Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1998 09:47:43 +0000 From: "Duncan Barclay" <dmlb@ragnet.demon.co.uk> To: The Classiest Man Alive <ksmm@cybercom.net>, FreeBSD-Newbies@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: What do newbies want? Message-ID: <9804150852.AA06184@symbionics.co.uk> In-Reply-To: <199804150156.VAA19157@kalypso.cybercom.net> References: <006001bd67fb$ba361280$0300a8c0@admin.cian.net>
next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
> At 07:19 PM 4/14/98 , Christopher Raven wrote: > > > >Some sort of built in configuration tool that lets you build a > >'complete' desktop enviroment immediately - and without hastles (an > >included .xintrc default script would be a bonus?). Without a shadow > >of a doubt, to most non-CLI people a GUI enviroment is a top priority > >from the word go. > > > >Chris R. > > Have a look at tkdesk or KDE. tkdesk is a program which runs under "normal" X11 and gives you a lot. KDE is a complete window manager and application set built using a consistent widget library and is tightly coupled; i.e. printing works that same across all programmes. KDE is developing fast but is at beta. > I agree with this and I would even take the idea even a bit further. > > * A GUI or CHUI interface for installing _and_ post-installation > configuration. The existing sysinstall has come a long way, but > it's got stretch marks from age and expansion. The library that > it uses is dated, and it could really stand to be rewritten. I am fairly sure this is being addressed; there was a big discussion on -hackers a couple of months back. > > * More sensible defaults. Not just the .xinitrc but many of the /etc > files need modification or editing after installation to get the > expected results. For instance, many users are not connected to a > network, but may want to set up PPP networking. If that's the > case, the network initialization should just be omitted or > commented out upon installation, and PPP setup should be run. This is being covered by some of the sysinstall replacement and some admin tools that are being developed by some guys in russia. > > * Internet readiness. A system should be ready to network rather > quickly after installation is complete. This would mean having > the required networking set up as well as a readily available web > browser, e-mail client, and whatever other goodies a person might > need. We're aware that FreeBSD has The Power to Serve, but we've > also got to make it friendly to use on the client side to attract > the newbie crowd. > More difficult because FreeBSD is ready to network (in fact try and build a kernel with out networking, not impossible but v. hard). You are wanting user level parts of the system to be pre-installed. Well there is /usr/bin/mail for e-mail. Lynx usually gets installed by sysinstall for documentation reading etc. Are you really asking for a ready to use X setup? > * More packages, fewer ports. Though most of the ports are already > in package form, the list isn't complete. Ports (or any other > component that needs to be built rather than extracted) are > daunting to a new user. There should be as little of that for the > novice user as possible. All that ports that can be packaged are. The ports that aren't are not packed for good reasons. Sometimes this is because the package/port is broken and needs fixing, more usually it is because FreeBSD is not allowed by the software license to distribute a package (e.g. the old netscape license, kermit?...) or the port needs site specific configuration that is done via Makefile/C header files. > > All this nit-picking makes me feel like I'm complaining when really > I'm not. The quality of the installer and the config utilities have > improved dramatically since I was first introduced to them, and > they're very good now, enough that I prefer a FreeBSD installation > to a Slackware or Red Hat Linux installation. But if you're > speaking strictly in the interest of newbies, these are areas that I > would improve. > > There's an tremendous irony in the UNIX world that applies here: the > people who need these simplifying tools don't have the skill to > create them, and those with the skill don't need them and often > can't see the need for them. > Hence, they often never get created. Too true. > > K.S. > > To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org > with "unsubscribe freebsd-newbies" in the body of the message Duncan To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-newbies" in the body of the message
Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?9804150852.AA06184>