I've trashed the last copy of non-free GNU/Linux installation

4 respostas [Última entrada]
nadebula.1984
Desconectado
Joined: 05/01/2018

I trashed the last installation of non-free distribution (GNU/Linux Mint).

Before the re-installation, I made a copy of my /home directory (with highly-efficient zstd fast compression):

tar -cvf - ~ | zstd --fast > /path/file.tar.zst

After the re-installation and necessary configurations, I restored the backup:

zstd -cd /path/file.tar.zst | tar -xvf -

Only the MATE panel got broken (due to the conflicts between Debian's and Mint's MATE panel setting files). But I could easily restore the default settings of the panel (right click and select "Reset All Panels").

Cyberhawk

I am a translator!

Desconectado
Joined: 07/27/2010

Congrats! Do you use a separate partition for your /home, as St IGNUcius intended?

lanun
Desconectado
Joined: 04/01/2021

What about installing Trisquel? You could even try Trisquel+Guix one day, and tell us what you think.

I find it amazing that you keep posting on the Trisquel forum, only to advise people not to use it.

None of the current Trisquel packages is "obsolete" for me. People who want more recent versions surely know how to get them: they most probably use a rolling-release distro, like you do, or install Guix on top of Trisquel and get what they need.

nadebula.1984
Desconectado
Joined: 05/01/2018

It is true that I should have posted most topics on Debian forum. However, most people on Debian forum always recommend visitors to use their non-official, non-free images. They even recommended me to install all available non-free firmware to "maximize hardware compatibility". For me, Debian forum is no better than Ubuntu/Mint forum.

I was once Trisquel user long ago. However, I'd appreciate any changes in latest packages. Even a single function added to GNU Octave's packages helps me a lot. Consequently, I use a mixture of Debian's testing/unstable/experimental repositories.

And according to my community promotion experiences, most personal users don't benefit much from the "stability" of an LTS distribution. By contrast, they appreciate the freshness of semi/rolling distributions more. If you read Ubuntu's description about LTS, you'd find that the LTS branch is mainly tailored for enterprises/organizations.

lanun
Desconectado
Joined: 04/01/2021

I totally understand your point about why some people might rather use a (semi-)rolling GNU/Linux distro, including yourself. In a different usage case, I might also have different preferences.

Your experience about the Debian forum is perfect illustration of why it is still a good idea to advise people to use Trisquel instead, by default.

I do not doubt your own personal experience from your own community, and I do not doubt your good faith, and again, I do understand your points about Debian vs Trisquel, but I still feel it is inappropriate and unproductive to advise people against using Trisquel on the Trisquel forum.

At some point, I installed Linux Mint in dual boot mode with Trisquel, because many "Linux" user clubs around me are using it, and indeed it was quite some fun to get all these new versions of many things, but I was still very happy to boot Trisquel. A bit less fun is not an argument for me, so I kept using Trisquel for the strong software freedom experience it provides. I am missing nothing I could not get through Guix if necessary.

About LTS being for enterprises/organizations, I think it is misleading because most Trisquel users are very probably personal users who are quite fine with its stability and ease of use and maintenance. I think this is definitely a matter of personal preference and usage case, and I think it is fine to be fine with Trisquel as it is. I would think different, of course, if security updates were lagging. Anyway, I would currently not trust Ubuntu about anything, including any claim about LTS.