Re: Ubuntu and Debian packages / 2013-09-27

[Riccardo Mottola]

Hi,
Gabriel wrote:
> Ok, thanks to all for your replies. 
> Debian team has released the 2013 Debian/Hurd OS and I downloaded it. During 
> this week-end i will install a program to virtualize OSs on my Mac, because I 
> don't want to test the Hurd on my IBM t43p (1GB RAM 80GB hdd 1.87 GHz). And 
> if it works well, I will try to install GNUstep on it, and when I have 
> errors, I post them here, and if it can easily solved you tell me what to do 
> otherwise I'll wait until someone find and give me a solution. (Because I 
> have only programmed(?) in BASIC and written some Forth commands, I'm poor in 
> C or anything like)
> But… I want to learn so I'm motivated(?). 
An IBP t43p is prefectly apt running gnustep, I run it on a T23 and a
T41.... perhaps just increase your ram if you wish.
> PS:
>
> I'm thinking of buying a new laptop with a quick processor and a IDE hdd or 
> IDE ssd(if it exists!) and 1866MHz 4GB RAM, but I haven't any idea which one 
> to choose nor where. 
> I'm open to suggestions.
>
Despite what people say HURD works well, for many tasks you can use it
daily, however it has many limitations. In other words: what it does it
does now reasonably well and stable, however there is lots of stuff
missing, especially on the driver side. The main problems are
1) hardware support
2) applications written linux-centric

Things have improved, but I was one of the few "users" and not
"developers" running HURD on bare-metal.
I think laptop support is nil, but I may be wrong.
Don't invest in a new laptop without knowing that its hardware is
supported, or you need to virtualize then anyway.

If you want to test, use and develop for gnustep, I'd suggest running it
on a more proven platform (linux and BSD), or you will be fighting too
many fronts.
IN the meanwhile you can experiment on your old laptop, get another used
one or a workstation and play.

The best is to ask the debian hurd user mailing ist (since most probably
you want to run debian).

Thus: good luck and I'm happy you are interested in GNUstep and HURD,
but take things carefully, before spending time and money and getting
frustrated.

Riccardo