On Wed, 12 Dec 2018 14:43:38 -0800
Bruce Perens <bruce@???> wrote:

> Eric has never been the developer of a distribution, so there will be
> things he doesn't understand. I am all for having as many users as
> possible. I understand the problem of proprietary firmware and hope
> that this is not a significant blocker for most people, especially
> since most distribution installers do provide a way to download it
> (and we should offer the choice even if we don't approve). This will
> not help people with a network interface that requires proprietary
> firmware to run.

Put the proprietary blobs, drivers and firmware for common NICs on the
install DVD image so this problem is usually overcome transparently
(frictionlessly). If fails, mention special blob/firmware/driver image
to download and burn, where to get it, and how to use it. And of course
suggest using an alternate NIC (for instance, wired instead of
wireless).

>
> But IMO the main problems with developing a large user community are
> ease of use and impedance mismatch between the developers and users.
> Many Debian developers would not have been the best people to
> communicate with a naive user, and Devuan does further distill that
> characteristic. IMO this is self-defeating for Free Software.

I agree. The more GNU/Linux blows off prospective users by making them
jump through hoops, the more Linux becomes a niche. The nichier Linux
becomes, the more the hardware manufacturers ignore it. Let GNU/Linux
get up to 25% on the desktop, and the manufacturers will provide good
drivers for everything they make.

SteveT

Steve Litt
December 2018 featured book: Rapid Learning for the 21st Century
http://www.troubleshooters.com/rl21