Getting back/forward mouse buttons working as default

[Eric Dunbar]

> > Why not have newbies running Hoary? They/we may not be able to
> > trouble-shoot major problems, but minor ones or interface issues can
> > easily be flagged by people who are more removed from the
> > computer-geek (ahem, expert) way of working, thus improving the
> > experience for non-experts once Hoary is released, eh?
> 
> In general, introducing someone that is thinking about switching from
> windows to the hoary development branch is a bad idea. At the school
> LOTS of students want to try Linux on their desktop machines after
> taking the Linux course. Being that most of them are not really
> computer "geeks" YET ... they pick out features that work terribly and
> it effects their decision because "windows doesnt do that".
>
> Introducing a new user like that to a distribution where they WILL get
> lots of bugs will only foster the belief that Linux is very buggy and
> Windows is 10x better. Most will not take into account that this IS a
> development version ... they have no patience for re-installs or
> waiting for a bug to get fixed that was introduced to a PREVIOUSLY
> WORKING package, they just want an OS that works.

I AM NOT TRYING TO START A FLAME WAR!

I hate to say it, but Linux apps _ARE_ still quite buggy compared to
their counterparts on the closed or half-closed/half-open source
operating systems! The underlying framework (BSD utilities, kernel) is
extremely robust, mature and provides a great foundation upon which to
build. Unfortunately the stuff that's superimposed isn't quite up to
Aqua or Luna quality. Yes, you can hack X11 (GDE, KDE, etc.) to do
nearly whatever you want if you know how, but, even if you do you
aren't guaranteed stability, or compatibility.

But, yes, if you're acting as an evangelist for Linux and convincing
(conning ;P) someone to try out Linux by promising them freedom from
viruses or spam/spy/adware, then Hoary would not necessarily be the
greatest idea (you can't really use the stability claim b/c Win XP
Home Edition is stable enough for most people _provided_ they don't
install Kazaa or other spy/ad/unstableware containing apps). However,
for a "newbie" seeking out Linux and some adventure, along with the
latest updates (which you simply won't get with Warty) then Hoary is
more than stable enough.

All you really need to know to keep Hoary going is that if a Synaptic
update breaks GNOME (as an update occasionally does), then you have to
switch to one of the other "terminals" (ctrl-alt-F1 through 6), login
as the main user, run sudo apt-get update followed by sudo apt-get
upgrade, followed by sudo reboot and you should be fine (except that
every 30 restarts you have to wait for your disk to be checked in the
boot sequence ;). And, sometimes you can fix problems by just
restarting X11 with control-alt-delete in terminal F7.

Eric.