On Tuesday, August 08, 2006 6:43 PM -0500, Paul Johnson wrote: > On Tuesday 08 August 2006 10:38, Seth Goodman wrote: > > Since the end-users we need to interest, if we are ever to break > > out of the expert niche, will run X and use GUI's for everything, > > being limited to low-end 2D performance will be an ongoing > > problem. > > I thought the niche Debian was trying to fill was rock solid > stability and reliability in a 100% free software format. If I'm > confused, let me know.
<OT discussion> That's a reasonable goal, even a good goal, if you are willing to remain a small, exclusive club. If you believe that people who use Debian need to be comfortable with the command line, consider natural language as a second language behind PERL and be fluent in regexp's, then it will remain a terrific operating system for the few. Maybe this is what most people in Debian want. I'm relatively new here, so if that's the case, please educate me. However, if you have a desire to bring quality, free software to a wider audience, you're not likely to get there with the present vision. For the majority of casual computer users, who are hostage to a certain evil corporation, the GUI is not just a convenience to be used after fully mastering command line operation. It is the _only_ way they are comfortable interacting with an operating system. If it can't be done through the GUI, it won't get done. Reading non-hyperlinked manuals and realizing that -a is different from -A, no less remembering which is which, is simply not in the cards for these folks. We presently _require_ people who use Debian to do this, or they are effectively hamstrung once it's installed. The software is free, if you are willing to devote a significant portion of your waking hours to learning the intricacies of an admittedly arcane system. Anyone is free to do that. That's fine if you're technically inclined. If not, you will find it very frustrating and consider it a waste of your time. People are generally loathe to do things they consider a waste of time, even if they have very little money, yet that's our price. Why do we require this? It's not for technical reasons, but because we believe it is _better_ for them as computer users. That might be true if we were mentoring young people studying computer science or electrical engineering. For non-technical users, it is an artificial barrier to entry into the world of open-source. And it's exactly that attitude, unless modified, that will keep Debian a great tool for a small group of sophisticated users, and unusable for everyone else. </OT discussion> -- Seth Goodman -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]