now, im currently on mandrake 10.1...

but quite frankly, its getting out of hand. ive spent 2 days just trying to get some kinda of audio playing for me. xmms wont work. vlc wont work. here is what i ask.

for someone who isnt a complete idiot (i can unzip tar.gz, i understand root, i understand the different file types and dependencies. but im no pro at it yet), is it possible for me to use debian successfully? ive heard its really hard, but apt-get is tugging at me like...well, its tuggin hard. it sounds soooooooo much easier just to type that in and have it retrieve everything for me and install it.

and dont you dare say urmpi or ill shoot you. that thing is horrible. i set up like 10 sources of media for it and it still cant install VLC player (which by the way, im working on compiling from source which is proving to be a pain too. i hate windows, but i dont want to go back. and i enjoy a good challenge, but i like my music more -.-

Debian is actually not hard at all. Head over to www.debian.org and browse through the documentation. apt-get is awesome; once you try it ,you will love it. The Debian Tips link in my sig has links to tons of info.

I have more audio players than I need. mplayer,vlc, Beep Media Player, XMMS, Kaffeine ,kcdplayer, gcdplayer, Totem, xine, Real Player, okle, ogle, xmovie all installed simply by using apt-get install packagename

sooooooooooooooo tempted

but i just installed mandrake like 2 days ago so im trying to give it a fair try...oooooooooooo i dont know what to do!!!!

do you have links to screen shots of debian? does it use gnome or kde?

and just to clarify from what ive heard...

with apt-get, you just type apt-get *program* and then it will download EVERYTHING you need and install it ALL. and do you have to set up sources for it? if so, is there one source that just like, cleans the floor it has so much stuff?

Hi,

Honestly Mandrake did not suck at all when I was using it, and I would still advise any
newcomer to Linux to install, because it works. And urpmi has always worked (for me,
usual answer..)

Debian is not as hard now as it used to be. The installer is very up-to-date, I think, and
a netinstall is basically choose-and-enter. Apt-get is a terrific tool. You have to set up
your sources, yes, it doesn't do everything (but nearly).

You have to edit a file called /etc/apt/sources.list and...read the post-install thread on the
Debian forum ====> all there is to know is in there and there are other very reliable folk
who will gladly help you. Go for Debian, in fact I have never managed to install Ubuntu, but
I have Debian on three boxes : Sarge, Etch and Sid, and that's so easy it lets you time to
read about other distros and Linux...

cheers

The "official" Debian repositories have over 15000 packages. If there is something you need that you cannot find you can search at www.apt-get.org for a different source.

Setting up your sources.list is as simple as editing a text file at /etc/apt/sources.list or in Synaptic, or you can run apt-setup from a terminal. Very rarely do you run into problems with dependencies using apt-get or aptitude.

You can use KDE and/or Gnome I have both installed, but find I like IceWM better. Here's a screenshot with Icewm http://www.geocities.com/reverendsky/mozilladown9.png
and heres one with KDE http://www.geocities.com/reverendsky/mozilladown7.png

an interesting back ground for that first screen, thanks a bunch...i shall consider my options

Why didn't your sound work? Cause it might be you have to do some configuration in debian. But of course if you ask here problems are often solved pretty quick

i dont have debian. mandrake 10.1. might switch to debian.

and my sound didnt work cause i didnt have a player that functioned. >_<

Well, if you like apt-get, there's no reason you have to use Debian--you can use a Debian-based distro (that is essentially Debian but easier to install). How about Mepis or Ubuntu? Since you sound comfortable with the command-line, I'd recommend Ubuntu. Otherwise, Mepis is also good.

They're both Debian-based, and you can use either the GUI version of apt-get (Synaptic Package Manager) or apt-get from the command-line. And you're absolutely right--to install software, you just type apt-get update then apt-get install packagename. All your dependencies will be resolved.

Sticktendo,

I am an ex-Redhatter that moved to Mandrake because most everything just worked and I didn't have a lot of time to screw with it. It seemed to me that Mandrake peaked with the 9.1 release and went downhill ever since.

Really, I cannot express to you how happy I am that I am in making the move to Sarg. I am actually excited to work with and tweak my Linux again. I missed that when I moved to Mandrake.

Reasons to switch:

1. I believe that you have found the best forum in supporting your "leap of faith". Everyone out here has been very helpful and happy to assist.

2. The two sticky threads will assist you in your installation AND help you to install the 2.6 kernel. I did the net install and it went very smoothly.

3. No membership levels and emails begging for membership money. (However, I do suggest you donate what you can if you are pleased with Debian).

4. I have the tightest, most secure Linux system that I have ever had, and you can too. If you enjoy a rock-solid system, you have found it.

5. apt-get is a dream come true. Not a single dependency problem for me so far. Not a single bad software install. Lightning quick! Don't know about you, but I had a lot of dependency issues when installing via urpmi in Mandrake.

I bought a big clean harddrive, bought an external case for my Mandrake harddrive, moved my data over and have been rolling ever since. Had some sound issues when moving to 2.6 kernel but fixed it in a flash.

Hope this helps in your decision.

@lilohatea

I subscribe what lilohatea says just 101%.

I have also a little network at home: 2 computers; both running Debian. One runs Sarge, the other one runs Testing.

I surf the web, wach full screen standard definition and high definition video, capture full screen pal or ntsc video with stereo sound, watch dvd with ac3 sound, work with one of the best 3D modelling and rendering free-software tool probably ever found on the world www.blender3d.org -found in the official Debian list of packages-, (so I can handle modelling, animating, lighting and rendering all in one tool), and got that wonderful Abiword word processor turns out to be. I also run a-mule on both computers with high-id.

This is really a dream come true.

And I can tell you Debian never stops to grow. It is getting better almost day by day.....

You won't regret it.

Cheers,
JuanJa.