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Marius Gedminas wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:20070723083624.GA17654@fridge.pov.lt" type="cite">
<pre wrap="">On Sun, Jul 22, 2007 at 01:01:56AM +0300, <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:quim.gil@nokia.com">quim.gil@nokia.com</a> wrote:
</pre>
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap="">Tip to users: no matter what are you looking for, try first in
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://downloads.maemo.org">http://downloads.maemo.org</a>. Once you have tried the app take one minute
to rate it and leave a comment. You will be *very* helpful to the next
users after you.
Tip to developers: no matter what applications you develop, make sure
they have a nice and descriptive page in <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://downloads.maemo.org">http://downloads.maemo.org</a> with
a tested install file. You will make users happy in a single click.
</pre>
</blockquote>
<pre wrap=""><!---->
By the way, "tested" ideally would mean tested on a fresh N800 with no
extra repositories added. Otherwise you may think the .install file
works, when it actually doesn't.
Marius Gedminas
<hr size="4" width="90%"></pre>
</blockquote>
I'll second that. There's currently a bunch (perhaps 50%) of
supposedly n800 software at maemo that doesn't install on a fresh N800
because some assumed files on the N800 are missing. Most of these seem
to be from the same core files, however I was unable to locate much
info about these missing files at the maemo site -- I gather folks are
supposed to be born with this knowledge? <br>
<br>
IMHO, the cost of including everything one needs in an install package
is minimal compared to the <b>'unreliable software reputation'</b>
that is created when an installation fails. It's much harder to get
rid of a bad reputation than it is to avoid it by including all
necessary files from the start. This is particularly true for newbies
who aren't particular computer literate, who will also tend to be in
much larger numbers than those who know their way around the
n800/maemo/linux system. It's this group of folks who will be the most
critical judges of the N800s success in the long run, not the techies
who may dominate this list. <br>
<br>
<b>The general FAILURE of many Maemo Techies to police/rate software
who also freely pass out 4 stars on stuff that doesn't install on a
fresh N800s should also be noted.</b> They also don't seem to get it
that <b>something that doesn't fully self install on a fresh n800 is a
BIG FAT ZERO</b> star product for most n800 endusers. IMHO, all of the
ratings that currently exist should be thrown out and redone with the <b>primary
rule to get any rating at all should be a clean full install on a
'fresh n800'.</b> It's a serious quality control matter that need
immediate addressing if the maemo site desires to develop and keep a
solid reliable reputation. <br>
<br>
The general expectation of end users is everything should install
flawlessly with a simple click, without any additional BS or steps
required. Documentation and searching for answers for failed
installations at some web site might as well be written in and stored
at some Klingon server for this crowd. Complaining and spreading ill
will about faulty software/hardware is the path of least resistance to
this crowd... Most endusers barely know the difference between
hardware, firmware and software. Only that something works, or doesn't
work. <br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">Always, Dr Fred C
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:drfredc@drfredc.com">drfredc@drfredc.com</a></pre>
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