debian vs ubuntu

what are some of the advantages of debian over ubuntu what's the differance and why is debian 3 or so DVDs large compared to ubuntus 1 cd
And is there a single cd version of debian that can be downloaded

Also what are your opinions of which one is better

I currently have ubuntu 8.04 and want to know if debian is worth it

 

debian walks all over ubuntu for the more advanced user.. full stop..

debian don't do a single cd release because with 30,000 packages plus it isn't possible.. a full debian installation with every possible package and library would probably run to 20+ dvd's.;

the netinstall iso images are the way to go.. everything new and updated to the most recent.

ubuntu is a fork of debian.. it is built from it and made n00b friendly (taking control and decisions away from you) but the best is linux.. no matter what the flavour, so enough of the "what is better" and "which is the best" crap.. linux is what you make it.

 

Read the download page a bit more closely!

http://www.debian.org/distrib/netinst

http://www.debian.org/CD/http-ftp/ (emphasis as on the page, NOT by me)

The difference and why it has 3 DVD all the way down to a 40MB version? It gives you options where Ubuntu just installs and only gives you one way of installing it. If you don't have a network connection, having every binary package on a disc is kinda useful. If you have a screaming fast connection, booting a minimal disc and downloading all the most recent updates is kinda handy, saves having to do it once you boot into a working system anyway. You also get to pick and choose every piece of software and configure everything if you want to.

Ubuntu is basically a dumbed down version of debian. There will likely be a bit of a learning curve to picking up debian (you might need to know your hardware and the CLI a bit better), if you're determined it will make you a better user though. But if Ubuntu ain't broke you might just want to wait a month and give 8.10 a crack when it is complete. "worth it" is a personal thing, try installing it to an empty partition/drive and see how you go if you want, it isn't like it costs anything.

 

I tried testing the current ubuntu last week..

Couldn't get the nvidia drivers working no matter what.. total no go.. even the generic "nv" didn't work above 640x480 which is pretty poor seeing as the riva2 isn't exactly new or cutting edge.

Nvidias installer failed on some odd "missing library".. envy insisted on installing the wrong driver, and manually building the thing and loading the module by hand just left a blank screen..

Eventually my messing with it broke it all beyond repair.. experiment over. FAIL.

debian on the other hand runs the legacy driver a treat with no problems.. as it does on this machine with an ati card.. and they ain't easy to install usually.. believe.

conclusion from my tinkering.. unless you have average run of the mill last couple of years hardware ubuntu is going to give you headaches. In attempting to be n00b friendly and keeping it automatic and on 1 cd they are making errors which will put people off.. the very people we want to impress.

debian is a minefield of license and gpl compliance issues. Not for the faint hearted.. and I would say not for the first time user unless you like real steep learning curves (much like slackware.. which I love but gods teeth.. it's a pig).
debian problems are best solved using google.. don't expect any more than a curt RTFM from the debian community
Overall.. I think pclinux may be a little more n00b friendly these days than even ubuntu.. my tinyME installation seems to have become pclinux after trying to get the multimedia side of things working.. as usual I have a hybrid mongrel of a thing... it was supposed to be simple but........... Dr Frankenstein here I come again.

now don't that sound familiar to most long time linux users?

 

Now..that's interesting. could we be seeing some of the results of the M$ buying of whoever they were? was it suse? whatever.. things in the Foss community are in flux.. I'm really glad I know how it all works and that I'm a pretty "not totally satisfied but happy debian and who cares.. I'm a sexy bitch so live with it" bunny.
Hi Mick.. miss talking to you on irc.. maybe you can give me a shout next time I have been offered a job in Melbourne and seek sponsors.

 

Sigh, too much work lately, and they got some new website filtering crap at work, so I can't post when I'm bored or on my lunch break even (but they allow access to forums.afterdawn.com so I can at least see what is being posted, go figure). They don't seem to know that Google's cache exists for almost everything contraband, but we won't tell them about that .

You just had to pick the one state we don't have a site in too, kind of hard trying to justify a business trip into the one state our competitors pretty much own and we've practically written off in the short term... Not sure if I'd be much chop as a sponsor (company offering the job should be enough if you're talking visas?), but can give you some real contact details if you're in need or feel like touring and want a place to stay on the way up the coast at any time.

 

Cheers.. still deciding if It's worth taking them up on it. Been in contact with Aussie embassy here .. snail mail even.. and they think it would be ok, apart from my health problems which may get right in the way. Odd that I can get proper jobs all over the world but nothing in the UK.. shows how stuffed we are here.