Re: Linux? Maybe next time
From: Dan Lynch (dan_at_hermione.hogwarts)
Date: 05/26/04
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Date: Wed, 26 May 2004 09:32:56 +0100
Christopher L. Estep wrote:
>>
>> has 3rd party apps with simplified installation, assuming the 3rd
>> parties in question give a shit about the users on that platform (the
>> same as in Windows or any platform)
>>
>
> Here, he's *absolutely right*. In most cases, application installation
> leaves a lot to be desired (more often than not, the more popular
> applications have the more painful installation routine). Meanwhile, on
> the Win32 side of things, you have endless wizards that can (and will)
> walk you through installation chores for every size of application (from
> applications smaller than most desktop mice to tractor-trailer-sized disk
> pigs (read: Adobe Photoshop)).
>
> Application installation remains the bane of working day-to-day with Linux
> as a desktop OS (let alone sole desktop OS).
Have you even used urpmi? What is hard about that?
Something people (including you) have to realise. Linux is not only
available for the x86 platform, and, because of this, cannot be pre-built
to work on all platforms that may be running Linux straight away. Quite a
few developers (or some helpful souls) now spend the time packaging the
apps into RPMS, Deb packages, etc to make the installation process easier,
but not all (nor should they). Packaging is typically assumed to be the job
of the publisher, in this case Mandrake. Since they in this case supply
over 8000 packages directly or from 3rd party packagers, have you really
got reason for complaint? They provide more than any other distro I've
seen. They provide the tools to allow you to install any number of other
applications, but those are not as simple to use as URPMI, granted.
Fact is, there are a hell of a lot of apps out there, and it would be
impossible to package and maintain them all for a single distribution.
Windows has an advantage in that all versions behave in very similar ways
when it comes to installation of software. However, there are still many
applications on Windows that do not come with a simple wizard installer
either.
You seem to want to encourage a desktop monoculture (one unified way of
doing things). This would be bad. You really don't want it. I personally
feel wizards, whilst very "helpful", are taking away people's need to think
when using a computer (most just click next, next, next, next, next,
eventually installing all apps to their gargantuan c:). People expect no
more of computers, and therefore ignore 99% of a computer's capabilities.
Dan Lynch
-- "Microsoft - Which end of the stick do you want today?" (Unknown)
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