Re: Reality check! [was: Re: Debian goes big business?]
On Sat, 23 Jan 1999, Paul Seelig wrote:
> Please don't let's start *this* kind of discussion yet again. It's
> *not* about appeasing to the masses of unskilled consumers. It's
> about increasing ease of installation, use and maintenance. Skilled
> people definitely benefit from such time saving aspects in their daily
> jobs. Even professionals don't want to always have to deal with
> things which explicitly require a professional. Excellence in design
> doesn't necessarily have to result in awkwardness. The fact that even
> the "mass of unskilled consumers" benefit from this is a completely
> different issue. The point is that what's good for unskilled people
> can be equally good for skilled people who no by themselves how to
> provoke trouble if they really want it. ;-)
As an experienced Debian user, I'll second these sentiments. Since buzz
I've been waiting for the Debian installation process to become a (as it
should be) 30 minute process, hopefully with some tools included for mass
installations. I use Debian myself exclusively but have to hesitate
before recommending it to others new to Linux because the process of
getting started is harder than it should be.
I also am disappointed with the attitude of some people towards making
these things easier to do. Is it some kind of techno-snobbery, maybe?
Making things easier does not necessitate dumbing-down things for more
competent users. Once up and running, a Debian system is far more
maintainable than the alternatives -- a great factor in on-going ease of
use. Can some focus be brought to getting there with similar ease? I've
been with Debian for over 2 years now and would be sad to have to abandon
it in the long run because of 'we don't do that' politicking instead of
pragmatism amongst developers.
-tl
......
please forgive my abrupt ending hre - but my conection is
xtrememleyyhiclmelyey BAD hiccuppy etc must sign off -
EF D8 33 68 B3 E3 E9 D2 C1 3E 51 22 8A AA 7B 98
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