Back to the drawing board...

Well, unfortunately, as always, Linux finds some way to make me go back. This time it is a lack of support for .NET 4.0 and 4.5 in MONO. So, I am an the process of sloowly moving my data from my linux partition over to my windows partition. Right now, actually, I'm still resizing my Linux partition.

But just wanted to let everyone know, if I manage to disappear for a day or two, don't be surprised. Just means that either Linux or Windows burst into flames on me and I have to do a fresh reinstall.

Trying not to let that happen.

Yikes, You do have some decent partition resizing software don't you ?

Ouch I've always hated moving Drives around and or Reinstalling OS's but I kinda know how you feel there I've just finished a Major reinstall on my main System from a CPU going out. The good news is when it's done it's done! ...Until the next Disaster Strikes!

I feel for you, Wolverine. I had intended for my spare computer/server to become a dedicated Linux box. That went out the window (pardon the pun) after dealing with Aptitude and Synaptic, trying to persuade them to work offline with local packages, and then beating my head against a brick wall trying to get Debian to install non-free drivers for my hardware. Despite the propaganda, my experience was every bit as frustrating and obtuse as the first time I tried Linux, by way of a nicely boxed Mandrake I bought in in 1999. My recent battle with Debian was like reliving that time all over again.

And they claim Linux has made great progress!

Nevertheless, I still want to learn my way around it. Call me a masochist.

If anyone knows how to make Aptitude or Synaptic behave properly with offline, non-distro packages, you shall have my eternal gratitude. The same goes for install and configuring non-free drivers in Debian.

HELP!

Alrighty. Ubuntu was a piece of cake to install. And I got my ATI drivers working in a matter of minutes, even though AMD doesn't support Ubuntu.

As for Aptitude, gimme a sec...

According to the web, and this is dumb for both of us, double-click on it.

But since you are having such a challenge right now, it sounds like you are using just the console, no X-Windows. Sooo...

Still searching.

GOT IT!

dpkg -i <path to .deb>

Also got another tidbit of commands for creating a local repository so you can just dump all your packages in there and use apt-get as you normally would.

mkdir /location/debs
cp package-file.deb /location/debs
dpkg-scanpackages /location/debs /dev/null | gzip > /location/debs/Packages.gz

While fixing all of my mistakes over the last month, I have come up with one simple question:

What is it that attracts us to an Operating System that only 1% of the market share uses (as of 2011)?

For me, it was the fact that all the programming stuff we were using was integrated into the OS. Except for .NET, which is used an awful lot in MaNGOS.

I know, for some people, they claim the stability. I personally have not had any problems with the Server line or the NT line. NT 3.5 was awesome. You can still install WAMP on NT and Server, this gives you PHP and Perl, which is not built into IIS.

So, I finish with my starting question: What is it that attracts gluttons for punishment to a OS taking up only 1% of the market share? With respect to the world, I would appreciate answers from those who are willing or familiar with what I am ranting about. Thanks.

When I do install Linux on a system it's for work and not play. Linux for me is an extremely stable, secure OS and the ability to use things Natively like Apache, Perl, MySQL, and a lot of Server Side/Network software that isn't present in ether Microshaft or Mac OS X is a GOD Send but the down side is all of the work to get the system where it needs to be requires a LOT of Command line and a GUI gets in the way way too much. I personally run an Paid Email server for a couple companies and host a Web site for two local Churches.

Lately I've been in an attempt to get Server Core 2008 to run PHP but no matter what I try or what web site I go to for help I end up with a Steaming Pile of Sh*t... so for me it's back to OpenSUSE for my Web Server once again!

I guess the easy answer is Linux just does what you need when you need it except for games.