Installing a compiler by default

[John Vivirito]

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> Matt Zimmerman wrote:
>> > I would like to propose that, beginning in Edgy, Ubuntu desktop systems
>> > (both live and installed) should, by default, include the set of packages
>> > necessary to compile simple C programs and Linux kernel modules.
> 
> I'm an extremely experienced computer user (including Linux since the early
> days of Debian) and even I don't need gcc.
>> > 
>> > My reasoning is based on the following points:
>> > 
>> >  * Linux systems have traditionally shipped with gcc
> 
> The worst of reasons.
>> > 
>> >  * The most common way to obtain a new driver for a Linux system is
>> >    to compile it from C source code
> 
> _My_ most common way to do anything is to find a binary.
>> > 
>> >  * A common reason to install a new driver on a Linux system is to gain
>> >    access to the Internet, so support can be difficult to obtain in such a
>> >    scenario
> 
> It's not _that_ common.  Especially if you purchase hardware based on known
> support in Linux.
>> > 
>> >  * A great deal of distribution-agnostic documentation assumes the
>> >    availability of gcc
> 
> True.
>> > 
>> >  * Users who are new to Ubuntu have no idea how to install the necessary
>> >    packages for building a kernel module
> 
> Users new to Ubuntu have no idea how to compile a kernel module.  Installing
> gcc only gets them marginally closer.
> 
>> >  * An excessive amount of RAM is needed to install build-essential and
>> >    linux-headers in the live CD environment, and we only have enough space
>> >    for them either in preinstalled form (for the live session) OR packaged
>> >    form (for the installed system), not both
> 
> I don't quite understand why gcc makes any difference, there.
> 
> -- derek 

I would like to see build-essential installed by default because alot of
new users that cant finda  .deb resort to tars and build-essential apps
are needed for that. make and gcc are main ones used. i have seen alot
of new users wanting to learn how to compile apps from tars. i have also
seen many new users looking for gcc and cant find it "mainly they dont
know how to find it" but if installed by default thats a few less things
the new users have to worry about.
- --
GnomeFreak

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Johnvivirito
https://launchpad.net/people/gnomefreak
http://freewebs.com/ubuntufreak
Linux User# 414246
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