Re: SEUL: Ten proposals for a user friendly Linux (long).

[jfm2@club-internet.fr]

   On 29-May-97 Jeffrey S. Dutky wrote:
   >jfm2@club-internet.fr wrote:
   >>
   >> I see ten points of improvement.

   <ten points snipped>

   >I would like to add:
   >
   > 11) graphical administration apps
   >

   I think this is the most important point. What people fear most in Linux
   is the administration. It's fairly easy to preconfigure the WM so that
   it's easy to use, but IMHO we should make administration as easy as possible.

   >Currently, in order to administer a LINUX installation you need to
   >poke around in a bunch of different scripts and configuration files.
   >This will be far to daunting to the end user. What we need is a set
   >of administrative and configuration apps that put a graphical face
   >on the administrative and configuration process. As examples I would
   >point people to the administrative apps in NeXTstep or OPENSTEP.

   Haven't seen those...

   This is my opinion:
    - Do as much as possible automatically.
    - Have everything preconfigured to reasonable defaults, but offer the
      option to change things. With help.
    - If there's something that would be good for everyone to do, have it done by
      default. Especially when it comes to security; e.g. use shadow passwords,
      have PGP installed, have sshd running...


RedHat has already the control-panel so I didn't cite it as something
new when formulating the ten proposals.  Components could be expanded
and improved however.

My first thinking was than we needed something non-X based for mail
and news in case the person is asking for help about X.  However
someone pointed than we can assume than every beginner's box supports
at least VGA.  I think he is right.  Best thing would be a script than
tests the DISPLAY variable and if set launches our control-panel
normally and if not then starts a X with a special config fime and a
special list of clients.

-- 
			Jean Francois Martinez

==================== The Linux.  Use the Linux, Luke! =======================

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