Re: If you could design a $300 homecomputer today, what would you choose?

["Alan Sharkis" <asharkis@optonline.net>]

I have to agree.

Let's just limit it to installation.  I've installed many versions of Linux
over the years.  Each one something of a challenge that would floor the
average computer user.

OK, I admit that when I installed Mandrake 8.0 on a loaded Pentium III 800
it was a snap.  It even recognized my Sound Blaster Live! and a Linksys NIC
(Tulip) without any help on my part!  But when I tried to install the same
distro on a Pentium 100 -- same NIC and a Sound Blaster AWE32, it bombed
miserably.  I do have Red Hat 7.2 running on that machine, but it was
hand-configuring all the way.  It would be torture for anyone who was
brought up on Windows.

Still, I wouldn't be discouraged about putting it into a $300 computer.
Lets assume a high degree of uniformity in the hardware of such beasties.  A
distro of Linux, or any other OS could be designed to install easily in such
a limited hardware environment and probably could be run and maintained just
as easily.

I'd also have to say that users of such machines as Atari 8-bits would have
the mindset to deal with any problems that came up.

Take care.

Alan

"Stephan Schaem" <tthai@mindspring.com> wrote in message
tl424hfvnqeted@corp.supernews.com">news:tl424hfvnqeted@corp.supernews.com...
>
> "Bill Hoggett" <bill_hoggett@lineone.net> wrote in message
5gm3ltsshmn8lbpu141k1h8u2fq59jvo0p@4ax.com">news:5gm3ltsshmn8lbpu141k1h8u2fq59jvo0p@4ax.com...
> > On Sun, 15 Jul 2001 10:08:30 -0700, "Stephan Schaem"
> > <tthai@mindspring.com> wrote:
> >
> > >The problem is with the apps and general UI system.
> > >Dont know if its still the case, but getting to use an app,
> > >was getting to know the programmer mind under unix for each and every
app.
> > >With OSX if you learn how to open a file in one app, great chances more
then
> > >that app will use that method.
> > >I overhead people today in a store discovering why they PC with one
click cd burning
> > >was not working... they put the original cd in the CDRW and the blank
in the DVD player.
> > >Under linux it doesn't take much to have mass user be lost to the point
that they need
> > >human assistance. Would you be ready so offer this support to millions
?
> > >
> > >Having a user friendly OS is more then having a tweaked kernal on a CD.
> >
> > This is simply Microsoft inspired FUD from someone who hasn't used a
> > modern Linux distro.  Try SuSE 7.2 or Mandrake 8.0 before spewing more
> > of this propaganda.
>
> Good DVD support? Easy to interface with 1394/DV products? Good set of USB
drivers
> for scanners/digital imaging? ... Easy to setup internet sharing?
SSE/3dnow! Optmized codecs?
> Easy to use 'packet cd' support? How about Video IO, easy to setup & use?
>
> If you tell me this stuff is handled better by the SuSE distribution then
Windows XP I will
> probably switch my home OS to linux. But other wise I wont take an
afternoon to downgrade
> my home OS.
>
> If I cant use, or need to download beta driver/recompile the OS, etc...
for any of my peripherial
> because the OS dont offer services/drivers I do see a problem using it for
a mainstream home OS.
> Do you think linux is not on everyone computer because of marketing
only?!?!?
>
> Stephan
>
>
>