Linux installs I've done have the least "fiddling"
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| Author | Content |
|---|---|
| PaulFerris Jan 03, 2005 6:07 PM EDT |
Mr Limozine has it right here -- I've hear people talk about the pain of administering Linux, and it's like they're talking about the rocket-science kind of stuff you have to do on a day to day basis (stuff like setting up a web application server, or web server, or DNS, or a DHCP server, or a router, or -- take your pick) applied to a home computer install. This is extremely misleading. A desktop Linux install is one of the most boring things to administer. I spend a few minutes at the beginning setting it up, and that time for the record is often way, way less than the crap I've had to go through to get a Windows install to behave or just function. Then I might -- might -- come along a year or two later (yes, folks, we're talking years here, I'm not exagerating) and add some stuff to do something exotic -- like last night I was listening to Internet radio using RealPlayer. It took some digging to get it working on an over 3 year old RedHat install. It's been quite a while since I added anything new to the box. But during the time in-between, my computer is serving _me_ -- it's just working along like a well-oiled clock, ticking away, and not getting _in_ the way of my work. I'm about to upgrade my primary Linux box to Fedora Core now -- just because I like the way it works. Long since the "fun" has gone out of such things for me (there was a time when I really loved doing new Linux installs, alas, work took that joy from me. Nothing ruins fun like making it work...). For what it's worth, in some regards Windows today is easier to administer than it used to be in an enterprise setting -- but it's far more the security and mal-ware risk than it used to be to make up for it. Worse, there's so much crap that an "average" (read: users _not_ like the majority of LXer readers) user can't easily avoid that the liability and maintenance is simply too high in comparison to a "typical" Linux install. How many Windows users today have a Trojan or spyware program installed that they don't know about? According to some estimates, 80%. That's administrative duty sometime in the near future, no doubt about it. Gotta shut rant_mode off here, it's getting late. Cheers! --FeriCyde |
| dthacker Jan 04, 2005 7:59 PM EDT |
I have both Windows and Linux systems in the house. The windows systems take more work. They need constant attention and monitoring for security problems, and they need to be rebooted regularly for one reason or another.
Now I have broken my desktop Linux system several times lately, trying to get various libraries installed for open source games. For me at least, I've had enough dependency hell that I'm probably going to create a test box for game configurations that I can trash without hurting my regular system. But that constant fiddling is my choice . I can't say that about the Windows systems in my life. DT |
| peragrin Jan 05, 2005 2:44 AM EDT |
The reason why I prefer linux installs? Time. I can get the OS, and 85% of the apps I need and want installed in about an hour, I can then spend the rest of the day downloading and configuring it Just the way I want it. For my annual Windows reinstall(only way to completely defrag, and clean out the hard drive), I usually spend 2.5 days for the installation. fresh data backup, wipe install os, begin installing apps, and 3third party extras. It's takes up the majority of a weekend to configure and install it Just the way i want it. The fact that there is no good softawre installed by default for windows, is what is really annoying. |
| devnet Jan 05, 2005 3:29 AM EDT |
Same for me on that one peragrin... Takes me an average of a weekend (2 to 2 1/2 days) of work to get my Windows clients up and running. 1 hour is a good guess for most Linux installs as well. |
| Koriel Jan 05, 2005 5:59 AM EDT |
I just keep a tarred backup of /etc when upgrading my Slack installation and since / is on a separate partition from /home doing a full install/upgrade is easy.
Sometimes certain rc files change between versions but this has happened only on one occasion that ive come across and was easily fixed.
Only need to install one third party driver linux-wlan for prism2.plx support as the orinocco wlan drivers that come with the kernel conk out under hi data throughput from what i can determine (ie guessing).
Average time taken 1.5 hours. I wish windows had a simple method of separating data, settings, applications from the OS, this would make the inevitable re-installs slightly more palatable. Average time taken 8+ hours without breaks :( |
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