[arch-general] [arch-dev-public] [signoff] vc/* -> tty* transition

Matthew pyther at pyther.net
Sat Jul 18 23:03:56 EDT 2009


Allan McRae wrote:
> First off, I don't like modifying config files.  But, given I did this 
> update and still managed to screw my system up when testing it with a 
> reboot...
>
> So it is a question of which I hate more; post install messages or 
> automatically fixing the file. 
> A post install message means that I tell all complaining users that 
> they should have read their pacman output.  But hang on, they are 
> already told that there is a .pacnew file for what is a very important 
> config file.  So I can say that anyway. 
>
> ...
>
> A simple sed of the config file means much, much less complaining 
> users.  And given the number of complaints I got about libjpeg7 
> (wheres the thanks now gtk and kde are working?), I am very, very 
> tempted just to do the sed.
>
> Allan
Could someone please enlighten me why you and Thomas want to please the 
users that complain? I simply do not understand. You said yourself that 
you don't like modifying config files, so don't. To hell with the users 
that don't like it. There are a lot of people that appreciate all the 
work that went into to the libjpeg and readline rebuilds.You don't hear 
from the users that appreciate all of your hard work. All you guys 
see/hear are the users that complain. Many times we take it for granted 
that things just works! And we are at fault for not speaking up and 
saying, "Hey thanks for the hard work!"

I haven't yet heard any users on the Mailing List who are in favor of 
sedding /etc/inittab. Many of the ML followers probably use testing and 
reports bugs when ever they encounter anything. Going out on a limb, I 
would say nearly all users that read the ML want to be involved with 
arch in one way or the other. I, personally, run testing and I am always 
amazed at how smoothly things run.

I was on IRC earlier today and somebody posted a youtube video on how to 
install arch linux: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIVcF5t1kZw
Now just look at some of the comments on the video. These users are 
probably on the extreme, but these are some of our users. We also have 
many users that have just a little bit more knowledge, but they are 
still left clueless. I'd guess these are the users that complain.

Point is users, that complain, probably lack the skills needed to run arch.

If you think that automating file modifications is good and in the best 
interest of the users that you are targeting then go for it. To hell 
with me and the others. After all, the distro is your work. If that is 
the path chosen, it is sad to see something so great dissolve away. In 
that case thank you for the ride and good luck in the future.

~pyther


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