Re: Access and Linux distributions (fwd)

[Janina Sajka <janina afb net>]

On Sat, 21 Aug 1999, Hans Zoebelein wrote:

> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: 21 Aug 1999 01:13:56 -0000
> From: T. V. Raman <ramantv earthlink net>
> To: blinux-list redhat com
> Subject: Access and Linux distributions
> 
> I've been running Red Hat 6.0 for three weeks now and think
> they've done an excellent job with the distribution 
...
> Once RedHat was installed it took approximately 2 minutes
> (including time to compile) to install the emacspeak source
> distribution as released on the Cornell site 

I would expect the software's author to have no problems. I would further
expect expert Linux users to have no problems. I would also expect
moderately savvy Linux users to succeed fairly easily--though probably in
somewhat more than Raman's "2 minutes."

But what about the beginner? Are we seriously suggesting they're at fault
for their lack of expertise? I certainly hope not, but I frankly wonder
when I read this kind of commentary. Am I supposed to be impressed? By
what? The competence of the wizard?

Franz Kafka once wrote that about how people with power will studiously
avoid sharing it. That does not make an admirable human being, imho.

Let me be direct. The purpose of discussing what apps ought be added to an
assisted install is not to assist the expert who doesn't need the
assistance. It is rather to smooth the path for the novice who, I fear,
may need far more than 2 minutes to install anything for the first time.