Re: Debian and Redhat - are most linux users missing the point?

[Brian May <bam@snoopy.apana.org.au>]

In article <[🔎] 001f01be62c1$cae889c0$cf81c5cb@default> you write:
>>I think dselect, especially in
>>combination with the apt access method, is terrific - it just takes some
>>time upfront to get used to it.
>
>Many people switching to Linux from the 'Other ' OS may equate spending time
>to learn an install package, with difficulty of use and/or other nameless
>difficulties.


Just my two cents:

I find dselect annoying to use simply because there are so many packages
to install. You keep scrolling down and down through the list and loose
all perspective as to what order they appear in, what the hierarchy
of the sections is, and how far to the bottom of the list.

I think it would be really good if you could hide
and unhide certain sections (unless this is already possible??). Eg

hide all packages under "----- Up-to-date Required packages -----",
including everything under
"------- Up-to-date Required packages in section base -------",
"------- Up-to-date Required packages in section base -------", etc.

OR hide everything under "--- Up to date installed packages ---"
full stop (ie all installed up-to-date packages). 

Doing this would hide packages that you don't want to know about,
for instance, if you are upgrading to a newer debian distribution.

Also: I would find it extremely helpful if there was some indicator
indicating how far down the list you have scrolled. (eg 75% down
from the top? or maybe 20 lines from the top, 100 more to go?)

I short, I don't think there is anything wrong with dselect, but
the user interface needs to be updated with the increased number
of packages.