the problem with Linux?

[Lennart Sorensen]

On Wed, Apr 07, 2004 at 11:07:49AM -0400, SRB wrote:
> I'm interested in finding out which distro and package management system
> you, and others, feel is the cleanest, most efficient and easiest for
> newbies (like myself) to grasp. I, like many, am anxious to break away from
> M$, but I have experienced a fair share of difficulties when it comes to
> upgrading/installing/uninstalling software efficiently in Linux. When things
> work, they work very well, but when they do not, sometimes it is confusing
> and difficult for newbies to find the solution (other than asking here, that
> is).

To me the asnwer is: Debian for sure.

All configuration goes in /etc, preferably in /etc/packagename/,
variable data maintained or used by the app in /var/lib/packagename
or /var/cache/packagename (depending on if it would be auto regenerated
or needs to be created manually, cache data is generally not important
to backup but could be annoying to loose on a reboot so it is kept).
Static data goes in /usr/share/package, binaries in /usr/lib, libraries
in /usr/lib (except system essential stuff needed for boot which does
not go in /usr since /usr might be a seperate filesystem).
Documentation is in /usr/share/doc/packagename/.  There is sometimes a
README.Debian telling you any small necesary steps needed to make the
package do anything useful, although most packages work after being
installed with no changes needed.  It can also contain things that are
unique or different about the debian package of the program.

> Thanks for any suggestions.
> 
> PS: I finally got my badge for RealWorld Linux in the mail...

I think mine took 2 days.

Lennart Sorensen
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