While I'm much in favor of linux and *BSD's taking over more of the
desktop market, I've concluded some distributions are overdoing the
hype. Easier is good, but the public is slowly getting the impression
that linux (in particular) is like installing and using Wxx. It's not.
The following is one of many examples we've seen recently ....
^^^^
<continued after the include> ....
On Fri, 3 Sep 1999, John Aldrich wrote:
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:Nope...still coming across as HTML. :-) Not a big deal
:though.... Outlook / Outlook Express defaults to HTML :-)
:
:Now...as to your other problem of mounting the CDROM.
:Create a directory called cdrom under your /mnt directory
:where the path for the cdrom directory will be /mnt/cdrom.
:Then, edit your /etc/fstab file as follows:
:/dev/cdrom /mnt/cdrom iso9660 noauto,user,ro 0 0
:
:Put that line EXACTLY in there and it should work in the
:future...
: John
:
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Well, John's reply is excellent. However, I suspect the original poster
is wondering how to edit fstab. Moreover, he wonders what the hell fstab
is. We can't introduce people at this level. A couple of years ago, new
users were coming on line and asked questions after trying to find the
answers. MLs, NGs and IRC were a wealth of thought out info. I stopped
IRC'ing a few months ago after a few too many Quake and RTFM questions.
Yes, we want alternative OS's to spread, but we're not doing new users
any favors by suggesting you just have to auto-boot your CD and all will
be well. It won't. The nature of the *nix OS's involves knowledge of the
file structure, permissions, devices, and many more subtleties. IMHO,
this should be a sales feature, not a stumbling block which disappoints
new users and turns them against the system. We can't blame the new
users if the hype got them.
How about it, distro people? Put a tutorial on the disto and advertise
it with a "The Learning Curve Is Worth It" or something similar. It
doesn't have to be presented as a "hackers" system or a "plug and
whatever" system. Present it as it is ...
Comments?
.--.
|o_o | Barry
|:_/ |
// \ \
(| | ) - Barry Selk Calgary AB CA -
/'\_ _/`\ Linux 2.0.34 - AmigaDos 3.1
\___)=(___/ \_________________________________________________________/
