On Sat, Feb 07, 2004 at 05:12:28PM -0600, Kent West wrote: > Marc Wilson wrote: > > >There's no reason why he should be installing operating > >systems, either, any more than he should be building cars. Or performing > >brain surgery. Contrary to popular belief, there ARE some things that Joe > >Stupid has no business doing. > > > > > Installing an OS or building a car aren't quite the same as doing brain > surgery. If Joe Stupid wants to build a car, let him. (We might not want > to let him drive it in places where faulty design/implementation might > get someone hurt, but that's a different issue than building.) > > Just because you wouldn't use Knoppix as a starting point, or jump from > stable to unstable, is no reason someone else might not. I tend to agree > with you about using Knoppix as a starting point; I wouldn't do it. But > I have different reasons than yours. Apparently, installing Knoppix as > the basis of a Debian system works for many folks. > > Also, the use of the phrase "a stupid" seems harsh (and most likely, > inaccurate). >
I think there is a place for Knoppix in introducing newbies to Debian. You suggest to them that they pop the Knoppix CD into the CD drive, and try to boot from it. Tell them that if Knoppix boots from the CD they really should be able to install Debian, in the sense that there are surely no hardware/software impediments to a successful install. It may turn into a real learning experience but it can be done. On the other hand, if Knoppix doesn't boot from its CD, it can be suggested that it will probably be beyond their skill to install Debian on this particular hardware. And it is reasonably honest to suppose that the hardware is not yet supported by Debian. As to whether or not people who can't install Debian are "stupid", all of us were newbies at least once, with respect to some topic, potty training for instance. If the problem is that the newbie is so ill equipped to do computer stuff that he can't get Knoppix to boot from CD on a computer that is capable of handling Knoppix, then it is a kindness to blame his failure on the hardware, and be done with it. -- Paul E Condon [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
