[oclug] Value

[miden]

On Thu, 2006-11-23 at 00:22 -0500, Jacques B. wrote:
-clipped valid points to get to this one-
> As for coming close to Synaptic/Apt-get or Yumex/yum to install stuff,
> in Windows you download an application, double click on it, it's
> installed.  Can't get much easier than that either can we?  Having to
> run an installer application is counter-intuitive to what Windows
> users are accustomed to.  And my original point was that it's easier
> to make an application auto-install on all Windows systems (within the
> same family of course - i.e. 32 bit) than it is to easily make an
> application auto-install on all the main Linux distros.  Can you
> download a single file of a Linux application that will easily install
> on any of the major distros by double clicking on it? - you can get it
> through their auto-installer most likely, but counter-intuitive for a
> Windows user so contributes to the investment of time required by a
> user who switches to Linux. 

This is a major consideration - of little significance to the
experienced user but of major consequence to an ordinary user. Explain
this to an ordinary user -'Aren't they all Linux?' 'Well, yes. But
different. You're free to choose...' and the eyes glaze over as they ask
you if that comes with free tickets to the next Trekkie convention
ha-ha.

Linux really, really needs some common usability standards - like a
universal one-or-two click installer, for example, which could install
or download and install applications based on the installed system
without user intervention. Apt-get, Yum, any-other-cryptic-name... or
click-install and you're done. What do you think the choice will be
(whether you approve or not)?

-m