I asked:
> OK: what happens when you (later) plug in an ISDN adapter? Or, to put it
> another way, what *should* happen?
Dave wrote:
> kudzu should detect it, tell me I need isdn4k-utils, and offer to run "yum
> install isdn4k-utils" ... since, by that time, there's more than likely an
> updated version?
And if the yum update sites are the wrong side of that ISDN link?
Seriously, it's one of the trade-offs that Fedora appears to be making.
Google Project Utopia: this is what's being (been) developed:
* User plugs in a camera, Utopia imports photos.
* User plugs in a printer, Utopia presents a printer configuration
wizard.
* User inserts a dvd, Utopia plays it in the users default dvd
software.
* User inserts an audio cd, Utopia plays it in the users default
audio playback software.
* User connects an external hard drive, Utopia mounts it and
displays its contents as well as a desktop icon showing the device is
ready to use.
It's a combination of sane defaults, programs auto-configuring stuff
wherever possible, and stuff Just Working. With the possibility, as far
as possible, of turning it off when it gets something wrong.
It's not just about making life easier for Aunt Tillie, Eric Raymond's
mythical maiden aunt (who appears quite capable of compiling kernels...)
It's alse about making the lives of systems administrators easier: sure
we *can* do that stuff, but it's nice if we don't have to.
As soon as you add "offer to run yum...", you've seriously increased the
complexity, and the likelihood that you have to have someone with the
root password there.
So, since for most people the burden isn't excessive, you have the
software installed for it to work. So you have (nearly) all the driver
modules for the kernel installed, even if you could save lots more disk
space by just installing the ones you need.
This isn't the right trade-off for everyone. But it will make Free
Software more accessible to a large proportion of people, and make it a
more financially attractive proposition for the corporate desktop.
No, I do not consider this a waste of bandwidth. I consider it an
important part of what's happening to Linux.
James.
--
E-mail address: james | It is difficult to produce a television documentary
@westexe.demon.co.uk | that is both incisive and probing when every twelve
| minutes one is interrupted by twelve dancing rabbits
| singing about toilet paper. -- R. Serling
