What happened to pup?

[Kyrre Ness Sjobak]

søn, 22.05.2005 kl. 21.59 skrev Jeff Spaleta:
> On 5/22/05, Kyrre Ness Sjobak <kyrre at solution-forge.net> wrote:
> >- find the correct package
> thats a deceptively simple statement and hides the complexity of
> building a way to browse through packages so that novice users can
> find the 'correct' package among a technically diverse and yet
> generally similar set of software. Its not enough to browse by
> software name... since most project names do not connote functional or
> technical specfics.  You certaintly can't expect 'novice' users to
> know which web browser is the 'correct' browser for them simply by
> looking package names.
>
> And its not enough to browse by general functionality.. because the
> 'correct' software for any role can be situationally dependant on what
> other people already have installed.  Or it could be they are looking
> for a very specific feature instead of an easily described broad
> function.
> And lets not forget about license...the 'correct' package could very
> well be a BSD licensed application instead of a GPL licensed one.
> 
> 

That is the job of a well-written web portal.

> > - See the license (possibly the GPL), accept it
> 
> And.... what if that one application needs several dependancies...each
> dependancy with a different license?  Shall we loop over all
> dependancies as well.. a license review pane for each and every
> dependancy package?
> 

Auch. That i did not think about. But surely, some solution could be
found.

> > Which method would you describe to a newbie? 
> I don't think what you describe is inherently friendlier.  More
> visual...but not friendlier.
> 

But more intuitive. Almost every user "discovers" up2date immediatly,
and try to use that. They do not discover yum before someone points them
to it.

> I personally think software installation/removal interface aimed at
> novice user/admins should mimic the menu structure novice users will
> be interacting with on a daily basis.  Instead of thinking about
> 'packages' at all.. you build an interface that leads novice
> user/admins to interact with application menu items.  Someone wants to
> install an application they fire up an install software program that
> presents the user/admin with the full applications menu showing all
> available applications just like they would appear in the gnome menu
> once installed.
> 
> You can extend this with a useful tooltip that gives a brief summary
> of the package. You can extend this further and provided a properties
> item in a right click menu to see items like license or vendor.  
> Packages without menu items. simply don't show up in this novice
> oriented tool.. reducing confusion. All is not lost, since you could
> easily extend the menu metaphor by providing an Install dialog similar
> to the Run application dialog for more advanced user/admins who know
> which packagenames they want to install.
> 
> 

Also a good idea - but what about libs, such as gstreamer-mp3? BTW.
doesn't Ubuntu use an interface similar to this one?

Kyrre