Debian Updates

[Keith Mastin]

<snip>
> What's this seething prejudice against GUI's? Yes, as I've stated, the
> CLI is a much more precise and, in a lot of cases, better interface
> for configuration.

I really don't have any prejudice against gui's per se, but to use one
that is insecure and gives only a small portion of the options available
to configure a server...

> It's best, in certain cases, to see what's goin' on in the background,
> esp as Kieth pointed out with server functions such as DNS. However,
> GUI's *can* be a Good Thing, as the Mac has proved beyond doubt.

Mac built on BSD or Mac before that? Each has it's issues...

> I believe that Linux can and will eventually develop a GUI that is as
> powerful and extensible as the Mac interface, and there is a future
> for Linux on the home desktop. Why would that be such a terrible
> thing? And if it makes it easier for the home desktop user to
> configure "scheduled tasks" through a GUI, why not?

For home desktop use, fill yer boots. I complain the loudest when a gui is
the first solution if it's not the best one, and all the more so if you
suggest a gui for a server or in an insecure environment.

> Perhaps Webmin isn't always the best sol'n, but nor is crontab, given
> a certain set of circumstances (user experience, function, purpose,
> etc.).
>
> And hey, as *someone* pointed out, intelligent self interest is a
> positive thang, and it is in my best interest to have more people
> using Linux on the home desktop, so I never have to fork over the
> bucks for a Mac to avoid using that POS Windows OS that hangs and
> crashes and infects everything it touches.

Your best way to push for those changes would be on any the Desktop
Environment mailing lists... Of course if you really really need a top
heavy gui enviro to play in over top af a linux kernel, there's always
Lindoh$...

> So I's gonna keep pushin' the 'ease of use' GUI approach, where
> appropriate, so I can have my cake and eat it all up too! Of course,
> you can feel free to pop me one when it's *inappropriate*, as you
> quite rightly did with suggesting cron-apt instead of Webmin. I
> learned, he learned, it's a community/mailing list dynamic, word?

Yup. I felt like I got laughed out of the school yard on my first server,
complaining that X kept crashing... till someone spoke up and gave me
what-fer for using a gui on a server. Stuff stopped crashing, and all of a
sudden I could see so much more of the power of linux that I thought
everyone was bs'ing about.

I still run mostly linux boxen, but there are some things that I prefer
other distos for. Anything that needs tighter security gets a dose of BSD,
and we develop our websites on Macs and Windoh$ PCs. Specific tools for
specific jobs...

-- 
Keith
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