Re: [Fsfe-uk] Linux for Kids Briefing

[Philip Hands]

Paul wrote:
> Personally, I would advise the use of FC or Mandark. I'd never recommend
> Debian. I just don't like it as a distro - it certainly is easy to get
> running (but then so is FC, SuSE and Mandark), but it's not as good as
> it's cracked up to be. I'd prefer to use Slackware over Debian!

Well, that's well argued ;-)

An incident that happened to me this week:

My Girlfriend (who writes for several Linux magazines) asked me about 
the way that permissions for devices such as the CDROM worked, because 
she was confused while trying to work out what was going on on SuSE.

After a little research we realised that all the non-Debian systems that 
we checked use pam_console to frig the permissions as you log in, so the 
device ends up belonging to the user that just logged in, so that they 
get to use the devices.

If this concept doesn't give you a shudder of disgust, then I understand 
why you're happy with what you're using, and recommend you continue.

Of course, when you realise that (on SuSE at least) they do the same 
permissions kludge when you log in via ssh, various scenarios spring to 
mind where you can expect all your devices to go AWOL (as they get 
changed from belonging to you, to the person that just sshed into the 
box, or vice versa)

A few moments with google confirmed that RH invented this hack, that it 
started giving rise to security holes almost as soon as it was released 
(surprise) and that Debian will not be including it on the grounds that 
it's too horrible (which made me feel much better :-)

I seem to notice something like this on abut a monthly basis which 
confirms my belief that, even if Debian isn't as warm and cuddly as the 
rest, it will continue to be better because of the commitment to doing 
things in a technicaly correct manner (in this case, putting the 
relevant users in groups cdrom, floppy etc.)

I do find it ironic that you had a problem with a RH system and that you 
had to resort to a Debian spin-off to fix it, and you use that as a 
justification for dissing Debian ;-)

Try Knoppix (even if it isn't 100% free).

Cheers, Phil.

P.S.  I'm a Debian fundamentalist, so all my experience is filtered 
through my distorted belief that Debian is better -- there's as much 
chance of me switching distros as there is of me switching to 'doze. 
Feel free to ignore my views on that basis alone :-)

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