On Monday 15 January 2001 02:34, you wrote:
>
> That proves my point. You know what you're doing, but green newbies
> don't usually choose expert mode, they click "workstation install" and
> it fills up their harddrives.
Ummm, we did a survey a while back--80% choose expert install and only 20% of
that same group know what "rpm" is.
>With drives getting bigger it's less of
> an issue, but they still end up with big installs. It's either give a
> smaller, less-feature-rich choice, or linux will continue to be a geek
> operating system. I know that a lot of linux users want to keep it that
> way.
>
> JMO, as always.
>
> eryl
>
"Simpler" can be read in many ways. As Tood Volz uses it, it means "Free of
complications and choices". As we use it, it means, "Easier". Part of the
goal is achieved. Ever tried to install Windows? What happens when not all
the devices are detected? What happens when you discover you don't have the
driver disk for the sound card and the company that made it is out of
business? How many times do you have to try to tweak the install of the
video drivers and the DVD decoder before they work together? At any time in
that process, do you have a feeling that you can actually know what is
happening?
Most hardware rigs these days you drop in the CD and hit reset and answer a
few preference questions with Mandrake. Post-installation of Drivers are for
a few manufacturers that haven't got the idea that they wouldn't have to
support their drivers if they didn't keep them secret.
And I have seen cases where the Win install would detect either of my network
cards but not both in combination--so I would leave one out during install...
Then try to add it later and fight the windows wizards that kept popping up
"NO NO NO-I have to detect that for you!!!" Well, wizard, if you could
detect it I wouldn't be trying this....(mutters imprecations).
Of course it has been a year since I have seen a Win screen for any other
purpose than testing its compatibility with linux--perhaps it has gotten
easier as well. But for most, I think the perceived "ease" is that it comes
preinstalled.
So I think we have part of "easier". We are working along several lines to
accomplish the rest. Restricting freedom of choice is not one of the
options. This doesn't have to mean you get everything installed so you can
make a choice... pre-chosen scenarios are a possibility but we need user
preference data for that.
So anyway.... Let's get some data. Anyone who wants can write me in the
next two weeks with their preferences--their vision of one editor, one
word-processor, one mailer, one browser. one window manager, one remote
configurator, one local configurator, .... The ideal system for the raw
newbie. DON'T clutter the list with that bandwidth-eating activity, write
direct. I'll gather the data and publish the results, and I'll let the
figures speak for themselves in regard to statistical significance--to see if
the answers are indicative of one or even several "solutions". I will be
pretty busy he next two weeks, so don't think your choices weren't delivered.
Anyone up for this challenge? Remember, think beginner, then choose the app
you would want to use most if you knew little or nothing. And choose an app
for everything you do with the computer.
Civileme
