a more simple question?

[John G. Heim]

Karen,

About your question on installing everything on the linux installation 
disks... It is true that nobody uses everything. But nobody uses 
everything in DOS either. Or in Windows. Or on a Mac. These days, few 
people install linux entirely from CDs. Most people do a basic install 
over a network connection and then install more programs as they need 
them. If you install from CDs, they try to give you everything you might 
ever need. So of course, a lot of things you will never need are included.

Linux is definately way more complicated than DOS. But that is because 
it does much, much more. There's just no getting around the fact that to 
do more, you have to know more. My parents recently learned how to use a 
computer because they wanted to use Skype. There is no question that 
their lives were simpler before learning to use the computer. But to 
them, it's worth it in order to talk to their grandkids via Skype.