How to make Linux Compete With WIndows

[Omnios]

Hi doing a bit of reading and there seems to be a growing user base trying to compare Linux to windows or rather trying to think that Linux should be a knock off of windows which I think is seriosly wrong. Its little comments like double click in a exe file, well we dont have exe files extentions and I realy dont care to see them in linix. However I do think we should be able to double click a tarball etc and have it outo-compiled if that is what some one wan't to do but just not the way windows does it. I think what Im trying to say is to have ease of use and funcunality but in a Linux way. Anyways this is a place where we can express are point of view how Linux can change in a Linux way.

As for auto compiling and install a standard would be nice that would consist of a local installer that sets up all differences in files. For example a lot of tarballs come with readme files that states if debian do with this. This would go a long way in standardisation or rather simplification. We will definatly still need some sort of text terminal to see errors or missing dependancys but it seems people dont like to type much. One thing that is constantly brought up is the famouse it took me a month to teach such and such a month to use the brouser etc. Not much we can do about that but we can make small advances to make things a bit more user friendly in a Linux way.

One thing I would realy like to see is a terminal command line in the file managers as it is quicker to type some locations that to actualy click through and also this would give some sudo aboilities in the file manager. Might be hard to do though. Possibly have it so you can have a few lines say up to 5 in sort of a terminal extention.

Also I dont think we should get rid of the terminal but rather incorperate it more into the graphical aspect of Linux even possibly link it with the file manager. Have the termainal on the left linked with the file manager on the right going through the files graphicly as you type with full terminal functionality.

When I think of something more ill add it but im getting a bit winded trying to write to much at onece.

cheers

[somuchfortheafter]

this actually can be done with a .deb package its under hoary's how-to's. compiling a tarball on the other hand raises an entirely different set of problems such as dependancies not being met, etc , etc. so its feasable sorta but not that probable

[trivialpackets]

Also I dont think we should get rid of the terminal but rather incorperate it more into the graphical aspect of Linux even possibly link it with the file manager. Have the termainal on the left linked with the file manager on the right going through the files graphicly as you type with full terminal functionality.


Frankly, I like this idea. I honestly don't know that I would use it, as I'm pretty comfortable with the terminal. But some things have to be done command line, and this may be a neat and useful feature to have for those new to the CLI.

[sonny]

Hi doing a bit of reading and there seems to be a growing user base trying to compare Linux to windows or rather trying to think that Linux should be a knock off of windows which I think is seriosly wrong. Its little comments like double click in a exe file, well we dont have exe files extentions and I realy dont care to see them in linix. However I do think we should be able to double click a tarball etc and have it outo-compiled if that is what some one wan't to do but just not the way windows does it. I think what Im trying to say is to have ease of use and funcunality but in a Linux way. Anyways this is a place where we can express are point of view how Linux can change in a Linux way.

As for auto compiling and install a standard would be nice that would consist of a local installer that sets up all differences in files. For example a lot of tarballs come with readme files that states if debian do with this. This would go a long way in standardisation or rather simplification. We will definatly still need some sort of text terminal to see errors or missing dependancys but it seems people dont like to type much. One thing that is constantly brought up is the famouse it took me a month to teach such and such a month to use the brouser etc. Not much we can do about that but we can make small advances to make things a bit more user friendly in a Linux way.

One thing I would realy like to see is a terminal command line in the file managers as it is quicker to type some locations that to actualy click through and also this would give some sudo aboilities in the file manager. Might be hard to do though. Possibly have it so you can have a few lines say up to 5 in sort of a terminal extention.

Also I dont think we should get rid of the terminal but rather incorperate it more into the graphical aspect of Linux even possibly link it with the file manager. Have the termainal on the left linked with the file manager on the right going through the files graphicly as you type with full terminal functionality.

When I think of something more ill add it but im getting a bit winded trying to write to much at onece.

cheers
You can do all that, you just have to write a simple script and that'll be all... but you'll still need to be superuser, that's one of the basic securities we have in Linux, and we shouldn't get rid of it, that's why you can't just double-click and get them install.

