the problem with Linux?

[Anton Markov]

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Here is my view on the subject:

[Warning: long opinion essay to follow]

Noah John Gellner wrote:
> In my experience the problem with Linux is that these files are located
> all over the place, and are not always obvious or even close to obvious.
> The result is that if you are adding and removing applications there are
> is a constant requirement for hacks and work arounds. On response is
> that users shouldn't be constantly adding and subtracting applications,
> but in my opinion that is a pretty weak solution. Given that users will
> add and remove applications there process should be possible. 

As other people have mentioned, a proper package management system
should take care of this. Also, you have to remember that Windows is no
better. In my experience, 1/2 of uninstallers fail to even run. Also,
there is very little standard/enforcement of where things go. Software
installers put what they want, where they want it. And don't forget the
registery - more than one company has made a profit selling sweepers for
it. On Windows it's just less obvious, because it's impossible to know
what should and should not be there. However, when the computer slows to
a crawl 12 months later, it's re-install time!

I don't know what the situation is on MacOSX. Anyone?

> On Tue, 2004-04-06 at 23:23, Jeremy Wakeman wrote:
> 
>> I think the best direction for configuration tools
>>aimed at end users (esp people new to non-proprietary operating systems)
>>is to design a good-looking, intuitive GUI that is, in function, as close to
>>"edit the /etc/program.conf file" as possible.
>>
>>That's what makes sense to me.

Take a look Webmin/Usermin. It's a browser-based configuration tool,
which allows one to configure their system locally (or remotely) through
a browser. It presents nearly all the options available in the config
files, and has a modular design, so it can be modified to work with
practically any program or service. It usually provides quick help
popups on many common options.

In my opinion, several things need to happen to make Webmin and (Debian)
Linux in general trully user friendly:

- - Better OS installers: While commercial Linux distributions already
have X-based graphical installers, it would be nice to have one for
Debian. That would make Debian trully the best distribution out there,
because once past the installation it is a breaze to use. Especially,
the installer must have an "express", "standard", and "custom" options.

Express: Installation type + very several yes/no questions only.

Standard: Enforce installation order (unlike current installer), use
graphical tools to solve questions like partitioning, layout, package
selection (an improved "tasksel"/built-in "Synaptic"?).

Custom/Minimal: Install the base system only (like "debootstrap" does)
and configure network+apt. This would be useful for downloading a
pre-determined set of packages, such as part of an intelligent recovery
script.

Custom/Minimal (with X): This may or may not be a useful option.
Configures a basic X environment using something like Fluxbox as the WM.
This would allow one to use graphical tools like Synaptic to select the
exact packages the user wants.

Custom/Expert: Presents all options as with today's installer.

There should be a text mode option at boot, that tries to implement at
least /some/ of the above options (including expert of course).

I know there is some work happening on this somewhere on the Debian team.

- - Webmin should be installed by default in an express/standard
installation, with a desktop/menu shortcut to launch it in the default
browser (it may be confusing for some users to use
"http://localhost:7000" at first).

- - Webin needs a tutorial/task-oriented mode. I.E. a real Webmin
tutorial, and a re-grouping of the modules/options by tasks/wizards.
That way someone can say, "I want to share files with Samba", and they
will be taken to the Samba configuration page and guided through a basic
configuration (no TCP Buffer settings need to be displayed). Samba
should be installed if it is not already (auto-apt?).

- - For "express" installation to work, the Debian (and Linux in general)
community needs to make a choice for the user regarding software
packages to install. Someone who just got a computer and wants to e-mail
their friend/family to tell them the good news does not want to read a
5-page comparison of KDE/GNOME, GDM/KDM, Firefox/Konqueror, etc. Choice
is scary. How about two general software branches? A GTK-based and
KDE-based branch can be picked based on eye-candy vs. speed choice. That
is something users can easily understand. Of course software can and
should be mixed.


Wow. This has gotten very long, but I needed to write down my ideas
somewhere. Congradulations if you are still reading :)

- -- 
Anton Markov <("anton" + "@" + "truxtar" + "." + "com")>

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