Announcement: One Click Installer

[Chris Wagner]

Every time someone comes up with a new, more-intuitive way to install
software on Linux, there seems to be more negative comments about it
than positive.  I recall similar comments when Gdebi was proposed, but
it seems to have gone over okay.

I only see one major flaw in Krzysztof's model: security.  (Am I wrong?
Are there other serious problems?)  Unfortunately, that's arguably the
most important issue.  Rather than shrug off this solution, though, why
not come up with a mechanism for making it (at least somewhat) secure?
A user already has the means to screw up her system, using things like
Automatix and Gdebi.  "One Click Installer" may make it that much
easier, but you can't lock the liquor in a cabinet forever; at some
point the curious child must be taught how to use it responsibly.

Krzysztof's solution seems like the quickest possible way to have a
cross-distro (even potentially to non-Linux OS's) method for installing
software.  Of course, the ideal solution would involve all Free Software
platforms using a common, all-in-one package management system, but that
day is a bit far off.

Installing software via the Web is not just a bad habit created by
Microsoft Windows; it makes sense.  What isn't a good idea, is
installing random bits of software from untrusted sources.  Even as an
advanced GNU/Linux user, I would venture to say that I *usually*
discover new software via the Web.  For me, a system like "One Click
Installer" is just an extra convenience (it often just saves me the time
of "apt-get install ...").  For most people, however, it could be the
difference between understanding how to get along with Linux, and not.