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Reflections—Day 65© Copyright Darrell Anderson. I thought I would pause and summarize my thoughts about my migration experience. Reflection is always a good way to sort thoughts and consider future options. For those people considering migrating to GNU/Linux away from the proprietary world, I recommend a first step of evaluating why you want to migrate. Be cautious and deliberate in this process. There is unlikely to be any rush in migrating. If migrating is mostly a hobbyist pursuit, then much of what I recommend is meaningless because as a hobbyist, you will do whatever you want to fulfill your own definition of happiness. If your reason for migrating is pragmatic and for production reasons, then hopefully what I am writing in this journal helps you. My one great caution for that latter group is there are fundamental design differences between GNU/Linux and Windows—the most commonly used operating system. Thus, expect some bumps and bruises along the way. My reason for migrating is purely philosophical. Unlike many Windows users, I never experienced BSOD (blue screen of death) hell with my NT4 box. My system always has been stable. My system never has been infected with viruses or Trojan horses or other nefarious software. My browser never has been hijacked. Then again, long ago I stripped Internet Explorer and Outlook from my system, and I have used a software firewall for years. I also download relatively little. From a production perspective and the software tools I use regularly, I have no technological reason to migrate. My system is as stable as any individual could expect from a computer. From that same perspective I could be happy and content for many more years using my “old” hardware and “outdated” software. “If it ain’t broke then don’t fix it.” Life is about choice and there are no rules etched in stone. Like me, you must choose your reasons. My choice is I personally do not like the existing economic and social models that presently guide our existence. Thus, my migration is philosophical. I want to see meaningful change in this world and I want to participate in that effort. Whether you want to migrate for fun or production, I recommend you obtain a second computer. Multi-booting is a fun challenge from a techie’s perspective, but from a production perspective is a huge thorn in the side. I have “been there done that.” Far too many times I have wanted to run both operating systems side-by-side in order to test, configure, and experiment in real-time without inhibiting my use of my existing production environment. If funds are an issue, obtain mid-range second-hand box and use that to begin your migration and experimentation. I’m using a K6-III+ and a Pentium II motherboard. By today’s standards, neither is considered a speed demon, but I am content with both. I use the KDE environment too. The point is, you do not need to spend lots of money on a second box. Possibly the most challenging initial step is deciding the specific distro you will want to use. There are many ideas on this topic. Just surf the web—you’ll find thousands of opinions. My perspective is somewhat simplistic. What do you want to do and how much time do you want to invest? If you are a hobbyist, then again, any thing I say is non sequitur because your primary goal is to play. Thus, you likely will experiment with many distros. Have fun! If you are short on patience or time, or you have no interest in how things run under the hood, I recommend a distro that is tightly designed and will hold your hand every step of the way. Try Xandros, Mandrake, or Lycoris. Don’t argue with the way those developers designed their package, just install and get to work. People who have no interest in changing the oil on Saturday should choose such distros. Those of you who have an interest in what makes GNU/Linux tick will have a more challenging time choosing a distro. There are a few hundred different distros available, and all of those developers possess their own concept of how GNU/Linux should operate. Additionally, if you are an individual who likes changing the oil on Saturday and doesn’t mind some occasional dirt and grease, then you are not going to want a tightly developed distro. That kind of distro will drive you batty. In the long run you have little choice but to experiment. Try two or three distros to adjust to the general idea of how GNU/Linux works, and learn the fundamental differences from the proprietary system you currently use. For this group of people, there is no shortcut to migrating. I am in this group and I hope my public journal is helping people like you. This road can be occasionally frustrating but also rewarding because in the long run you not only learn how to use the system, but maintain the system. I chose the Slackware distro for a simple reason. Slackware is known as a minimalist distro and sometimes I think the reason I chose Slackware is I might have sadistic tendencies! Yet, a casual reflection on my life and philosophy denies that initial reaction. My reason for choosing Slackware is I do not like other people controlling how I use my property. My computer is my property. That is a primary reason I want to leave the proprietary software world. I have remained with NT4 for many years because that Microsoft operating system was the last of a dying breed. The license, as well as the overall system design, is benign and harmless, unlike subsequent versions of Windows. For me Slackware is a philosophical choice and nothing more. I actually prefer the easiness of Mandrake along with all of the nice GUI tools they have created. I know I can dig under the hood and use the command line, but I much prefer point-and-click for many types of tasks. Slackware offers very few such tools. Thus, there is no way I’d recommend Slackware to the individual who wants to migrate as painlessly and quickly as possible. That’s okay. Many people are not concerned much with the easement rights they provide other people to their computers. Many people are willing to allow other people to take control of their computers as long as the computer produces in a manner they want. The means are not as important as the results. Not me. I want an operating system that is minimalist in approach where the developers do not tend to dictate how I must use my computer. The rough side to such a choice is the same as any situation where one evaluates the concept of freedom and liberty. The greater freedom and liberty one desires, the greater responsibility one must have for resolving one’s own problems. That does not mean not accepting help from others, only that one accepts full responsibility for one’s choices. Many people prefer convenience over responsibility. Again, there are no rules anywhere etched in stone. Choose according to your own philosophy. However, I have been around personal computers for more than 20 years. I possess the experience to ask the right questions and look for answers. For those people who do not possess that background, and are not interested, choose a distro more attuned to your personality. Thus, I mumble and groan often about the lack of user-friendliness of Slackware, but I maintain my path because I accept responsibility for my choices. The Slackware maintainer has not gone out of his way to provide a friendly point-and-click environment, but neither has he tried to create a my-way-or-the-highway system. The learning curve is steep, but as the familiar adage goes with many Slackers, “Learn Slackware, Learn GNU/Linux.” I confess that I am learning, and probably much more than I originally had anticipated or wanted. My only regret is my migration is moving much slower than I had hoped because I am continually building my knowledge base. Using Slackware does require one to take the bull by the horns. I see many ways Slackware can be improved and I hope the maintainer reads this journal, but I never will argue with the fundamental philosophy driving development. My philosophy drives my choices, and as many people who know me will attest, I am one of those rare birds who actually lives his philosophy. I want the Slackware maintainer to do the same. Migrating is important to me. I accept that each person possesses standing to choose, including the choice of proprietary software, but the philosophy driving the proprietary model does not set well with me. Your reasons for migrating might be different. I can live with that. I see no reason to go to war or to use force and coercion to convince one another otherwise! Finis. |
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