Re: [UUG/MLUG] getting Linux to the "million idiots"

["Christopher J. Kaiser" <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

I'd have to (mostly) agree with Jason.  I use to think that I was only
slightly more proficient than most computer users out there.  However,
this semester I had my (junior, senior level) students install a program
on their own computers for a class project.  The way the program was
written, they had to change the install directory during installation. 
Despite telling them this repeatedly, I don't think a single student
correctly installed the program the first time.

Assuming your computer is configured correctly, rpm's should make for
pretty easy program installs.  However, if you needed to go out and get
and install other packages to meet dependencies, forget it.  And Jason's
right, unpacking a tar ball and running make would lose a lot of people.

I would disagree about the install process.  The Windows install process
is no easier than a Linux install, especially if you've reconfigured
your machine.  I think Windows gets its easy install reputation because
most people buy computers with the OS already installed and configured. 
This is why I think a good linux box company will be viable.  (Which
brings us back to the start of all this discussion.)

Chris
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~       
Christopher J. Kaiser  
Assistant Professor
Animal Sciences Unit
University of Missouri
Columbia, MO 65211
EMAIL:PROTECTED
phone: 573.882.5479
fax: 573.884.4606
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