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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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A video by The Linux Cast on the debian website and how it needs to be more user friendly. (tilvids.com)

submitted 1 year ago by BearPear to c/[email protected]

77 comments fedilink hide all child comments

TLDW from ChatGPT:

The video is a critique of the Debian Linux distribution's website and its user experience, primarily focusing on the difficulties in finding and downloading the appropriate ISO images. The presenter praises Debian's stability and community but criticizes the website's design, stating that it's not user-friendly, especially for new Linux users. The video highlights how the website layout, multiple clicks, and confusing file tree structure can make it challenging to locate the desired ISO images, particularly for the live installer versions. The presenter suggests that while improvements have been made, the ISO download process can still be convoluted and feels like the distribution is not encouraging new users. The overall message conveys a desire for Debian to make its ISOs more easily accessible and user-friendly.

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[–] kabe 13 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

It is definitely better since Bookworm, but it's still not great.

The default installation .iso is a netinstall that uses Debian's creaky old installer that looks like a text-based RPG from the 1980s when compared to a modern GUI Linux installer.

The live images, which are the best for new users because they do use a modern and user-friendly installer (Calamares) and allow pre-selection of the desktop environment, are still hidden away by needing to click through two more web pages to get to the list of isos, without any explanation of the different DEs or recommendations for new users.

It's like they thought to themselves "we need to make it easier for new users, but we don't want to make it too easy".

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Every distro should just fucking use calamares.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Not automatable. The default debiam installer has a feature called preseeding, where you point it to a website serving a preseed file (and you can do this with automated commands input by qemu or vnc), and it gets a recipe on how to install the system.

Open issue: https://github.com/calamares/calamares/issues/508

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

So does why not debían and or fedora develop this feature and contribute it back to calamares?

Admittedly I don't know the details of the situation here. But rather than spend the development hours maintaining their own bad installer, why don't they put them into contributing to this arguably better shared project?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Because it's not their responsibility to add a feature people primarily use on servers to an installer built for desktop usage. Because there installer isn't bad, it's loved exactly for the ability to automate it. Because their installer works, and it doesn't take a lot of manpower. According to debian salsa, it basically only receives translations and package updates, some of that automated.

Why have the debian devs go off and add support a whole another installer (by support I mean actually attempt to add features to it) when they have a perfectly nice, working installer? The devs have more important things to do.