Re: OS questions partial draft, II

[Doug Loss <dloss@csrlink.net>]

>> * ability to run servers for email, web pages, file access, telnet, file
>>   transfer, etc.
>>   [was: running servers (mail, httpd, samba, telnetd, ftpd, etc)]
><<hmmm...a server can be both a machine and software, right? I have 
>heard the phrase used interchangeably. Since the survey is simply 
>ranking items in order of importance (as opposed to asking: what 
>would you like your OS to do? which would be comepletely different 
>survey..  ;-), I think it might work to tweak this. A quibble, I'll 
>grant, but better clarity than confusion....unfortunately, I can't 
>think of a way to phrase it more clearly. Suggestions?>>

How about, "ability to act as servers for email, web pages,..."?

>> * ability to read/redistribute the os/application source 
>> [I have a problem with 'ability' here. I don't want to involve 'skill'.]
>>   [was: being able to read/redistribute the os/application source]
><<I'm stalled on alternatives for ability, and I do agree with you 
>that is implies skill on the end-user's part. Perhaps "Availability 
>to read/....." Or perhaps 'accessability'? Or, simplistic but to the 
>point: "Freedom to read/....." Suggestions?>>

How about, "Availability of the os/application source with legal
permission to read/redistribute"?

>> * being able to transparently encrypt data stored on your computer
>>   [was: encryption]
>> ["transparently" probably needs some help here]
><<ah, had I read but one question down! ;-)   I assume 
>'transparently' means that you see the encryption and the data being 
>stored at the same time, or some such arrangement. Perhaps if someone 
>explains this better to me I can suggest a clearer altnerative 
>phrase?>>

At a guess I'd say that here "transparently" means that the
encryption/decryption is carried on without the user's intervention or
perhaps even knowledge.  Perhaps "automatically" would be a good
non-jargon substitute for "transparently" here.

I haven't commented on this question before, and I haven't had a chance
to look closely at the proposed questionaire.  But as anyone who has
read my posts on the apps list probably knows, educational software
availability is a strong concern of mine.  Is there a question about
that in the questionaire?

-- 
Doug Loss                 My sources are unreliable, but
Data Network Coordinator  their information is fascinating.
Bloomsburg University          Ashleigh Brilliant
dloss@bloomu.edu