Jack, In my last mail i battered your idea a bit (may-b too hard), so time to type some constructive things. Perhaps we should look in this direction:
1. Get a simple installer to get linux running (as generic as possible, but including a webbrowser like lynx) 2. Guide the user on it's way to the internet (ppp+pap is almost standard) 3. Connet to the web and collect/compile config files from a jet-to-create repository My thinking: Point 1: In most cases it is easy to get Linux up and running. Linux may not support all of your hardware but id shoud work in text mode. Point 2: Getting on-line will be the most difficult part. But there is good hope here ppp+pap is almost standard for normal modems and Cable / ADSL use PPPoE or Ethernet for the most part. For these all one needs to to is get DHCP working and youre ready-to-go. Point 3: Collecting and Compiling config files. I'll explain using 2 examples. First: Compiling X config * Identify your monitor (mode lines mostly) * Identify graphics board (resolutions, refreshrates, colors, 'weird' options) * Identify keyboard and mouse * Compile all bits to a single X Config file Compiling is better than having a zillion config files for say a G400 and several monitors. Lots better to seperate em. This config database could be stored at XFree86.org (They at least know a lot about hardware) Second: Getting a config file * Simple stuff like the keyboard map for your type of keyboard I would not go for a real p2p network. It has loads of difficulties that are yet unsolved (How to find it w.o. a central starting point, users going on and off-line, The possibilities of sabotage, i can go on for a while here) Also a nice web interface could be created so you can get your config files in advance (by using a computer with internet connection) if you know your hardware. There will be a lot of thinking to do before anything like this (or your original p2p idea) can work at all. But it has potential. Yours, Nico de Haer ----- Original Message ----- From: Jack Pryne <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <debian-user@lists.debian.org> Sent: Sunday, June 24, 2001 10:57 PM Subject: Re: An *idea* that *might* put Debian on top (?) > No, Windows was just an example of an OS that people might want to migrate > *away* from. There's no reason why someone running Linux, indeed Debian, > could not run the same application. Even existing users of Debian could > benefit from this by getting support from the community. More vital is the > contribution existing users would make by offering their smoothly running > system information as a reference in guiding new users to stability and > functionality under Debian! > > Believe me, I'd never require anybody to be using MS products. ;) > > Jack > _________________________________________________________________ > Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com > > > -- > To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com
