On April Thursday 2005 12:06 pm, Marc Chamberlin wrote:
On Thursday 28 April 2005 15:43, JD. Brown wrote:
An interesting article about v9.3 to be found at www.theinquirer.net. <snipage> Simply stated, as this author is trying to point out, Linux/SuSE is flatly NOT ready for the general consumer market. It remains far to difficult to understand and easily model so a user can grasp how to control, adapt and understand it. There are many flavours of Linux out
Colin Carter wrote: there adding to the confusion, non-standard directory organizations, and non-standardized installation/removal procedures. Go take a look at your average Linux application installation site and see if you really think the average user can actually understand and install something. He has to figure out what flavor of Linux he has (and for SuSE this is a hugh hurdle because even in the Linux circles it is NOT well known or even comes close to being recognized like say Redhat), and he has to understand in incredible detail what and how to do the installation.
As much as we like to bash Microsoft for its poor quality of software, I will argue that THEY ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK! Their goal is to make it as easy as possible for users to adapt their computer to meet their needs. While it is rough, they are striving to provide an environment in which all a user has to do, to install a new program, or a new piece of hardware, will be to simply stick a CD disk in the drive, or download an application and have it automagically self install WITH NO HASSELS and be ready for the user to use in a somewhat standardized fashion. I am not arguing that Microsoft and their vendors have achieved this goal yet, but THAT IS THIER GOAL and it is the right one!
Ummm what is so hard about clicking on am rpm file and ¨ install w/ yast"choice pops up... if you stick your cd or dvd into the drive before hand it also will resolve dependencies? Just asking... it's not so hard to install Linux , once you get past the idea that you reinstall over and over and over what you origionaly installed as a solution to problems. ( it isn´t and doesn´t solve the problem. THE only scarey part I can see in an install is the partitioning .. until one gets a handle on it and away they go.... the change from the absurd idea ( even for Windows) of having one drive called C:\ no matter how big or small it may be is beyond belief stupid. Everyone should have learned by now, even windows folks to set up a separate drive for their files/data etc. . Other than those two hand holding needed items for beginners, I don´t see a problem any more for most Linux installs, and the Windoes user friendly versions, obviously for the less technically inclined are a snip to install, I have done it for people by talking them through the scarey parts on the phone... and I mean total technophobes to my Nephew in the Coast Guard who plays around w/ an old laptop during down times, when he isn´t out interdicting drugs or illegals , or drunks in boats who shouldn ´t be on the water, much less in a boat, but I suppose they only hurt themselves in a boat... unless they call the CG to rescue them... but hey, otherwise he really wouldn´t have much to do..
Instead of being offended by this article, and name calling the author as some Microsoft moron, listen carefully to the critism! ITS VALID! Until SuSE/Linux can provide an enviroment in which the common user can readily understand, models which are intuitive and easy to grasp, standardized user interfaces for all applications that allow users to easily communicate with their computer and comprehend and use these same models repeatably so a paridgm is reinforced consistantly - Linux will remain strictly an irrelevant OS and a toy of a small subset of computer users/geeks. It cannot become a mainstream OS and WILL lose out to Microsft in the end. And THAT prospect scares me because I firmly believe computers can be wonderful tools for everyone and not a fustrating experience as it has almost universally become. Microsoft has taken the cheap/quick engineering road using a lot of flash and very simple models to sell their OS. Linux has the robustness be be a great OS, but lacks the appeal of simplicity in its user interfaces. I personally am betting on Linux but as long as its supporters and developers continue to ignore such critism, as what this author tried to say, Microsoft will continue to win the hearts and souls of all those vast hoards of computer users because they DO offer the illusion, at least, that their solution is simple and easy to understand....
I'm afraid that model is unlikely to happen to Suse, and similar distros, Most of us who are at least semi pro in admin would prefer that the general Joe NOT be able to foul up our systems w/ installing his own chosed stuff... And I believe Ben has spoken in the past about guys who just insist on doing that stuff no matter how many times you take thier intet connection or email account away from them... Suse Pro can be used at home easily, at least my kid and grandkids and her totally non tech husband can as well. OTH it is better suited perhaps to SO/HOs and larger cap companies. Which still takes in a lot of folks who are currently suffering from malware, various virii , and server slowdowns they never can figure out...USing that oh so easy and comforting Windows software. BTW, IF my Mum were still alive she´d be using Suse too.. <G> j