Re: RH and GNOME
On Thu, Jul 23, 1998 at 01:57:42AM -0500, Manoj Srivastava wrote:
> Hi,
> >>"Petra," == Petra, Kevin J Poorman <ewigin@SoftHome.net> writes:
>
> Petra,> we have to maintain a user base greater than 'us' (meaning
> Petra,> developers) in order to survive,
>
> And I think that user base has never been in jeapoardy,
> really. After all, IMHO, this is the best darned distribution out
> there. I think there are enough people out there who feel the same
> for us not to be running in fear of the sky falling.
Perhaps we have a loyal user base, but I think the percentage
(percentage, not number) of Linux users that use Debian is shrinking.
Our long delay in releasing Debian 2.0 has a lot to do with it.
Luckily we are releasing tonight...
> And I see no evidence that we are not working really haed to
> resolve bugs in the software. I fail to see what you wish to
> accomplish by this statement: if indeed we were ignoring hiccups in
> our distribution, you would have a point; right now, this comes close
> to mere complaining, and is not really constructive.
We as a group are working hard in some areas, but not so hard in others.
Examples: the consistent keyboard config project, the apt project, the
Debian documentation project. Those are very important projects for our
users but few developers work on them (the ones who do are producing
really good stuff, but I'm sure they would thank a bit more help).
> Petra,> We should put away the long held bias agianst X and other
> Petra,> Gui's and develop a Gui OPTION for an Instalation, (posibly
> Petra,> based on ggi, or maybe wxwindows (I think thats it's
> Petra,> name).
>
> Why do you think a X based system is better? That would
> immediately abandon people who do not run X. It would make
> adminstering a workstation harder. It would restrict what one can do
> to whatever the GUI programmer has provided buttons for.
I plan to work on graphics installation for slink _without_ abandoning
our text-only users. The major problem is not keeping a text-mode option,
is developing a graphics one that fits on our boot floppies.
> I think that would actually be a step back/
Of course, Linux is all about freedom. Freedom to run graphics or text-mode
is part of it.
> Petra,> We should improve the error hadleing of the debian
> Petra,> install program/script. Ie: fix it so errors are displayed in
> Petra,> a window, instead of the background... thereby helping you
> Petra,> read the message.
I guess you are talking about the boot floppies. Of course we should
improve, and it's already on my TODO list. (Remember, first we build a
working system, then we improve its look).
> Petra,> We should develop a system of testing
>
> What do you think the testing and QA groups do? Please do your
> homework.
Those groups do a wonderful work. I know it would have been impossible
to debug the bootfloppies without all the feedback I've received from the
testing group. It's a pitty there are so many packages and so few people
in that group, else we would have a "bug-free" distribution. :-)
Perhaps a few helper scripts a la "bug" to semi-automatize the procedure
of writing test reports would help them.
Let's say we have an optional "betatester" tool. If a user/developer
wants to help with the testing effort he installs that tool and add his
e-mail address to its config file. The tool checks dpkg's status files
daily to see if new packages have been installed. A few days after a new
package is installed, the "betatester" tool e-mails the user a form that
he can fill explaining how well the package has behaved, and he can send
to the testing group. Does it makes any sense or am I daydreaming?
> Petra,> A modification to the gpl, written by a lawyer I know, would
> Petra,> cost us ~45$ us. to have a completly air tight (cough)
> Petra,> license that incorparates what we want without any of the
> Petra,> flaws, of the gpl, or artistic.
>
> I fail to find anything wrong with the BSD, Artistic, or the
> GNU public licenses. What flaws? rather than repeating your original
> statement, it would be edifying if you treated us to a view of what
> you percieve as a deficiency.
I agree. I fail to see what a new license has to do with taking care of
our users.
Thanks,
--
Enrique Zanardi ezanardi@ull.es
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