[quote=“v3xx, post:8, topic:8169, full:true”]People new to linux will need clear communication (warnings?) everywhere
How easy is it to just click the remove button as compared to explaining ppa-purge?
A warning about PPAs would first need an explanation of what a PPA is. The welcome screen was designed simple by choice so not to confuse newcommers. I would not like to see it turn into a wiki :)[/quote]
This is an important idea indeed.
One cannot just predict what is going to happen next with a PPA release. In fact, we know very well that official repos also have had their problems in the past and will continue to have them in the future. I think the very idea of installing or updating software, regardless of origin, is a dangerous proposition.
In our desire to include warnings about this or that to protect newcomers from making the wrong decision, we risk two things that I think instantly make the effort worthless:
- We overpopulate the Boutique with text and warning boxes and whatnot, giving the whole program an over-saturated look that risks having the opposite effect of those warnings being ignored because they are so many (after all, the Software Boutique is heavily centered on the idea of distribution of software through official PPAs).
- We present a negative message to the user that Linux, and Ubuntu-MATE in particular, are probably built on glass and too sensitive and easy to break. Not only this isn’t true, but also promotes the also wrong idea that official repos are safe.
I don’t think Ubuntu-MATE has the need to teach how to use the Linux system to anyone. Its strenths are in its ludic and professional capabilities.
Newcomers will always face problem with or without warnings. We all went through it. And some of us have one, two, or many stories to tell about the systems we had to reinstall because we took a left when the sign said right, or simply because we didn’t know any better. And yet… we are still here. Still using Linux. We have learned what’s best or not through good use of our accumulated experience. And we still make mistakes.
The newcomers of today are the same as the newcomers of last year, or the year before that, or 10 years ago. The newcomers of today are all of us, a few months ago or a few years ago. So we can be sure lack of explicit warnings on Ubuntu-MATE won’t make a difference to the distro ability to deliver a great computing experience for those that really want to use it.