[kwlug disc.] Debian fans?

[unsolicited]

Richard Weait wrote, On 04/25/2008 8:45 PM:
> Any Debian fans want to give me a quick pointer.  I'd like to install 
> 
> On a PII - 333MHz, with 64MB ram
> 
> X plus a sensible WM 
> 
> Any tips?  Net install?  Shortcuts?

Depends upon what you want to do with it, I suppose. i.e. You want 
LinuxMCE for one-stop shopping. If you're only going for a firewall, 
then you might want to make your day a little easier with a more 
targeted distro. In this case, particularly, one of the CD distros 
which store data / config files on diskette? Tuck machine somewhere 
and forget about it?

Debian is as easy or easier to install as a buntu.

	Curious though - given the hardware, why Debian vs. Xubuntu or something?

DebianLive (LiveCD, usbkey, yada, yada) is out there, if it matters. I 
forget, but you may be able to boot the LiveCD and install from that. 
If of interest.

As with all distros, get a CD, 2nd hard disk, image on usb key, 
whatever, to make your life a little easier for the install. Even if 
only temporarily. For my last laptop install a couple of days ago, I 
couldn't get to the net for packages for some reason - so I went back 
a couple steps in the installer, said don't go out to the net for 
updates for the moment, and in it went. And I just updated later, 
tickety boo.

Given the age, you may want to install from media only, and wait til 
it comes back from first boot to tweak for network, video, etc. Given 
age, I suspect you have ISA (VESA too?) slots. If you have cards in 
these slots, you'll have more work to do, just like any other distro.

Maybe do install a gui, but not have it started at boot? And for 
speed's sake, regardless of the video card, tell it to use VGA?

Your question has less to do with the distro than with the hardware. 
i.e. In the sense that it's as easy as a buntu to install. The hard 
bits won't be distro specific.

FWIW