Software Installation So Simple Grandma Can Do It
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If you are finding that software installation with distributions such as Ubuntu is simply too complex, please stop what you are doing. Take the keys out of your pocket and throw them out the window. There, you just did society a favor as clearly, something as complex as a car is just too much. I mean, how user friendly is “driving”!
As you likely guessed from the bit above, I am being sarcastic. Why? Because if install software by going to Applications, Add/Remove Applications was any simpler, it would require you to re-evaluate your basic skills as a human.
The very idea that software is somehow, requiring the command line or other nonsense is total hogwash. Yes, we have that as an option. After all, copying and pasting some fast lines of text is no great feat by any stretch. But for the most part, everything most people need is available either from Add/Remove or if you want to be really cutting edge, from GetDeb.net.
If this is too much for ya, please step away from the computer and consider buying a WebTV.
2 Comments
John Selden
June 24th, 2009
at 12:53pm
This is not really the point. Yes, it is easy to install software from the repositories. But not all software is in the repositories. I use some commercial software that is not in the repositories and is not available as a .deb installer. This is where the installation in Linux gets very hairy. In Windows, you can always double-click the .exe file. On the Mac, you can always double-click the .dmg file. In Linux, once you are outside the repository, grandma is going to get really confused.
Matt Hartley
June 24th, 2009
at 6:16pm
John: Thanks for the feedback.
The key word being /you/ use software that is not available in a Deb package. I would say most of the world, would not fall into this category.
I use closed and open source software, from open source video editing to closed source VoIP - all of it was available as a Deb package.
Heck, even ThinkFree comes in a self-executing package. But again, most people would instead lean with the already include open office alternative. :)