[aklug] Re: Basic Linux information

Gentlemen I've read this thread with total interest and as a user that =20
had trouble when I sat down to a window computer, and have a son that =20
is a hacker and a linux enthusiast, when he set me up with a linux =20
system on my computer ( KDE, Slackware to start) then to Gnome, and =20
now to Gnome Ubuntu, and all this I know because he told me. I can =20
now use my search and synaptic systems but I still use my son as a =20
resource but now it'll be by long distance and Skype as he's going to =20
Cal. for a job. My point to this is I am for the freeware and =20
reliability of Linux. I'll never be a hacker or probably even a tech. =20
but I'll enjoy the benefits of this OS.
Art Brown Sr.

Quoting Jon <jonr@destar.net>:

> On Wed, 2009-09-16 at 22:31 -0800, Arthur Corliss wrote:
>> On Wed, 16 Sep 2009, jonr@destar.net wrote:
>
>> > Email
>> > Flash
>> > PDF Viewer
>> > Java
>> > Shockwave
>> > DVD and Movie player (MPlayer, Xine, Totem)
>> > MP3 player and on RH systems how to get mp3's to work.
>> >
>> > Is it really that frikkin hard to make sure those work? By making
>> > those few apps work from the gate constitute doing everything for the
>> > new user? Gimme a break.
>>
>> Yes and no. In theory it's all doable as long as you're not concerned wi=
th
>> some of the software/codec redistribution licensing restrictions, and you
>> don't care about poorly supported hardware, like certain frame buffers an=
d
>> audio components.
>
> No, I don't care, neither will a new user, until he understands what
> that means in the FOSS world view. How many of us already have made the
> decision to go ahead and use those codecs or software, I know I have.
>
>
>> But even then, that's not my objection. My objection is based on one sim=
ple
>> question: what does that accomplish?
>
> It accomplishes not having to help the new user get these things working
> before they can start using it on a daily basis. It's 2009 and the cli
> is not what people expect from a computer. The Internet is what people
> want computers for, the apps listed above make sure that this content
> works out of the box.
>
>> It gains you (possibly only
>> temporarily) a new user who's going to expect things to just work. A use=
r
>> whose going to wonder why "app a" which wasn't on your list doesn't also
>> work, or why he can't run the latest version of iTunes with the iPhone 40=
0GG
>> that comes out tomorrow.
>
> It will gain you a user that once they understand what they can do, will
> not want to go back. Now they want to explore because they are free to
> do so. Now were are beginning to sow a user and reap a hacker.
>
>> If you had to make it that easy to get that user on board, do you honestl=
y
>> expect them to make the leap to contributing to Linux?
>
> Make it that easy? By just making sure some basic functionality is
> there at install? All we are doing is making sure that video's play,
> MP3's play, video content on the web can be viewed.
>
>> The irony is that we will all likely see exactly what you want, but not a=
s a
>> distro, as a pre-installed copy on a netbook or Internet tablet. And it
>> makes sense there because those consumers will hopefully understand they'=
re
>> getting an appliance, not a general purpose computing device.
>>
>> > Jon - List master of the day! -
>>
>> :-) Correction: Jon - List instigator of the day! -
>
> Here! Here! I accept sir, I just want to than...I believe that Beyonce
> is better...damn Kayne.
>
>> =09--Arthur Corliss
>> =09 Live Free or Die
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Received on Thu Sep 17 00:02:14 2009