Re: SEUL: Monthley Update.

[Alexandru Dan Corlan <dcorlan@ottonel.pub.ro>]

> hardware, what they want the system to look like (Mac, Win95, Amiga, 
> etc), A password for the root account, a login and password for them, 

NO! It must look like SEUL, not like something else which will be imitated
only partially! (Didn't somebody say this before also, on the same list?).
Our user interface may come have weak points, but it will also have really
strong points---which is not possible if we simply imitate something---and
it is NOT a clone. 

> And do the rest of the config (printcap file, /$HOME/.xsession files, 
> XF86Config file, etc) They will then get a screen that 
> explains that the root account should only be used to add/delete software 
> and users. etc. Then the system will be rebooted into X-Windows (XDM) with 
> login and a nice background.

I believe that a choice for booting in virtual console with a
greeting menu of simple options (mail, documents, console games,
administration, etc) should also be nice, for computers that
run X slowly.

> 
> ---------------------- Hardware Information Database -----------------------
> 
> I have started calling some of the companies in an attempt to get lists 
> of hardware that came stock on there system. I am waiting on a call 
> back from Packard Bell. They have to check to see if they can give me 
> this information. They seem to think it is proprietary info and don't want 
> to give it out.. The following are the questions to be asked (if you can get
> them to E-mail them to please do so. In Text format)
> 
>  System Model ID    :
>  Video Ram          : 
>  Video Chipset      :
>  Video Ramdac       :
>  HDD Controller Type: MFM/RLL/IDE/SCSI/ESDI
>  HDD Chip Set       :
>  CD-Rom Type        : IDE/Mitsumi/SB/etc.
>  Sound Card Type    : GUS/SB/etc.
>  Sound Card Base Add:
>  Sound Card IRQ     :
>  Number of HD's     :
>  Type of mouse      : PS/2, Serial, etc.
>  Amount of Memory   :
>  CPU Type and speed :
> 
> We should only be concerned with the 386 and up although i have even 
> considered just the 486 and up. If someone would like to help me out 
> here please let me know. I have 11 companies to contact. If you happen to 
> work for one of these companies and wish to help by providing this info 
> please let me know. The companies are as follows
> 
> IBM
> Packard Bell
> AST
> Dell
> HP
> Compaq
> NEC
> Zenith Data Systems
> Texas Instruments
> Digital
> Tosheba (Maby..)
> 
> Compaq has the information on there web page (or so they say) Would some one
> please check this out and collect the data..
> 
> if you wish to help and contact one of these companies E-Mail me and 
> weather successful or not please fill out the following sheet
> 
>  Companies name         :
>  Contact Phone Number  :
>  Contact Name          :
>  Contact E-mail Address:
>  
>  Was information provided?
> 
> I am working on Packard Bell. Before making contact please let me know 
> who you are going to call. We don't need 5 or 6 people calling the same 
> company..
> 

What about contacting an organisation, such as Linux International or
Debian Inc. for example, to offer them `Linux certification' of the
hardware, that is to award certifications of the fact that a given line
of computers, with the permission to display a cool penguin sticker 
on their machines? Certification can be done by LI contacting a number
of Linux users who certify that the given computer works with 
the so and so distribution and who send a list of configuration
problems to a certain database. From than on, we can ask in a 
menu `Is your computer one of the following fine brand names?'
and if so proceed with installation under better conditions.

The user is much more likely to know the brand of the computer
than the name of the chipset of the videocard (did you hear of 
an S3-based card named `tomato' in order not to scare the
too gentle customer?).

Alexandru



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