Installing and newbies

[alan c]

Neil Winchurst wrote:
> After eighteen months with Edgy I did a fresh install of Gutsy last
> week. It went well though I had a lot to do once I had restarted the
> computer.
> 
> I set numlock to turn on at boot.
> I changed the mouse to double click for icons.
> I had to add a user since I did not get the choice to do so during
> the install.
> I had to set up my printer. It was turned on during the install but
> was not found.
> I had to play with kmix to get sound to work.
> I made konqueror the default file manager instead of dolphin.
> I commented out the reference to the install CD which was in
> sources.list.
> 
> The following programs were not included with the install so I added
> them afterwards :-
> 
> firefox, thunderbird, opera, gnucash, kedit, kdf, mysql, gimp, Sun
> java, flash. 
> 
> OK, so some of those were personal choices, but I was
> very surpised that FF, the Gimp and Thunderbird were missing from the
> install.
> 
> And the point of all this? Well, after my experience with Edgy and, in
> all, six years using Linux all the above was simple. But for someone
> new to Linux I think they would need some hand-holding to get
> started. I still feel that more needs to be done to get newcomers to
> feel confident with Linux.
> 
> What do other people on the list think?

I notice you chose gutsy rather than hardy heron Why? I believe hardy 
has firefox included now.
Gimp is not something I have ever thuoght of as being suitable for 
newcomers - in linux or windows, although once I got used to the 
basics I use it whenever I need it. When I saw it was missing  I was 
pleased for newcomers! (And I quickly installed it for me)

Thunderbird is not related to KDE and after all, Kubuntu is very much 
KDE. Nor is firefox of course  but FF has a much higher general 
popularity.

I have never used:
opera, gnucash, kedit, kdf, mysql
I find Kate is good for heavy stuff and I prefer gedit for light 
weight use

Sun java, flash:
I think that hardy has a semi automatic installer-retriever for 
plugins and codecs. I have used it and pretended to be a newcomer, and 
I was impressed. Unfortunately real newcomers arrive with thoroughly 
distorted ideas about things being difficult anyway and their windows 
culture causes then to expect to have to search in impossible places 
for difficult things, rather than either click on Add/Remove Programs 
or ask about packages.

Hardy is said to handle printers and graphics better than earlier 
versions.
-- 
alan cocks
Kubuntu user#10391