[techtalk] Re: [issues] Desktop OS?

[Martin.Caitlyn at epamail.epa.gov]

Hi, Daniel,

> Once we get past installing the OS, Linux is again at a disadvantage,
> lacking the means to allow end-users to easily install software. It's
> nothing like in Windows, where you just double-click an icon, then
> endlessly click on a "next" button until it turns into a "finished"
> button. Very few Linux applications have something like that. And while
> most modern distributions have graphical package-manager frontends, it's
> not as simple as double-clicking an RPM file on the CD-ROM. It usually
> involves dependency checking and stuff like that, making things
cumbersome
> and complicated for the newbie.

This is where Linux-Mandrake 8.0 shines.  Their "Software Manager"
automatically resolves dependencies and installs the missing bits.  It's
not 100% perfect, but in most cases it makes installing an application RPM
no harder than clicking on the icon in Konqueror, which, for non-geek
newbies, is a huge step forward.  Their "MandrakeUpdate" is a lot like
Norton's "Live Update" for their antivirus:  it handles all the upgrades
and patches for you and, provided it works properly, makes the process 100%
painless.  It has worked properly for me so far, but James reported that it
did not for him in a big way, so it's not quite there yet.  It's getting
close though.

> The reason I need a secondary OS (Windows) is because there's still no
> decent way to play Starcraft under Linux :)

Loki is doing a great job, though, at making more and more popular games
available for Linux.  I'm not much of a gamer, but I'll admit a minor
addiction to Civilization: Call to Power.  With the upgrade to v. 1.2
they've got pretty much all the bugs out and added some nice new features.
It's fun.

All the best,
Caity

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Caitlyn M. Martin             martin.caitlyn at epa.gov
Systems Analyst              (919) 541-4441
Lockheed Martin
(a contractor for the US EPA)
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