Re: BDI install disk for EMC

> It seems every few months we get new potential users of Linux/emc
> looking for the quick install route, maybe only a half dozen
> people. I spent considerable time in installing and configuring all
> the software. The knowledge you gain from doing that install will be
> required as you mature together with Linux/EMC. Right now the new
> users have trouble setting up the system, but after achieving that,
> they will more likely not have any more problems they cannot figure
> out. If it is installed on a BDI, they get it up and running but
> have no skills to trouble shoot it when there is problems. It seems
> like a, pay now, or pay later deal to me.

I don't think it's a zero-sum game:

The BDI allows you to start producing with EMC sooner. The
parts you cut with BDI prior to learning enough Linux to not
need BDI are a gain you keep.

A more plug-and-play result will increase users' fun
substantially, and cause a nonlinear improvement of the
acceptance of EMC. Users are persuing a metalworking hobby,
not a Linux-hacking hobby, right?

The existance of BDI permits you to learn Linux more slowly.

If BDI is really good, you don't have to debug a problem, you
can just reload the system. I know this is ugly Windows talk,
but it's an option that doesn't exist without BDI.

To some extent, the problems setting up EMC proper can be
permanently removed with better release engineering. If bugs
are removed, no one must put in the work to understand them.


A member of the League for Programming Freedom (LPF) http://lpf.ai.mit.edu
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brian Bartholomew - bb@... - www.wv.com - Working Version, Cambridge, MA