[SLUG] Desktop Distro

From: Russell Hires (rhires@earthlink.net)
Date: Thu Apr 12 2001 - 08:33:17 EDT


Hey everyone,

Since we're talking about Corel WPO vs MS Office, we're therefor talking
about the desktop (Hmmm...Capt. Kirk, in the background: "The Desktop, the
Final Frontier...").

My thought on this is: what would be included in a Desktop Distro? I mean,
stripped down to the bone and then built back up. I realize that the overall
community has had some not-so-good experiences with this, since we're used
to Linux doing everything. But I'm thinking about a Linux distro that
wouldn't even look like Linux. I would do all that Windows currently does
(except crash! :-). You would walk in to someone's home, and they would show
you the $300 1.5 Ghz system they bought including monitor (it's so cheap
because the OS is free!) and how they go on the internet (You open KDE's
browser, and your computer knows enough to start kppp to get you connected
to the net, all you have to supply is the username and password). They fire
up their Corel WPO or kOffice (since I'm doing the KDE theme here, but any
GUI/WM office suite would do) and type up a paper in support of the local
PTA. Later on, they get an email saying that DSL/Cable Modem service is
available in their area, and they jump right on it. The company sends a self
install kit, and our computer "expert" plugs in the DSL/Cable modem to the
USB port (yup, USB) and the computer recognizes it right away and now you're
surfin' at 40 Kpbs or more...and recognizes that the telephone isn't
necessary to get on the net.

Our friend then goes to work the next day and sees something completely
different, but his company just saved $5000 on new systems because the OS is
free! :-) All the machines at work easily connect to each other with a very
minimum of fuss. All you need to do at work is file sharing, some
spreadsheets, keep up with putting new contact information into the
database, write a few emails to his co-workers in Ireland...general office
stuff...

Our friend doesn't need most of the things Linux provides. So, based on this
scenario, what would go into a Desktop Distro?

Russell

____________________________________________________
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