RE: Newbie Idea

["Sharp, Lee" <Lee@PeakUSA.com>]

>This is where M$, and software written for Winxx platforms, comes in.  As an
>example, if I
>change my Win 95 install with Setup, I go to a dialogue box where I can
>select entire
>categories (and a description is displayed as I select each category) or I
>can look at the
>detail of the category and select specific functionality under that category.
> Further,
>InstallShield has three default install methods, setup by the packager -
>Full, Minimal, Custom
>(I've also seen Normal in some installers, not necessarily InstallShield).
>From this example,
>which seems to work in most cases, especially with the Custom option
>available, I would propose
>two approaches (from a CD install) - either leave the install the way it is
>with information
>more readily/understandably available (NB - the info in the RPMs is not
>always clear enough to
>be useful - ie FOOBAR handles (pick a standard) operations similar to the way
>OLDFOO does but
>has added the new (pick another Unix acronym) approach - this doesn't tell
>the user anything
>worthwhile :-) or provide tailored installs a la InstallShield - or both ?

   Uh oh...  Sounds like a GUI install.  That can get you shot around
here. :-)  Also, we would have to write a description for EACH package.
Doing it for categories makes sense, however.

>Horror of horrors, I must point to M$ again.  You can often get a bloatware
>tutorial,
>especially with a brand name PC, that shows you pretty pictures of the
>screens and leads you
>through the key steps to getting started on your new Winbox.  Any takers for
>Indy 0.2/0.3?

   I am working on it.  It is up at http://snow.peakusa.com  I have
paused a bit with 6.0 out.  I don't want to do too much and have to re
do it when the screens change. :-)

>Absolutely!  The only two things keeping me on Win 95/98 at all (once I get
>my LAN/PPP
>connection working) will be Quicken (years of legacy information - is Intuit
>working on a Linux
>version?) and educational software for my young children.

   For the first, we will just have to keep beating Intuit in the head.
There are some competitors, however.
http://www.menet.umn.edu/~curt/cbb/   A X Money Manager
http://www.gnucash.org/  A Gnome Money Manager
http://seanreilly.com/java/moneydance/  A Java Money Manager

   We might want to look at including them, or something similar.  All
three are still supported, and being developed.  All three look good,
but I have not run any.  Nor have I run Quicken, so someone else will
have to try it.

   For the EDU software, I have found some of the old Win3.1 stuff is
just as good for the tikes.  And Wine will run it all.  And since Linux
security works, the tikes can't mess up your computer!  Just some food
for thought...

			Lee