From: RHS Linux User <aaa@bbb.ccc>
Subject: Idea: Linux@Home distribution
Date: 1998/07/02
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Organization: Northeastern University, Boston, MA. 02115, USA
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RedHat provides an excellent distribution for technical types but it
occurs to me there is an opportunity
for them to start to fill the Home market niche now. I sent this message
also to RedHat tech support
(sup...@redhat.com) and will be interested in their reply. If they are
not interested in it perhaps
others will take on the challenge and create this new distribution.
Either way I think it should
be based a RedHat distribution with additional apps and tools added.
To get an idea of what I am thinking of, think of a Compaq Presario,
which is bundled with a modem and fax/answering machine software, has
power management software
pre-installed, etc.
The Linux@Home Distribution would come with the following
+ Desktop Environment
KDE, CDE, Gnome (or at least the two free ones) - choice is
important though
Include several window managers and a tool to easily switch
(for more advanced users)
+ Office Suite
Applixware and/or StarOffice
+ Other Applications
GIMP - graphics tool
....etc....other best in class Linux tools
+ Other convenience apps
such as xmcd for an audio cdplayer
+ Games
yes, a few should be included as they are now in Redhat
+ Data/Fax/Voice answering machine software
Hylafax, vgtty, voice-0.6 (all setup to work together
properly and seemlessly detecting
the type of phone calls and doing the right thing)
+ Automount of cdroms and floppies
Setup amd to automount cdroms and floppies so Linux behaves
more like users of NonUnix
systems are accustomed to.
+ Power management
Develop an installation tool which autodetects powersaving
support and enables it in X-windows
on installation.
+ Login
User choice, no login required (configured to autologin to some
user account) and start Xwindows
OR - user may choose console login (usual) or XDM (or KDM if
they chose KDE)
+ Dialup configuration
Many excellent tools exist for this including the one included
with KDE.
Need to consider Dialup as a whole. A tool which will address
all of the following
would be useful.
Dial on Demand (yes or no, and allow changing all
related settings)
Configure ISP ( allow you to define dialup ISPs sim
to Win95 - and the KDE tool)
Caching nameserver on local machine
(a simple toggle which would
turn this on or off for the user)
+ Email
Again try to treat this as a whole.
In one lpace the user should be able to configure their email
info including handling
multiple email pickups using something like fetchmail, their
return address (use
to setup sendmail properly) etc.
+ The Web
Include a caching proxy server preconfigured to speed web access
(such as apache)
and block advertising (ex: internet junkbuster)
Any thoughts on this? Any other ideas? Is RedHat already planning such a
distribution?
Would it supply Gnome only? Anyone want to work on such a distribution?
Jeffrey Perry
From: Mystery Kid <myst...@juno.com>
Subject: Re: Idea: Linux@Home distribution
Date: 1998/07/03
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Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.misc,comp.os.linux.networking,
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I just want to show my support for your great idea! :)
I am new to Linux. I am still learning it. Right now I have trouble with...
well... you don't need to know... I just playing and learning from it right
now...
One thing I wish is a book about how to set up and use it for home personal
use. Seems like most of the books out there assume that you going to use it
for networking. I am not planing to do networking until I know how use
Linux.
Once I figure out how to use Linux, I may post a HOW-TO message on the
Internet on how to set up and use Linux for home personal use.
I am sure there are other people out there who also think the same thing.
Right now, one of the newsgroups (I forgot which one), they having a
discussion if Linux is ready for the average user.
RHS Linux User wrote:
> --- Do not reply to the email address listed in the from field
> --- Use j.perXrynosXpam.lynx.dac.neu.edu - without the words nospam or
> the Xs keep the dot after the j
> --- and keep the lowercase x
>
> RedHat provides an excellent distribution for technical types but it
> occurs to me there is an opportunity
> for them to start to fill the Home market niche now. I sent this message
> also to RedHat tech support
> (sup...@redhat.com) and will be interested in their reply. If they are
> not interested in it perhaps
> others will take on the challenge and create this new distribution.
