Mike Bird wrote:
The problem is that Redhat again dropped Lilo. Since Lilo is out of
FC4, I filed a tracking bug against Grub.
Grub now matches some of Lilo's features from five years ago, but does
not match Lilo's reliability, predictability, or documentation.
Numerous experienced programmers and sysadmins have confirmed these
problems on this list and elsewhere.
Apparently Redhat does not consider lack of reliability a bug.
Before the flame wars start again, please recall that we don't want
Grub axed, we just want Lilo included. Redhat has made extravagent
claims of mammoth kludgy code needed to support Lilo. We've
examined Grubby, found nothing of the kind, and placed our analysis
on this list. Redhat has been unwilling or unable to justify their
claims.
All that is left is developer ego. Any business that placed customer
concerns before developer ego would have restored Lilo long ago.
--Mike Bird
I am an end user who just became involved in this list because FC 4 is
the only Linux distro who semi-supports my chipset (Gentoo may support
it but the installation was extremely difficult and I am not a newbie).
I have been a Linux-only user since 2001, predominantly using Redhat
because I like the features / benefits of the distro (I have tried a
handful of others). I prefer Linux over the "other" OS because I can
pick and choose how I want to configure the OS and which programs /
utilities I want without gunking up the OS.
I believe the Lilo debate is a moot point... for two reasons. First,
Redhat decided not to support Lilo for their own reasons. The list of
companies (other than Redhat) who have made changes which were (are)
viewed as negative or unpleasant is too long to list. While I
understand the frustration of decision makers who do not share my views,
the decision was made and ranting about it diminishes the ranter. I,
for one, note your objection.
Secondly, the end user can install Lilo at their convenience. Granted,
it will add a few steps since you will have to compile from source, but
you WILL have Lilo. How awesome is that? You will have your cake and
eat it too! The other beauty is that you can take apart the Redhat
installation and add a Lilo build for those of you who want your Redhat
and Lilo too. Again, it will add a few steps, but you will have what
you want.
A caveat of having free software provided with the sweat off other
people's brows is that you are at their mercy. A decision was made
which you do not approve... you made your objections known... now I
believe it is time to drop the matter or modify Redhat's distro to
install Lilo for those of you for whom that is important. I personally
appreciate all these people working to provide me free software...
especially since Stevie Wonder could write code better than me.
Regards,
Ken Nordquist