On Wed, 2004-12-15 at 15:17 -0500, Christian Convey wrote: > Ron Johnson wrote: > >>For instance, if Linux would just say, "Hey, you plugged in a USB device > >>that I don't really know how to use. I can tell it's a mouse of some > >>sort, but I don't know how to use it. What's the name of a module that I > >>should try for it?" then it would be a lot more like my Windows experience. > > > > > > You should not use Debian. Find a less geek-oriented distro. We > > won't mind. Honestly. > > > > Heh heh - I was waiting for an email like this. Et tu, Ron? ;)
See next paragraph. > First off, I was talking about a distro that non-techies could use. My > initial inquiry was (to paraphrase): So am I. This isn't a l337 attitude, either. The reason there are so many distros is because a single distro doesn't meet everyone's needs. So, I'm being sincere: find a less geek-oriented distro. We won't think any less of you, and we'll understand why your family members stay with Knoppix, Mepis, Ubuntu, etc. > Is the need for manual configuration of devices a consequence of the > basic Linux hardware model, or is it something that can be made > easier for users? > > I was trying to understand wherein the difficulty arose. Because that > suggests differing courses of action when making a user-friendlier > distro: (a) revisit Linux's whole hardware model, or (b) revisit the way > udev is typically setup, etc. If either happen, it is because the geeks doing the work don't like it. > Also, if it was a basic issue with the kernel's approach to hardware, I > would know to not recommend Linux at all to non-techies that > occasionally plug in the new device. If it's a higher-level issue > (which I think it is), then perhaps it's just a matter of finding the > right distro for my parents, friends, etc. Yes, find a different distro. See the first paragraph. > Secondly, I think it's helpful to occasionally compare the way things > are vs. the way things will ideally be with software. This is what I'm > asking about. If the answer is, "This is the ideal form of the software > for geeks, and our ideal will never be easy for non-techies to use", > then so be it. But I don't think it makes sense to just say, "Linux > 2.6.9+udev. Love it or leave it, 1d10t." Because, I assume, there > remain useful enhancements we can make to device handling under Linux, > that will make the experience easier for non-techies. Now, you *know* that I didn't call you an idiot, or anything of that sort. Debian is the Universal OS. By definition, the Universal OS is not tuned for any user base. So, I'll say it an 8th time: find a distro that is tuned for novices and non-geeks. Is that so hard to do? -- ----------------------------------------------------------------- Ron Johnson, Jr. Jefferson, LA USA PGP Key ID 8834C06B I prefer encrypted mail. The average girl would rather have beauty than brains because she knows that the average man can see much better than he can think. Ladies' Home Journal
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