Re: [orca-list] Do we need "accessible" Gnu/Linux distros anymore? 13.04 edition! was Re: ubuntu 13.04

["Bill Dengler(arch Gnu/Linux)" <billkd2008 gmail com>]

OK, what about Ubuntu though? It has a question/answer tracker, forums, 
at least three mailing lists one of which is dedicated to accessibility, 
several IRC channels, at least two wikis, huge software repositories, 
lots of ppas, frequent fixes/updates, a huge user base compared to other 
distros, phone/tablet support, Ubuntu advantage paid support plus LTS 
releases for those people that must have a system with high uptime 
requirements, out of the box hardware support(most of the time), an easy 
to use desktop interface called Unity, a graphical package manager 
complete with ratings and reviews, built in apps for email, web 
browsing, IM, image editing, word processing, spreadsheets, 
presentations, and more, a talking installer, an OEM mode for 
installation that lets you set up the core of the system and run a setup 
wizard for the user to configure their user account/password/timezone, 
the list goes on and on.

Bill
On 04/28/13 14:51, Kyle wrote:
> As an OEM who focuses on providing the best possible computer experience
> on the machines I build, I want as many people as possible to be as
> comfortable as possible with GNU/Linux and other freedom software. This
> is my entire business model. In my attempts to make this happen, I know
> that there is definitely a special place in my toolkit for Vinux. First
> and most importantly, Vinux is based on the latest stable long-term
> release of Ubuntu, which is 12.04. This means stability and security. It
> also has a certain install it and forget it quality that I can recommend
> to someone who is running a Linux distribution for the first time, and
> all they really have to do is install the important security updates as
> they come in, which will be made available for the next 4 years. I also
> like the fact that Vinux just comes up talking right out of the box, and
> there is nothing that the end user needs to do to be sure that it will
> talk. Better still, for first-time Linux users, Vinux provides much
> needed tutorials and documentation, all in an easily accessible format,
> right at the end user's fingertips. This certainly makes my support jobs
> easier, since most of the stuff is just right there, and the most I
> generally need to do is to show people how to access it. I don't see
> this as being oversimplified at all, just greatly simplified, and still
> offering the power that a more experienced user looks for at the same
> time, as long as they know where to look to get it.
>
> While working with people who are using Linux for the first time, I know
> that I will get questions like "How do you make Jaws work on this
> machine?" or "I can't get Microsoft Office to run on the computer you
> built for me." It is my job then to explain that the operating system
> they are running supports neither Jaws nor Microsoft Office, but that it
> ships with screen reading technology called Orca and a comprehensive
> office suite called LibreOffice, which will do the same things, and in
> most cases, will do those things better, and all at no additional cost
> to them. I can usually work in the freedom aspect as well, where the
> most important thing they will want to know about is the fact that it's
> legal to share the software that I put on their computers, and no one
> will sue them if they do. Oh, and there's no Genuine Disadvantage mess
> to tell them they are running an illegal copy of anything, because it's
> all legal and legitimate software.
>
> P.S. I'm glad to see that the 12.04-based Vinux is out. I have been
> recommending Ubuntu 12.04 and Sonar for new users. It feels good to be
> able to add Vinux back into that mix again, based on individual needs.