Comment Re:This is a good thing (Score 2) 273
> But the relative complexity of the installation process,....
Funny story.
My first job in IT was for Cistron Internet Services in the Netherlands. They were one of the first ISP's in NL. And had a few Debian developers working there. They had built this CD-Rom that, when inserted into your Windows 9x PC would autorun some installer that would setup your dial-in modem and stuff. Since the diskspace on the CD-rom was about 99% unused, they also included a complete copy of the first disc of Debian. Which was worth it's weight in gold at the time. I think it was Slink-1-and-a-half, but it could be Potato.
Now, this was a bootable CD, for obvious reasons.
I was on the helpdesk at the time. I had 2 new customers a year that would phone up and ask how they should proceed onto the internet now that they had finished the installer. After talking to them a few minutes I realized that they had actually managed to fully install Debian. They had rebooted their PC for some reason, with the bootable CD in it. They had managed to re-partition their drives, enter root passwords, enter user details, completely installing the whole shebang. They were looking at a Debian login screen and wondering how to proceed now. And then, and only then, did they bother to call the helpdesk as they couldn't figure out what to do next.
These were not tech-savvy people. These were small business owners that wanted to see what was up with that whole internet thing. And yet they managed that in 2001 and
Every time I hear someone say 'the $Distro installer is complicated', it brings back a fond memory of great times at Cistron. So thanks for that.
Kindly,
mverwijs
Ps: Cistron ADSL will come to YOUR area within two weeks! Really!