[Omnios]

One of the hardest aspects of switching to Linux but this is rather a gnome nautilas issue was the inability to search for directories and how hard it was to find directories. Normaly this might not be all that serious but I had to put a pug-in into the firefox plugins directory and being a total Linux newb it took me hours to find it.

We definaly need a a very powerfull and easy to use search function. Now as for finding things in directories and files it can not be beaten but try finding a simple directory with it and you will see my point. As for newbie useablility that is the most likely function that they will try to use.

[Omnios]

You can do all that, you just have to write a simple script and that'll be all... but you'll still need to be superuser, that's one of the basic securities we have in Linux, and we shouldn't get rid of it, that's why you can't just double-click and get them install.

So we incorperate super user passwords or root passwords etc incorperating how Linux works into it which is still being Linux.

[poofyhairguy]

this actually can be done with a .deb package its under hoary's how-to's. compiling a tarball on the other hand raises an entirely different set of problems such as dependancies not being met, etc , etc. so its feasable sorta but not that probable

What needs to happen:

1. Ubuntu finds way to install debs by clicking.

2. Ubuntu becomes THE desktop Linux, making debs THE standard package.

3. DPKG learns to resolve dependencies (or apt learns to install debs)

I can dream, can't I?

[aysiu]

What needs to happen:

1. Ubuntu finds way to install debs by clicking. Hate to say it, but Mepis already does this. I happen to like Ubuntu better because I'm learning to love the command-line, and I just think Ubuntu is more stable and faster, but if people want stuff automatic, it's out there.

[maruchan]

Hate to say it, but Mepis already does this.

Yeah, however it is that Mepis does this, Ubuntu would really benefit from it. I loved seeing that .deb icon in Mepis, then just installing from there.

This is assuming there isn't a way to set up Ubuntu to do this right now, in hoary? It'd make a great howto if so.

[Brunellus]

One of the hardest aspects of switching to Linux but this is rather a gnome nautilas issue was the inability to search for directories and how hard it was to find directories. Normaly this might not be all that serious but I had to put a pug-in into the firefox plugins directory and being a total Linux newb it took me hours to find it.

We definaly need a a very powerfull and easy to use search function. Now as for finding things in directories and files it can not be beaten but try finding a simple directory with it and you will see my point. As for newbie useablility that is the most likely function that they will try to use.

Beagle is coming. (breezy, maybe?) and that should solve things.

[Kvark]

You can do all that, you just have to write a simple script and that'll be all... but you'll still need to be superuser, that's one of the basic securities we have in Linux, and we shouldn't get rid of it, that's why you can't just double-click and get them install.
1. Single Click. (why the hell stress your finger by clicking twice when it is possible to do it by clicking once??)
2. A password prompt pops up and you enter your sudo password.
3. It installs.

Sudoing in GUI would be a huge step forward. Would be sweet if users can just point&click and when they need root access to do what they just clicked for, then a warning + password prompt pops up. Not just for installing but for all other tasks like moving/editing/deleting files owned by root. I can't see any problems with this since the prompt would provide security and warn the user that he/she should be sure on what he/she is doing before going ahead.



On this topic in general I agree completely with Omnios. GNU/Linux shouldn't try to compete with Windows. GNU/Linux should keep coming up with good ways to do things and then Windows is the system that has to try to copycat, catch up and compete. Like multiple desktops, good CLI, multiuser security etc.

[aysiu]

Sudoing in GUI would be a huge step forward. Would be sweet if users can just point&click and when they need root access to do what they just clicked for, then a warning + password prompt pops up. Not just for installing but for all other tasks like moving/editing/deleting files owned by root. I can't see any problems with this since the prompt would provide security and warn the user that he/she should be sure on what he/she is doing before going ahead. The capability is there. I think this is more of a policy thing. First of all, as I said before, Mepis has this--File manager super user mode (comes from Knoppix, actually, on which it's based). Through another thread, I learned how to create a launcher like this in Ubuntu's Gnome, as well (the command is gksudo nautilus).

