On Thu, Jul 27, 2006 at 10:19:16PM +1200, Volker Kuhlmann wrote: > Nothing like stirring things a bit... ;) > Let's have another drink at the virtual bar, relax, and continue:
I'm relaxed :-) I know that *you* don't need re-education; you're already a lost cause! > I have this ubuntu disk here. Some distros ask me which desktop I want, > this disk doesn't. Given it's only one CD, I'm not surprised. No choice > there. Which I think was my whole point; we're agreeing about the mechanics. An "Ubuntu" disk doesn't need to ask you which desktop to use, because you've already exercised that choice in picking up "Ubutntu" rather than "Kubuntu". So complaining that it doesn't ask you at install time about your desktop choice is not useful, because you've already made that choice at pre-install time, when selecting the CD or ISO. For what it's worth (very little I suspect) if you pick up the non-live Ubuntu CD, you can install "server", which provides no desktop or X whatsoever. Log in to that, and "sudo aptitude install kubuntu-desktop", and you'll have a Kubuntu ... even if you had the wrong CD to begin with. > No I'm not prevented from installing a different distro. Which is what I > do :) Then, in a relaxed tone, QUIT COMPLAINING ABOUT SOMETHING YOU DON'T EVEN USE! :-) > > Are you prevented from compiling random progs from source? > Let's keep at least somewhat to the point. Surely taking the argument to it's illogical conclusion is the whole point of "freedom"? > The point was some statement > about some distro being choicier than choice, or that's what it sounded > like. Then a distro was offered which doesn't even offer me a choice of > desktop. Having had a good day, I felt like wasting some > time^H^H^H^H^H^H^H commenting on this nonsense. :-) I'd already lost interest in the thread at the beginning, and only jumped in later. Yes, lots of people say "I don't really understand your question, but why don't you do X instead of whatever it was that you really wanted to do". > But in direct answer to your question: I don't make my own distro for > the same reason as I don't make my own car. I rather go out shooting > photos. Actually, for people climbing up the learning curve, I've been told that Linux From Scratch is a worthwhile experience. > It's fun watching the Militant Free-Choice Brigade(TM), that's for sure! > As this thread shows, a barrage results when chosing different than > politically correct. I'm not barraging *what* you're saying, I'm barraging the way that you're saying it :-) > > -jim, using Ubuntu > Oops sorry for treading on your toes. I'll buy you a glass next time we > meet in a real bar :) Fill it with Twisted Ankle from the Twisted Hop (I miss Christchurch sometimes!) and I'll toast your Freedom any day! > But now that you all have pointed out that ubuntu can do it too, > (whatever IT is), remind me again what IT is that any other distro > (Mandrake, Turbo, Fedora, SUSE gosh who cares spring to mind) doesn't do > as well? They require a user to choose explicitly, particularly at a time when that choice cannot be evaluated fully. Therefore they expect that the user is already well-informed; or else is willing to choose randomly and accept the results. If you don't even know what a desktop manager is, and have never heard of Gnome, KDE, or anything else, how can you possibly make an informed choice during an installation which *requires* you to make a choice? (Don't mistake "getting the right answer" for "an informed choice"; and therefore don't expect that Ubuntu's choice of Gnome is "right" either!) -jim, enjoying a good argument for argument's sake.
