[PLUG] local hardware

[Michael M]

On Fri, 2006-03-17 at 15:12 -0800, John Jason Jordan wrote:

>  What the Linux world needs is a total, comprehensive, all-in-one-place
> database of every component that has ever been used in a computer, and
> a mandatory requirement that everything be posted on it.

I would settle for a solidly researched site that broke out components
by type and level and just focused on what is widely supported across
distributions -- i.e., here are the 10 best high-end motherboards, here
are the 10 best mid-range motherboards, 10 best low-end graphics cards,
etc.

Some distros have some specifics about hardware compatibility (Debian
does not).  Linspire actually has a decent listing, but just because
something works under Linspire doesn't mean it'll work across the board.
I can't tell you how many message board posts and like I've come across
in the past few days where someone says, "SuSe has no problem with this
xxx, but Mandrake won't detect it" or some such, even with the same
kernel version.

Linux's greatest strength -- its diversity -- is also its greatest
weakness.  The lack of standardization makes it very flexible and makes
it very difficult for the techno-semi-literate to figure out the
landscape.  Every distro has slightly different strengths, slightly
different quirks, slightly to wildly different ways of system
administration, software installation, etc.  Windows and OS X work one
way; Linuxes work any number of ways.  Of course, there are some distros
that, if they were the only choices, would drive me back to Windows or
OS X.  So I'm glad there's choice, but it creates problems that get very
frustrating at times.

One thing I'm planning on doing when I finally figure out what hardware
to buy is try FreeBSD.  It has the benefit of a centralized management
structure -- it's not just a kernel.  Even if I don't like it any
better, it'll be interesting to check out.  Plus, philosophically, I
admire the BSD license more than the GPL.

-- 
Michael M. -- Portland, OR -- USA
"No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions
of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to
dream." --S. Jackson