Of course, the warning about how dangerous it is to use the launcher isn't there, but the password prompt is.

[Omnios]

I would like to add that there should also be some work done in the Internet front. This is more than just the distro's but covers things that deal with the net. What is in place works well and is comparable to others but there are a fe short commings. Firefox and other brousers have to become more accepted by certain unfriendly web services. There are not many but a few state when launching a radio pop up etc "you must have netscaper version or IE version. Web acceptence to the affect that they must have this acceptence for Linux based systems would go a long way but may prove difficult. Even the Linux netscape brouser would not launch these web apps.

Lastly an fully integrated audio/video app. The ones that exsist work but sometimes its not all that pretty. A growing trend is the html, java scipt, flash pop up audio and video players. A lot of these players are a jumple of play buttons and java script. Currently the players that exzist can not properly render these pop up. It may be possible to have mplayer do something like this and work well but there current situation is questionable. If this could be achieved then the acceptance of Linux would go a long way.

[WirelessMike]

I agree about the compatibility issues concerning Firefox, but I must also add that those issues center around webmasters and webpage builders that refuse to comply with accepted w3c standards. A warning stating that "this page can only be viewed in ..." is just exactly the same as a warning stating "we were too lazy to edit this page to conform to standards, so good luck viewing our page." I simply refuse to use such pages unless I ABSOLUTELY have to.

The problem with streaming a/v formats is that many of them are proprietary. This means that rights must be purchased and permission bought in order to compile them to use in one app, either by the app developer, or the OS developer. This would force developers to compromise their own standards regarding free open source software. It is better, I think, to keep the OS and apps pure, or as pure as possible, and stay true to open source. It requires a little change in style, perspective, and level of involvement on the user's part, but to me, this is the heart of what REALLY makes it superior. It may not be as easy to use, but to be free and true to open source philosophy, it's darn close.

[poofyhairguy]

Through another thread, I learned how to create a launcher like this in Ubuntu's Gnome, as well (the command is gksudo nautilus).



gksudo nautilus does the job wonderfully. Too good I say.

The reason there is not a more obvious way to have a super nautilus is because most people don't/shouldn't need it. Windows has created a fantasy where everyone is qualified to be an admin, everyone is qualified to go screwing with system files. And whats the result?- almost everyone has crap loads of spyware.

Officially all software that needs to be installed should be installed through synaptic (which uses gksudo by default). Officially people shouldn't touch things not in their home folder. I know nerds hate to hear that, but most people are not qualified to run exes, let alone screw with system files. If you are a true nerd (aka someone who IS qualified to mess around with root stuff) then you are smart enough to learn the gksudo trick.

Ubuntu is setup (exactly!) like Macs are- Ubuntu is designed to protect the user from themselves. If you don't like it, there are many other Linux's out there.

[poofyhairguy]

I would like to add that there should also be some work done in the Internet front. This is more than just the distro's but covers things that deal with the net. What is in place works well and is comparable to others but there are a fe short commings. Firefox and other brousers have to become more accepted by certain unfriendly web services. There are not many but a few state when launching a radio pop up etc "you must have netscaper version or IE version. Web acceptence to the affect that they must have this acceptence for Linux based systems would go a long way but may prove difficult. Even the Linux netscape brouser would not launch these web apps.


A lot of that stuff relies on Active X. I'll make you a promise right now- Ubuntu and/or Firefox will NEVER have a complete implementation of Active X. Active X is the broken program that installs spyware without you knowing, its one of MS's worst ideas and it should never be copied.

Email the people that run those sites and say "I use Firefox and Active X is crap. Can you please catch up to 2005?" Till they do, search for a way in google to install Internet Explorer using Wine (thats what I do).

[aysiu]

I think it's a non-issue. After all, Macs don't have ActiveX either. Websites like that are just shooting themselves in the virtual foot. Though, I've yet to find a website that I visit (that doesn't mean they're not out there) that doesn't work when I use the User Agent Switcher (https://addons.mozilla.org/extensions/moreinfo.php?application=firefox&id=59) extension for Firefox.

