Randall R Schulz wrote:
How about: If someone buys a computer and/or needs a setup to use that "Internet thingy", he or she must either spend effort to learn it or pay money to buy the setup service. Thus, if you don't know how to install a Linux computer -- or a Windows computer, for that matter, go out to your friendly neighbourhood computer shop and ask them to do it for you, against money. Most of them are eager to sell you services, strange as it may sound -- it's more revenues for them than simply selling computer boxes.
Once you buy software, you should not be expected to also buy training in the use of that software. Not, at least, for consumer, end-user software and hardware.
Thus the tip for those with setup and install trouble is: Buy service, just like you need to do with most of the other technologies that Randall cited above. Computing is not different to that. Why should it be?
I think you misunderstand my criticism. I'm not talking about service or maintenance or repair. I'm talking about simply using the software for its intended purpose.
I think you misunderstood me. I didn't write about _use_ of a computer. I wrote about _setup_ and _configuration_ of a computer. I agree with you fully if usage is concerned. But the OP's question -- and my comments! -- was about installation and initial setup, i.e., where to get and how to install the software that plays MP3s on SUSE Linux. That's not about usage of that software, that's about setup. Compare that with your other examples: It's not about usage of a heating system, it's about installation and initial configuration. Really, it's good business sense for most people to buy this service. Likewise, it's not about usage of a car, it's about the initial introduction about all its available functionality. (And with current cars, one really should take this introduction -- at least with my BMW, it paid well because I learned about features I didn't even expect the car to have...) And while I fully agree for you that one should not need help to use such a software, one might need help to set it up. And either one puts effort in that, or one buys this help. Time or money, the old play. Joachim -- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Joachim Schrod Email: jschrod@acm.org Roedermark, Germany -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org