Ubuntu Linux 6.06 review (Jem Report) [LWN.net]

Ubuntu Linux 6.06 review (Jem Report)

Posted Jul 26, 2006 19:09 UTC (Wed) by josh_stern (guest, #4868)
In reply to: Ubuntu Linux 6.06 review (Jem Report) by drag
Parent article: Ubuntu Linux 6.06 review (Jem Report)

My point is about how to make the Ubuntu install better for the new user; it isn't about defending the review or the reviewer.

For the new user there is a big difference between what they could do with small effort if they knew how and what they can do and figure out with the knowledge they have. To take a different example, what about the new user who wants to look at their web pages with the arial font?

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Ubuntu Linux 6.06 review (Jem Report)

Posted Jul 26, 2006 22:07 UTC (Wed) by drag (subscriber, #31333) [Link]

The repositories setup is as easy as it can get.

To work around the legalities and logistics Ubuntu is simply not able to support as many packages as they'd like. So for packages they choose not to support they simply recompile from Debian packages and stick them in 'universe'. Then for stuff that is legally suspect they stick in multiverse.

This is reality provided by the limited time that Ubuntu is willing to devote to supporting packages. I don't know of a way around it. Using Debian sourced packages is probably the best thing they can do.

That's a hell of a lot easier to deal with then with Windows were there is no package management system. The closest you get is 'Tucows.com'.

"To take a different example, what about the new user who wants to look at their web pages with the arial font?"

open firefox.
Edit --> preferences --> general tab (the one open by default) --> select arial font.

Not too difficult.

Ubuntu Linux 6.06 review (Jem Report)

Posted Jul 26, 2006 22:40 UTC (Wed) by josh_stern (guest, #4868) [Link]

You are missing my points

First, if you read back to my original comment you will see that I am not criticizing the (useful) separation of universe and multiverse, but rather advocating that the install itself should tell new users of their existence, how, and why they might want to search and access them.

Regarding arial, that is one of the Microsoft fonts that is non-free and has to be installed in a special way to deal with the special licensing. It is indirectly part of multiverse, not something installed by default. I mentioned it as an example of something there a regular use might well want for their desktop.