To Automatix or not?

[ian mooney]

i used automatix and found it nice to be able to install firefox1.5 and 
frostwire, i wasnt happy with what it did to my sources list though.....not 
tried easyubuntu but ill follow jeff waugh's advice in future.


>From: Jonathan Jesse <jjesse at iserv.net>
>Reply-To: jjesse at iserv.net,Kubuntu Help and User Discussions 
><kubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com>
>To: kubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com
>Subject: Re: To Automatix or not?
>Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 15:44:08 -0500
>
>On Monday 20 March 2006 15:34, Vayu wrote:
> > On Monday 20 March 2006 11:43, Jonathan Jesse wrote:
> > > On Monday 20 March 2006 14:28, Lord Sauron wrote:
> > > > On 3/19/06, James Gray <james at grayonline.id.au> wrote:
> > > > > I've seen some discussion on two separate threads recently about 
>the
> > > > > merits of Automatix.  I'd like to share the following from Jeff 
>Waugh
> > > > > (Gnome developer ghod and Ubuntu guru):
> > > > >
> > > > > Quote: Jeff Waugh
> > > > > "Please use EasyUbuntu instead of Automatix. There are a lot of
> > > > > disappointly bad things done by Automatix that are better to 
>avoid.
> > > > > - Jeff"
> > > > >
> > > > > Take it or leave it.  I'm not trying to start a holy war or dis 
>the
> > > > > Automatix people.  Just advertising that there is an "Ubuntu
> > > > > preferred" alternative :)
> > > >
> > > > What on earth is Automatix?  I looked through aptitude, but found
> > > > nothing.
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > ========== GCv3.12 ==========
> > > > GCS d-(++) s+: a? C++ UL+>++++ P+
> > > > L++ E--- W+(+++) N++ o? K? w--- O? M+
> > > > V? PS- PE+ Y-(--) PGP- t+++ 5? X R tv-- b+
> > > >                 DI+++ D+ G e* h- !r !y
> > > > ========= END GCv3.12 ========
> > >
> > > Automatix is a very bad tool that you need to download yourself.  It 
>is a
> > > script and is not avaialble through syantpic/aptitude/adept/apt-get
> > >
> > > --
> >
> > Actually it is a very good tool, that uses bad practices.   It is a 
>script
> > that gives you a checkbox menu list to install many of the most popular
> > items.  It will get your multimedia going by installing all the codecs 
>and
> > players.  It will install Firefox 1.5, It will Install OpenOffice 2.x.  
>It
> > will install Opera, and the list goes on of goodies that are often 
>needed
> > but not provided in a base install.  It will set your system up to use 
>DMA
> > for your CD drives, it will give you the scripts to right click in 
>Nautilus
> > and open a file as root.
> >
> > You can do a fresh install of Breezy, then run Automatix and you will 
>have
> > an entirely set up system that doesn't take all kinds of configuring.
> >
> > I used it for my kids PC and my laptop, when I just didn't feel like
> > spending three days to get everything working.  It was amazing.  Better
> > than windows. Two steps and I had fully functioning computers.
> >
> > It was all the rage until someone reported to the author that he 
>shouldn't
> > be using a force directive with apt-get install.  He replied that he had
> > to, and then began the personal attacks.  There were two long threads on
> > the Ubuntu forums that were the most uncivil and unreasonable I've
> > experienced on those forums.  It was unfortunate because not only was
> > Automatix a great tool it had a great following.  The author was 
>presented
> > with ways to achieve his aims without compromising systems.  He said he
> > would implement them.  Since then I haven't heard anything other than he
> > revoked this GPL license and the community which use to hail that 
>program
> > seems to be steering clear of it.
> >
> > I didn't really understand why he was so belligerently defensive.  His 
>tool
> > was fantastic, with a few changes it would have made for safer Debian 
>style
> > installs.
> >
> > From a fresh Breezy install and for most situations Automatix would not 
>do
> > any harm to your system.  By using the force directive there are 
>situations
> > where your system could break.  I believe it also used non-Ubuntu
> > repositories and that was also considered dangerous.
> >
> > You can look up those two threads on the Ubuntu forums to find out in 
>more
> > detail.
>
>Remember to check the legality of the programs you are installing as well.
>Not all of the codecs are legal in all countries
>
>--
>kubuntu-users mailing list
>kubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com
>https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/kubuntu-users

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