Re: VI, standards, politics and all that

[Andrew Wood <ivarch@cus.umist.ac.uk>]

On Mon, 9 Aug 1999, Bud Beckman wrote:

> Think I mentioned there is a group wanting to do that, I don't have the
> web page, but I bet someone does.

The Open Source Writer's Group is worth a try, for a start. ;)

http://thepuffingroup.com/oswg/ is their URL.

I'll be mailing them about this Knowledge Base thing if I get a few
questions together to get started with.

> You are talking about an experienced Linux user, using the source.

True. But automating this should be trivial. Still, I suppose if you're
using a distribution then a package is the obvious way to go.

> The distribution usually installs the latest x86 release. Jean may correct
> me, but he is working for auto detecting video cards.

Fair enough... I suppose actually setting up X, as opposed to putting the
files on to your system, can be a bit of a pain. (It's so long since I last
did it that I can barely remember, but now I think about it, it was a
-complete- pain to configure X - especially with my laptop's awkward excuse
for a graphics card)

> Again most ISPs will send a disk to the new subscriber to take care of
> all that, I am only familiar with mine.

Ah. Well usually it's just a case of working out what their server wants out
of you - log in then PPP, or PPP with authentication, or whatever. It can be
autodetected for in principle. At least, I imagine this is the case... I
would assume it's a case of automating the things I did by hand when trying
out each of 5 different ISPs =)

> I am real happy with it, it lets you enter the script you need to log in,
> takes care of the IP address you are assigned and will stop the ppp
> process. Lets you also watch the log in process to see if all is well and
> will give you a description of what may be wrong on your end it you do
> not get logged on to the ISP.

I suppose the vital part is "it lets you enter the script you need" - rather
than working it out itself. Could be tricky to automate but this would help
a lot, I suspect.

> Getting connected to the Internet seems to be the second thing a new
> Linux user tries to accomplish, after getting a GUI that works.

Certainly should be, since that's where all the help is ;)

> If you can, look at KDE.

If I can get hold of a CD and a machine to put it on. Otherwise, no go (slow
net connection and not much disk space ;-/ )

> Yes, I do. I also admire your skill, what little I have done lets me know
> how hard it is to get what you want so it is a usable program.
> 
> I knew my measly 1000 or so lines was not much.

Skill? No, stubbornness ;)

Code bloat isn't such a wonderful thing, anyway...

- Andrew