Some things GNOME really needs

[Robert Roeser <roeser engr orst edu>]

I have some ideas I that make GNOME alot easier to use for newbies

1. INSTALL WIZARD
I know alot of you think that rpm are great but for most the people that
use windows rpm -ivh --force --nodeps *.rpm, or whatever would scare the
hell out of them. Great you say, just use GnoRPM or a tool like that. Two
problems:
A. What about programs you have to compile, or aren't RPMs
B. Its too prowerful for end users
A gnifty GNOME INSTALL wizard would be great. User downloads a package
called foobar.tar.gz, opens the GNOME INSTALL wizard, finds foobar.tar.gz,
and it walks him through the rest of the install. Or if said person gets
an rpm foo.rpm, the install wiz could do that for him as well. However, it
it needs bar.rpm, it would tell him in a nice GUI setting instead of the
cold CLI, or you even make it so the install wizard trys and helps the
person find bar.rpm

2. Cool GNOME Mascot/Helper
I don't think GNOME has a mascot. I would be cool if you could make a
little GNOME Mascot that could fly around and give new users a tour of
GNOME

3. GNOME certified programs
Make a certain standard which programs should strive to comply for interms
of interface, and help, etc. Give the programmers a little banner to put
on there page if there program is certified. 

4. something like directX for gnome
I believe Elliot has made a white paper about GMF, but correct me if i am
wrong this is just for sound. Games are cool, and games will attract
people to linux. I would never have to use windows again if my favorite
games weren't only on windows. Something like this should be made for
GNOME, it might even be a good idea to contact Loki and see if they would
be willing to help? Such a subsystem would benefit them as well (easier to
make games, and they would have a cool GUI to go along with it). Plus,
other programs could use it like TV viewers, and 3D accelator cards.

Robert


----------------------------------------------------------------
Don't drink when you drive -- you might hit a bump and spill it.
----------------------------------------------------------------