[Omnios]

Makes me wonder if there is room for an open source multi format integratable media player. From what I have read WinAmp may go the way of the dinasour, least I heard that it might not be being developed anymore. I dont think going head to head with RealPlayer or MediaPlayer will not go very far just way to much to do to compete. However creating a third media player option that sort of opened the door for WinAmp.

However there may be a market (open source market lol) for a player such as WinAmp with possibly something like shoutcast but not done localy but rather community maintained, being open source this would not be such a huge issue.

Anyways class platform is definatly the way to go as it extends the market or rather user base into other os's. That would take it from just a Linux app to a global internet app. As for web intagration it may come with its own non activeX plugins and components for web developers which are non activeX which may go far in the class platform arena as people will now have a choice not to use activeX

This is getting rather long so
Cheers

[Brunellus]

Makes me wonder if there is room for an open source multi format integratable media player. From what I have read WinAmp may go the way of the dinasour, least I heard that it might not be being developed anymore. I dont think going head to head with RealPlayer or MediaPlayer will not go very far just way to much to do to compete. However creating a third media player option that sort of opened the door for WinAmp.

However there may be a market (open source market lol) for a player such as WinAmp with possibly something like shoutcast but not done localy but rather community maintained, being open source this would not be such a huge issue.

Anyways class platform is definatly the way to go as it extends the market or rather user base into other os's. That would take it from just a Linux app to a global internet app. As for web intagration it may come with its own non activeX plugins and components for web developers which are non activeX which may go far in the class platform arena as people will now have a choice not to use activeX

This is getting rather long so
Cheers

If you're looking for winamp on linux, let me recommend XMMS to you. It was already very good when I first saw it on my friend's machine (I think he was running RH 5 back in '99 or so) and is fine now. open up a terminal, apt-get install xmms and you're good.

There's also BeepMediaPlayer, which people here seem to like. Me, I prefer XMMS--I can run it in windowshade mode very unobtrusively. Although, if I can get gdesklets running nicely, I see that there are a few attractive gdesklets that will control Rhythmbox, so I might think about using that for a change.

[weasel fierce]

I think a slightly tweaked search function when looking for files, would be a good thing

[Brunellus]

I think a slightly tweaked search function when looking for files, would be a good thing
Beagle is here.

[Omnios]

One thing that may help is a bit harder than its sounds but its a customizable enviorment and requires a lot more support than from the distro. It would even have support from the install right up to the set up. Basicly it would gather info on your computer. Processor speed ram etc and take component support int offect such as modem etc. This could then generate recomendations based on the system

Basicly taking a base install and making it very complicated. Support may come from different wm etc. a P2 200mhz migh recomend a light weight wm but still offer wm that will run but not all that quick with the specific system. Also different glavors og gnome support could be offered. There seems to be a lot of light wieght and easy to use gnome based wm in deveopment but they are not ready for mainstream yet. (some of them look like windows knock offs but needless to say they are gnome under the hood.)

It could also recomend the apps to the affect that if an app will not run on a system then that would be stated allowing the user to make an informed choice. Anyways I like the current system personaly but this may be a viable option for Ubuntu light versions. Also lastly its something windows doesn't do.

[Brunellus]

One thing that may help is a bit harder than its sounds but its a customizable enviorment and requires a lot more support than from the distro. It would even have support from the install right up to the set up. Basicly it would gather info on your computer. Processor speed ram etc and take component support int offect such as modem etc. This could then generate recomendations based on the system

Basicly taking a base install and making it very complicated. Support may come from different wm etc. a P2 200mhz migh recomend a light weight wm but still offer wm that will run but not all that quick with the specific system. Also different glavors og gnome support could be offered. There seems to be a lot of light wieght and easy to use gnome based wm in deveopment but they are not ready for mainstream yet. (some of them look like windows knock offs but needless to say they are gnome under the hood.)

