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Could the files for each alsa download have an
additional file added: UNINSTALL so that newbies who are trying alsa can know
exactly what to do to uninstall and return their system to the exact state it
was before their failed install. The same content could be in a section of the
INSTALL file as well, or the INSTALL file could reference the UNINSTALL
file.
The INSTALL file could have a reference to make
uninstall and the (proposed) UNINSTALL file.
Does make uninstall achieve a perfect rollback of
the system?
Are there any whole directories that if still in
place after make uninstall can be safely removed?
Can they be removed before make uninstall without
breaking the operation of make uninstall?
Are there bits left over after doing make uninstall
that need to be manually removed?
Unless I am an unusually adventurous or unusually
stupid newbie INSTALL and UNINSTALL information is needed in a very
conspicuous place.
I would suggest a reference to INSTALL and
UNINSTALL files (assuming an UNINSTALL file is added) and the http://alsa.opensrc.org/index.php?page=AlsaDrivers be
added onto the http://www.alsa-project.org/ page
immediately below the section on latest software releases. Perhaps even
references to the relevant forums for alsa/sound questions on the most popular
distros could be mentioned eg http://www.mandrakeusers.org/index.php?showforum=9
These steps would save newbies like me hours
if not days of google searching and problems and, for newbies with less time,
giving up in frustration and badmouthing Linux and alsa to every person they
speak to.
As an example my own experience involved about 5
installs of Mdk and RedHat and about 10 tries at installing drivers from
Savannah and Sourceforge, finding out about CVS and downloading programs (in
windows as my internal modem won't work under Linux), numerous posts to about 5
different mail lists and lost of frustration before I finally got to get sound
working under Linux - I am doing this post in windows (as many people giving a
distro a go on their existing computer with a winmodem will have to do) and am
almost too scared to go back into Linux in case sound doesn't work again when I
get there!!
Hoping that improved useability for newbies who
have the (seemingly?) simple requirements such as to listen to an mp3 or .wav or
wmp and rip a CD to mp3 and burn an audio or mp3 CD can be adopted as a
developer goal.
Cheers
Paul
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