formatting hard disk..what do I not know?

[Paderick Lundy]

I have used Unix since 1986 and I have installed many, many copies of
Unix/Linux over the past years but this Unbuntu installation has me stumped,
perhaps someone can point me to some information that explains my problem.

First I downloaded the newest version Ubuntu 8.04 LTS Server Edition.  When
I try to partition the hard drives in my box (SATA 320GB and SATA 74GB)  I
get a screen that tells me the root partition that I had tried to format to
a size of 500MB must be at least 19 GB.  I ran linux/Unix root partitions of
50 MB for years, what gives that I need 19 GB?

Next I created a partition of 3 GB on the second HD for swap and the
software gave me another error message that this was not permissible.

I guess my real question is;  has the Linux community gotten to the point
where a user cannot or does not have the freedom to configure their own
equipment the way they please or is this version going in the direction of
Mickey$oft and making all of the decisions for the user?

This post is not meant to be a flame, I have been away from Linux for
awhile, have a spare machine and decided to see what's new in Linux.  I need
some reorientation and I would appreciate a link that will explain the
design philosophy behind this version of Linux since it's popularity would
appear that it is the Leading version of Linux.

Thank you,

-- 
Joseph Patrick Ryan

The secret of greatness is simple: do better work than any other man in your
field - and keep on doing it.
Wilfred A. Peterson
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