OSNews

Ease Of Use[/i]

For example, in order to install KDE 3.4 RC1 on my system, I found some APT repositories and downloaded away, and it worked. However, a new user to Linux (fresh from Windows) is accustomed to double-clicking a setup icon,

KDE 3.4 *RC1*

A package which is a release candidate shouldn't be directly accessible to newcomers in order to prevent they might take to much obstacles they could handle at that time.Mostly the OS get's in anyway the blame for unjust reasons.This doesn't do anybody a favor.For example: Gentoo testing packages are all masked.An advanced user or a smart one who allways inmediedly heads for the documentation would know that you can edit "/etc/portage/packages.keywords" and write something like "=x11-themes/commonbox-styles-extra-0.2-r1" in it to install the masked package commonbox-styles-extra-0.2-r1.Anyone with a fair gasp of reason understands that the described exersize isn't recommended.The same goes for installing packages or compile from source provided out of the official repositories.Debian has devided the packages in three categories;"stable","testing",and unstable.

In my humble opinion ther's not really a good reason to focus more on installers.What's necesary is a standard package manager like the kernel is mandatory in one way or another.A package manager like smart from Mandriva for example,yet with a extensive environment variable "database" for a lot of distros (can argue about how many).As an addition perhaps some could research in what way installing from a source not in the various repositories could be better integrated in the described package manager.

A big unison on elemental but vital key issues that not per se have to conflict with culture and the ways of how the distros look at certain things should be strived to.

To me, "Wait for your vendor" is a Linux remark that should get thrown in the trash.

That's your good right but doesn't and can't be applied on everyone.With power comes great resposibillity.Linux is very powerfull,you can in fact do anything with it and configure
really to the last bit,*when you have the skills to pull it off*.Till than the good distros protect the OS from you.

Usability

That's exponential to the user knowing what he/she wants and his/her skills,on any OS.
As with taste you can't hardly argue about usabillity,it's up to the user to decide in the end.

Third Party Support

Clear,ther're enough great distros with great communities and even the capabillity to assist or handle custom (tailor) made solutions with support,and you would be suprised about the costs.

Than you might see more games for the Linux platform :-)


final thoughts

If any of you readers have an idea on how Linux will work better, don't keep it to yourself! Post it at your local bugzilla or developer's website, because no one will know your ideas unless you make them known. The strength of Linux will always be the people that use it, and in numbers, so use your power to convince those in power to make things better. If you don't, it may never happen and I cannot stress enough how important it is.

If any developers are reading this, let's come up with some installers, user friendly applications, and nullify the dependence most distributions have on the terminal.

Feedback is tremendously important.One of the great strenghts of the OSS community.