• Registered: 2009-07-17
  • Posts: 70

Re: Distro-hoppers Anonymous

Don't fight it, distro hopping is not bad ...

I've tried Fedora11, Sabayon 5, Kubuntu 9.04, Mint7, Mint7 KDE, Crunchbang, Sidux, Mepis 8, Arch, Chakra (Arch + KDE), Mandriva 2010, SUSE 11.2 and Kubuntu 9.10 during the last 12 months ... think Mepis 8.5 and Elive may be next.

After I realized that I keep coming back to #!, I spit my 30GB OS partition into #! and playground, so that I always can get back to Crunchbang with few effort (EXT4 data partition was seperate, anyway).

So my conclusion is, use a safety belt (= a "test" partition next to your "productive" partition), but otherwise happy jumping wink

PS: Using a VM is not the same, because it doesn't let you evaluate hardware support (which is still an issue these days, at least if you're using Intel graphics) and performance (e.g. boot times differ between 25 secs and several minutes on real hardware)

A computer lets you make more mistakes faster than any invention in human history - with the possible exceptions of handguns and tequila (Mitch Ratcliffe)
  • Digit
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  • Registered: 2009-05-26
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Re: Distro-hoppers Anonymous

oh axel668.   sounds like its still early days for you... but not so early you havnt caught the bug and are already in the denial phase.   some part of you must already recognize, your enthused hobby, may have a dark underbelly....   i mean, something ~ some part of you ~ brought you here to DHA.   big_smile

how much time do you dedicate to your habit?   how much of your hard drive is for your actual work or files?   and how much is taken up with partitions, and isos?

no pressure, in your own time... but it will do you good, to say it...  "i have a problem".   ;D

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  • Registered: 2009-02-09
  • Posts: 550

Re: Distro-hoppers Anonymous

I distro hop quite a bit,,,But since ive learned Virtualbox,,Ive installed alot less.
My #! machine is the only machine i dont screw around with,,I have two other computers,,a netbook and a laptop that i will play around with,,,It seems like everytime i get a system all dialed in the way i like it,,,I want to try a new flavor,,,LOL

29 Reply by sjr

  • sjr
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  • Registered: 2009-11-25
  • Posts: 35

Re: Distro-hoppers Anonymous

I'm glad I'm not alone.  Like craigh, I started on the Ubuntu route.  Like any good dealer, the first one is free, right?  Except with Linux so was the second, third, fourth, fifteenth...

Now I'm starting to be strangely attracted to FreeBSD.  I find myself visiting its website when I'm supposed to be just going to Amazon and Gmail.   I see command lines and text - based installers in my dreams. The little red guy, a blowfish, and tux were dancing in my head yesterday when I was trying to work.  I had to look at lolcats posters to get them to go away.

Is there help?

--sjr

30 Reply by deh

  • deh
  • #! CrunchBanger
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  • From: Floripa
  • Registered: 2009-11-27
  • Posts: 103

Re: Distro-hoppers Anonymous

A friend got me interested in linux and I started the easy way: Mint 7. Best transition distro IMO.
Then tried Ubuntu 9.04 to see what it was about, went back to Mint, mucked up my first few mini-iso setups, got into #! and that's that.

Don't plan on going outside the Debian route, it's too comfortable.

edit: got rid of profanities... aaaaand I don't see Debian as a cage, as a matter of fact, I feel pretty free since I ditched windows. I just feel like I got it right with the first try, since both Mint and #! fit my needs perfectly.

Last edited by deh (2009-12-18 19:04:10)

Herb will get you through times with no money, better than money will get you through times with no herb.
  • pvsage
  • Internal Affairs
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  • From: Section Six
  • Registered: 2009-10-18
  • Posts: 4,912

Re: Distro-hoppers Anonymous

^ "I've grown fond of my cage."  We all know that feeling.

Unless I'm mistaken, casual use of profanity is discouraged on these forums.  I frankly don't give a f**k, but others might.

while ( ! ( succeed = try() ) );
  • Digit
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  • Registered: 2009-05-26
  • Posts: 649

Re: Distro-hoppers Anonymous

charlie01 wrote:

It seems like everytime i get a system all dialed in the way i like it,,,I want to try a new flavor,,,LOL

^that right there... sooo totally the defining characteristic of a distro hopper.  big_smile    (unless yer so rabid you dont even tweak things)



sjr wrote:

.... I had to look at lolcats posters to get them to go away.

Is there help?

yes.   thats what we're here for.  it may seem tougher in this thread if we've been avoiding and denying, but we have to face up to it and be strong in the face of it, because if we cant when confronted with distrowatch, we'll relapse.

hang in there sjr.  one day at a time.  smile





in an attempt to cure myself, "rolling my own" seemed the way to go....
...but then when i started to put all my plans and ideas on a forum*, i started to realize...  maybe this was further compounding the issue, as i wasnt making THE distro to end all distro hopping, i was making several!

* nothing much to see, nor download yet.  mostly planning stages and pre-alphas.

