Re: [Opencd-devel] Hello

[Alex R. <tun...@pa...>]

Steve Mallett wrote:
> 
> On Tuesday 30 April 2002 11:41 am, Alex Roston wrote:

> > I think it would be lovely if there was some good "HOWTO" material to go
> > with the programs. Do you have access to good, freely distributable
> > instructional stuff?
> >
> > Alex
> 
> What do you have in mind? How to: Install on Windows???

That was more or less a preliminary thought - that, for example, if we
were to include the XBasic compiler, that we include more than its
manual if possible - stuff like HOWTOS, sample code, etc. However, if
we're going to use a "Best of Breed" approach and only include apps that
are fairly transparent to end users HOWTOS are of no use whatsoever.

However, I've also been considering a couple other possibilities.

First, the CD could have multiple levels of install, one for end users,
and another for serious geeks, along the lines of the "Custom" and
"Typical" options Window's installers display.

Second, (and I really like this one) the installer could include some
kind of dialog which tries to pin down the users interests. What I have
in mind would look vaguely like this:


PRINT "Do you want an office suite?";      # or MP3
player/browser/whatever

IF YES, INSTALL OPENOFFICE;

PRINT "Do you like to write programs?"

IF YES, DISPLAY AVAILABLE_LANGUAGESS;

PRINT "Please click the programming languages you want to install."

ELSE;

PRINT "Do you need some network administration tools?"

ETC.

I think a dialogue like this might go a long way toward demonstrating
OSS's commitment to easy usability. It would also allow us to include
stuff that might interest budding programmers/sysadmins without making
the install too intimidating. If you don't need something (or a class of
somethings) one click takes it out of your life forever.

As I've said before, I'm not an able programmer, but I'd be happy to
write out the question tree for such a dialogue and provide whatever
other text the project needs, including documentation, help, and general
copy.

Alex