[Computerbank] Re: [cai-sa] Teen Challenge -Network

[Kylie Davies]

HI all,

And now I join in....

Peter Gossner wrote:

> Now as we give poor unsuspecting recipients comparatively low end boxes
> I believe we should be installing software that makes their experience
> pleasant / easy.  That means it should be responsive.

Totally agree here, hence why I am tearing my hair out over the system we are 
currently distributing in Victoria...this is why I am asking for more memory 
in the systems - because - unless we ship a P2 class system - the computer is 
way slow, not that useable (lots of waiting time / hdd cranking) and it 
doesnt do anything to promote free software as an alternative. 

I, as a trainer and a linux user (only since 96) - I am totally embarrassed 
when recips say is it really this slow or when KWORD takes up to 4 mins to 
open a KWORD document. (P133, 32RAM) We recently had one who decided that 
they didnt want this computer after all - it was much too slow. 

In Vic - admittedly there has been a lot of great development by Jaymz, 
Daniel and others...to enable KDE  to run faster on low end systems...but 
with KDE3 -*I* think we have gone OTT. It really needs 64RAM at the 
minimum...it runs dog slow on P133 (so much so that we are not shipping 
these). 

Before the KDE development - we also had some development involving GNOME - 
by Frank C..this changed at some point...with NO real discussion...but we 
were promised that things would be faster. (Incidentally one of our recips 
came in the other day with this GNOME install - and their system flew - in 
comparison to the ones we now ship on the same spec box.)

We were also told that things would be better under KDE3 (from KDE2) but this 
has been proven wrong. We are told that KDE3.1 will be much better...but 
those who have had a go on the development box (a P166 with 32RAM) - have 
given up with it - because it is slowwwwwww and all you mainly do - is wait. 
Maybe we could get rid of some of the KDE eye candy and the system may become 
somewhat faster...do computer users really need a shadow backdrop under their 
mouse cursor??? ;)

Anyway - that's my 2 cents for now... I'll just sit back and wait for the 
flames to burn me. :)

Oh - and dare i say it - the knoppix german hdd installer - is too 
easy...even in German.... not many questions to answer...really a walk in the 
park cf other linux installs I have done. And the end result was 
perfecto...everything worked including sound! :) 

Cheers,

Kylie 

---
Kylie Davies
Victorian Branch Coordinator
Computerbank Australia Inc