[NTLUG:Discuss] Desktop Linux - From Open Source

[Greg Edwards]

> From: discuss-bounces at ntlug.org [mailto:discuss-bounces at ntlug.org] On
> Behalf Of Stephen Davidson


> 
> I like YaST in regards to software management.
> 
> -Steve
> 

For the most part I think that package managers have solved the issues
of loading apps.  Finding a pre-built package for your particular
distribution can be a challenge sometimes, but doable for the more
established ones.  IMHO, the burden is shifting towards app builders to
use packaged installers instead of tar balls, autoconfig, and make.
Yast, Yum, RPM, and other tools have come a long ways so there really
isn't any reason not to use them.  Yes it's more work to package the
release, but getting more people to come to the party is worth a little
extra work.  As long as we mention using vi(m) to configure a program or
add it to the window manager program menu we're going to turn off non
technical users.  I spend the majority of my time on the command line,
but we are not the majority of users.

For the desktop user the ever changing hardware landscape is still a
major hurdle.  With most distributions today, building a desktop from a
clean install usually gets the hardware configured right.  But, 6 months
later when someone wants to get a new wiz-bang monitor, video card,
sound card, printer, scanner, DVD writer, etc. they've got problems.
Until we can get the OEMs to let us keep pace with drivers and
installers for their goodies we'll be an afterthought in the minds of
users.  I have a nifty dual sided HP printer that didn't have any Linux
duplex support for a VERY long time.  And plugging in a new monitor
could get expensive if you don't already know that you had better change
to run level 3 before you shutdown.

--
Greg Edwards