[NTLUG:Discuss] Desktop Linux - From Open Source

[jedi at mishnet.org]

> Part of my message is lost in the following response.  Steve is
> providing a view for ONE distribution.  Please do not misunderstand, as
> I feel Yast is excellent, and so is Yum or Apt-Get.  If a user elects to
> use Debian or Red Hat / Fedra or Slackware or Ubuntu or .... then the
> installation procedure will not be the same.  How do you respond to
> software that MUST be installed from source?
>
> The software developer must now write different installation packages
> for each distribution.  That is not a way to make new software sell (be

The software developer shouldn't have to do any such thing.

If the package is good enough and interesting enough then it
will make it's way into the binary package repositories of the
major distributions. Repackaging is not a large effort. Although
someone needs to be willing to do it.

If a program is worthwhile, then someone will step up.

This is a self correcting process.

End users that can't build a program from source probably should
not be subjected to every little program out there that hasn't
yet built a strong reputation for itself. Having "installshield
scripts" for everything on sourceforge or freshmeat is probably
not such a good idea in the end.

> it for free or with a cost).  I believe that all of us are willing to
> pay a price for software that we find to be the very best for a given
> application.  Yes free software may be out there to compete, but will it
> always do what a commercial software will do?  Sometimes yes and
> sometimes no.  Pays your money and take your choice.
>
> What I am advocating is consistency between the MANY distributions for
> software installation, we have a very long way to go in that respect.
> We must also make software installation easy for the non-geek!

Using a correct build script is by no means difficult. It's
just intimidating.

If you are interested in charging for your software than having
a Windows-esque installation mechanism for your Unix software
has never been a problem. I have 10 year old Linux CD's that quite
handily demonstrate that.

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