature is there, that it is available to all folks.  
I know what I want during an install.  I look for it, and I can find it.  
Less experienced folks tell a different story.

A "little step" can be an insurmountable wall to unexperienced folks.  In 
Red Hat's case, folks aren't even allowed to see how far away the top of 
the wall is.  They have *no idea* how much more effort and frustration are 
yet to come, before they are finished.  All they have is their own doubt 
and uncertainty and an un-ending barrage of questions... to which they do 
not know the answers.

Jon

Complexity springs from unexamined ignorance and haste.
Simplicity flows from truth and understanding.