Re: [LUG] Do other LUG Members find X a pain to configure ?

[Simon Sanders <sanders@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 17:27 09/04/2003 +0300, you wrote:
> On Wed, Apr 09, 2003 at 02:19:38 +0100, Brough, Tom wrote:
> > Even to myself it seems a poor show if you need to download source, compile
> > your own kernel and additional drivers in order to get a GUI interface. Is
> > it just me, or are we complacent people who tell others to go and Read The
> > Manual or say "well it works ok on my machine" ? Is there anything we 
> can do
>
> I am surprised you wrote this. This is an absolute FUD to me.
>
> X is configured and running just fine when booting Knoppix or installing
> RedHat. I.e. with slick installers.
>
> I get irritated when people say you have to download source and compile.
> These are "complicated" tasks, and YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO IT.
>
> **** This is what packages are for!!! ****
>
> Suggesting to a user is required to fiddle with the source is not
> helpful, and scares people away from Free software.
>
> Regards,
> -Kai
I'm an aspiring Mandrake 8.2 package user, strongly desirous of scrapping 
all dependence on MicroSoft Windows and MS Windows applications. I bought a 
copy of Mandrake Linux 8.1 which ran ok except that StarOffice 5.2 
collapsed whenever I tried to print and hardly any of the games worked (to 
my kids' disgust). I was really optimistic when I bought Mandrake Linux 
8.2, with StarOffice 6.0 and other goodies.

The only trouble is, StarOffice 6.0 wouldn't load (I got an error message 
that said it couldn't find StarOffice 5.2), KPPP stopped working properly 
(although I could connect with my ISP, my browser and email systems 
couldn't find whatever it is need to find in order to work), the games were 
no better and Mandrake wasn't interested. I'm sure the problems are due to 
something simple like configuration, but I haven't a clue what to do. The 
FAQs associated with KPPP do identify my problem but the prescribed remedy 
doesn't work (actually, I haven't pinged the server because I don't know 
what this means or how to do it).

I'm tempted to go out and buy another package, but I feel that I'm likely 
to be disappointed again. So I've reluctantly transferred everything back 
to MS Windows and I tell myself that at least I'm partly free of MicroSoft 
since I use Eudora and Netscape Navigator/Communicator. I've tried sites 
like Linux Newbie and Just Linux but can't find anything remotely relevant. 
And one way and another, I'm pretty cheesed off since I would really like 
to go over to Linux but can't.

So it's all very well to say that that's what packages are for - the 
Mandrake package hasn't worked for me.

Simon Sanders 


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