everyday multimedia not supported in Ubuntu (Re: 3 days from the release, 3 machines, a few issues.
Matthew S-H
mathbymath at aol.com
Thu Apr 7 17:05:14 UTC 2005
And keep in mind that the ability to seek, search, and gain technical
expertise will always exist. So for those of us who do not fall into
the same category as these "commoners", we can still use Linux as a
platform to expand our knowledge and broaden out horizons.
The idea for a wizard sounds great. Especially if it includes
additional features such as automatically adding other OS's partitions
to fstab.
Also, it could include such features as choosing a default web browser,
downloading and installing driver software for popular graphics cards,
setting up additional users, setting certain basic settings, installing
smb, setting up a modem (dialup/broadband), running a dist-upgrade, or
subscribing to this list :) (or at least a link to the subscription
page), and maybe even some links to some of the unofficial guides.
I just think that having these features readily accessible to end-users
might help Ubuntu become a lot more mainstream. Also, it would help
lower the traffic resulting from repeated questions posted to this
list. After all, if Ubuntu does become a popular operating system, it
will become nearly impossible to respond to all the questions posted on
this list.
Also, it might be nice to have the wizard be available in the system
preferences or something so that it can be accessed again in the
future!
And, for the sake of preserving the "seek and search for knowledge"
aspect of Linux, it might be possible to provide an interactive wizard
that shows you what to do and lets you do it instead of just doing it
all automatically.
Just my opinion. Take it or leave it. I just think it would be
awesome.
~Matt
On Apr 7, 2005, at 9:14 AM, Ed Sutherland wrote:
> My concept of a Linux or Ubuntu wizard would not necessarily
> concentrate on automating an illegal process or a procedure violating
> a distribution's rules of practice. Rather, the wizards would automate
> commonly-asked procedures: setting up multimedia support, having your
> browser display a certain filetype or adding your Windows partition to
> the desktop (instead of instructions to apt this file or add that
> repository or search for this library.) If a process bumped up against
> a legality or internal ethics question, the user would be notified and
> she would then make the choice.
>
> I know this level of automation goes counter the long-standing Linux
> tradition of seeking, searching and gaining technical expertise, but
> Linux needs to evolve along with the rest of the computing world. As
> computers pass the point where they are only operated by the technical
> elite and 'commoners' are the majority, such flexibility (as is seen
> with much of Ubuntu) needs to be adopted by every Linux distribution
> which desires to go beyond the realm of hobbyist niche.
>
> Ed
>
>
> Matthew S-H wrote:
>
>> I don't in any way intend to put on you any pressure, but I would be
>> interested to know how feasible the "wizard" idea is.
>> Obviously, it shouldn't be too hard from a /technical/ point of view,
>> but would it be possible considering legalities?
>> It would definitely have to include a long and straightforward list
>> of things you can't do with it (ie: actually /use/ it if you're in
>> most modern countries), but would including a wizard that
>> automatically ran during the install process and had the /ability/ to
>> install such things really be considered as an endorsement?
>> Realistically, if companies like LimeWire can be considered not to be
>> endorsing trading of copyrighted material, then surely such a wizard
>> is completely innocent. Then again, LimeWire wouldn't/doesn't have
>> the behemoth of Microsoft on its back trying to put out al
>> competition (not that the RIAA and MPAA are so small either).
>>
>> Anyway, I was just wondering how feasible it would be. And I hope I
>> didn't state /too/ much of the obvious...
>>
>>
>> ~Matt
>>
>>
>> On Apr 6, 2005, at 11:57 AM, Matt Zimmerman wrote:
>>
>> On Wed, Apr 06, 2005 at 12:35:38PM +0200, Philippe Landau wrote:
>>
>> Matt Zimmerman wrote:
>>
>> The components of Ubuntu are quite clearly explained on
>> the website,
>> including their support status. If there is some way that
>> you feel this
>> could be made more clear, let us know.
>>
>> the problems with multimedia should be mentioned on the front
>> page until
>> there is an easy way for everybody to resolve them, like a
>> post install
>> script provided by plf-ubuntu.
>>
>>
>> I think that's a bit extreme, don't you? Most every other Linux
>> distribution on the planet is in an identical situation, and this
>> is not
>> cause for placing a disclaimer on the front page of the website.
>> That just
>> doesn't seem reasonable.
>>
>> There is also extensive information about the complex
>> issues which bear on
>> multimedia support; I see no need to elaborate here.
>>
>> even professional offers for help were never taken up here.
>> ubuntu power brokers tend to drop the ball when it becomes
>> hot.
>>
>>
>> If you would like to dispense with the antagonism and vague
>> accusations, and
>> clearly explain the situation as you perceive it, I am willing to
>> listen.
>> Otherwise, there are much more pressing issues facing Ubuntu at
>> the moment,
>> which need attention.
>>
>> -- - mdz
>>
>> -- ubuntu-users mailing list
>> ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com
>> http://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-users
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> ubuntu-users mailing list
> ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com
> http://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-users
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: text/enriched
Size: 5637 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-users/attachments/20050407/5f593804/attachment.bin>
More information about the ubuntu-users
mailing list