OT: Sun & Gnome = ?

[Ben Pfaff]

"Alan Garrison" <aeg@lbwl.com> writes:

> Ben Pfaff <pfaffben@msu.edu> 08/17/00 08:14AM
> > Torgo Jr <agarris@voyager.net> writes:
> 
> >> There are some other things to consider.  I was thinking that=20
> >> Sun or someone should come up with a distribution that only=20
> >> has the following:
> >>  - Linux core
> >>  - XFree86 with a common, simple window manager
> >>  - Star Office
> >>  - Mozilla?
> 
> > Is that somehow better than a full-size distribution with an
> > option to install just those components?
> 
> It would at least fit on one CD.  *cough*Debian*cough* :)

Debian is carefully designed so that only the first binary CD is
required for the vast majority of installations.  Ordinary users
may never have to take the second or third CDs out of their
wrappers.

> I'm thinking of the people who want a simple, common=20
> setup will not want to be bothered with "we have 9,238,481=20
> packages, which ones do you want to install?" type=20
> questions.  

Have you actually tried a Debian install lately?  It doesn't do
that anymore by default.  Rather, it prompts you for categories
and tasks.  (You can still select individual packages if you want
to.)

> Just asking these kinds of questions will=20
> drive away potential users.  Don't give users too many=20
> options if they don't want them.  Many of them will=20
> have a hard enough time trying to cope with differences=20
> with Star Office from M$ Office.

I have a hard enough time coping with MS Office.  Its goddam
AutoCorrect "features" fsck up half of what I try to type.
(Yeah, I know, you can turn it off - and in .egr.msu.edu, you get
to turn it off *every* *fscking* *time* *you* *start* *up*
*Word*.)  So I only use it when forced.

> > Actually installing
> > Windows onto a zeroed HDD can be quite difficult.  bricktext!
> 
> I've installed NT, 95, and 98.  I've never had any=20
> problems with the basic installation of any of these. =20

I've posted my experiences here before, no need to repeat.

> Getting USB set up in 95, however, is a different story...

I can only imagine. *eye roll*
-- 
"How could this be a problem in a country 
 where we have Intel and Microsoft?"
--Al Gore on Y2K