[PLUG] Debian-like distro (with actual hardware detection) - does it exist?

[Phil Tomson]

On 17 Sep 2002, Josh Zeckser wrote:

> I don't remember where, but I thought I read something about a Linux
> distro that was based on Debian, including the wonderful apt-get system,
> the major difference being that it would automatically detect all of
> your hardware accurately. I have enjoyed Debian on my laptop, which
> works just fine, but when I tried it on my main box, either:
> a) sound card won't work
> b) network card won't work
> c) can't use plain CD-ROM drive
> d) CD-RW drive treated as plain CD-ROM - no burning cd's on this box!
> e) all of the above
> If you chose e, you are correct! After spending a week or so trying to
> solve the hardware issues on Debian's terms, including discover, which
> made 3 mount points for 2 cd-rom drives and did nothing to /etc/fstab,
> and etherconf, which deleted my eth0 /etc/network/interfaces at each
> bootup (after I had to manually edit the file with my eth0 info,
> etherconf would delete it. Doesn't matter, the damn thing never worked
> either way), I fixed the machine with my trusty Red Hat disc that
> figured out all of my hardware without a hitch.
> 	Anyway, what I'm getting at is that I love Debian and I love its
> apt-get system. I abhor the way Debian deals with hardware. I love Red
> Hat's hardware detection and tools like sndconfig, but I really don't
> care for rpm. I want something with the good parts from both camps.
> Hardware detection + apt-get.
> 	Any suggestions?
>

Others have mentioned Progeny and noted that it is no longer developed
which is true.  There is another Debian-based distro called LibraNet that
is supposed to have a pretty nice install with hardware detection (I have
not tried it, so I can't comment).

http://www.libranet.com/

Phil