Last edited by Digit (2009-12-19 08:11:07)

educate yourself so you may educate others.DeNoob&UnBloat PCs!
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  • Registered: 2009-02-09
  • Posts: 550

Re: Distro-hoppers Anonymous

Im surprised theres not a Distro Hoppers Anonymous..

Some were to get cured of this disease.
And to have some one to talk to...:lol::lol:


Oh ,,,Thats why i come here...LOL

Last edited by charlie01 (2009-12-19 20:44:27)

  • Registered: 2008-11-24
  • Posts: 1,858

Re: Distro-hoppers Anonymous

Hi, I am definitely a distro-hopper too!

Last week I found myself installing Sabayon and realized I'd hit rock bottom. sad
My new year's resolution for 2010 is to stop hop, hop, hopping! Wish me luck everyone. smile

  • Registered: 2009-02-18
  • Posts: 581

Re: Distro-hoppers Anonymous

snowpine wrote:

Hi, I am definitely a distro-hopper too!

Last week I found myself installing Sabayon and realized I'd hit rock bottom. sad
My new year's resolution for 2010 is to stop hop, hop, hopping! Wish me luck everyone. smile

Hello Snowpine, good to have you here big_smile

36 Reply by sjr

  • sjr
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  • Registered: 2009-11-25
  • Posts: 35

Re: Distro-hoppers Anonymous

Things were going well until yesterday.  It had been two weeks since I'd installed a new distro.  I was looking for ideas for new themes for #!, and I innocently visited the December 2009 Screenshots thread.

Now I have...CONKY ENVY!!!!

mad mad mad mad

--sjr

  • Registered: 2009-02-09
  • Posts: 550

Re: Distro-hoppers Anonymous

sjr wrote:

Things were going well until yesterday.  It had been two weeks since I'd installed a new distro.  I was looking for ideas for new themes for #!, and I innocently visited the December 2009 Screenshots thread.

Now I have...CONKY ENVY!!!!

mad mad mad mad

--sjr

Conky Envy,,,,,Another disease i have and cant stop playing with.

I need to be cured of that too.LOL

  • Registered: 2008-11-24
  • Posts: 1,858

Re: Distro-hoppers Anonymous

Am I the only #! user who can't stand conky? Disabling it was one of the first things I did. smile

  • benj1
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  • From: Yorkshire, England
  • Registered: 2009-09-05
  • Posts: 1,084

Re: Distro-hoppers Anonymous

snowpine wrote:

Am I the only #! user who can't stand conky? Disabling it was one of the first things I did. smile

yes you are tongue

unless you just haven't accepted that you like it yet, the first step is admitting it

- - - - - - - - Wiki Pages - - - - - - -
#! install guide           *autostart programs, modify the menu & keybindings
configuring Conky       *installing scripts
  • Registered: 2008-11-24
  • Posts: 1,858

Re: Distro-hoppers Anonymous

You're right, I guess Conky brings up some deep-seated issues from my childhood. sad I just feel that ram and CPU usage should be mysterious... knowing exactly how many mb I'm using makes me feel dirty. Some things are just too much information.

Last edited by snowpine (2009-12-21 18:34:17)

  • pvsage
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Re: Distro-hoppers Anonymous

I used to be impartial to Conky until I realized how much you can do with it, which includes just about everything once you learn a little shell scripting.  Even without using any external scripts, it does a lot.  Memory and CPU usage are just the tip of the ijsberg!

while ( ! ( succeed = try() ) );

42 Reply by deh

  • deh
  • #! CrunchBanger
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  • From: Floripa
  • Registered: 2009-11-27
  • Posts: 103

Re: Distro-hoppers Anonymous

Hey! If you don't stop now, conky will take over this thread! I've seen it happen!

Back on track...

Does going back and forth through the same distros with different setups/WMs count as distro hopping? tongue

Herb will get you through times with no money, better than money will get you through times with no herb.
  • From: Santa Fe, NM, USA
  • Registered: 2009-09-14
  • Posts: 1,349

Re: Distro-hoppers Anonymous

I've only been using Linux for about 8 months now.

I have used Ubuntu, Saboyan, Fedora 12, LinuxMint-7 and 8, Puppy and . . . well, I must have 50 assorted distros on CD. 
Mostly Debian-based.  To include my personal favorite ... Debian Squeeze-Xfce 'testing'  (built froma netinstall.iso)
And Xubuntu 10.04 Alpha 1 (development)

I am using and learning #! now.  I'm still an Xfce junkie!!

Registered Linux User: #497030
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#!Crunchbang 'Statler' (Openbox) -- LinuxMint-Debian-Fluxbox Edition
  • Registered: 2008-11-24
  • Posts: 1,858

Re: Distro-hoppers Anonymous

Help!!! I just fell off the wagon and installed sidux xfce... and I'm downloading CentOS too... oh the humanity. sad

  • Registered: 2009-02-09
  • Posts: 550

Re: Distro-hoppers Anonymous

snowpine wrote:

Am I the only #! user who can't stand conky? Disabling it was one of the first things I did. smile

The great thing with conky is,,you can make it as minimalistic or as elaborate as youd like,,,,My budy also isnt a fan,,Your not alone,,,He keeps it running but the only thing showing is a clock...I like it because the possibilities of what you can do are endless..Or at least seem that way.
  My next goal is to have Transsmision show up on it.

