Trainz running in Linux

[JCitron]

And the graph says it all. Linux is too geeky. As a system admin, I dealt with Linux, Solaris, and at one point Ultrix, and even Sun OS the predecessor to Solaris on a very old cluster of Sun Workstations. The problem with the OS is depending upon the flavor, the commands are kinda the same, but different. This was at the computer room level in a corporate environment and very confusing going from one flavor of 'Nix to another.

The biggest issue I had was adding software as the command line for each of these flavors of a similar OS. On the Solaris machine I had to download the program, run gzip to extract the archive, then untar the tar ball archive to get the package. Now to install it depends upon how the package came down. If the provider was nice, they put the caboodle in a package, otherwise, I had to create the install and binaries using make first. This was then followed by dot-script to initiate the install.

Now let's hand this over to Mr. Retiree who has a Linux machine. I can't see him going through this effort to install a program. Sure there are probably less archaic ways of installing, perhaps even a GUI package installer to help. Now, there's a problem... Which version, flavor, or package installer is needed?

So I hate to say it... This is just not going to happen at the consumer level.

John

 

[pware]

... perhaps even a GUI package installer to help. Now, there's a problem... Which version, flavor, or package installer is needed?

That multiplies the complexity of providing support for any company that wants to release anything into the Linux world. I am a "retiree" who has "dabbled" with Linux over the years and while I have seen improvements in the "non-geek friendliness/useability" of the OS, it still has a long way to go. Windows, despite the claims of its many detractors, is so much simpler.

 

[clam1952]

Now let's hand this over to Mr. Retiree who has a Linux machine. I can't see him going through this effort to install a program. Sure there are probably less archaic ways of installing, perhaps even a GUI package installer to help. Now, there's a problem... Which version, flavor, or package installer is needed?

So I hate to say it... This is just not going to happen at the consumer level.

John

Actually nearly all distributions have had an automated package system for a few years now, you just select the programs you want and like Trainz it downloads the program and any dependencies required and installs it all. You don't actually need to know anything about compiling source code tar balls rpm's or deb's if you don't want to.

I know quite a few older Generation people on another Forum who moved to Linux, however all they use computers for is email, web browsing, and office type stuff, Open Office being pretty much as good as Microsoft's stuff. If that's all you are going to do Linux is fine and you don't really need to know how to do anything other than just use it.

Where it is not straight forward is with Games ported from Windows which sometimes have an installer or sometimes you need the Windows version copied to Linux and the executables replaced with a supplied binary or you have to use Wine or Crossover, which may or may not work, not work usually means tinkering with Wine altering things or "borrowing" Windows dll's.

 

[rjhowie]

Ah, right pware - thanks for the reply!

I have always been passingly curious about Linux and i know of one company that sells a Linux system which looks really near to Windows. Will be still curious with the graphics thing on that alternative operating system. Did try it briefly on someone's machine once and I would say that having always been a Windows user it did feel slightly geeky but as I live in the centre of the Universe naturally, well,....curious.