list advice

[Alma J Wetzker]

Tony Alfrey wrote:
> I'm thinking about creating a webpage which would be a list of systems 
> (hardware) and distros that together form a foolproof Linux system.  In 
> other words, it would state, essentially,
> 
> "My box consists of these parts.  I installed Distro X on this system 
> and it works *out of the box* with no tweaking, additions or magic".
> 
> Why would I do such a thing?  Because my premise is that if a Linux box 
> were like a Mac, then more people would use them.  One component of a 
> Mac is that they are absolutely free of hassle, and the other component 
> is that the Mac GUI is gorgeous.  Linux apps still have a way to go, but 
> there are clearly some combinations of hardware/distro that are 
> bullet-proof.
> 
> So I need to think about how to quantify/organize such a listing.  The 
> (obvious) question is "what makes a system"?  Clearly, for towers, we 
> need a motherboard/CPU, video card, hard disk/disk buss, sound card, 
> network card, DVD burner, wireless card/router.  Laptops, having less 
> adjustability, usually exist as bricks purchased as complete entities. 
> But often, the correct video card in a laptop can make all the difference.
> 
> This would not be a hardware-compatibility list, it is a complete 
> system-compatibility list (full hardware listing plus distro).
> 
> So do any of you have thoughts about additional things I should add to 
> said list of hardware components and comments on the structure and what 
> might constitute "works out of the box"?  Should I include things like 
> price and vendor?  How about the e-mail address of the contributor?

I hate to try to dissuade you, but...

How are you planning to keep said data up to date?  I have seen things
like this work brilliantly, for the initial site.  It rapidly
deteriorates into a cobweb.  Initial data is not as useful as ongoing
relevant data.  How will you maintain it?

    -- Alma