Re: [SLE] Package installers in SUSE10.1

> OK.. maybe I'm missing the point here.. but... the package installers
> that are included with SUSE10.1 seem to me to be a major step
> backwards in end user functionality.

[snip]

On the positive side, with Smart, you get a set of predetermined mirrors and
channels.

You do? Not with the version of Smart that I installed from the DVD.
Well.. not exactly true I guess. The predetermined mirrors and
channels are equal to the DVD and the mirror/server that the Updates
come from.. nothing more.

I've been able to add in more channels.. manually... which is not
exactly intuitive from a new user's stand point - at least not from
the opensuse.org page on 3rd party repositories. It required that I
guess what the prefix shoudl be (http or ftp) and manually type that
in, then copy paste the URL and then in a separate copy paste the
path... I can do that but the new users I'm trying to get up and
running on 10.1 are really struggling.

I'm comparing this to the instructions I gave these same users with
10.0 and setting up Apt/Synaptic.


You can set the view to Updates Only.

OK, I've done this, but that only tells me what can be updated (which
is the intent of this setting) btu it doesn't tell me what's new since
the last time I queried the repositories. I don't update everything
with each update... I pick and choose... as a result the list of
updatable apps can be long... and it's impossible (as far as I can
see) to tell from that list what apps are new, and what ones have been
there for a while - I'm old.. I have a bad memory.. I can't remember
what was there from one week to the next :-)


worked well for me once I figured out how to add new installation sources.

So... why is it so hard to do? I can manage it... but it's a pig to
navigate. It's horrible to try and work out whats new, what's old
etc. YAST is a ncie tool and all, but it really falls down when it
comest to telling me what dependancies are needed for which app (if I
install more than one app at a time... or if I forget to click Check
Dependancies EVERY time I select a new app from the list)


Zen works well now on my machine

Yah, woks fine for me too... it's updated everything (I think) and
done it quickly. But... has anyone actually tried to use it to add a
new application? It's... it's just this one massive long list. There
is no grouping, no sorting. OK, there are what... 3 clickable sorting
links at the bottom of the tool... but all that does is shuffle the
list... the VERY long list.

I'm beginngin to thing that teh developers failed their UI Architect lessons.

The tool works great in the backend (now) but fails so completely on a
UI usability standpoint :-(

I'm not trying to be negative here... I'm honestly trying to see
what's so great about SMART and ZEN. People have been gushing abotu
how cool SMART is... but I simply don't see it. Please someone...
explain it to me why SMART is a better solution or why ZEN is a better
solution.

C.

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