> Either way I think it should
> be based a RedHat distribution with additional apps and tools added.
>
> To get an idea of what I am thinking of, think of a Compaq Presario,
> which is bundled with a modem and fax/answering machine software, has
> power management software
> pre-installed, etc.
>
> The Linux@Home Distribution would come with the following
>
> + Desktop Environment
>
> KDE, CDE, Gnome (or at least the two free ones) - choice is
> important though
> Include several window managers and a tool to easily switch
> (for more advanced users)
>
> + Office Suite
>
> Applixware and/or StarOffice
>
> + Other Applications
> GIMP - graphics tool
> ....etc....other best in class Linux tools
>
> + Other convenience apps
> such as xmcd for an audio cdplayer
>
> + Games
> yes, a few should be included as they are now in Redhat
>
> + Data/Fax/Voice answering machine software
>
> Hylafax, vgtty, voice-0.6 (all setup to work together
> properly and seemlessly detecting
> the type of phone calls and doing the right thing)
>
> + Automount of cdroms and floppies
>
> Setup amd to automount cdroms and floppies so Linux behaves
> more like users of NonUnix
> systems are accustomed to.
>
> + Power management
>
> Develop an installation tool which autodetects powersaving
> support and enables it in X-windows
> on installation.
>
> + Login
>
> User choice, no login required (configured to autologin to some
> user account) and start Xwindows
> OR - user may choose console login (usual) or XDM (or KDM if
> they chose KDE)
>
> + Dialup configuration
>
> Many excellent tools exist for this including the one included
> with KDE.
> Need to consider Dialup as a whole. A tool which will address
> all of the following
> would be useful.
>
> Dial on Demand (yes or no, and allow changing all
> related settings)
> Configure ISP ( allow you to define dialup ISPs sim
> to Win95 - and the KDE tool)
> Caching nameserver on local machine
> (a simple toggle which would
> turn this on or off for the user)
>
> + Email
>
> Again try to treat this as a whole.
> In one lpace the user should be able to configure their email
> info including handling
> multiple email pickups using something like fetchmail, their
> return address (use
> to setup sendmail properly) etc.
>
> + The Web
>
> Include a caching proxy server preconfigured to speed web access
> (such as apache)
> and block advertising (ex: internet junkbuster)
>
> Any thoughts on this? Any other ideas? Is RedHat already planning such a
> distribution?
> Would it supply Gnome only? Anyone want to work on such a distribution?
>
> Jeffrey Perry
From: "Brian" <sub...@rogers.wave.ca>
Subject: Re: Idea: Linux@Home distribution
Date: 1998/07/04
Message-ID: <Xqnn1.109280$zu1.13055248@news.rdc1.bc.wave.home.com>#1/1
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Reply-To: "Brian" <b...@mdi.ca>
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Organization: @Home Network Canada
Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.misc,comp.os.linux.networking,
comp.os.linux.advocacy,comp.os.linux.development.apps,
comp.os.linux.development.system
Hi Kid:
Check out http://www.linux-canada.com/newuser.html for a step by step
instruction on downloading, installing and connecting to your ISP - even
tells you how to download and print your own beginners book on Linux - ALL
FOR FREE!
Best regards,
Brian
b...@mdi.ca
Mystery Kid wrote in message <6nkh1r$3cf$1...@news-1.news.gte.net>...
>I just want to show my support for your great idea! :)
>I am new to Linux. I am still learning it. Right now I have trouble with...
>well... you don't need to know... I just playing and learning from it right
>now...
>One thing I wish is a book about how to set up and use it for home
personal
>use. Seems like most of the books out there assume that you going to use it
>for networking. I am not planing to do networking until I know how use
>Linux.
>Once I figure out how to use Linux, I may post a HOW-TO message on the
>Internet on how to set up and use Linux for home personal use.
<clipped for brevity>