[ubuntu-uk] f-spot vs. iphoto

[TheVeech]

On Sat, 2007-04-28 at 09:23 +0100, Alan Pope wrote:
> On Fri, 2007-04-27 at 23:10 +0100, TheVeech wrote:
> > If you wanted Picasa, an easy way to install it may be to use Automatix
> > http://www.getautomatix.com/
> > (Link for Feisty i386 download:
> > http://www.getautomatix.com/apt/dists/feisty/main/binary-i386/automatix2_1.1-3.12-7.04feisty_i386.deb)
> > which is a program that makes it very simple to install a number of
> > programs that aren't in the official repositories.  Personally I don't
> > use Automatix and, while some people find it really helpful, others
> > frown upon it.  But at the stage of learning that you're at, it's a
> > compromise that's probably worth taking up.
> > 
> 
> 
> If by "compromise" you mean "might make it painful to update packages
> and will be highly likely to make an upgrade to the next release of
> ubuntu break", then yes, install automatix.
> 
> Personally I wouldn't touch it, and I don't think "we" should be
> advocating its use. The short term gain of quickly installing software
> will quickly be forgotten 6 months later when you can't upgrade the
> system easily using the standard tools.

There's a trade off for sure.  As a rough guess I'd think that the
people who'd benefit from using something like Automatix are more likely
to initially want to do less advanced things with their computers, so a
fresh install of a new release is simpler since it doesn't entail days
of configuration.

If their knowledge increases, they're more likely to follow 'better'
practises, but it's up to users if they want to learn and if they don't,
there's always going to be a trade off.  It's ideal to get people to
follow good practises from the off, but you can't force people to take
on board what you advise if they're committed not to.  I like people
like this, though, because they learn more because they want to
experiment and make more demands of the OS.

Some people stick with a low level of knowledge, so letting them use
such methods isn't the end of the world and, at worst, you just have to
back up data and do a fresh install (something I advocate anyway) when
there's a new release should anything break otherwise - including
official updates/upgrades.  That said, though I'm not as strongly
opposed to these automated methods for beginners, I prefer official
channels, too, but it took a lot of experimenting for me to get to that
stage.

The way usability and popularity's going, non-official automated methods
may become increasingly unnecessary.  But right now, I'm also an
advocate of people experimenting and learning with the different
possibilities before (ideally) settling down and realising that a
streamlined system is best.  Then they can choose to start afresh with
better ideas and organisation.

But whatever the debate about Automatix, advocating that there's things
we should and shouldn't recommend is great and means that we could get
together, pool our knowledge and thrash out some sort of common policy
from the combined knowledge available.  If this happens, I'd be more
than happy to contribute and follow a path we've agreed on.  We've also
got the ideal situation with Robin's Mac of being able to kill two birds
with one stone: work on a live project, testing and refining our
approach, and getting Robin's system up and running.

There's also the possibility of doing something offering instructions in
one place on how to install what the automated methods offer, if this
hasn't already been done.