Re: Win32 port

[Hans Davidsson <hans codefactory se>]

I must agree on this. As I see it new users shouldn't even have inetd
installed and certainly not "bloatware" sendmail and other security
hazards. If a new user is a "tinker" fellow they will find out what to
install to make their linux box a security hazard on their own. I'm an
user that loves to expose my machine to hackers by enabling tons of
daemons and remove several remarks in inetd, however, I know what I'm
doing (at least I'm aware of the risks involved). 

Joe Newbie shouldn't have features as
telnet login, sendmail (I use qmail btw), sshd, apache server etc,
hell perhaps not even gcc (ouch!). Don't put matches in a childs
hands. Joe need an easy way to add Sue Newbie and Kid Newbie to his/her
system and a way to get modem/printer to work and that's it!

However, a stripped down version of win32? A better way is to package
a linux distro without unnecessary features along with gnome/sawfish
for example. There you have it granny!

Note: I'm running FreeBSD with gnome/sawfish for the moment and it's working just fine. Almost...

Cory Watson <gphat@cafes.net> writes:

> At 09:18 AM 6/7/00 +0200, you wrote:
> >Most computer users just need an appliance that does the one or two things
> >they need without a lot of fuss. Linux can easily do that while hiding the
> >complexities. There is no need to come up with a special distro that
> >reduces the power of the system. It's just a matter of configuring the end
> >user's environment.
> 
> No need?  Linux isn't going to make it onto the desktop without something like
> this (unless someone manages to create some all-knowing graphical config tool
> or installer), and you can quote me on that.  People don't need Linux.  They
> need Windows for the exact reasons you stated (one or two thing without
> ... fuss).  If you provide them with a nice, minimal Linux install that is
> very tailored to running X right off the bat (maybe gdm or something), and the
> proper GNOME config, you could provide them with an 'appliance' as you call
> it.  It would certainly be just as capable as any Linux box, you'd just have
> to install the other things you needed (which could be provided, read as
> 'developer install')
> 
> >If the end user likes to tinker, then the last thing you want to do is give
> >them a crippled system. Give them all the parts and let them use what they
> >like and ignore the rest. Sooner or later they will grow into the system,
> >but not if it's missing so much that there is no room to grow.
> 
> But why give the user a bag of tools when they only need a screwdriver?  Sure,
> some of them will happily make use of the extra things provided, but for
> others they will only collect dust, or even worse, cause a problem.
> 
> Don't get me wrong, I'm not fussing about this, I love my Linux box the way it
> is.  But I know that we won't take over the world (we don't have to I guess,
> but then theres no motivation) unless we start getting people who don't give a
> rats ass about gtk+ or GNOME, they just want a nice desktop.  I'd simply love
> for people to have a _choice_ without having to have this big linux
> distro... why install redhat just for a desktop, why not just install the
> desktop?
> 
> You don't like it?  That's fine, I don't mind;)  I think it's a good idea, to
> each his own;)
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> gnome-list mailing list
> gnome-list@gnome.org
> http://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/gnome-list

-- 
* * * *
Hans Davidsson
Pedagoggränd 11E
907 30 Umeå
Sweden
+46 (0)90 199455
* * * *