[ubuntu-uk] Ubuntu Profile

[Matthew Larsen]

It might be good to have a feature in ubuntu, where if something isnt
supported you get a little popup (like the update manager) saying that
your piece of hardware isnt supported / no drivers etc, and to maybe
link to some help or something like that. Maybe refer you to launchpad
bugs?

I can see why it gets annoying when it just 'doesn't work'. As
mentioned this is the hardware vendors fault really for not
distributing drivers / releasing the specs. However this isn't the
user's fault so we should try and make it as easy as possible for the
users to get around this.

My 2 cents...

On 29/10/2007, Renjith Nair <renjith4 at gmail.com> wrote:
> I believe the argument is not whether windows is easier than linux or vice
> versa. That is common man's opinion about linux since he/she expects
> everything to behave like windows.  Everything which behaves differently
> from Windows is considered to be 'difficult' because they are only used to
> using windows.
>
> Let us face the reality. We all know that the incompatibility of drivers in
> linux is due to the manufacturers not providing drivers and that is the sad
> fact. I agree that if linux-box distribution like Tesco's is going to be
> adopted, there won't be much of a driver Issue. But things haven't reached
> that level yet.. How many computers do you find in the stores with
> pre-installed linux? Tesco's computers are just the first step. So is the
> Dell distribution. Till we start influencing the market, the manufacturers
> won't release linux drivers.  So how this can be done? It is actually by
> increasing the use of linux in the community. I guess we don't have
> different opinions regarding this.
>
> So basically it boils down to a point, how we can make more people use
> linux? Getting pre installed linux box  hasn't been widely happening. Till
> this happens, we need to support these cards, irrespective of manufacturers
> attitude towards linux.  Atleast we support  hardware from the common
> manufacturers. Gutsy is the right step in doing that. But we still are far
> from solving the problems.
>
> Most of the times, solving any of these driver issues need technical
> knowledge. This is not what we can expect from average users. Why don't we
> release patches/scripts for solving atleast some of these problems ?  Let me
> put it this way, users will be happy to download and execute a patch/ driver
> file rather than tinkering with the configurations. don't you think so?
> Patches won't be an answer for all problems, but still it will make life
> better for average users. Remember that normal user is not technically
> capable like us. They need simpler solutions.  We have forums to help in
> solving these issues.. But most of the time, it is very technical and so
> common people won't understand.
>
> I would be happy to help people in solving some of these issues. But i am
> not expert in every issue. If we ( ubuntu community of UK) can put in some
> resources in terms of manpower (some free time) and knowledge, i am sure
> than we can influence at least few people in adopting linux. May be i will
> quote Tesco's slogan for this  "Every little helps"
>
> :-)
>
> regards,
> renjith
>
>
>
>
> On 10/29/07, Sean Miller <sean at seanmiller.net> wrote:
> >
> > I think we are actually agreeing.  The start of this particular line of
> conversation was somebody saying that Linux wasn't doing enough to make
> installation of wireless cards simple and reliable... my point was that most
> of the cards that I am using now appear to work pretty much "out of the box"
> in Gutsy (and with some in Feisty, Edgy etc.) so I don't need to do the
> whole ndiswrapper thing...
> >
> > In fact, when I reinstalled my old laptop which had died for some years
> after an unfortunate incident with a glass of wine and a fizzing motherboard
> (!) I discovered that whilst Gutsy works 100% well straight away Windows XP
> does anything but, arguing that the graphics card isn't the one it's
> expecting but offering no advice on fixing it other than a "Browse" and a
> suggestion to insert some sort of driver CD.
> >
> > How's that helpful?
> >
> > It makes me think that if Windows users actually had to occasionally
> install their own OS they'd find Windows was significantly harder to make
> work than Linux - it's therefore all a myth this concept that Windows is
> "easy"... it's only "easy" because the "norm" is to buy a pre-installed PC !
> >
> > Sean
> >
> > --
> > ubuntu-uk at lists.ubuntu.com
> > https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk
> > https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/
> >
> >
>
>
> --
> ubuntu-uk at lists.ubuntu.com
> https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk
> https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/
>
>


-- 
---

Matthew Larsen
   > mat.larsen at gmail.com
   > matthew.larsen at logicacmg.com