Installing a compiler by default

[Trent Lloyd]

See below,

On Thu, Jun 08, 2006 at 02:48:32PM -0400, John Vivirito wrote:
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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.

I disagree, installing VMWare, for example, is a relatively easy process
if you have build-essential.

Trent

> > 
> >> >  * 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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-- 
Trent Lloyd <lathiat at bur.st>
Bur.st Networking Inc.