SimplyMEPIS wishlist

1) Remove the development tools
2) Remove any unnecessary server stuff
3) Add mozilla-FireFox
4) Add AbiWord (easy word processor)

I think that's it--MEPIS is so good now there's not much to change. I'd love to get rid of some of the office suite weight, but koffice has some nice features. OpenOffice has to stay because it is the only word processor that can handle footnotes, endnotes & frames properly. High school, college & grad students must be able to do foot notes.

I'm looking forward to it!

Lance

In theory I agree with the minimalist approach...but I'm concerned that the end user will have no idea how to install anything nor have any idea what to install. Windows users are used to an auto-install CD of clearly marked software. Throw-in the photoshop disk & click "install". kpackage is not harder, just very different. Especially since most Linux programs have weird names:

I know what Photoshop is , but what do I need in Linux (gimp--who's name sounds like a horse with a bad leg)

Nero burns CD-ROM in Windows, but how will they *ever* guess that they need something called K3B.

If these are pre-installed with descriptions in the menu (like MEPIS already has) they'll know which programs they have and what they do.

I'd hate to see any of our users wandering around CompUSA looking for "Quicken for Linux".

I have posted on this exact same subject in another thread. In my opinion, as a user, I find installing with KPackage pretty straightforward. I don't think it hurts people to do some research to learn about packages. I few keystrokes in a web browser will do it. I would love to have a "basic" distro that would allow me to choose things such as games. I am working with a lot of old computers as part of a not for profit organization so I like the idea of starting small (under 1gig). I will be more than happy to start with minimal applications if the distro is loaded with the best in hardware detection. Hardware configuring is really the area that makes users sweat! It is not hard to learn how to do installs with KPackage.

My only question is ......what is the timeline for SimplyMepis?

Chris

As long as a lot of common programs used by cubicle, SOHO & home users are on disk 2; a small install would work. These groups would need:

OpenOffice
Gimp
games
kgpg
korganizer
kontact
koffice
KmyMoney
kmail
spamassassin
guarddog
k3b
kCDlabel
cups
internet support programs
(it would be really nice if PCI & ISA internal hardware modems worked "plug & play")
local networking will be needed by the cubicle crowd

Any other biggies you can think of?

Hello Q;

I think the above list has lots of merit.?? I would add " frozen Bubbles " has nice graphics, is simple to play shows off graphics and sound.

There seems to be a lot of duplication of Apps.?? You likely could remove the duplicates.

Being a windows user I would add choose one Desktop KDE, Gnome, or what ever looks similar to Windows.?? Choose apps then that do accept changes made in the desktop settings.?? Apps that are made for it may be a better choice of words.

Most Windows apps that I use do accept changes.?? Many Linux apps do not seem to.?? A desktop Icon with what the Linux programs are similar to in Windows may also be a great idea.?? IE. OpenOffice is similar to MS Word.

Hello Q;

Need to add something to my above post.?? I do not know to save work done from MEPIS CD.?? If I do some work in OpenOffice as an example.?? How do I save the work, bring it home so to speak.?? When I turn off my PC it's all gone.

Similarly how do I import I\items from my Windows partitions into a installed?? MEPIS.

Some thought perhaps on these would be nice.?? I show off MEPIS alot.?? But someone is going to ask.?? Lets see what OpenOffice does for my MS Word documents.?? Or I use GPG, how do I import my Windows keyring into Linux.

Shows you how much of a newbie I am.?? But if you think about it some thought for the CD based user would be nice. I spend the afternoon entering in my notes from whatever.?? How do I bring them home.?? I have notes on my PC, how do I open them from the CD.

1. use a USB drive and save to that
2. mount a partition and save to that
Liz

Hello Group:

I have a wish for the next release if it is not to late to put one in.

I am a Windows user, and I have a very basic problem with Linux.?? It's appearance concerning the inability to change fonts, in non-kde applications.

I can not do so in any of the Mozilla products.?? Small tool bars, menues, and content fonts that are unchangeable.

I do hope that the next release of MEPIS can do something about this.?? Even if it is just a clear concise method of how a non-linux user can do this.?? What to change, or add, and where to do this.

I beleive that many more Windows users would be will to give??MEPIS a more than casuall look if it were not for the problems mentioned above.

I like Linux but find that things I want to use in my dailey work I can not do, because I can not comfortably see the application.?? I can not be the only one

This is not a flame just a fact.?? Linux developers I hope will in the future consider this very basic fact.?? The reason I have tryied, and installed MEPIS is because the KDE apps, and OpenOffice are in fact changeable.?? In many of the others this was not the case.

FRANK

Hello Q:

The non-KDE applications I have tryied do have the ability to do some font changes internally in the application it self.?? But these changes to not effect the tool bars, and menu items.

As an example Mozilla Suite.?? I tryied out the browser part of it.?? I can in fact pick?? web page veiwing fonts, and sizes.?? But not the tool bars, and menues.?? Maybe other items that I am not aware of.

The problem as I see it, is how does a novice change these things for the non-KDE items.????Novice users like I am will find it hard to do so.?? The only thing I have found out is there is a " unmentiond " way to do this in the command line.?? Or in the case of Mozilla an alternative is to learn how to write, and use style sheets.??

I have not found any information on how to the one. and the other seems to be beyond a novices ability to do so.?? I must admit my searching for things is not real good.??

That is why I brought up the my post about either some utility, or specific instructions on how to do simple font size, and styles in the next release.

I can not be the only one who after trying out MEPIS for awhile find that I can not use items simply do to not being able to do this.

I must add that MEPIS is very nice it got me into trying, and installing Linux on my home PC.?? I just hope that the developers can see what I am saying for one, and do not consider this a slap in the face, it is not meant to do so.

As a Windows user?? I can live with many things, and do not mind trying out new Linux Applications.?? I do not even mind reloading my system many times after trying something out in either Linux, or Windows that killed my system.???? But the small grainy fonts are a real problem.

FRANK

Yes, instead of the buggy Xine, Totem or VLC should be used as dvd players. They both provide full screen modes and stereo sound.

XChat is the best IRC client I've tried out so far, and I've tried many of them, including ksirc, konversation and kvirc. So I think XChat should be included in SimplyMepis. Plus, you really should include Wine. I prefer Crossover Office myself but Wine is free and can be used with some Windows and Windows compatible programs. Also, Superkaramba is great for eye candy and I think people would love to have that program included too because alot of new users may not even know about it.

Yeah, wine would be nice.

Andy

Yes, backup is a great idea, especially since there's a KDE front-end--nothing in SimplyMEPIS should be command-line-only. SimplyMEPIS need to be Uber-GUI.

Lance