Hot diggety dog!! I've finally found an article that pertains to something I've been wondering about ever since my conversion to Linux from "the other side".
I am one of the fortunate ones who happens to have someone living in the same house as myself (my son) and who also is dangerously close to being a Linux expert. When he convinced me to give Linux a try a couple weeks ago, I said ok, but it's only on a trial basis. He said no problem, he would help me. Well, I stick CD number 1 of Mandrake 9.1 in my CD drive and anxiously wait for it and the other 2 cd's to install so I can begin my Linux adventure. After a couple years of trying to get me to desert my buddy Bill Gates, I have some doubts about my decision. Hmmmm!!! Dependencies not found. What the heck does that mean I ask myself. I run downstairs to ask my son. He explains it to me and I nod my head to assure him I am listening to what he is saying (though I have not a clue what the he** he is talking about). Anyhow, after running back down stairs about a dozen or more times to get his help, Linux is up and running. I browse through some program descriptions, even load a couple up to see what they are and what they do.
I tell my son it sure would be nice if this (or that) looked like this (or that) or if this (or that) did this (or that) instead of what it's doing now. He says you should submit a recommendation to the source developers so they can consider it for the next version. I ask him a source who, what? Ok, with that intro out of the way, my main questions (or suggestions) are these.
1. Is there like a centralized location where we newbies (and gurus as far as that goes) can submit recommendations for the next version release?
2. Do developers want to get "constructive feedback" (as you put it) only about significant improvement suggestions or can we submit minor, trivial (but maybe useful) ones also?
3. If such a place does not exist, do you think it's feasible to set up such an undertaking? And more importantly, if it CAN be set up, could (or would) it be kept for submission of future improvement recommendations ONLY and NOT like most of the forums on here....where it's 99 percent critizing/flaming/insulting users and maybe 1 percent of actually helping someone with a problem/question?
4. Can I have about 2 more hours to ask more questions?
5. Why is my article all bunched up in one big, continous paragraph instead of with white space like I typed it in draft form?
6. Am I going to get slammed/flamed/cut-down/told I'm a stupid newbie for asking question number 5?
I've been reading these comments and have tried to resist the urge to put in my 2-cents worth. Well, it's not working, so here IS my 2-cents worth (for what it's worth).
I am a brand new (and I do mean brand new) Linux user. My son has been using Linux for years and finally convinced me to drop the "other" OS and give Linux a try. So what's this got to do with putting in my 2-cents worth?
A comment was just made that "some users really are better off not using Linux." Now correct me if I am wrong, but if a company, a store, or corporation, a home-business is to to survive, does it not need "customers"? If I understand the jest of this article, what is being said is that once a person learns how to use Linux (notice I said LEARN....not install and use), then s/he doesn't need a user-friendly version because by then they have learned the neat tricks that it can do but only known by those who have attained Linux Expert Status?
Yes, I realize that you "get what you pay for", but then again even for something "free", there is an implied and expectation that it will be something usable. When I installed Linux 9.1, one of the things it asked me is whether I wanted to boot with GRUP or LILO. Sheez, I am just now installing Linux to use it. I haven't had time yet to know what GRUP or LILO is, much less make a determination of how my decision will affect the operating system I'm about to install.
I could talk about this for hours, but suffice it to say that us NEWBIES need Linux to make the standard installation decisions for us...even for it to at least boot up and work. After that, we can read the docs and make operational changes if necessary.
I have another "gripe" (or maybe it's a suggestion), but I'll save that for another time/post.
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Hot diggety dog!! I've finally found an article that pertains to something I've been wondering about ever since my conversion to Linux from "the other side". I am one of the fortunate ones who happens to have someone living in the same house as myself (my son) and who also is dangerously close to being a Linux expert. When he convinced me to give Linux a try a couple weeks ago, I said ok, but it's only on a trial basis. He said no problem, he would help me. Well, I stick CD number 1 of Mandrake 9.1 in my CD drive and anxiously wait for it and the other 2 cd's to install so I can begin my Linux adventure. After a couple years of trying to get me to desert my buddy Bill Gates, I have some doubts about my decision. Hmmmm!!! Dependencies not found. What the heck does that mean I ask myself. I run downstairs to ask my son. He explains it to me and I nod my head to assure him I am listening to what he is saying (though I have not a clue what the he** he is talking about). Anyhow, after running back down stairs about a dozen or more times to get his help, Linux is up and running. I browse through some program descriptions, even load a couple up to see what they are and what they do. I tell my son it sure would be nice if this (or that) looked like this (or that) or if this (or that) did this (or that) instead of what it's doing now. He says you should submit a recommendation to the source developers so they can consider it for the next version. I ask him a source who, what? Ok, with that intro out of the way, my main questions (or suggestions) are these. 1. Is there like a centralized location where we newbies (and gurus as far as that goes) can submit recommendations for the next version release? 2. Do developers want to get "constructive feedback" (as you put it) only about significant improvement suggestions or can we submit minor, trivial (but maybe useful) ones also? 3. If such a place does not exist, do you think it's feasible to set up such an undertaking? And more importantly, if it CAN be set up, could (or would) it be kept for submission of future improvement recommendations ONLY and NOT like most of the forums on here....where it's 99 percent critizing/flaming/insulting users and maybe 1 percent of actually helping someone with a problem/question? 4. Can I have about 2 more hours to ask more questions? 5. Why is my article all bunched up in one big, continous paragraph instead of with white space like I typed it in draft form? 6. Am I going to get slammed/flamed/cut-down/told I'm a stupid newbie for asking question number 5?
I've been reading these comments and have tried to resist the urge to put in my 2-cents worth. Well, it's not working, so here IS my 2-cents worth (for what it's worth). I am a brand new (and I do mean brand new) Linux user. My son has been using Linux for years and finally convinced me to drop the "other" OS and give Linux a try. So what's this got to do with putting in my 2-cents worth? A comment was just made that "some users really are better off not using Linux." Now correct me if I am wrong, but if a company, a store, or corporation, a home-business is to to survive, does it not need "customers"? If I understand the jest of this article, what is being said is that once a person learns how to use Linux (notice I said LEARN....not install and use), then s/he doesn't need a user-friendly version because by then they have learned the neat tricks that it can do but only known by those who have attained Linux Expert Status? Yes, I realize that you "get what you pay for", but then again even for something "free", there is an implied and expectation that it will be something usable. When I installed Linux 9.1, one of the things it asked me is whether I wanted to boot with GRUP or LILO. Sheez, I am just now installing Linux to use it. I haven't had time yet to know what GRUP or LILO is, much less make a determination of how my decision will affect the operating system I'm about to install. I could talk about this for hours, but suffice it to say that us NEWBIES need Linux to make the standard installation decisions for us...even for it to at least boot up and work. After that, we can read the docs and make operational changes if necessary. I have another "gripe" (or maybe it's a suggestion), but I'll save that for another time/post.