the viewpoint of a single newbie

[Andy Inzerillo]

Eric,

I agree with you.

I am, too, a Linux newbie.  My first stab at this new world was to set up
SuSe Linux 7.1 on an Alpha system.  I was going to make it a file server to
take some load off of my apps server.  The most frustrating part of the
installation was trying to decipher the manual that came with the OS.  I
could not get technical assistance, even though SuSe said the gave 60 day
installation support.  Instructions laid out in the book did not match what
was going on during the install.  Web sites listed in the manual are no
longer in existence.  I finally got it to work after messing around with it
for a solid week.  All in all the experience was pretty frustrating.

My only salvation was asking questions to user groups like this one.  I am
sure that I will have the opportunity to set up another Linux box in the
future.  I just hope it goes better next time.

Andy

-----Original Message-----
From: Eric Gilliland [mailto:jegilliland at hotmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2001 8:34 AM
To: kclug at kclug.org
Subject: the viewpoint of a single newbie

I have been following the Win XP debate with interest.  I thought I'd throw
in my two cents to present a view from a complete Linux newbie who is NOT in
IT.  I have pretty much decided against upgrading to XP, for many of the
reasons elaborated on in the series of emails over the last couple of days.
However, I wanted to make a comment on what Thurmond said, quoted below.

I completely agree with his views on software installation.  I want linux to
gain more marked share as much as anyone.  However, this will NEVER happen
until software installation is greatly simplified, IMHO.  For linux to
become popular, there will have to be a simple, "a few mouse clicks" type of
software installation.  The RPM stuff is a good start, but does not go far
enough.

I expect some will scoff at this and say that linux should not be "dumbed
down" but I repeat, linux will NEVER become popular as long as software
installation is so complex.  Perhaps the solution is some kind of
recommended vs. custom install, like in the mandrake distro install.

That said, I still intend to move away from windows as much as possible
after completing my thesis.

Just my ill considered and uninformed opinion,

Eric Gilliland

On Tue, Dec ,  at 03:26:47PM -0800, Patrick Thurmond wrote:
>
I have read alot of info on linux and when something that should be simple
like a software install becames a huge pain, you know somethings wrong. And
I not just talkin one distro, I am talkin redhat, debian, mandrake, and
slackware.
>My arguments aren't mindless or experienceless ones but come on, program
>installation shouldn't be so difficult. I don't mind using the console, but
>I have to type in huge strings to execute the commands, that includes
>triggers and switches and such.

J. Eric Gilliland
jegilliland at hotmail.com
Meet it is I set it down, that one may smile, and smile, and be a villain.
Hamlet Act 1 Scene 5

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