Date: Tue, 29 Mar 2011 16:43:47 -0500 From: Paul Schmehl <pschmehl_lists@tx.rr.com> To: Chip Camden <sterling@camdensoftware.com>, freebsd general questions <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org> Subject: Re: Easiest desktop BSD distro Message-ID: <2A2860B5F02EF0C306529399@utd71538.local> In-Reply-To: <20110329212348.GI2281@libertas.local.camdensoftware.com> References: <20110329144527.c009ba8b.jhsu802701@jasonhsu.com> <20318_1301430722_4D9241C2_20318_86_1_D9B37353831173459FDAA836D3B43499BD354C76@WADPMBXV0.waddell.com> <20110329204501.GH2281@libertas.local.camdensoftware.com> <0148AA41-E800-477F-94BF-2D27E864053F@adelaide.edu.au> <20110329212348.GI2281@libertas.local.camdensoftware.com>
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--On March 29, 2011 2:23:48 PM -0700 Chip Camden <sterling@camdensoftware.com> wrote: > Quoth William Brown on Wednesday, 30 March 2011: >> >> On 30/03/2011, at 07:15, Chip Camden wrote: >> >> >> So what do you recommend as my first desktop BSD distro? What >> >> desktop BSD distro is so easy to use that even Paris Hilton or >> >> Jessica "Chicken of the Sea" Simpson can handle it? >> > >> > To each their own, but I wouldn't want a system that Paris Hilton could >> > handle any more than I'd want a vehicle that a four-year-old can drive. >> >> There is something to be said for the keep it simple principle however. >> > Yes, but "keep it simple" need not mean "do everything for you." Often, > a simpler design means more choices, and more choices means more > responsibility and more steps to completion. I totally agree. However, there are different degrees of choices. For example, an installer that says, "Now it's time to partition your disk. Go do that, and when you finish, I'll return you to this screen for the next step." is demonstrably different from one that says, "Now it's time to partition your disk. Would you like me to use these displayed defaults? Or would you like to make your own decisions?" Then, once you've selected option 2 it says, "What would you like to name this partition? (note, you MUST have a root partition, represented by "/". The former is not "user friendly". The latter is more so. Yes, you can go to the Handbook and read about partitions, and you can google about them and learn more, but the first time you install FreeBSD and you're staring at that screen, it's daunting for some folks. It might even be useful to have an initial screen that offers options such as "Experienced User, Minimal Prompts", "Familiar User, Additional Prompts and "First Time User, Walk me through it step by step." -- Paul Schmehl, Senior Infosec Analyst As if it wasn't already obvious, my opinions are my own and not those of my employer. ******************************************* "It is as useless to argue with those who have renounced the use of reason as to administer medication to the dead." Thomas Jefferson "There are some ideas so wrong that only a very intelligent person could believe in them." George Orwell
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