a linux ready for simple users ? (Re: issues with warty final

[Turing Test]

On Thu, 28 Oct 2004 00:17:20 +0200, Oliver Grawert
<hostmaster at grawert.net> wrote:
> hi,
> Am Mittwoch, den 27.10.2004, 23:07 +0200 schrieb Philippe Landau:
> > if legal problems make it impossible to include things,
> > it would be easy to make a script that guides
> > through the installation of stuff from other sources,
> > or at least a simple but complete how-to,
> > a step by step guide (like a cookbook) to a
> > more complete system that includes DVD viewing and remixing,
> > internet radio and tv, and movie playback
> > including xvid, divx, mpeg4, quicktime and flash,
> > and some of the best p2p apps available.
> 
> did you actually look at this page ?
> 
> http://wiki.ubuntu.com/RestrictedFormats

I wouldn't consider RestrictedFormats a guided script, nor a simple
but complete how-to; it's more of a "why-not".

The very single thing that Ubuntu should at least do, in order to be
user-friendly, is linking to a real how-to "on demand", when the user
makes hers first attempt to open a file format that's not supported by
Ubuntu. Instead she has a Nautilus hell-alert-box saying that it
doesn't know what to do with that file, giving the impression that
Ubuntu "just doesn't work".

> 
> if you follow the instructions all proprietary formats are just some
> mouseclicks away in synaptic.

Given that you already know what Synaptic is, and how to use it. Those
I would consider moderately advanced knowledge for a non-sophisticated
user that knows how to use a mouse and just want to listen to her
music. At the bare minimum, you should supply her with mediums to
learn how to put her system to work, in a task-oriented way.