Hardware Database (WAS Re: RH recommends using Windows? plus a Question!)

[Stuart Children]

Hi all

Maxwell Kanat-Alexander wrote:
>>I believe this may be ideal for firstboot, and also choosable from the
>>System menu.  Perhaps there are better ideas...
> 
> 
> 	We discussed having it on firstboot. Here's the pros and cons:
> 
> 	Pro: Doesn't clutter up user space after firstboot.
> 	Pro: Easy to draw users' attention
> 
> 	Con: I heard a "nobody likes firstboot already" that may or may not be
> true.
> 	Con: It's hard to determine whether or not hardware works on the first
> boot.

Just a thought: how about linking to [a page about] it from 
file:///usr/share/doc/HTML/index.html? That way it is presented to the 
user when they fire up a web browser for the first time. Everyone should 
see it. Yet it's simple to get rid of - most people I expect change 
their homepage anyway. Even if they don't there's no real added 
annoyance because the application itself hasn't been loaded up.

The only issues I can see here are:
1) It's easy for people to ignore.
2) People have to read about it and then execute the program themselves 
rather than it just popping up itself.
3) People who don't install/use a web browser won't see it at all.

1) and 2) could be argued as benefits though! :) However, to address the 
above:
1) Redesign index.html so it looks more interesting. Put clear headings 
like "Need help?", "Developers", "Updates", etc.
2) Can be lessened by telling people where to look in the system menu to 
launch the program.
3) This is only an issue if it such people are amoungst those you're 
trying to target. I would suspect not.

The same could apply to other applications.

Cheers

-- 
Stuart