Debian Resources

As you're probably figuring out, I'm a long-time Linux fan. Unlike many other OS's, Linux doesn't have a single version. In fact, Linux itself is only a kernel. Other people take this kernel, bundle it with many other apps, and publish what is known as a distribution. As a Linux user since 1997-ish, I've tried many different distributions. A more or less complete listing of all OSs I've tried can be found here. My history of Linux usage went something like this: Red Hat, SuSE, Red Hat, Mandrake, and finally Debian.

Since October of 2000 I have settled on the Debian GNU/Linux distribution. Unlike all of the other distributions, Debian is not a commercial entity. This makes for a very different release, with much different priorities. For instance, Debian tries to treat all Linux platforms equally, making it particularly well-suited for use on non-x86 architectures. Debian also prides itself on very stable releases. As it must co-ordinate releases on 11 architectures, the release cycle is much slower than for most Linux distributions.

Since most Debian users are long-time Linux users, areas such as installation tend to be a little less straightforward than say Mandrake, while development and system maintenance are far easier on Debian than any other OS I've used.

These features make Debian an excellent base distribution for commercial companies. Over the years, many Debian offshoots have come and gone. A few of the notable ones are Xandros, Lindows, Progeny and Storm Linux.

Anyway, enough of all of this. here are some handy links and information for people interested in Debian GNU/Linux.

Backing up Linux using dump: A quick backup tutorial using dump under Linux
3ware 8506 with Debian Woody: Using a 3ware S-ATA RAID card with Linux
Debian on an iBook: Information for Debian PPC users.
Xandros 2.0 Review: My experiences with Xandros 2.0 after two months of daily use.
My Debian packages: I've compiled (unofficial) packages for Xandros, Debian PPC, Potato and more.
My Overview of Debian: An older overview of Debian and why I like it.
Info about Commercial Debian-derived OSs: My thoughts on why commercial Debian distributions exist.
In The Beginning Was The Command Line: An essay by Neal Stephenson that brilliantly articulates why I like Linux (and especially Debian). I'm leaving it here for archival purposes.
Debian for BeOS Users: An overview of one users experiences moving from BeOS to Debian.
Debian Home Page: Parent site of the Debian GNU/Linux distribution.
Debian Planet: Excellent portal site for Debian users.
Learning Debian Linux: A complete copy of O'Reilly's Debian book.
Libranet Linux: Another excellent commercial version of Debian.