[907] in RedHat Linux List
Suggestions for the future
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Sheldon E. Newhouse)
Fri Oct 25 11:58:02 1996
Date: Fri, 25 Oct 1996 11:26:56 -0400
From: "Sheldon E. Newhouse" <sen1@math.msu.edu>
To: redhat-list@redhat.com
Resent-From: redhat-list@redhat.com
Reply-To: redhat-list@redhat.com
Following the recent threads about 4.0, I have some suggestions and
comments to be added to those already present.
1. For the RH manual:
In the 'Before you begin' section. Is this a new installation or an
upgrade of an existing installation?. If upgrade, please do a Full
Backup so that, in case there are problems, you can re-install your old
system. For information on how to do this, see . . .
2. Using another drive for setup and testing.
These days, one can buy a 1 GB IDE drive for less than $200, smaller
for less, of course. I would put an additional drive on a working
system (if possible) and install the new system on that additional
drive. Don't touch the old system at all. After using and testing for
'whatever time is appropriate,' one can replace the old system by the
new one. Alternatively, one could simply keep a spare partition around
for this purpose, but I prefer the first method. I did this when going
from Slackware 3.0 to Rh 3.0.3 and was not sorry.
3. Availability of old release for purchase.
What I am suggesting below applies in general to 'old' and 'new'
releases, but I will use '3.0.3' for 'old' and '4.0' for 'new.'
There are some users who simply want a working system for their
hardware, and don't care about the new 'bells and whistles' available.
For many of these users 3.0.3 was a viable option which has now been
removed. For instance, many use Netscape 3.0. I gather that this will
not work with the 4.0 libs. This is something beyond the control of the
RH team. If Red Baron doesn't work either (apparently doesn't for
some), then these users have no browser, or have to fool around with
Mosaic, etc.
I think it would be useful to have both 3.0.3 and 4.0 available for
purchase.
This has several advantages and possibilities.
I won't go into them all, but one clear one is the following.
If a user buys 4.0 and can't get it to work, then one option would be
to return it, and get 3.0.3 instead. This would provide a 'buffer time'
during which the new release could get 'commercially stabilized,' while
those who simply can't use it have a RH alternative. Experience shows
that the beta testing method (as used for Rembrandt) simply does not
reach enough people. Marketing could emphasize the 4.0 as is being done,
but 3.0.3 would be there if other things fail.
Even keeping 3.0.3 around on ftp.redhat.com is not adequate, because
many potential new users do not have the ability to download a full
distribution.
-sen
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| Sheldon E. Newhouse | e-mail: sen1@math.msu.edu |
| Mathematics Department | |
| Michigan State University | telephone: 517-355-9684 |
| E. Lansing, MI 48824-1027 USA | FAX: 517-432-1562 |
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