ease of use debate

[Eric Gilliland]

>I would like to see Linux as easy to setup, configure and use as
>possible. I would like to see configure with sane defaults, which means
>in a very paranoid state. Then when someone tried to do something, like
>share a file or start a webserver. They would specifically have to
>"learn" the consequences involved by specifically turning off security
>settings and turning on services, etc. Yes, spoon feed them, but spoon
>feed them knowledge not stupid little talking paper clips.

I like this idea a lot.

Although this might be a minority opinion in this forum, I think that ease 
of use is NOT a dirty word.  I'm not saying everything has to be simple, but 
in the grand scheme of things easier is better.

>Yeah, but didn't it give you a certain sense of satisfaction and 
> >gratification when you finally figured it out? Kind of like a puzzle 
> >that needed to be solved. Call me crazy and diluted, but I enjoy >trying 
>to figure out why some program won't compile or learning why I >need a 
>certain library.

OK, you're crazy and diluted, or did you mean deluded? ;-)  Seriously, I did 
feel a feeling of accomplishment when I edited my lilo.conf file to make my 
computer boot properly, but, honestly, it did not outweigh the frustration 
of not having it work correctly in the first place.  On the plus side, I did 
install mandrake 8.0 on my 'puter with only the one small lilo.conf problem, 
so that was an improvement.  Of course, this was after about 2 weeks of 
internet researcha nd reading up on it.

The thing is, not everyone has time to do that kind of research.  Some 
people just want to install their software and use it, not read listserve 
archives and the LDP for hours to solve a problem.  If linux is going to 
make any headway it is going to have to make some moves in this direction. 
And I don't buy the line about life being hard, BTW. If this is so (and it 
certainly isn't for everyone) it seems all the more reason to make as many 
aspects of it as simple as possible.

Just my opinion,

Eric Gilliland

J. Eric Gilliland
jegilliland at hotmail.com
Meet it is I set it down, that one may smile, and smile, and be a villain.
Hamlet Act 1 Scene 5

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