On Tue, 13 Apr 2004, Leonid Podolny wrote:
> Now to the subject. I'm going to sound the extremely heretical idea. Not
> everyone needs a Linux router for that. What I'd do in such situation is
> get them a dedicated router specially designed for that matter. I don't
> mean the PC with Linux installed, but a little box the size of the adsl
> modem, which all it is able to do is to be an adsl (or cable) router.
> It's very cheap (~300 NIS) and usually has Linux somewhere deep inside
> -- it's not that its manufacturers want to implement everything from the
> beginning. You configure the computers to use DHCP, plug them in, plug
> the modem -- it works. It surely meets all the basic requirements you've
> specified at the original mail. The only one of your requirements that
> it doesn't meet is being ableto show her how Linux is installed.
> Install it on that p133 box you wanted to use and you're done
While the user is naive, the installer (his sysadmin) is not.
The suggestion to use a dedicated router eliminates two important
advantages of DIY (Do It Yourself) Linux installation:
1. Access to security updates under your control and at your pace.
2. Ability (in principle) to audit the router's software to ensure that
there are no hidden backdoors.
By the way, how come that no Debian installer had itch, which can be
scratched by an user-friendly GUI installer?
Such a GUI should start by defining defaults for Aunt Tilly, and provide
levels of detail for advanced users. It should also provide a space for
building command lines (which correspond to selecte options in the GUI),
editing them and executing them - for those advanced users, who understand
the subject but can use help refreshing their memories.
--- Omer
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