Linux whining

So, I installed Mandriva on an extra computer here at home.  My intent is to use that computer as a file server - take any extra hard drives I have laying around and plug them in for as much storage as I can muster.   There's some glitch in the hardware that's preventing me from installing Windows 2000 - which would have been my first choice - but every Linux OS I've put in place goes with no problems.   It's in the implentation phase that the rosey glow starts to tarnish.

I've tried five so far, in the hopes of finding one that would make me jump through fewer hoops and just let me get on with the business of ... my business.  If there is anything that will ever prevent Linux from making it in the big leagues, that will be it.

Xandros.  First one I tried, and worked straight out of the box as if I'd actually installed Windows.  Very nice, but a week later Microsoft bought it.  Out it went.

Ubuntu.  Supposedly the friendliest of all the distros, but installing software is a bitch. 

Kubuntu.  Same as Ubuntu, but with the KDE desktop instead of Gnome.  Nicer looking, but same issues as the other.

Knoppix.  Too friendly, e.g. so ugly it's cute.  No thanks.

Mandriva.  The recommended OS for those coming from Windows.  It's in, I've got my shares set up, but Christ on a  Chrutch I had to jump through a bunch of hoops to get it there.  I finally got it working this afternoon after finding, buried deep in someone's comments on a barely related post, that I had to unlock the firewall before the computer would accept connections. 

I have a firewall and it's on by default?  Okay, accepting the fact that Linux is by default more secure than Windows, I'm still coming from a Windows environment, so I'm not automatically geared to look for stuff that's got my PC all constipated.  Windows warns me about my firewall.  Linux doesn't do that.

My biggest frustration about Linux  (every distro I've tried so far) can be summed up in one question: "And you were planning on sharing that essential piece of information when?" 

The terminal services client sucks ass, but that's okay.  The machine is stable and (finally) shared, and I can live with it.

Linux whining

So, I installed Mandriva on an extra computer here at home.  My intent is to use that computer as a file server - take any extra hard drives I have laying around and plug them in for as much storage as I can muster.   There's some glitch in the hardware that's preventing me from installing Windows 2000 - which would have been my first choice - but every Linux OS I've put in place goes with no problems.   It's in the implentation phase that the rosey glow starts to tarnish.

I've tried five so far, in the hopes of finding one that would make me jump through fewer hoops and just let me get on with the business of ... my business.  If there is anything that will ever prevent Linux from making it in the big leagues, that will be it.

Xandros.  First one I tried, and worked straight out of the box as if I'd actually installed Windows.  Very nice, but a week later Microsoft bought it.  Out it went.

Ubuntu.  Supposedly the friendliest of all the distros, but installing software is a bitch. 

Kubuntu.  Same as Ubuntu, but with the KDE desktop instead of Gnome.  Nicer looking, but same issues as the other.

Knoppix.  Too friendly, e.g. so ugly it's cute.  No thanks.

Mandriva.  The recommended OS for those coming from Windows.  It's in, I've got my shares set up, but Christ on a  Chrutch I had to jump through a bunch of hoops to get it there.  I finally got it working this afternoon after finding, buried deep in someone's comments on a barely related post, that I had to unlock the firewall before the computer would accept connections. 

I have a firewall and it's on by default?  Okay, accepting the fact that Linux is by default more secure than Windows, I'm still coming from a Windows environment, so I'm not automatically geared to look for stuff that's got my PC all constipated.  Windows warns me about my firewall.  Linux doesn't do that.

My biggest frustration about Linux  (every distro I've tried so far) can be summed up in one question: "And you were planning on sharing that essential piece of information when?" 

The terminal services client sucks ass, but that's okay.  The machine is stable and (finally) shared, and I can live with it.