Public SourceMage Discussion List

[evraire AT tuwg.com]

Hello,

> Realistically how much can we expect SMGL users to know ? 

  While what Andrew says may be true (newbiews will grow our user base, not 
sys-admins), I believe sys-admins to be prime targets of this distribution: 
they like to keep on top of the configuration of their system, keep-up with 
all the security fixes and aren't afraid to edit a few config files.

  I think knowing your way around a linux system should be a requirement, and 
by that I mean the same as Andrew: "We can edit almost any file in /etc 
ourselves. We grok the file tree hierarchy and know what basically all the 
main directories are for."  Like Hamish, I believe users should be expected 
to know a few of the basic *nix tools, although I believe he and I differ on 
what's included in that set of tools.

  Its important to distinguish between experienced linux users and linux 
developers.  A linux user probably knows what the difference between KDE (or 
Gnome) and X-Windows is, knows the likely file to edit to get a particular 
module loaded, knows how to get around the directory structure in a command 
prompt and knows how to use man to get help.  A linux developer would know 
some addtional tools, such as gcc, diff, patch, and might have additional 
skills like bash coding and stuff.  The latter might be able to figure out 
the inner workings of sorcery, our package management system, whereas the 
former could not (and wouldn't be interested to).

  I think it is wrong to turn away users who simply want to run their system 
off our distro simply because they don't do their share of development, 
especially if you're interested in increasing your user base.

  My two cents,

  Jonathan Evraire
  evraire at tuwg.com


-----------------------------------------
Message sent via Toad-One
Anti-spam notice, this message originated from IP Address: 199.212.215.11
-----------------------------------------