On Thu, Feb 21, 2002 at 12:27:17AM -0500, Jan Schaumann wrote:
> Andy R <quadreverb@yahoo.com> wrote:
>  
> > It sure would be cool to see a nice bright green
> > package of CD's at the local store, complete with a CD
> > for "easy install and setup" or whatever you want to
> > call it, but I don't really see that effort pushing
> > NetBSD as a whole forward too much.
> 
> I believe it would push NetBSD a whole LOT.  Just having a boxed set of
> CD's that one can spend money on makes it much more appealing for some
> people.  People think it's weird to download and install their Operating
> System.  Something about thousands of years of bying shrink-wrapped
> products. ;-)
> 
> I think, if it's on the shelf, people will buy it.

I bought a big set of FreeBSD cds not too long ago, because they came with
"The complete FreeBSD" :-)

> > If Wasabi wants to
> > do it, more power to them because they deserve all the
> > exposure they can get. But otherwise, is it really
> > worth the effort? What we have now ain't all that bad,
> > and it fits in nice with the minimalist feel that
> > NetBSD adheres to. Maybe a mildly revamped sysinst and
> > a quick start manual is all that's needed? 
> 
> Thing about boxed sets is, I believe, that the most important part is
> the "quick start manual".  It better be Frederico Lupi's Guide PLUS some
> idito-proof instructions.

Agreed, I think Frederico Lupi's Guide would be wonderful to include with
any NetBSD cds sold. I'd buy them just for a good bound guide, right now I
have a printed out copy that's too big for a binder clip :P

> The reason SuSE Linux is doing so well is, I believe, mostly due to the
> fact that they managed to create a very simple point-n-click installer
> and sell all that with (a) a whole bunch of packages (6 CDs!) and (b)
> some actually decent documentation.  Thick books that actually take the
> newbie by the hand and explain stuff.
> 
> That is something that NetBSD may not even want to do (the question
> about the target audience, again), but exhaustive documentation is an
> essential part of the whole boxed-product thingy.  Which makes it the
> more difficult.
> 
> -Jan
> 
> -- 
> finger jschauma@netmeister.org
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