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Re: Follow-up to Linux experimentation thread

Subject: Re: Follow-up to Linux experimentation thread
From: Bruce Byfield <bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Thu, 06 Dec 2001 11:56:44 -0800

TJ Alias wrote:

I've been playing with Linux-Mandrake lately myself,
but I'm still such a newbie at it, that it's a little
comical. I've vowed that I will switch to Linux
completely (at home anyway) as soon as I believe that
I can meet all my computing needs with it.

One weakness of Mandrake that I should mention is that many of the configuration files aren't commented. As a result, new users who want to delve into the workings of Linux are somewhat limited, unless they can find a current Howto or FAQ. One of the joys of Debian is that many of its files are often heavily commented, and contain much of the information you need to edit them.

So far, it looks like there's software for every
purpose--except desktop publishing. anybody hear of
anything good yet?

Not really. So far as I can see, you're not supposed to care about design in UNIX ;-), and Linux has followed the same philosophy until recently.

I'd give a lot for a decent method of font installation, too. I know how to install both postscript and TrueType fonts, but the procedure is very awkward for both - so much so that I really advise anyone adding fonts to add as many as possible at one time, so that they don't have to repeat it.


These lacks tend to restrict Linux's usefulness for tech-writing, although it has very good tools for HTML and XML, and Star/Open Office is no worse than MS Word and has a decent font-installer for its own purposes.

--
Bruce Byfield 604.421.7177 bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com

"I was close to understanding, I never felt so fine
The angels leave on horseback, but the devils are all mine,
I knew I'd live forever, I was flying down the years
Till I heard the sound of morning, breaking glass around my ears."
-OysterBand, "This Town"





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References:
RE:Follow-up to Linux experimentation thread: From: TJ Alias

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