Re: GoBSD.com

["Jonas Sundström" <jonas@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Weapon of Mass Deduction <blacklist@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> To explain this more, I think DragonFlyBSD just isn't considered
> 'ready-to-use'. That's why GoBSD releases their own builds.
> This way the DragonFlyBSD people are alleviated, as they do
> not have to take (much) care of the problems of end-users.

I'm thinking any real effort to make the system better for everyone, 
easier to setup/configure/admin has to be firmly based within the 
DragonFly developer community. Any Desktop Environment (such as Gnome 
or KDE) is limited* by the services provided by the base system. I 
think much of the necessary work to make BSD more userfriendly is 
spread across the base system and the ports** collection. (Everything 
from argument switches, default modes, config file standards, and what 
not.) Config scripts, tool frontends and GUI preferences can only do so 
much. 

(* Take software rendered OpenGL. If the system doesn't offer 3D-
acceleration, the GUI layer can do software rendering, but it will 
never be as good as accelerated 3D. Likewise, a D.E. can add filesystem 
metadata via databases or whatever, but it'll never be as clean as a 
real metadata filesystem, where the metadata stays with the fs 
entities, no matter what.)

(** If X would auto-configure itself, we'd have lots more potential end
-users. Harddisk partitioning is another stumbling block. One could 
argue that we don't want user who can't accomplish these tasks, but 
that is rather limiting the growth potential of DragonFly, and possibly 
the reason why Linux is so much more successful.)

GoBSD could be the first line of defense, to allow the core devs peace 
of mind. It might also grow into a real commercial distro maker 
offering the support most ordinary people expect and need. This is no 
easy task though.

Linux distro makers have started caring for real people and their 
usability efforts are snowballing. Can it happen with BSD? I hope so.

BTW, it's ironic how the terms 'i18n' and 'l10n' are supposed to 
symbolize
the efforts to give computers more people skills.

/Jonas Sundström.                   www.kirilla.com