  • Digit
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Re: Distro-hoppers Anonymous

i think its the likes of tweaking your conky that puts an end to the incessant distro hopping.  dont we all tend to stop hopping, or at least drastically reduce our hopping when we find ourselves in a comfortable environment?

maybe the H.A.L.T. for us should be for Help, Apps, Logistics and Tempo.  meaning, is your current distros documentation ok, have you got the apps you need, are things set up to be easily accessible, and do things start quick enough and run quick enough.   y'know, fix it up where you are first, rather than run off to somewhere you'll find yourself in the same predicament.

no distro can satasfy you perfectly out of the box, not in the same way it can once you set it up to offer you what you like and want out of it.

so i say, go on, have conky envy, you're not going to find a distro with just the very conky you've been looking for, it's something to make your own.

and here's my own.  envy it all you like.

http://omploader.org/vMzF4cg

sits neatly out of the way.  gives me an at a glance on stuff i might actually need to know.

snowpine:"Some things are just too much information."

quite. smile

though yeah.... i did loose a couple months looking into conky and openbox modding.  hehe.     ... worth it i say.  smile

and hey, if it werent for some casual browsing through distros, from the comfort of a virtualbox, i wouldnt have found crunchbang.

everything in moderation, even moderation, so long as you can moderate.





edit.  woops, thnx for pointing that out dippedandfried.   fixed the missing n.

Last edited by Digit (2009-12-22 17:02:20)

educate yourself so you may educate others.DeNoob&UnBloat PCs!
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say "NO!" to a chemical lobotomy in your food
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  • From: Santa Fe, NM, USA
  • Registered: 2009-09-14
  • Posts: 1,349

Re: Distro-hoppers Anonymous

"Hello.  I am a Linux distro-hopping Addict.  I am, also, an Xfce junkie!"

I have been Linux Free  . . . for . . . for . . . er, since yesterday.  big_smile

Last edited by vrkalak (2009-12-22 03:56:04)

Registered Linux User: #497030
LinuxMint Forum | DeviantART page | Lost-in-the-Box Forum  |  Ask.Debian
#!Crunchbang 'Statler' (Openbox) -- LinuxMint-Debian-Fluxbox Edition
  • From: Santa Fe, NM, USA
  • Registered: 2009-09-14
  • Posts: 1,349

Re: Distro-hoppers Anonymous

snowpine wrote:

You're right, I guess Conky brings up some deep-seated issues from my childhood. sad I just feel that ram and CPU usage should be mysterious... knowing exactly how many mb I'm using makes me feel dirty. Some things are just too much information.


lol lol lol

Last edited by vrkalak (2009-12-22 03:58:35)

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#!Crunchbang 'Statler' (Openbox) -- LinuxMint-Debian-Fluxbox Edition
  • From: Minnesota, USA
  • Registered: 2009-10-03
  • Posts: 83

Re: Distro-hoppers Anonymous

Digit: I haven't spent time in here for several days (more on that below) but after catching up I can only say one thing: Your facilitation skills seriously rock. Much-deserved kudos from me and, I'm sure, the others who've ventured through the DHA door.

Snowpine: I don't think Digit intentionally called you “Snowpie,” but that's something you guys will have to work through. (The way I see it: Either Digit has a funky “N” key or he was doing a little passive-aggressive thing after you poo-poo'd Conky.) I'm confident that the solution will be elegant. 
-
But now it's time for me to man up: Mint 8 again. (Also, BTW, that Debris thing has been trying to ring my chimes lately, too. Yes. Yes. I know. Distrowatch.) Anyway, I got up during the night to squeeze the dog, walked back into the kitchen, saw my eee 900a on the table, and don't remember much after that. All I know is that I woke up in the morning, sat down with my coffee at the table, turned on the eee and within 20 seconds was staring at that green Mint 8 dual-boot menu rather than Crunchbang. (Don't get me wrong. Mint may be your cup o' tea. It's just that this is the third time I've DL'd it after deciding that it's not MY cup o' tea.)

So I'm back. One sick puppy. One day at a time. Snowpine, I know what you mean about feeling dirty. yikes
________________________________
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(A little song, a little dance, a little seltzer down your pants.)

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  • From: Minnesota, USA
  • Registered: 2009-10-03
  • Posts: 83

Re: Distro-hoppers Anonymous

i think its the likes of tweaking your conky that puts an end to the incessant distro hopping.

@Digit: Tiger Woods would have done well to heed this advice, don't you think? roll

________________________________
eeepc 701 4gb ssd, 1mb ram (#!) - eeepc 900a 16g ridata ssd, 2gb ram (#!)
"Minutus cantorum, minutus balorum, minutus carborata descendum pantorum."
(A little song, a little dance, a little seltzer down your pants.)

eeepc 1005PEB dual-boot Win7/Crunchified Mint 10.04 LTS
Sometimes it's better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.