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Well I don't know about Wayne trying something for me by proxy. I actually
recommend everyone try as many Linux distributions as they can for themselves.
Every time you install another distribution, you learn something. Almost
every distribution has some very nice features that could or should be incorporated
into almost every distribution, but the thing I've noticed is it doesn't
take much for a distribution to go on the "shelveware" list.<br>
There are some distributions Like Caldera Work Station 3.1.1 that have a
great install and a good appearance, but then their permissions are so strict
and "immutable" that an end user can hardly move an icon around on their
own desktop. Obviously a sloppy loose permission scheme isn't any good either.
What's important is for the end user to have control over the system; and
above that, easy intuitive control over the system.<br>
<br>
People who know the command line love it, but it takes a long time to learn
it, and particularly when it comes to the nuance of system configuration.
People love the Macintosh because of its perceived ease of use. Actually
Apple is responsible for Windows becoming popular. Apple refused to license
their GUI based operating system to anyone else, and so virtually every other
computer assembler (manufacturer) had to use Windows. Unfortunately Windows
never had any real clarity of user interface, an annoying registry system
that was probably actually intended to be a copy protection scheme, tons
of partially incompatible hardware, and even more software that often wouldn't
work as claimed. Nevertheless in spite of all its weaknesses M$ became dominant.<br>
<br>
Now Linux is here, and it has great promise for the future; however it presently
suffers from a shortage of good desktop software for the home user. It seems
just now that it is turning the corner. That being said, it's difficult
to get "Joe Microsoft" to even try Linux. You virtually have to give them
the computer and install it for them, and even then they may not be very
inclined to use it. Another issue is that big box stores like CompUSA don't
push it, because they don't see any profit in it for themselves.<br>
<br>
A lot of the problem too is that "Linux" considered as a complete system
isn't equal. There are in fact wide discrepancies from distribution to distribution.
I personally consider every distribution that relies exclusively on KDE
as the Desktop GUI to be on the lame side. The Xandros beta was a good example
of this. It's a very attractive Debian distribution, and you can install
ICEwm on it very easily through "apt-get;" but then the developers somehow
saw fit to user their own desktop manager which inhibited the use of anything
other than KDE. Caldera will allow the installation of ICE, but somehow
inhibits any serious customization of it. ELX has a great button launcher
system system for KDE; but as they have implemented it, it's total overkill.
Again the last I knew of it, there wasn't any provision for customizing
it. I know of a reader on this list who considers ELX to be the best distribution
out there.<br>
<br>
Mandrake 8.2 seems to have a very nice and for the most part complete easy
to use control panel. The system is both stable and easy to configure save
some weird quirks like their blanket security permissions scheme which doesn't
provide for the control of nuance by the end user. If the Mandrake system
gave a warning message that it was overriding user set permissions and the
reason why and where to change it, it would go a long way towards better
user friendliness. Nevertheless, having sincerely tried many distributions,
Mandrake 8.2 is the best bet out there at the present time. Even so, there
have been posters on this list who have stated Mandrake 8.2 was giving them
too many problems.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
W. Wayne Liauh wrote:<br>
<blockquote type="cite" cite="mid:3CF1D762.6050900@Hawaii.rr.com"><i>George
(Joe Linux) is probably the only person on the island who has tried essentially
every Linux distro on earth. I know he has at least tried Mandrake 8.2,
Red Hat 7.3, SuSE 8 (by me on his behalf), </i></blockquote>
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