It wasn't really such a frustration for me, as a helpdesk support guy I can share similar frustrations with you for a range of operating systems. Just pointing out that for the average person, this kind of stuff would be extremely frustrating. I agree with you, saying that Linux users don't need to know the command line is like saying you never need to use regedit in Windows.
Hopefully most newbies won't have to install an OS, but these were all post-installation/configuration problems. The actual installation went very smoothly, just the tweaking and customising can leave a lot to be desired.
The biggest problem I had when I started out with Linux (RH8) was installing new hardware after the original installation. DVD-RW, new soundcard, etc weren't as painless as with Windows (I run my PC dual boot). Back in the RH8 days, even trying to get a USB key to work meant playing with modprobe and reformatting the key!
Well, unfortunately he is right. I just did a fresh install of Fedora Core 4 and had to drop to a command line and edit config files for a number of things. Now, previously I had been running Red Hat 8.0 and have played quite a bit with other Linux distros so I have a fair idea what I am doing. Sadly, I would expect a newbie to have to spend hours searching online to be able to do some of this trivial stuff.
Very basic example: I prefer to use KDE instead of GNOME - no biggie, just select KDE when logging in. That works fine, but when I go to log out I only have the option to 'Log Out', not Shutdown or Reboot. Having dealt with this problem before, I knew there was a config file I had to edit to use the KDM display manager instead of GDM. A bit of searching online showed me what to edit so I did that fairly painlessly.
Now that I've got KDM running and the Shutdown and Reboot accessible from the K menu, I want to customise the login manager. I go to the Kontrol Centre and try to edit the Login settings. Clicked on Administrator access, but after much frustration was still not able to save the settings. The bright red text hinted that perhaps I should look at the Help pages, which said something about the Kontrol Centre always having to be started as root for this to work. Right click on the icon and change the 'run as' to root and eventually got this working.
OK, great... now the settings are being saved, but logging in every time doesn't look like the settings have applied at all. Much searching online and finally figured out that I had to hand edit a text file and remove the option to use a Theme for the login manager.
This example may be long and boring, but it highlights the kind of polish that the Linux desktop experience is missing. Imagine a complete newbie, just trying to get their photo to come up when logging on to their new Linux machine, then tell me that you don't ever need to touch a command line.
Does this download work for the browser in the full Mozilla suite, for those of us who prefer it to FireFox? I'm already running the mozdev googlebar, just wondering if an official one will be released from Google.
Also, it means you can make force the compiler to make java 1.5 the minimum requirement (-target 1.5). You could not do this in previous versions of eclipse, even if you were using the 1.5 SDK.
As a fellow midibox'er, I'll second that. Thorsten and all the guys at ucapps/midibox.org have built a great DIY community - I'm constantly impressed with the amount of great ideas/advice/etc!
Yes, Group Policies does require Win2K or better. However, you can use the pre-2000 method of using policy templates:
1) Open System policy editor on a 98 machine (with the required templates installed)
2) Lock off the settings and save the.pol file.
3) Upload the.pol script to the NETLOGON share on the Domain Controller
I administer a mixed network of 98/NT/2000 and XP machines. This method seems to work best.
That sounds good, though it means it'd have to be a Linux network yes? It is more likely that organisations would do an upgrade to browsers before a full commitment to Linux on the desktop, so is there a way to do it on a Windows network?
For a site running Active Directory, IE can be locked down completely through group policies. Does anyone know if it is possible to do similar thing with Mozilla (ie. Default start page, proxy setttings, etc)?
Does this mean that in future, e-tax (the software the ATO provides for people to lodge their own personal returns) will run on Linux? At present it only runs on Windows.
Insultingly Stupid Movie Physics
on
Comic Book Physics
·
· Score: 5, Informative
...there is one new function in Gnome which I hope makes it to the final release due sometime in November 2003. It's the ability to change your X screen resolution without having to restart X
Does anyone know if there will be a feature that allows you to enable another monitor via Xinerema without having to restart X?
Slashdot Mirror
... or because they ran Eunuchs?
Hopefully most newbies won't have to install an OS, but these were all post-installation/configuration problems. The actual installation went very smoothly, just the tweaking and customising can leave a lot to be desired.
The biggest problem I had when I started out with Linux (RH8) was installing new hardware after the original installation. DVD-RW, new soundcard, etc weren't as painless as with Windows (I run my PC dual boot). Back in the RH8 days, even trying to get a USB key to work meant playing with modprobe and reformatting the key!
Very basic example: I prefer to use KDE instead of GNOME - no biggie, just select KDE when logging in. That works fine, but when I go to log out I only have the option to 'Log Out', not Shutdown or Reboot. Having dealt with this problem before, I knew there was a config file I had to edit to use the KDM display manager instead of GDM. A bit of searching online showed me what to edit so I did that fairly painlessly.
Now that I've got KDM running and the Shutdown and Reboot accessible from the K menu, I want to customise the login manager. I go to the Kontrol Centre and try to edit the Login settings. Clicked on Administrator access, but after much frustration was still not able to save the settings. The bright red text hinted that perhaps I should look at the Help pages, which said something about the Kontrol Centre always having to be started as root for this to work. Right click on the icon and change the 'run as' to root and eventually got this working.
OK, great... now the settings are being saved, but logging in every time doesn't look like the settings have applied at all. Much searching online and finally figured out that I had to hand edit a text file and remove the option to use a Theme for the login manager.
This example may be long and boring, but it highlights the kind of polish that the Linux desktop experience is missing. Imagine a complete newbie, just trying to get their photo to come up when logging on to their new Linux machine, then tell me that you don't ever need to touch a command line.
Does this download work for the browser in the full Mozilla suite, for those of us who prefer it to FireFox? I'm already running the mozdev googlebar, just wondering if an official one will be released from Google.
Also, it means you can make force the compiler to make java 1.5 the minimum requirement (-target 1.5). You could not do this in previous versions of eclipse, even if you were using the 1.5 SDK.
You could try SourceForge's Help Wanted page. Don't know if they ask for lawyers though.
As a fellow midibox'er, I'll second that. Thorsten and all the guys at ucapps/midibox.org have built a great DIY community - I'm constantly impressed with the amount of great ideas/advice/etc!
I administer a mixed network of 98/NT/2000 and XP machines. This method seems to work best.
That sounds good, though it means it'd have to be a Linux network yes? It is more likely that organisations would do an upgrade to browsers before a full commitment to Linux on the desktop, so is there a way to do it on a Windows network?
For a site running Active Directory, IE can be locked down completely through group policies. Does anyone know if it is possible to do similar thing with Mozilla (ie. Default start page, proxy setttings, etc)?
Does this mean that in future, e-tax (the software the ATO provides for people to lodge their own personal returns) will run on Linux? At present it only runs on Windows.
For a different point of view, go to Insultingly Stupid Movie Physics. In particular, check out their write-up on Spider Man.
Hey, if RMS stuffs up on the stand, it'll give people a reason to move over to the Hurd...
It is relatively easy to migrate from NT4 to an AD domaing using ADMT.