Why Ubuntu is not ready for prime time

[Jonathan Ernst]

Hi,

Please reply to all when discussing on mailing lists.
Please bottom-post when discussing on (most) mainling lists.

Le jeudi 27 août 2009 à 12:16 -0400, Jonathan Taylor a écrit : 
> Trolling? [...]  Now, are there any other names or labels you care to  
> apply to me?
> 

I'm sorry if I have offended you.
However your message was missing arguments and thus could be taken as a troll.

Now back to your issues:

> 
> I have read and re-read what you wrote, but I don't see how that can  
> help me at all.  I don't see your point.  I can do Applications >  
> Graphics > The Gimp, etc..., however,
> 

I might have misunderstood your point then. Sorry about that.

>  I was referring to the various  
> Libraries which contain software packages.  

Users shouldn't need to mess with such thing as "libraries". (I guess you are talking about software sources (a.k.a. repositories) here, but the default repositories should cater to your needs, if not, special purpose repositories are easy to add using the instructions on these special purpose webpages)

> The bottom line is, the 
> system does not do what I wish it to do.  My test is the Colbert  
> Report. If that ever works; when I can view and hear a full episode,  
> without 2 to 14 days of effort, perhaps, then I will change my view of  
> Ubuntu.  I don't think I should have to seek expert assistance to view  
> common web content.  Do you think that is an unreasonable desire?
> 

I have just watched an episode of Colbert Report without problem. The site uses Adobe Flash.

To use Adobe Flash on Ubuntu you just have (if your browser doesn't ask you whether you want to install it or not when visiting a flash enabled website, which it should if the website isn't trying to outsmart your browser) to go to Applications/Add Remove/then type "Adobe Flash" in the search bar, tick the checkbox and click on the apply button (Adobe Flash being a proprietary application, please make sure that you have selected Show : "All available applications" in the dropdown on top of the Add/Remove utility).
No messing with "libraries", "tar", "deb", "bin", "terminal" here. Just use your mouse, it's even easier (but different, because it couldn't be easier/better than Windows if it was exactly the same) than on Windows where you might need to fetch some installer on some website to add an application to your system (and as an added bonus, each of the applications you install this way will be kept up to date in a centralized manner).

As someone else posted here, https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RestrictedFormats/Flash shows a shortcut to install flash on recent Ubuntu versions where a simple click will do the same as I explained above.

I suggest that if you have any other issue with Ubuntu you try Ubuntu forums or user mailing list or IRC channel (see http://www.ubuntu.com/support). People (myself included) will gladly help you if you state your problem (« I cannot watch Colbert Report episodes ») instead of ranting (« Ubuntu is not ready for prime time because I don't know how to do something »).

Enjoy Ubuntu !

Regards.