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npm1
March 1st, 2013, 07:53 PM
Dear Ubuntu Noobies and others,
I have countlessly installed ubuntu on several non-linux users pc-this would also include introducing new users to the ubuntu Operating System.
Throughout these times the resulting opinions of the OS have been great.
However one thing sticks out as sore thumb...

The installation process:

Amazingly fast especially compared to competing operating systems.
The slow down factor, is the step when the installer downloads all of the language packs..., this, on lower ended systems with slow internet connections have forced the installation process to slow down. Which isn't good when trying to prove the OS as a viable choice.

The solution to this can be/are the following:
Unplug the wireless dongle/Ethernet cable or even turn of the wireless internet box

Get the user to select which languages the installer downloads. Of the bat before the window asking to either try ubuntu or install ubuntu comes up, have the user select the language to which the installer shall be in, this too decides on the operating systems default language.

A radio button/check box that lets the user select whether install these language packs or not? After the installation once the user has logged in, the user is given a prompt through " additional software/driver window" to which they select the required language.
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As a side note my other concerns for the Operating system is the launcher for the USB/external hard drive which still has the option for the user to format the drive- the suggested solution for this is to remove this option entirely so that mistakes of doing so don't occur.
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A feature that i believe would work out is an actual admin account like in windows 7. In windows 7 for instance the user can enable an invisible administrator account.
I understand that Ubuntu and all other Linux distros have this feature inbuilt by prompting for the administrative password when a program needs admin rights or root access. But as another option in the installer, How about giving the user the option of having a separate user account for administrative reasons-in this account the user (with a warning) can install/alter/change root configuration files and other administrative actions without having to input the admin password. The normal account in this instance would allow the non-administrative user to install things as needed without the need to input the administrative password.
In this non-administrative account the update manager doesn't annoy the user... Only in the administrative account, would the update manager come up.

I hope this is clear, and that its supported by Ubuntu's famous community. I also hope that at least the option for the language packs can be taken further.

Kind Regards,
npm1

grahammechanical
March 1st, 2013, 11:31 PM
And you think that these "improvements" will make it easier for a new user who has little understanding of a computer operating system? You are adding complication. Waiting for user input will slow down the installation process considerably. I would not say that Ubuntu is unique in the way it protects the user from a misuse of the administrator privileges but I do not think that all Linux distributions follow Ubuntu in this. This is the reason why Ubuntu does things this way https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RootSudo

The people that develop Linux are not trying to make a cheap copy of a Microsoft operating system. They have their own ideas and ways of doing things. They most definitely want to avoid the problems that come with Microsoft's design of an operating system.

We have an option to install Ubuntu without Internet access and if we press Enter at the first purple screen we get to a screen were we can select the language that we want to run the live session in or that we want to use for installing Ubuntu. I find that Ubuntu usually installs in about 40 minutes. And I test Ubuntu images as a hobby.

Regards.

presence1960
March 2nd, 2013, 04:10 AM
I personally love linux install process, not just ubuntu's, compared to a windows installation process. It is different than MS without a doubt. The install process has no bearing on the OS once installed.

darkod
March 2nd, 2013, 09:59 AM
Are you sure it downloads language packs by default? I haven't noticed it. But maybe because I install in English and that is included. If you want another language it will have to download it, or you can use the DVD version which includes more languages I think.

As for the internet connectivity, like you said, if it's wired connection simply don't connect a cable during installation. If it's wireless it asks you to which network to connect, and gives you option not to connect to any.

Also, about downloading updates during install there is a tick box I believe. You can deselect it and it will not download any updates during the install. People who want updates downloaded so that they don't have to update the OS right after installation, have that option. People who don't want that, simply deselect it and that's it.