Re: Install 'wizard'

[Roman Suzi <rnd@sampo.karelia.ru>]

On Wed, 25 Nov 1998, Doug Loss wrote:

>Here's a URL to a site telling about someone's work on making a
>Java-based "wizard" similar to what MS Windows users are used to
>seeing.  I haven't looked closely at it, but this might be worth

Oh, no! Let's not enter windoze nonsense masquarade!

The best wizard is:

rpm -hiv your_pack.rpm

(on many rpm-based Linuces)
Or similar one in other Linuces.

rpm -hiv /dir_with_some_rpms/*.rpm

is even more easy, do you agree?


All those so called 'wizards' (and especially in Java, which in
itself is hard to keep up to date) is false caring of the users
needs.

The reason retarding Linux from not-so-skillful users  is  lack
of  PnP  support  and  not  so  powerful   hardware   detection
procedures.

My idea is that Linux must run out-of-the box.

This week I am setting up one Linux computer  for  one  of  our
schools.

The most painful thing is to setup hardware.

Software side is very easy: I just selected packages  (which  I
already  had  in  rpm  form)  and  issued  the  above-mentioned
commands. Few customization strikes (for example, hostname  and
provider's modem pool phone, etc.) - and it is set.

OTOH, I have  not  solved  all  hardware  problems  yet.  While
SoundBlaster ran without any problems,  netcard  seem  to  have
some Plug-n-Play madness...

I feel like all those wizards only make things difficult.

Linux is about knowing what you  are  doing.  So  all  what  is
needed - great documentation and some  20-30  per  cent  in  OS
market (to make hardware vendors write  drivers  for  Linux  as
well as for other systems. ;-)

I  also  think  that  school  computers  must   be   setup   by
specialists, not by CS teachers. This is true for every OS.

Additional software could be installed by teachers. In Linux it
could be more convenient and efficient if done by distro's  own
package management.

>considering along with the Installfest program I posted info on a few
>days ago if it can make installation of Linux programs less imposing to
>the average user.  These could be useful in both school and home
>settings.  And now, the URL:
>
><http://www.fortunecity.com/skyscraper/java/714/Wizard/Wizard.html>
>
>-- 
>Doug Loss                 It is impossible to imagine Goethe
>Data Network Coordinator  or Beethoven being good at billiards
>Bloomsburg University     or golf.
>dloss@bloomu.edu                H. L. Mencken
>


Sincerely yours,
Roman A. Suzi

 -- Petrozavodsk -- Karelia -- Russia --
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