It could also recomend the apps to the affect that if an app will not run on a system then that would be stated allowing the user to make an informed choice. Anyways I like the current system personaly but this may be a viable option for Ubuntu light versions. Also lastly its something windows doesn't do.
The trend in 'user-friendly' installations has been away from the kind of system you seem to be proposing.

Ubuntu's installer is very easy in the sense that it installs Ubuntu and all its components easily and without too much input from the user. Users--new ones, especially, who don't know what they want or what they're doing--would be buried by the available options.

I have suggested perhaps getting a Xubuntu project up and running--a fairly light ubuntu distro running XFCE and lighter-weight apps (abiword instead of OOO, for instance; sylpheed instead of Evolution, XMMS instead of Rhythmbox)--that would take care of what you're suggesting at the low end.

[Omnios]

Um one thing I have never realy heard mentioned but is viable. We keep hearing user friendly compared to windows but what about user friendly compairable to Mac OSX. This may be a more Linux friendly goal. I have never used OSX personaly and possibly many others and thats why it may not be mentioned much but hear good things about it. Not that it would make much of a difference but I prefer more user friendly like OSX.

User friendly, user friendly,................................,oops sorry had a crash, user friendly

[aysiu]

We keep hearing user friendly compared to windows but what about user friendly compairable to Mac OSX. This may be a more Linux friendly goal. I have never used OSX personaly and possibly many others and thats why it may not be mentioned much but hear good things about it. It's compared to Windows for exactly the reason you mentioned--most Mac users aren't looking to try Linux; a lot of Windows users are. If the bulk of the migration is new users coming from Windows, we have to "sell" Linux in a Windows context.

[Brunellus]

Not that it would make much of a difference but I prefer more user friendly like OSX.

User friendly, user friendly,................................,oops sorry had a crash, user friendly

...then run OSX and pay your money down.

Why are you running Linux anyway if you prefer OSX?

[Omnios]

...then run OSX and pay your money down.

Why are you running Linux anyway if you prefer OSX?


I didn't say I prefear OSX I said I prefear the statment of making Linux more user friendly like osx than say xp. I was thinking of this more in the terms of the future where Linux users might have to put up with comments like they tryed to make it more like windows. Anyways when I started using Linux I left the wondows attitude behind am now part of the Linux community which as in open source is open!

[KiwiNZ]

Hey its dead easy to make Linux compete with Windows , let Microsoft continue to produce Windows.... its self defeating

[Brunellus]

I didn't say I prefear OSX I said I prefear the statment of making Linux more user friendly like osx than say xp. I was thinking of this more in the terms of the future where Linux users might have to put up with comments like they tryed to make it more like windows. Anyways when I started using Linux I left the wondows attitude behind am now part of the Linux community which as in open source is open!

If you're thinking about user interface, you probably have a point or two. The difference, of course, is that with GNU/Linux, you have your choice of user interfaces. Choose the one that fits your needs best.

At the moment, the most Windows-like (in fact, I'd say nicer than Windows) UI is KDE 3.4. Gnome is moving in a similar, but not identical direction. But if the mainstream of the DE movement doesn't grab you, there are always alternatives--XFCE, for instance. I use Fluxbox on an older machine--looks like something out of a sci fi movie, runs on machines out of historical dramas!--THe very brave go for e17, which apparently is beautiful, but unstable (not unlike a few girls I know).

The nice thing about GNU/Linux is that if you dont like the way your particular system is running...well...you can always change it. Whether you have the time or the skills necessary to do the task, well that's a different question, and one each user/administrator has to answer for himself.

All I have to say is that Linux is fine for me. I still have a winXP partition, but that's for games only, at this point. All other useful work is done on Ubuntu. Some users will migrate from windows and run into problems and leave; that's their right. Other users will migrate, find that the benefits outweigh the problems, and stay. "linux"doesn't care.

