Re: Too much choice (Sound systems)

On Mon, Oct 20, 2003 at 08:39:26PM +0200, Pablo Vieira wrote:
> >the problem with choice is that there is a great deal of research
> required
> >examining things to figure out what's needed.
> 
> Too much choice is a BIG Linux annoyance. Too much choice is as bad as
> no choice.
> 
> I remember the first time I went to NY (I come from Spain) I was blocked
> at a cheap restaurant by the hundred options they gave me for a simple
> sandwich or a coffee.

Fair point, it can be annoying.

> Sometimes more is less. Linux is a good example.

I don't agree. What we need is more and more readily available information to
enable people to easily choose what is best for them, or just what is a sensible
choice for them.

I would say if there are no strong technical or useability reasons to choose,
say, KDE over GNOME, then people should go for whichever one is most likely
to be supported in the context from which they are most likely to get support
(distro maker, LUG, internet, friends and family etc.)

Given the right information, it is possible for people to make a sensible choice.
A lot of Linux projects are marginal, beta-quality, out of date, and/or not
so suitable for newbies, and as such a lot of choices can be eliminated that way.
It annoys me that unfriendly distros like Debian are recommended to people for
whom something like Knoppix might be a much better choice. (Yes, I know Knoppix
is debian-based, but it happens to be much easier to install, if it manages
to detect your hardware.) Incidentally, Debian gives you the worst/best choice
ever, depending on how you look at it, considering the HOURS and HOURS it takes
to look at all the packages it offers. ;-)

-- 
Robin