Re: [Fsfe-uk] An ignorant question?

[Ramanan Selvaratnam]

ian wrote:

> > Very probably but contrast the ability for Joe Public to buy a copy of e.g. 
> > Sage or QuickBooks, install it and be up and running within half an hour with 
> > the need to install apache, MySQL and SQL Ledger and configure them before 
> > being able to start working.
> >    
>
> So why can't these be packaged to set up and work out of the box? In
> fact I think the "Sage Instant Accounts" market is different from the
> Sage Line 50 etc market.
I remember hearing sometime back that Sage and few other software was 
certified by the IRS (?).

Could this be a vital  front where we could help all those maturing free 
accounting packages to be adopted?

If there is such a certification body then I am sure there will be many 
channels of distribution also available.....eg: SME startup help schemes

> [...]
> we need accounts that can be used by SMEs not just individuals.
True

[...]

>  
>
> > Let's not forget these are people who wouldn't have a clue how to install a 
> > RPM and yet we're advocating this as a solution.
> >
> > [...]
> > If they can't download a RPM, even setting up Sage
> > would be well beyond them. 
RPM is not that difficult for anyone prepared to install software after 
they have aquired a machine with a working system. Lets not forget that 
there are now mature GUI front ends to RPM.
The dendencies have always been a problem but now there is apt4rpm 
maturing fast
<http://apt4rpm.sf.net>
Does anyone know of any good GUI front ends for Debian package 
management systems?

> [...]
>
> > It's fine for those running 
> > support companies because it earns them money 
> >    
Support companies could do remote administration/maintainence and save 
lots of money in the long run and look forward to developing better 
solutions than attending to another 'VBS virus' or 'missing .dll'

> > but, let's be sensible here, 
> > installing Windows software is pretty much a no-brainer these days.
I disagree.
I had this friend who has installed a Bluetooth mobile driver that was 
blocking up his internal modem 'COM' ports .....a problem no one can 
solve ... not even me as I advocated a total replcement for his 
Win2K.....he still suffers and the last I heard from him he is thinking 
of a reinstall...the OS that is...but he has no license keys ... if he 
gets past that stage then I suspect he will then have to find that 
elusive driver for one of the many actively supported  versions of the 
OS ....among badly authored 'HTM' pages....arrrgh! MS Windows and the 
software solutions suck brains out.

Best regards,

Ramanan