Which distro is easier to install?
Which one is easier to update? I was going to try Knoppix until i read that there are problems with updating some programs...

Try both, then decide for yourself which is better suited to your needs and preferences. Opinions about distros are entirely subjective, and they all have their good and bad points. What may be "easier" for one person may not be "easier" for another. The only way to figure it out is to try both yourself. Good luck with it. -- J.W.

Well, IMO, debian is easier to install, but if you have time and this manual you should definetly try gentoo. there both easy to update with apt and portage, but it's your decision; there's the easy way then theres the learning way good luck choosing!

I've heard claims that Gentoo is easier to install. Judging by the manual, they were probably trolling, but then again, maybe not!

I will have to say that Gentoo is harder to install but on the other hand it is a good experience to have done a "manual" install some time (and it does give the install a whole lot of flexibility). You can learn a lot from it and the knowledge can come in handy sooner than you think.

As for updating they are both really nice. There is one major difference thou. Gentoo is entirely (well, almost anyway) source-based so installing and upgrading can take a while on a slow computer. On the other hand you can configure everything and you are always on the bleeding edge with the latest versions of every program.

The easiest install I can imagine is to use knoppix for a debian install. Just run knoppix-installer and you have a working debian system in a very short period of time. To update and install programs on it it is best to upgrade to debian-unstable (as stated in the /etc/apt/sources.list file) and then a dist-upgrade. It may be a good idea to clean out unwanted packages before these upgrades thou, it saves a whole lot of bandwidth.
I did just that the other day (knoppix 3.4 I think) and it worked like a charm!

*Just* my opinion - but a strong, strong STRONG opinion: Gentoo is way easier to install than Debian.

Gentoo is a bit of work but makes perfect sense and has great *to the point* documentation. I hated installing Debian. It made no damn sense at all and the documentation was 'valuable needles in useless haystacks'. And Gentoo's not really manual - LFS is manual. Gentoo kinda autocompiles. (Even LFS - with autoconf and everything else, it isn't like pushing around 1s and 0s with tweezers or anything.)

Point isn't which is easier to install, though, but which is better. Installation is very short term - in the long run, it's what you use. Again, that's to each individual's taste and interests - there isn't really a 'better' but a 'better for'. For me, I prefer Gentoo to Debian, but lotsa people love both.

Well, those were helpful replies... but I think I am going to try to install Slackware over the weekend instead. I'm okay with learning new things, but I think if I am going to go to the trouble of learning it, I would like it to be fairly universal. And from what I have gathered, Slackware will be that for me.

Digiot, I sort of disagree with your statement "Point isn't which is easier to install, though, but which is better. Installation is very short term - in the long run, it's what you use. Again, that's to each individual's taste and interests - there isn't really a 'better' but a 'better for'. For me, I prefer Gentoo to Debian, but lotsa people love both."

I think both distros are supposed to be really good, but you have to learn how to use them. And the way I look at it, if it is a little easier to install, that will get me off to a running start. And maybe I'll be able to stick with it! (I have tried other distros before, years ago...)

So I am hoping that one of these distros will be somewhat easy to install. I already know that they are going to require some learning, and I do want that. I need it, in order to keep going! But I was just wondering which was easier to maybe avoid a little frustration.

Oh, I see. I learn more when stuff screws up. Well, I didn't want to seem to be pushing Slack so tried to stay focused on the question, but Slack's the best, so good choice. The initial install should be smooth - not a snazzy graphical experience, but logical and smooth. So you'll have that much down. Then getting everything functional and just how you like it can be taken one at a time and be very educational without being too frustrating. It's worth sticking with. Happy slacking!