mark@uunix.com wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I don't post much really on these boards, but I do find it an
> in-valuable source for most day to day problems. I work in the IT
> indusrty and have done for more years than I can count on all my digits
> (including my toes). I work in a mainly windows enviroment, but that's
> only because I shut down the 3 unix boxes a year ago and no one has
> asked me turn them back on in that time (I suspect they don't need them
> any more, and when they ever ask me, I can easly turn them back on..
> but the main point is.. we have obviously moved away from unix). I did
> this after I left support and moved into the training/teaching sector
> of the company as I knew no-one in the company knew anthing about UNIX
> at all especially the support department.
>
> Anyway, at home I still use UNIX alot. I have on my desk, an ULTRA 10
> that's packed to gubing with stuff, 2 SCSI cards using external drives,
> SUNPCi card a nice Sun LCD 18inch TFT and it has a licenced C & C++
> compiler (not GCC). It really is a nice system. On the other side of my
> desk I have a 3GHz intel thingy running XP. Next to the SUN, on the
> floor is an O2 with the nice 1600sw screen.. all unplugged and waiting
> for me to find some space. My wife and daughter have XP machines each,
> my daughter connected via wirelless. In the study there is a cupbord
> that houses an IBM intel with the role of AD controller and another SUN
> (LX) which also has a fully licenced C & C++ but also acts as a NIS+
> server, (There is also an SGI 320 that is doing nothing). Downstairs in
> the fridge room is a SGI Origin 200 that has LDAP and massive amounts
> of disk space connected via a CISCO hub and a wireless point (ok not to
> fast.. but definatly usable).
>
> So I hope you will agree.. I'm definatly a UNIX lover??
>
> OK.. main point..
>
> I'm browsing a site.. searching for the name of Starsky and Hutch on
> the SUN (which is running Solaris 10) and I come to the official site.
>
> It requires a flash plugin...
>
> I go to the site and install it..
>
> And I get to thinking.. (mistake???)
>
> How on earth is a normal user ever to cope with such a thing?
>
> Looking at it from a none-technical users point of view.. even
> installing a pluggin is just soo complex..
>
> gzip-d it..
>
> untar it..
>
> then install it..
>
> during the install... find the path of mozilla-bin..
>
> Jeeze...
>
> What do Windows users get? click and go!
>
> SUN, SGI HP etc.. need to do something.
>
> UNLESS WE ARE ALL WAITING FOR LINUX??????????
>
> Now read the history of UNIX and it's the same of LINUX.
>
> To many manufactorers producing slightly different versions..
>
> Anyway.. before you attack me.. remeber I'm a UNIX lover.
>
> Thanks for listening...
>
> grep the crap out ;-)
>

IMHO this is not a UNIX problem at all. You are especially referring to
the flash plugin. Adding packages on most UNIXs is quite easy and adding
an extension to mozilla is very easy even under UNIX. But getting a
plugin installed under mozilla and friends is just painful. I agree. But
the reason for this is the way mozilla handles the installation and
execution of those plugins. If it would be done in a similar fashion
like extensions, I think you would be happy.

So what now? Talk to mozilla and macromedia. I think everything they
need is in place, they probably just don't want it enough to be easy.

But apart from that there are many things under UNIX that make the head
of an average user spin. But it is OK, because once one understands why
it works the way it does, one has to agree that it is working the right
way. Additionally, e.g. Sun's customers are enterprises. Sun doesn't
even want a _direct_ customer relationship to the average home user. But
I would be surprised if they would reject to help you with technical
problems (as long as you pay them or convince them that it is for their
own good), if you would start selling and supporting a product based on
their software for Mr. Joe around the corner.

So go for it, and build your own distribution for Joe based on
OpenSolaris. But maybe then you will find out that making money by
selling products to Mr. Joe is really hard work and that you need too
sell huge numbers of your product for _very_ little money to get profit.
UNIX is improving (mostly because of Linux I think) and that's good. But
it will take time, money, and a lot more software to solve end user's
problems to get where microsoft is, from an end user's perspective.

Tom