Multi-round Desktop Linux distribution showdown.

This is the final round.

The distros were chosen based on the results of a previous poll.

Please consider boosting to obtain a larger sample.

Final Round: fight!

#poll #linux #distro #debian #nixos

Debian
65.3%
NixOS
34.7%
Poll ended at .

@rperezrosario So here's my latest gripe with debian. I've been using debian (or its derivatives) on servers at most of the companies I've worked at, but only because most of my team members wouldn't be familiar with something that's different from "regular" linux distros.

debian packaging tools are funny. I encountered a package (not foss/in debian repos) with a postinst script that under certain (trivial) conditions would keep running forever. here's what happened when I tried installing it:

  • ctrl+c didn't work
  • kill on the running apt/dpkg processes stopped it, but…
  • it's impossible to remove the half-installed package; apt purge told me: Error: dpkg was interrupted, you must manually run 'dpkg --configure -a' to correct the problem.
  • spoiler alert: dpkg --configure -a attempts to finish installing packages. that includes trying to run the postinst again, which wouldn't finish.

I could work around that. But I've been using linux for 25 years now, and have been working in sysadmin/devops-like roles for almost 18 years now.

I can't imagine a regular user even knowing where to start fixing something like this.

#debian

@ar @rperezrosario I guess don't try to install wierd stuff. But this post now has me worried that I'll get this type of bs when I need to install some proprietary oem shit on my server

@fox @rperezrosario "you're holding it wrong" is not a good argument. this is purely a tool issue.

I would even argue that the whole idea of postinst scripts is flawed. As is the debian-specific idea of starting services upon installing packages.