Date: Thu, 6 Aug 2009 06:41:12 -0500 From: Neal Hogan <nealhogan@gmail.com> To: Mark Stapper <stark@mapper.nl> Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: FreeBSD for the common man(or woman) (was: upgrade 7.2 overwrites partitions) Message-ID: <ab7b49bc0908060441s7aa4bdg6e919655165a9551@mail.gmail.com> In-Reply-To: <4A7A89B3.6010206@mapper.nl> References: <4A76FB32.9050601@videotron.ca> <20090803215319.8fad2441.freebsd@edvax.de> <4A798DF2.3020305@videotron.ca> <200908051651.53302.j.mckeown@ru.ac.za> <20090805203337.c6f74172.freebsd@edvax.de> <h5crnd$f9m$1@ger.gmane.org> <4A7A89B3.6010206@mapper.nl>
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> In light of this, I would really enjoy seeing a "Ubuntu" like movement > in the FreeBSD corner. > What I mean is that it would be nice for my mother to install and use > FreeBSD. > I am not saying that a Windows user should be able to feel right at home > on a box running FreeBSD, but a computer user should. > The problem herein, i am afraid, lies not with FreeBSD(or any other BSD > flavour), nor with it's community, but with the computer user. > Most computer users see an operating system(and the application they run > most) as part of a computer. > How many people say "My computer is broken" when =B5$ Office doesn't star= t > anymore. > They don't care about which kernel they run, or which browser they use, > they care about typing e-mail, chatting and watching youtube video's. > (However sad it makes me that most people use less then 10% of the > features/programs/potential/computing-power the computer came with, they > do make sure we pay less for our components.) > Even though I'd feel less "cool" or "nerdy" (which is basically the same > thing ;-) ) if I'd run(or USE) the same OS as my 76 year old > grandfather, it would be nice for him to be able to buy a computer for > $20 less because it runs FreeBSD. > To achieve this, there are two things that should be made easier: > 1. Installing a basic desktop system(next to any currently installed OS) > 2. Keeping the base system and ports up to date. > And when I mean "easier" I mean it should be done without bothering the > user unless you about to "rm -rf /" as root, so to say. > Since most people never reinstall their computer, making it easier to > install a basic desktop system won't help my 76 year old grandpa, but it > will make it easier for unsatisfied Windows users to try FreeBSD. > Besides, in making it easy to install a basic desktop system, comes the > hardest part of any *nix like system: defining a basic desktop and > collecting the basic/standard applications. > It's hard just to pick either one Gnome, KDE or XFCE (or iceWM ;-) ) let > alone mail-clients, internet browsers, IM, etc. etc. > One of the advantages of using a descent operating system is the freedom > of choice. However most users don't care! > I am more then happy to tel anyone which e-mail client not to use (Lotus > notes, outlook express, anyone else's neck hears standing up?), but I > don't want to tell people they HAVE to use Thunderbird(I do tell them > they SHOULD but that's different) or evolution etc. > The problem is, most people don't want to make this choice either. > And the circle of life continues. > So basically, to make sure people will be using freeBSD (or any *nix > operating system) it needs to be easy to install (So that > PC-manufacturers will ship their pc's with it), a nicely filled standard > desktop environment with lot's of youtube/chat/word process capabilities > and "I won't bother you with it but i'm updating" functionality. > Just some thoughts.. > I'll get back to work now... > ... I must say that I find this (new) thread a bit funny since it was inspired by a guy (the OP) who has been using fBSD for many years (over 5 . . . I can't remember the exact number). > > >
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