Stop Fighting Linux and Learn Your Distro

“Is Linux frustrating for you? Do you find yourself spending
time trying to figure out why package updates broke or undid
changes you’ve made? You’re not alone, but we have good news: it
doesn’t have to be that way. Let us show you how to start getting
along with your Linux distro.

“What we’re talking about is how easy it is to paint yourself
into a corner with Linux. You can modify anything, and most often
people turn to Google for solutions to problems that arise. Those
solutions may work, but they also lead down a path of doom. Do
Things the Distro Way

“Yes, you can change random configuration files in /etc/ and
make something work, but is that what the Linux distro intended? It
is possible that the file is owned by a package, so the next time
the package is updated, your change will be overwritten. Package
management systems don’t generally care about collisions with
modified files, with the exception of FreeBSD which will prompt you
at upgrade time with a diff of each file. Most Linux package
managers happily tromp over your changes to ensure the supported
defaults are installed, which makes things much more supportable
from the distro’s standpoint.”

Complete Story