Re: Newbie Idea

[jfm2@club-internet.fr]

> 
> I think that I've figured out part of the problem and, very unfortunately, I'll have to use M$
> as a good (shudders) example :-)
> 

If you look in the web site you will find a text where I tell Linux
people needing to learn from the enemy.


> >
> > Ok!  Now suppose I am a newbie.  I don't know much about what I need
> > depite the function key describing the package (for a true newbie this
> > wil be chines).
> 
> Function key!?!  What function key?  It's been a couple of months since I did an install, but
> I've always wondered, while installing/selecting packages, what each package did - never saw a
> function key.  I'll have to pay attention next time :-).
> 

F1.  I think.  You had this under your nose while selecting packages.

> > First of all I should not be selecting individual
> > packages: I should be selecting by categories.  And I think a newbie
> > should be able to tell if he wants games or not, programming stuff or
> > not.  Second I should be using the workstation install thus not
> > needing to bother about partitionning nor package selection.  I have
> > already said RedHat's "workstation" install is probably not we need so
> > we will have to create our own selection of software and give it a
> > different name but I think this is the way to go.  "Select this for
> > fun and home, this for workstation and this for sever"
> 
> This is where M$, and software written for Winxx platforms, comes in.  As an example, if I
> change my Win 95 install with Setup, I go to a dialogue box where I can select entire
> categories (and a description is displayed as I select each category) or I can look at the
> detail of the category and select specific functionality under that category.  Further,
> InstallShield has three default install methods, setup by the packager - Full, Minimal, Custom
> (I've also seen Normal in some installers, not necessarily InstallShield).  From this example,
> which seems to work in most cases, especially with the Custom option available, I would propose
> two approaches (from a CD install) - either leave the install the way it is with information
> more readily/understandably available (NB - the info in the RPMs is not always clear enough to
> be useful - ie FOOBAR handles (pick a standard) operations similar to the way OLDFOO does but
> has added the new (pick another Unix acronym) approach - this doesn't tell the user anything
> worthwhile :-) or provide tailored installs a la InstallShield - or both ?

InstallShield is superior to Linux installers.  But consider that
writing an InstallShield clone needs more manpower than what we have
at that time

> 
> I know that the RedHat control panel provides some of this functionality post-install (I seem
> to have lost this with KDE as well - is it still there?  It's not under the RedHat software

It is on the Admin sub menu of the RedHat entry in KDE's menus

> category), and you can do some of this in the RedHat install process.  It just doesn't match
> the MS paradigm that users are familiar with.  Until Linux becomes the OS tha


t a significant
> portion of the world _starts_ on, we have to bow to at least some of the "standards" that have
> been set by Redmond.
> 
> > > IMO having a "lite" or "fun" version with *good* documentation on size, and how
> > > and what to expect before, during and after the install would be to Indy's
> > > advantage.
> 
> Horror of horrors, I must point to M$ again.  You can often get a bloatware tutorial,
> especially with a brand name PC, that shows you pretty pictures of the screens and leads you
> through the key steps to getting started on your new Winbox.  Any takers for Indy 0.2/0.3?
> 

A thing I would like is anice scipt firing some programs showing you
Indy in action.  It is useful for thrilling the user, it is useful for
Linux reselleers sho can have a computer playing the demo and it is
useful because the user will notice what programs are doing the job.
One day, we will have to add this to Indy.


> > Weather it be a ftp download, CD or whatever. Limiting what the user
> > > needs to choose during the install. Meaning give the user every thing needed to
> > > be Internet ready, productive and fun.
> 

Indy's philosophy.  Add that it has to be productive and fun for your
average househusband and not only for a half crazy programming genius.

> Absolutely!  The only two things keeping me on Win 95/98 at all (once I get my LAN/PPP
> connection working) will be Quicken (years of legacy information - is Intuit working on a Linux

CBB is not as flashy as Quicken but it can read Quicken files nad it
is in Indy.  When we get better software for the same task it will
replcae CBB.  Indy aims to be heavy in software useful for your
average happy tax payer.

> version?) and educational software for my young children.  However, it has taken me almost a

Educational software is a thing we are still missing and in addition I
think we will get commercail educational software far before we get
free one because this is not so much a matter of programming skill but
pedagogic skill and nice sounds and graphics (artistic skill).

Of course the day we get this kind of things for Linux (how about mailing
to software companies specilaining in educational software?) then
theree will be some more people asking for Windows refunds.  :-)

-- 
			Jean Francois Martinez

Project Independence: Linux for the Masses
http://www.independence.seul.org