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List:       kde-devel
Subject:    Re: KDE Linux/BSD distribution
From:       "Gary L. Greene Jr." <greeneg () arklinux ! org>
Date:       2004-10-26 20:53:00
Message-ID: 200410261653.00360.greeneg () arklinux ! org
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On Tuesday 26 October 2004 03:00 pm, Christoph Wiesen wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I really think Debian is the best start for such a project. And the Kalyxo
> efforts will be of more help building a KDE-centric distribution than you
> could ask for.

While this is a tit-or-tat, aspect, I really have to disagree. Debian is a 
good distro, but it's the FREE distro that aims more at the geek, instead of 
the general audience which KDE is aimed at. Additionally, (and I know that 
this is opinion) I prefer apt with rpm over apt with dpkg, notably since dpkg 
is harder for me to make packages for.

> Sure I would like to say that Ark Linux or something similar would be the
> way to go, but reinventing the wheel over and over again can be a very
> overwhelming task.

As Bernhard asked: where is the reinvention of the wheel?

> I don't think ark is bad by any means (though it has 
> it's controversies like the thing they do (did?) with root because of the
> Windows-like nature) just that it's much-more work than what would be
> needed to build THE KDE Desktop.

The changes can be backed out by editing the pam.d files and setting 
passwords. this is trivial for a developer IMO. As the security head of Ark, 
I can say that this is not a security hole. I've run a number of tests 
against the system, and found zero comprimises caused by setting a system up 
like this.

> I'd say with enough people (not that much at all I think) and enthusiasm
> the Kalyxo team could produce a really great Debian KDE Desktop that
> installs from CD very quick (Live CD or Debian-Installer).

You've never worked on a distribution have you? it takes a LOT of work and 
help from a large number of hands. Unless you like the idea of 50+ hours a 
week spent on getting it working while having limited help.

> All the 
> necessary desktop components would come from the Kalyxo specific CD and the
> user still can use thousands of well tested server like packages from
> debian - like samba and nfs and so on, that are of use on most home
> desktops as well but don't have to be re-done by the same team that does
> the desktop).

While the debian stuff is tested (overly so IMO), I'd rather have the 
knowledge that the packages that team has put together is designed for the 
purpose of a desktop. Why be the general OS if you want a desktop? openLDAP, 
kerberos, and cyrus-sasl shouldn't be needed for a desktop. They where (are?) 
on Mandrake, when I left them to work on Ark.


-- 
Gary L. Greene, Jr.
Sent from uriel
 15:44:10 up  2:05,  2 users,  load average: 0.13, 0.08, 0.09
 
============================================================
Developer for the Ark Linux Project
 check out http://www.arklinux.org/ for more info.
 Also http://www.csis.gvsu.edu/~greeneg/
EMAIL : greeneg@arklinux.com
============================================================
 
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