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----- Original Message ----- From: "Matt Lee" <matt@xxxxxxxx> To: <list@xxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Friday, December 10, 2004 1:55 PM Subject: Re: [LUG] Farseer enterprises - continued
Personally, I don't find GNU/Linux all that easy to use.
Coming straight from 9 years of Windows nor did I at first, but how long did it take to learn to use Windows initially? Give Linux less time and you're rewarded with greater proficiency. Plus Linux has the advantage of a ready source of expert advice, such as this LUG. Try that with Microsoft and see what happens.
GNOME 2.8 is getting better, but it's not as easy as it could be.. look at Mac OS X - that's an example of easy to use, because you never have to
worry
about terminals or kernels or any of that. I've never patched a kernel,
and
I don't think I really should want to do that.
That depends on the type of user. The "turn on PC and surf/email/draw pictures" type would most likely never need to. The intermediate user, ie video editing etc may need to in order to get special hardware to play ball. Only the hardened tech aware would really be likely to be patching their kernels on a regular basis, and they are unlikely to be afraid of it. Oh and I've had to use the terminal in OSX in work. As has been noted, it's there (under HD-> Utilitiies I *think*) buried out of the way of the average user :)
What a GNU/Linux desktop machine needs, in my opinion:- * A decent browser and only one browser. Firefox is this.
Agreed.
* A decent email client, doesn't need too many features.
Thunderbird. And Mac OSX Mail client doesn't have the anti-spam Junk Mail feature built into Thuderbird. Granted T'bird is only version 1.0 and still needs a couple of tweaks, but it's a perfectly good mail client. Agreed with the earlier comment that Outlook users will fall to Evolution easily, it was my first Linux mail client and for that very reason.
* A media player that just works. Works in the browser as a plugin too - plays media from Windows Media, Real, QuickTime, plus the free formats (Theora, etc). Think QuickTime.
That's the only real area Firefox needs work. Plugins are a pain in the rear to get to work properly.
* Debian on crack packaging - use deb to deliver updates in a way that's simple. I don't care if perl 4.4.232.32.23.3.23.23.32.131.3.5343.43 is
out.
I just want it wrapped in with a bunch of other updates nicely packaged as 'Software Update for 10th Dec 04'
Good idea, but as Grant said, it would be good for those interested to be able to see what is in the update. BTW what about Webmin? That will handle updates as well (IIRC).
* Plug and play for things like USB keys, Firewire drives, iPods, Flash memory cards * Fast User Switching - XP and OS X have this. It's cool. * Photo organisation - I should be able to plug in my camera, have my
photos
sucked onto my computer and filed into nicely organised albums.
Why have both Smartcard readers AND the ability to plug a camera in? Surely it is easier (and less expensive on camera batteries!) to plug the requisite card into a memory card reader? That also avoids the bullet that Grant mentioned of having your Microdrive swallow half your friend's available HD space, because it is there on demand, not push technology. Kind regards, Julian -- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG Mail majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxx with "unsubscribe list" in the message body to unsubscribe.