I'll admit, I have been a little harsh lately about Linux and user
friendliness. To those whom I've offended, I apologise. Sometimes Windos and
Windos users can drive you nuts :-)
What I have meant to say all along is that Drakx itself is not a problem from
a user-friendly perspective. Sure, it could use some tweaks here and there,
but is is mostly complete. What Drax *does* need, however, is better
documentation. This should be built into Drakx, not just available for $$$
with the boxed set. The current documentation is not too bad, but could be
improved, especially for newbies. James, your idea of a documentation link is
quite good, and I'd like to see something like it in the next version of
Mandrake. While I have never seen the official Mandrake printed documentation
(I download isos and burn them), I have heard that these are Mandrake's
Achilles heel, and should be rectified ASAP to make Mandrake a trully great
choice for total newbies.
I do have one problem with making Linux more user-friendly for newbies,
however. I strongly believe that to use an OS you must understand how it
works. I don't mean newbies should be able to compile code and the like
(although this is pretty easy), they just need to know the Linux
fundamentals. For example, people could learn to appreciate Linux more if
they just knew how it came to be. We don't just want to teach people Linux,
we need to teach them about the meanings of open source, GPL, the Free
Software Foundation and the like. If people don't know these things (they
only need to know these things briefly), they will just bring over their bad
habits from Windos. Many Windos users who have just started to use Linux
expect everything to be commercial and slick. They expect everything to be
hidden from them unless they really need it. Some get abusive (believe me, I
know) when Free Software doesn't suit them the way they like. Some GPL
projects have been canned because developers have felt disenchanted due to
constant abuse from people who don't understand that these people are
sacrificing their free time just to create these programmes. Look at what the
press said about Kernel 2.4. They had a field day poking fun at Linus and the
other developers/volunteers. They listened to Linus' projections (on the
release date) and made their own predictions on what would happen, and turned
these into deadlines. When these were not met, they got angry and attacked
the open source movement as a whole. They did not, and still do not,
understand the open source philosophy of releasing something only when it is
finished. They have grown accustomed to companies trying to meet their
deadlines and then releasing a half-baked product.
Many people don't think of Free Software as in free speech, but rather as in
free beer. Most people pirate software for Windos, so with either OS they are
getting stuff for "free". So, they think, why are Linux programmes so much
worse? Although many of these people realise that copying most Windos
software is illegal, they can't help but think this.
I could go on and on with this, but I think you all get my point. People need
to *understand* an OS, not just know how to use some graphical tool that does
everything automagically for them. They don't need to be kernel developers,
they just need a basic understanding of the Linux ethos and how it works.
On Thu, 18 Jan 2001 04:58, James Mellema wrote:
> Adrian Smith wrote:
> > >>> Sridhar Dhanapalan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 6:12:43 AM 1/15/01 >>>
> >
> > I personally don't like this solution, but it's yet another way for Linux
> > (and Mandrake) to gain market share (at the expense of becoming more like
> > M$). I believe that if anyone is stupid enough not to understand the
> > already very user-friendly Mandrake Drakx, then they shouldn't be using
> > Linux at all. What do everyone else here think?
>
> Adrian,
>
> For egotistical reasons I am tempted to agree with you, but I think in
> the real world that's a poor way to look at the problems here. Everyone
> had to learn somehow, but just because you and I learned in the school
> of hard knocks doesn't mean everyone has to. There is no reason to need
> an advanced degree in comp sci to use a computer. If you want the
> computer to be a tool it has to be usable by those that need it. If you
> want it to be an ego trip for the cognoscenti then what you say is true.
>
> The Drake tools are very good and easy to use for those of us with more
> than a smattering of technical knowledge. But without better
> documentation they are a huge barrier for the average user. Some of the
> problems I see with Mandrake are trying to use the server install
> instead of workstation, (I wiped out 3 gigs of webpages, graphics files,
> and programs on ide2) probably 20 installs before I figured out a
> reasonable partitioning scheme, multiple development programs an
> libraries which just take space and are not usable for most users,
> multiple programs which are extraneous for the majority of users (i.e.
> text editors, mail programs, web tools, system monitors, and sound/video
> multimedia programs).
>
> I would like to see a documentation link on the splash screen as you
> open the installation program. Ideally it could be in pdf format and
> open a pdf client that would give simple steps to the installation
> process. This could also define terms and give examples of what is
> necessary for a minimum install, as well as provide warnings about
> terminal (as in kill your computer) problems. Some examples could be:
> 1) install linux prior to WIN2K,
> 2) do not use 'server' installation on a dual boot computer, (or one
> with data you would like to keep),
> 3) known unreconcilable hardware problems (windmodems, incompatible
> peripherals)
> 4) The steps necessary to create a dual boot machine.
>
> I did a portion of my Master's work on usability problems. Much of it
> based on my long, difficult, and destructive attempts at learning linux.
> Fortunately I have several computers and don't have to take the chance
> at destroying my workstation to experiment, most of the computing
> population doesn't have that advantage. Linux isn't easy but it will
> have to become easier if it is to become a standard in the business
> community, and amongst the computing public. Most people don't want to
> experiment, they would like to use their computer to surf the web, write
> the odd letter, track their checkbook, and keep records. There is no
> reason to make things difficult (or impossible) for Joe User. The past
> 20 years is littered with good ideas, hardware and software that didn't
> take that unnecessary difficulty into account
--
Sridhar Dhanapalan.
Your mouse has moved. Windows must be rebooted to acknowledge this change.
