[plug] Easy Installation: Linux Desktop Market

[Kev]

James L. Clarke wrote:
> John,
> 
> As much as I think you're all-round nice bloke and all... I think that your wrong
> on this one about the .package being the solution...
> 
> Any Windows and even Mac zealots, to whom I've show the easy package management
> built into Ubuntu have been truely impressed with how the whole software system
> can be managed from one place, just by simply checking or unchecking a box. It's
> that simple...

This is the ONE area where Linux gives the non-geek desktop user little 
to no choice.  In my old OS/2, which I used for nearly 11 years, I had 
complete choice about where I installed the application, what defaults 
etc I wanted set for that app and whether or not I want system config 
changes made for me automagically.  As a non-geek Linux user I just tick 
a box and the rest is white man's magic.  It still concerns me what's 
actually happening in secret behind there.  I used to have all my stuff 
set out neatly, logically and cleanly, but now I just close my eyes and 
hope for the best.  And while Linux might be solid, there are still less 
than solid apps out there (I've found a couple) which require a 
combination of white man's magic and good luck to clean up.  I stress, 
NON-GEEK!!!  (Did I shout that loud enough??).  Even your typical 
Windoze user can go into "Windoze Exploder" and remove dead apps and 
clean up some of the mess left behind by rogue apps.

The ability to have some kind of control where you put stuff, so that 
you can find it again later is essential in my opinion.  Linux would be 
better if there was some kind of standard, but there's not.  Each distro 
does its own thing, and some even hedge their bets by doing eveyone's 
thing - all at once.

> No offence mate, but your suggestion that we go back to the way Windows or Mac
> does it, just because the user are familiar with it... is like suggesting a car
> company stops having their cars run on Hydrogen just because everyone else is
> still running on petrol.

No, the Windows or OS/2 way is definitely a better way for end users. 
Newbies are flabbergasted just at the maze of different packages there 
are for the one app.  It's a mine field just learning which package you 
require, let alone having no clue where all of its little tentacles 
disappear to during the install.

> Just my two cents, but I still think you're a great bloke...

... and my 2 penneth make almost 4 cents.

Sorry James, I agree with John, and still newbie enough to be reeling 
under the confusing maze that is application installation in Linux.

Cheers
Kev

ps  I have perservered for a year now, and will continue to do so.  But 
that won't fix the parts of Linux which really are stoneage.

-- 
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Kev Downes
kdownes at tpg.com.au  ph 0404 7 0808 2
We use and recommend Xandros 3.0.2
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and nothing of himself."             Blaise Pascal
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