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Edward Croft wrote: | | This harkens back to the ease of use issue. Or as we like to say, the Grandma issue. | I just had to work with a Windows 2000 laptop. I went to a website that | required Flash, and guess what happened? It automatically downloaded and | installed the flash player and continued on playing. Easy enough for Grandma. | Knock Windows as much as you want, it is much easier to install software | for the common user. This is the drawback to Linux at this time. It is | definitely not ready for the common user, ie Grandma. Grandma is going to | find it hard to install java. Hey Grandma, just download the rpm and install, | then go into /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins and create a link to the plugin. Oh, and | I know there are three directories, but of course, you know which plugin to | use. At least the flash installer copies the files into the /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins | directory for you. Oh, and you want to play a DVD on Linux? Well, now, be | sure to download and install libdvd, and all those other libraries. Getting | the vendors to treat Linux with the same respect as Windows, is the real | battle. License, copyrights, patents aside, we need the vendors to | recognize Linux. We need a better mechanism for installing software. Back in | 1999 Linus stated that he wanted to see more kids games and programs, and he | wanted Linux easy enough for Grandma to install it. Well, we are near five years | later, and while there might be a few more games, it is still not easy | enough for Grandma to install and use it. | Okay, sorry, off my soapbox. Just frustrated. | Ed.
That's what happens when you compare a for-pay OS that, by default, gives ordinary users root/Admin access to a free-as-in-speech/beer one that is firmly established in a multi-user philosophy. If you want a secure OS, there needs to be some concept of permissions/separation of responsibilities/etc. WinXP Home doesn't offer that.
If you really want a "Grandma" Linux distro, why not send Lindows your money? They'll happily send you a Linux distro where Grandma can run as root till the cows come home.
Of course, that removes all the security advantages, but hey, at least Grandma can watch her CSS-encumbered copy of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers or Matlock: Season 1.
I share your frustration with license/patent-encumbered software. It sucks. However, that leaves the Linux community (and distro makers) with a choice: either the distros themselves break the law and distribute "illegal" software, or they leave it up to the community and look on with a knowing wink and a nod.
Perhaps your frustrations would be better addressed to your congresscritter, who can actually do something about the odious DMCA and software/business method patents. Either do that, or install xmms-mp3, libdvdcss and the flash-player-plugin for Grandma before you hand the computer off to her. Then show her how to rip her Andrews Sisters CDs to a better format, like Ogg Vorbis.
- -- - ---------- Doug Stewart Systems Administrator/Web Applications Developer Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Labs
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