This is partly a rant, I suppose. I have Debian Squeeze on a Toshiba laptop with a 17" screen. I have had it installed for a long time - by my standards. The hardware is supported nicely - even the wireless card works.
Lately, I have become more intolerant of this machine:
1. When it boots, there is a 50/50 chance that it will 'hang' with a blank screen, in which case I have to re-boot. Today, it took 2 boots to get a gdm login prompt.
2. The web browsers seem unreliable. I really really like google chrome - it is fast and allows me to sync my bookmarks with other devices. I can't get google chrome to work on debian Squeeze - even though it is in their software repository. There is a bug that has been around for a long time that says something like -'failed to write to buffer backend./opt system full.' or some crap like that. So I was forced to use Chronium - which due to a bug does not support bookmark syncs. Moreover, it is really sluggish and slow - even after I empty the cache etc. Firefox is past it's sell by date, ephipany / galeon are nice but lack the chrome touch for me. I tried konqueror - LOL an accident waiting to happen at every mouse click. You get my drift. Even if PC BSD does not have chrome - I can deal with that.
3. Things just seem - not quite right about this machine. It is a shame as it is a very nice laptop.
4. Debian wheezy was promised a long time ago and seems like it is never ever going to come. It has missed the train now as I have a 'pure' real FreeBSD system installed on another laptop and find that it provides a superior development environment using only the console.
Sometimes I don't feel like using the console - I just want a quick look at something without too much hassle. Well that is where this laptop comes in. I have seen PC BSD - but never really considered it - I don't like KDE. But now I have thought that if I had this installed it could replace the Debian OS . Apparently 9.1 supports Gnome. Also, it would have something in common with my real FreeBSD laptop and there is the consistency of Unix command use - better for me and better for YOU! (because I will learn more and ask fewer lame questions here).
But will everything work? So far, I can see that my wireless card might not.
. I can deal with that I have a Belkin USB dongle and also a really cool Atheros USB device that will work.
I am backing up my stuff now - getting ready to Burn that PC BSD DVD. Have you tried PC - BSD?
Lately, I have become more intolerant of this machine:
1. When it boots, there is a 50/50 chance that it will 'hang' with a blank screen, in which case I have to re-boot. Today, it took 2 boots to get a gdm login prompt.
2. The web browsers seem unreliable. I really really like google chrome - it is fast and allows me to sync my bookmarks with other devices. I can't get google chrome to work on debian Squeeze - even though it is in their software repository. There is a bug that has been around for a long time that says something like -'failed to write to buffer backend./opt system full.' or some crap like that. So I was forced to use Chronium - which due to a bug does not support bookmark syncs. Moreover, it is really sluggish and slow - even after I empty the cache etc. Firefox is past it's sell by date, ephipany / galeon are nice but lack the chrome touch for me. I tried konqueror - LOL an accident waiting to happen at every mouse click. You get my drift. Even if PC BSD does not have chrome - I can deal with that.
3. Things just seem - not quite right about this machine. It is a shame as it is a very nice laptop.
4. Debian wheezy was promised a long time ago and seems like it is never ever going to come. It has missed the train now as I have a 'pure' real FreeBSD system installed on another laptop and find that it provides a superior development environment using only the console.
Sometimes I don't feel like using the console - I just want a quick look at something without too much hassle. Well that is where this laptop comes in. I have seen PC BSD - but never really considered it - I don't like KDE. But now I have thought that if I had this installed it could replace the Debian OS . Apparently 9.1 supports Gnome. Also, it would have something in common with my real FreeBSD laptop and there is the consistency of Unix command use - better for me and better for YOU! (because I will learn more and ask fewer lame questions here).
But will everything work? So far, I can see that my wireless card might not.
Code:
14:00.0 Network controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8191SEvB Wireless LAN Controller (rev 10)
I am backing up my stuff now - getting ready to Burn that PC BSD DVD. Have you tried PC - BSD?