Root Rot at Mepis

I started out with Mepis, and in the beginning it really did offer a great KDE desktop and the best way to learn something pretty close to Debian. Since then, I've moved to straight Debian, and never looked back, but, until Mepis switched to a Ubuntu base, I never had a problem recommending it to new users.

In the beginning I remember that Mark Shuttlesworth promised that, above all, Ubuntu would not fork from Debian. In the past month I've been doing work with new Mepis and Ubuntu. Let me inform you that Mark pretty much lied. An awful lot of apps won't work in Debian, and, vise versa. 'Never' tell a new user to try to use a Debian package in their build... If Ubuntu/Kbuntu hasn't forked, it's awful close to the line.

Having switched to a Kbuntu base, the new Mepis 6 inherits the same problems, and presents some interesting support problems of it's own. The Mepis utilities have all gotten rather long in the tooth, and with the improvements in Kbuntu, Debian and KDE utilities have actually become almost entirely repetitive. As an example, the last Debian install I did got my 1600x1200 screen correctly. 24 bit and all. Neither Kbuntu or Mepis would do that. The KDE control center now handles all the network, screen and other 'utilities' that were once unique to Mepis, and udev now handle the items that once required meauto. Mepis utilities are now pretty much redundant.

The end result of this is that, while the install is 'relatively' good and competitive, the other utilities are more difficult to teach, and, actually confusing to new users, especially as they become more knowledgeable about Debian system and structure.

Additionally, when I tried to explain this to mepisites, their response is not to look to integrate and improve the Distro, but, just plain hostility and rejection. From that point on I found that the old Mepis 'attitude' is alive and as virulent as ever, and, the same crowd seems to be pushing it. I was basically told to 'get lost'...

I also asked about the release of GPL'd source code for the Mepis utilities and installer which has been promised for some time. I was told that they are currently not on the 2 volume CD source disks. I was also informed that Mepis is now pondering what license to use for release, or whether to release these at all. Warren's wassailing, and game playing? Well, that's nothing new. Sad that a Distro which once had such promise should again prove to be so divisive.

In past, we've all said that whatever else, Mepis was still a good Distro for new users to learn on. I no longer think that's true. What we're ending up with is yet another Kbuntu clone, and one with dubious 'enhancements'. I'd recommend Kanotix now long before Mepis. If nothing else, Kanotix handles wireless far better than Mepis, and, is entirely compatible with the Debian repos.