[WEB4LIB] Re: Little of GNU/Linux in Libraries (was: The beginning

[Raymond Wood]

On Tue, Jun 12, 2001 at 01:30:53PM -0700, Chris LeBlanc wrote:
> "c.murdock" wrote:
> > 
> > >The only thing that is
> > > keeping Linux down is the user interface. People are scared of Linux
> > > because t's a high intensity command line driven system that gives you
> > > total control over your computer. Folks don't want to learn complicated
> > > commands nor do they want complete control over their computer.
> > 
> > Being a Linux/OpenBSD/Windows user myself, I agree with most of what Dan has
> > to say, but I really must disagree with his statement that Linux is totally
> > oriented around the command line.  Well, sort of.  Linux definitely is
> > command line based, which I personally think is a tremendous plus, but I
> > think that the graphical interfaces and programs available have really
> > matured to the point that the average Windows user would have no trouble
> > doing the things they usually do, i.e., web browsing, email, word processing,
> > and maybe some graphics editing.  In fact, my goal is to replace most of my
> > library's staff computers with thin clients running Mandrake 8 and KDE 2.
> > The problem is those few programs that don't have a viable equivalent in
> > Linux, like MS Publisher.  (If someone knows of one, please tell me!)
> 
> Actually, there have been wonderful distributions that have little to no need
> for an average user to go to a command line.  Two of the best (in my opinion)
> have been Corel Linux 1.2, and Storm Linux.  These have both had wonderful
> installation programs and setup beautifully.

I understand that Storm Linux was indeed a promising
distribution/flavour of GNU/Linux (it is/was based on the venerable
non-commerical Debian distribution).  Unfortunately Storm was yet
another victim of the recent dot-com implosion, and appears to have gone
the way of the dodo.  Ah well, nothing ventured nothing gained...

A recent newcomer to the 'commercial GNU/Linux distribution parade' is
Progeny Linux, a commercial version of Debian which features a more
user-friendly install and commercial support for corporate (and I
suppose academic) clients.  It has received some very nice reviews so
far.  See http://progeny.com for more info.

> RedHat, although not being the easiest to install, does get the
> wonderful position of having everybody write RPM packages for it.  For
> those of you who don't know, and RPM package is kind of like a
> ZIP/INSTALLER built into one.  You get the package as one file, and in
> it is all of the files for the program to install, along with the
> instructions that the package management software needs to use to
> install the program.  You tell the package management program to
> install the RPM file, and it goes to work.

RPM = Redhat Package Manager (from memory).  Although RPM is probably
better known, the GNU/Linux Debian distribution has an alternative
package management format called 'deb' (go figure :).  As an example to
those who fear the command-line (and as a challenge to those who insist
that 'command-lines = horribly difficult') consider the following
command executed on an Internet connected machine by the sysadmin (aka
'root'):
  apt-get install gimp

For a Debian GNU/Linux user who wants to install The GIMP (GNU Image
Manipulation Program, a Photoshop-like graphics program for Gnu/Linux,
now also ported to Windows by the way - price, free of course), this
simple one-line command will: 
  o check to see if the GIMP is already installed, including the latest
    version;
  o check to see if there are any other 'libraries' or programs needed
    for the GIMP to run properly;
  o open an FTP/HTTP connection to one of the hundreds of Debian
    free software repository 'mirror' servers located around
    the planet;
  o download the GIMP software + any other programs/libraries already
    identified as being necessary for proper operation of the software;
  o begin, execute, and complete installation of the GIMP, all while
    other programs are running, and of course without a reboot being
    necessary (this whole process could even be done remotely, if need
    be)
  o Voila, minutes later the GIMP is up and running and creating
    splendid web graphics - automatically and seamlessly  :)  
Now, how tough was that I ask?  (Eeeeewww, the command-line is just so
scary ;>  )  Food for thought, no?  

> As for the complete control part, just have them use a GUI interface,
> and don't let them log in to the computer as root.  

Right.  The 'root' account is for the system administrator only -
regular users do not need, nor get, 'all-powerful' access and
privileges.  The thin clients someone else mentioned recently sounds
like a very interesting implementation of this idea.

> As for the
> nay-sayers who say that people want to just power up the machine and
> not log in, because that is too complicated, I advise you to look
> again at the next generation of Windows, those all have logins
> screens.

I advise you to consider GNU/Linux instead ;>  Seriously though, I
thought NT has had login screens for awhile.  In any case, did I mention
that the thin client idea sounds very intriguing? :)

> The greatest problem of GNU/Linux as an alternative to MS Windows, is
> that people don't like change.  They don't want to switch from one
> system to another.

Well, that's basically what happened when MS moved from version 3.11 to
W95, and people seem to have adapted just fine.  Some people may not
like change initially (though others enjoy the exploration), but it
takes less time than one might imagine to attain a basic functionality
within a new graphical environment.  Most of us only use 10% of any
given program's features anyway, or at least that's my impression.

Raymond