Re: [MLUG] Debian

[Johann Luebbering <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

Ross, Matthew wrote:

>If you call 120 pages a "behemoth", you're not going to like what we have to reccommend. There are some good 1200 page books that might have otherwise helped. ;-)
>
>The best suggestion I can give is to start small. Just install the minimum applications you want to use. Get familiar with the system, and add in tools and applications as you get to the point where you think they will be helpful. One of the biggest problems with starting into Linux is getting overwhelmed by all the applications, since unlike Windows they are applications rather than slaves that only answer to some master program such as MS Overlord...errr..Office. Limiting the applications will help with that. It will also help you with security and updating. The fewer apps, the less there is to update, and the fewer services you run, the fewer services there are to worry about securing.
>  
>

Well...  as far as 120 pages being a 'behemoth', I only consider that to 
be the case for an installation guide, which I normally expect to be in 
the realm of 30-40 pages.  I'm certainly interested in hearing about any 
quality 1200-page books that you would recommend.

Additionally, while security is something of a concern, it's not as 
large a concern as it could be.  The computer in question, after the 
first day of installation and setup, will be hanging out on a non-static 
dialup, and will likely be booted into Windows more often than not (as I 
doubt my wife and kids will be keen on learning Linux anytime soon...  
though I could be wrong).  So...  you could, with some degree of 
legitimacy, make the statement that if the Debian install is more secure 
than a Windows 98 machine with no antivirus software or firewall being 
operated by someone with no knowledge of or concern for security or best 
practices, then it's a step up from where the machine is at now.  ;)

As it stands now, I use this machine roughly often enough to fix it when 
something goes wrong.  Otherwise I rarely touch it.  The Debian install 
is mainly to give me something new to play with and learn.  In the 
long-range, I hope to have it up and running smoothly enough that I can 
ween the rest of my family away from Windows as well....

Or, I may just get tired of it and wipe the partition.  Hard to say, really.

-Johann
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