123c5946e3f7
tech



Hello Wayne - 

TW>>> distribution of LINUX that really took the Uniniated Home
TW>>> Market seriously and put out a REAL Beginners edition. 

->> You insist that KNOPPIX isn't a beginner's Linux but really
->> it is as much as Windows would be for the uninitiated
->> computer user. 

WC> Easier. 

I'm afraid we've _all_ been spoiled by Plug-n-Pray and GUIs and
cutesy little icons to 'click' on. It's been a long while for
even "the last of the breed" since we used the
command-line-interface and a text editor to configure our
hardware/software. Autoinstalls are the 'norm' and most want
"pushbutton" computing. :-( 

I agree with Tom to a point though. Until KNOPPIX came on the
scene there wasn't a really user-oriented version of Linux that
I would have been willing to direct 'newbies' towards.
DamnSmallLinux tried to move in that direction but was not as
advanced as KNOPPIX in auto detection technigues and didn't
look as professional as KNOPPIX looks. KNOPPIX is just darn
'pretty' sitting there and knowing that 2 gigs of software is
sitting there compressed on that CD is just _stunning_ to a guy
like me. I fit W31 onto a floppy but KNOPPIX is just remarkable
in my book. :-) 

->> I realize that KNOPPIX didn't configure your modem for you
->> and you said it wouldn't print on your printer. 

WC> Go to the GUI "console" under settings and set it up. Same
WC> with modem and sound card. 

My only suggestion for making any Linux GUI more 'user
friendly' would be to have an alternate GUI using Windows
terminology (control panel, etc.) to make the transition less
stressful for a week or two or three for Windows users. I don't
think it would detract from Linux if it could 'masquerade' as
Windows for awhile. 

WC> As root create adduser "whomever" and allow that user
WC> account access to modem, printer and sound card. 

->> These are possible areas that could use some attention but
->> I suspect that with just a bit of typing on your part the
->> modem and printer would be functioning. 

WC> I asked a question in a Linux echo having already installed
WC> to a hard drive and had the printer and modem setup in
WC> seconds. 

WC> I retain two pages of trivially simple commands to setup
WC> here. 

My daughter dropped to DOS on a machine at work to move some
files and the people at work panicked and asked her what "that"
was. They had never seen the DOS command line before. :-) 

>
>        ,                          ,
>      o/      Charles.Angelich      \o       ,
>       __o/
>     / >          USA, MI           < \   __\__
 

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