Super Cow Powers
So now I tried installing another flavor of Linux, called Debian. After the joys of Fedora's "Anaconda" installation program in which I could use a mouse, I'm disappointed by the apparent helplessness and dependency on the user which Debian seems to exhibit. The installation process never installed xstart or a graphical user interface. Yes, before you ask, I installed it two more times and it never offers the chance to do so. It leaves me with just a command line. What possible benefit is that to a person who doesn't know any commands? By Googling I found a couple of commands, such as apt-get, but the results of typing them just scroll text off the top of the screen, leaving me with only the last screenful of incomprehensible text involving "Super Cow Powers." I'm not making this up. I typed "Super Cow Powers" in the command line and of course the computer looked at me as if I had just proffered it a weasel. On a stick. The command line is kind of like if I demanded that all my LJ friends speak only Lojban when commenting.
I tried installing Fedora again, and once again it told me my 20GB Maxtor hard drive is almost 2MB short of disk space to successfully install. My Windows and Apple machines are sitting there looking at their new little sibling with a really smug expression right now. "We educate our user," they say to it. "We jump at the chance to tell him what options we make available to him, and have question mark symbols so he can educate himself in everything he needs to know to get the best experience."* Does the KDE GUI do this? Heck no. It didn't even have any means of dialing up to the internet without broadband. At the Penguicon wrap meeting in April when I said I used dialup they reacted with disbelief. I guess Linux truly looks down its nose at the user. As the suspender-wearing fat guy with a gray beard once said in the Dilbert cartoon, "here's a nickel, get yourself a real computer." What's really meant is, "here's a real computer, get it a real user."
* To which Linux retorts to Macintosh, "Hey, which one of us looks down our nose at floppy-disk users?"
Comments
rikhei on Feb. 3, 2005 5:01 PM
By Googling I found a couple of commands, such as apt-get, but the results of typing them just scroll text off the top of the screen, leaving me with only the last screenful of incomprehensible text involving "Super Cow Powers." I'm not making this up. I typed "Super Cow Powers" in the command line and of course the computer looked at me as if I had just proffered it a weasel. On a stick.
This is the most amusing thing I've read all day. Just sayin'.
thefile on Feb. 3, 2005 5:24 PM
Did you install a user interface?
try "startx" at the command line.
matt-arnold on Feb. 3, 2005 5:30 PM
I typed startx at the command line last night; according to tech support on instant message, the output that I got from doing so means X is not installed. I re-installed Debian another two times looking for the option it would give me, "would you like to install X or GNOME or KDE? A: yes, I would like to interact with this computer; B: no, I would like an expensive paperweight" but alas, there was none.
phecda on Feb. 3, 2005 6:53 PM
Be glad you don't have to punch in the boot loader address in octal on the front panel...
Linux is what you'd get if Heathkit had made operating Systems. (OK, I'm defo showing my age...)
Seriously, let me sit with you on the next install. The Debian install looked fairly user friendly, and X is a standard component. Worst case, I'll snag a copy of SuSE 9.2 for you. That one I think you'll like.
stormgren on Feb. 3, 2005 9:16 PM
The Debian installer manual is pretty good, which is why I suggested it when I handed you the discs.
If you install the "Desktop" option on install, it SHOULD go through a monitor config procedure.
XDM or GDM isn't installing for some reason.
avt-tor on Feb. 3, 2005 9:57 PM
It's been a while since I did this, but "pppd" is the program you use to dial out from a Unix/Linux command line. Worked fine back in the '90s; in fact, I recall it being more stable than Windows or Mac dialers because pppd could be persuaded to dial out again if the connection dropped.
In fact if you must use dial-up, you can plug all your stuff into a switch and get the Linux machine to act as a router. :) (Of course these days it's easy to get a Mac or WinXP machine to do that too.)
"Floppy disk", eh? That takes me back. 3.5" or 5.25", or maybe 8"?
As with any skill, you'll pick it up faster if you have a specific task you want to accomplish.
brendand on Feb. 4, 2005 10:45 AM
Seriously, though... what's wrong with Floppy disks? I still use them.
But I have broadband. :)
phecda on Feb. 4, 2005 6:07 PM
this article refers to an australian bake off between XP, Mac and Linux, and finds them to be all pretty much equal when it comes to ease of installation. Just thought I'd mention it...
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