Re: About democracy was Re: Organizing for 6.2

[Paul.Newman@pgen.com]

jfm2@club-internet.fr on 17/02/2000 08:55:32

Please respond to independence-l@independence.seul.org

To:   independence-l@independence.seul.org
cc:

Subject:  Re: About democracy was Re: Organizing for 6.2




>
> Paul.Newman@pgen.com wrote:
> >
> > It doesnt need to install from windows. If the CD is bootable that is surely
the
> > simplest thing there could be! Instructions: turn computer off, put cd in cd
rom
> > drive, turn computer on. So provided the install program looks like what
windows
> > users are used to seeing (ie nice GUI), and not like DOS, then that's all
that's
> > required. Or am I missing something?
>
> This sounds fair enough - The only thing I would do under windows is
> have a setup program - which would autorun when you put the disk in
> the CD and allow you to browse the documentation on the CD (i.e.
> the online installation guide - basically, the html files are on
> the redhat cd anyway - just create a button that fires up the web
> browser to view them when you click on it), tells you to reboot with
> the CD in the drive to begin the install process and possibly a button
> to press which prompts you to put a blank disk in the drive and would
> create a boot disk if you need them - i.e. your CD isn't bootable.
>

>The two things that could be done from Windows is the defrag part and
>then the FIPS part (the later probably from DOS due to Windows
>caching) but with a nicer front end.  Howver problem is not waht but
>who.

Documentation and boot discs for newbies who dont want to mess with BIOS is a
good idea.

> >
> > Of course, once you have been using Linux for a while you begin slowly (over
a
> > period of months in my case) to appreciate when being in console mode is
> > preferable to being in X. But people from a Windows background simply dont
see
> > it that way. The quality of the GUI during the install is important. Thats
not
> > just the "look", but also the on-screen instructions, overall intuitiveness,
and
> > on-line help available from within the install.
> >
> > One of the most off-putting things about doing an RH custom install are the
> > paltry descriptions given to the RPMs (from a newbies perspective) - if you
know
> > what DHCP is and what its for, you'll know whether you need it. If you dont
know
> > what it's for, and you are confronted with a choice as to whether to install
it,
> > you will be stuck if all you get is an expansion of the acronym.
>

>Thats waht the precooked installs are made for: beginnes should not
>use custom installs.  Of course I disagree with the choices of Redhat
>about precooked: their workstations lack features I consider essentail
>and there is no homesation.

I agree that newbies should not do custom installs.

But once they learn a bit you may find someone recommends you install a certain
package, or what if you hear the name and just want to find out what it is? You
need an adequate description of what the RPM is. Only then can you explore and
try out what else there is on the disc. You dont want people limited too much by
the default option. If you are giving them the ability to install RPMs later
then they need those RPMs to have meaningful and adequate descriptions. I would
be happy to have a go at writing newbie-friendly RPM descriptions for your
entire list of RPMs if you agree it is worthwhile. I think there is a
quarter-way done effort at this by RH in that the RPMs are categorized into
"system utilities" "X11" etc. Although of some use, that isn't nearly enough...



regards,

Paul





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