[Coco] Why DECB is important to OS-9 folk.

[johnadonaldson at comcast.net]

A little more on this subject. Yes a installer should be written and it should also
be able to de-install the program. The one thing I hate about Windows, is all the
junk that is left behind when you de-install a program. 

John Donaldson

-------------- Original message -------------- 


> 

> 

> --- "John R. Hogerhuis" wrote: 

> 

> > On Sun, 2005-09-11 at 14:28 -1000, Alex Evans wrote: 

> > > Maybe it is because I think in a different way from others, but I 

> > > never have found basic use of OS-9 to be difficult in any way. Sure 

> > > there are complexities in taking full advantage of your particular 

> > > configuration, or to customize your system. Assuming that OS-9 is 

> > > more complex to use than DECB (something that I am not convinced 

> > > of). 

> > 

> > A BASIC system comes up ready to use, and with a easy to read, 

> > illustrated manual that starts from the absolute basics. 

> > 

> 

> Ahh... the crux of the biscuit! 

> I also did/do not find OS-9 difficult to use. It's getting it customized to 

> your own system that's a royal PITA, even with the manual guiding you 

> step-by-step. There are tricks that are not spelled out, and BLOBs and drive 

> descriptors that may or may not work as hoped, some of which is glossed over in 

> the manual. The stuff that is in there is generally spread out across several 

> sections that keep you flipping back and forth while trying to follow along. 

> 

> OS-9 needs smarter software. I don't want it to look or act like Windows per 

> se, but programs should come with installers that put things where they need to 

> go and set the proper attributes and include the proper support files. Home 

> computers in general never took off until Windows came out, and that is really 

> all it offered... automation to standard DOS crap that nobody wants to spend an 

> extra hour or three messing with just to install one package. These are 

> computers after all, and they are supposed to make things easier for us, not 

> harder. 

> 

> I read list messages about how to get some piece of software working and the 

> procedure sounds equivalent to manually restoring a corrupted disk's 

> filesystem. Not something I want to go through every time I add a program to my 

> hard drive. It seems to be a fragile and precarious environment from my point 

> of view. I'm still waiting for some semblance of stability, which DECB has in 

> spades. 

> 

> Please don't take this as whining or complaining. I'm just trying to help you 

> OS-9 gurus understand why so many of us are reluctant to go the OS-9 route. We 

> see some benefits, but there is a virtual minefield between here and there. And 

> this side of the minefield isn't so bad after all, IMHO. 

> 

> peace, 

> Bob 

> 

> 

> 

> 

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