On Monday 10 November 2008, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > ---- Chris Knadle <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > These days I go to the command line mainly because I want to, > > rather than because I need to. The only time my family goes > > to the command line is when I ask them to, usually to do > > something as simple as running a 'ping' command for testing > > basic connectivity. > > Even for something like that, a GUI would make a lot more people > comfortable using Linux. I guess non-geeks are scared to death > that they'll type in something incorrectly and their machine will > go up in flames. With point and click, you're presented with all > your choices and merely have to choose among them.
There *is* a way to run a 'ping' command from a GUI -- it's just that that's not the way *I* do it, so when I want one of my family members to run one, naturally I ask them to do it at the command line. Some of that is also on purpose, because I want them to know that it's there. > > > I couldn't make it to the monthly meeting (car was in the > > > shop), but if it's a major problem to supply ready-to-run > > > executables (as in Windows) for a wide range of architectures > > > and Linux flavors/levels, and most non-geeks don't want to > > > touch a CLI, is there a solution? Can source tarballs, etc. > > > be distributed in a single universal package, and > > > automatically compiled and linked (after bringing in any > > > prereqs, including compilers)? > > > > If it existed I wouldn't use it; installing software requires > > root access, and so the system you're describing would require > > root access. Put that together with how often Phishing fools > > people into installing malware, and it means a planned disaster of p0wned > > boxes. > > Good point. Most people run Windows as root, and get hacked all the time. > How do you get them to practice safe hex? If they have to be root to > install a new program, they're still pwned one way or the other if it's > malware. You answered your own question. I have given my family the root password, but they never use it and have forgotten all about it, and they generally don't seem interested in finding out how to install software on their own. [This was likewise true when they were on Windows.] However, in the few times they *are* onterested in installing software, it's generally because they've gone to a web page containing Phishing that tells them they have a virus, and they want to install the recommended tool to fix it. :-( And the fact that the warning page is full of Microsoft icons doesn't immediately clue them in, either. It's times like this that I'm glad they forget about root. I do what I can to try to educate them, but it seems they'd rather avoid learning anything about it and give me the task instead. -- Chris -- Chris Knadle [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ Mid-Hudson Valley Linux Users Group http://mhvlug.org http://mhvlug.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mhvlug Upcoming Meetings (6pm - 8pm) MHVLS Auditorium Sep 3 - Porkchop - The Areas of My Expertise Oct 1 - Ubikeys Oct 4 - Linux Fest Nov 5 - Releasing Open Source Software Dec 3 - TBD
