Re: Server optimized distro

From: Davorin Vlahovic (nrubA_at_ylf.krs.ref.rh)
Date: 07/09/05 

Date: Sat, 9 Jul 2005 13:21:58 +0200

On 2005-07-08, SINNER <arcade.master@googlemail.net> wrote:
>>> Well you are apparently in the minority.
>>
>> Yes, well, I've always liked to use my brain and not being parrot.
>> Obviously, I don't form an opinion about something that I don't
>> know nothing about and before I try it.
>
> I have tried it. I still dont see your point. Are you denying that
> the majority of users do not prefer a "drop the cd in and its done"
> approach to an OS?

"Users" do not install the OS, they *use it*. If they install the OS on
their own they stop being users and start being administrators. If they
are administrators they should know how to setup/fix their OS even
without the flashy wizard thingies (which suck anyway).

> Are you contending the MOST users are actually
> technical users that want to take the time to learn about an OS
> rather than use it?

So let them use it! They should then have it installed not bitch around.
If they try to install it on their own, there's an assumption that they
want to learn it on their own. So, what's it gonna be - use it or learn
about it?

> I happily use Linux daily, being given the choice
> of a GUI tool that can get the job done is certainly NOT a bad thing
> and certainly preferable to non technical users.

Non technical users should *not* administer anything, let alone a unix
:)

> THe top 10
> distributions reflect that ideaology. THis is in some way a bad
> thing?

Yes, extremely. This trend pushes Linux to be a bad windoze copy (and
the complete windoze concept is, from a security standpoint, a total
failure just because it tries to be "newb/user friendly" too much).

>>> People want pretty things to
>>> click on, the more there are the more popular the distro and the
>>> better chance of that distro winding up in a new users hands.
>>
>> And how is this connected to quality of an installer? You *like*
>> to click on stuff and if you can't it sucks?
>
> Where are you picking this crap up from?

We're still talking about the "newb user-friendliness and how ie.
slackware sucks because a newb can't install it on his own because he
can't click in a GUI"?

>> Honestly, this is pathetic. You say "it's not user friendly"
>> because the stats say so?
>
> No, because quite simply, when compared to other distros the install
> and config is simply not as user friendly as some of the more 'newb'
> friendly distributions.

The only newb friendly distros should be live boot cd/dvd/flash stick
distros. Everything else should be rock solid and there should be time
spent to learn how to administer it.

Using it (ie, the KDE, GNOME, GIMP, OO.org, Firefox, XMMS, Mplayer) is
another thing.

> How anyone can argue the obvious is beyond
> me. It doesnt make Slackware a bad distro just not for most newbies
> to be introduced to Linux especially those that are non technical in
> nature.

Hey, that's great to start working with. Answer me this - why should a
non technical user try to deal with OS directly? Why not just take
knoppix and try it for a few weeks, and then just unpack the lot on
his/hers free partition? Why would you complicate your life with 16 000
packages when you can just take what most people use and install it
without any trouble?

> Disputing this fact is only done by people that have never
> done support for any length of time.

:') I guess you've never worked with users :) Anyway, I'm an
administrator on my colledge and (as far as I know) people are very
pleased with me :)

> The majority of users are simply
> not capable of installing an OS that requires them to know anything
> more about the hardware than is printed on the box they bought the PC
> in.

Would you give a newb to drive you to the airport if everything he knows
about the car is what he read in a two-page ad in a local car magazine?

I hope you get the point.

On a sidenote, this is exactly what's wrong with computer industry
today; Billy G. has everyone convinced that computer science (especially
the OS-es) is a piece of cake and if you can click on two places in
succession you know how to install and administer... and that's bad. You
can see consequences of this almost every time you hear about another
virus/worm/troyan... that infects Win pcs.

The only worse thing is that he has everyone convinced that MS can make
well-written programs :) 

-- 
Uspjesne regije, tvrtke, muskarci i zene znaju da je uvijek bolje biti
prvorazredna verzija sebe nego drugorazredna verzija nekog drugog.

Relevant Pages