[Omnios]

One thing that can shatter the mith that Linux is hard and you should stick to windows is to have better tutorials or rather easier to find tutorials. Possibly have it that every wiki and forum have a section on installing software. People don't unserstand why installing softwere is the way it is. The dont understand there is a big difference between a tarball and an .exe. They don't even know about the trans Distro issue's (that one is something I learnt many months after starting to use Linux). Lastly they don't understand how easy it is. Installing software seems to be one of the biggest issues when comparing Linux and Windows but the thing is you realy can't compare them. I say this try compiling a source on windows then tell what the difference is.

I think a lot of it boils down to documentation even the simple fact that the readme file tells you how to compile something eludes a newbie because they don't always know that. Google and local forums helps but some newbs might not even know that. Personaly I didn't even think of it when I started Linux till it was mentioned to me. Anyways as far as im concerned Linux is all good but I could not recomend it to my niece don't thing she could handle it.

[aysiu]

What's all this tarball and compile stuff? It doesn't get easier than apt-get.

[Stormy Eyes]

What's all this tarball and compile stuff? It doesn't get easier than apt-get.

It can be a pain in the ass, but occasionally it's the only way to get an app that hasn't been packaged for Debian or Ubuntu.

[N'Jal]

If you are a KDE user there's this cool package called Kconfigure that automatically run's tar *, ./configure, make, ask's for the password and then run's make install, it's fantastic, but i use GNOME, however a quick google has uncovered this...

G Configure (http://gconfigure.sourceforge.net/)

When i get home i will have to try it out

[nocturn]

Yeah, however it is that Mepis does this, Ubuntu would really benefit from it. I loved seeing that .deb icon in Mepis, then just installing from there.

This is assuming there isn't a way to set up Ubuntu to do this right now, in hoary? It'd make a great howto if so.

Mepis uses KDE. I used to be able to do this in Mandrake to with RPM's, but it is KDE functionality, not Mepis specific.

[Omnios]

To shell with win I downloaded KDE from synaptic and explored it and in a KDE XP comparisen I think KDE its better

Also software wise the main stuff is easy to find in Linux wich creates the myth that there is all there is. I stubles apon a few sites like source sorge that had thousands of sortware packages for linux. So the Linux does not have software myth is just that a myth.

[aysiu]

One thing that can shatter the mith that Linux is hard and you should stick to windows is to have better tutorials or rather easier to find tutorials. I think that's what makes Ubuntu stick out, at least for me. It wasn't that Ubuntu as an OS was inherently easier to use than other Linux distros. In fact, I found Mepis a lot easier to use out-of-the-box, but the tutorials are great here. I just do a Google search for site:ubuntuforums.org howto nameoftheproblem and I usually find the solution right away.


Possibly have it that every wiki and forum have a section on installing software. I don't know if there's a Wiki for it, but I did a little write-up with screenshots (last link in my sig).


People don't unserstand why installing softwere is the way it is. The dont understand there is a big difference between a tarball and an .exe. That's why I'm glad Poofyhairguy wrote this (http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=54227)

[Qrk]

Hate to say it, but Mepis already does this. I happen to like Ubuntu better because I'm learning to love the command-line, and I just think Ubuntu is more stable and faster, but if people want stuff automatic, it's out there.


Yup. Thats one of the best features of Mepis. When I switched to Ubuntu I tried double clicking on a deb for far too long of a time before realized it didn't have this feature.

[blastus]

Some points:

- the general public needs to be educated that Linux is a viable choice for desktop computing and they need to be educated that there are alternatives to Microsoft software

- there has to be more choices given to consumers when they purchase brand name computers or white boxes...the choice not to buy MS-Windows must be given and this choice must become commonplace

- more hardware needs to be better supported under Linux and hardware manufacturers should do more to support Linux instead of assuming that everyone is running MS-Windows

- Linux needs programs like Microsoft has such as hardware compatibility tests, hardware certification, logo branding, and things like that that will help people be more comfortable buying hardware for Linux

- open standards and open formats must be AGGRESIVELY ADVOCATED in every level of every public and private sector worldwide (even moreso in the U.S. and Canada)

- Microsoft must be regulated if there is ever going to be a healthy competitive free market in computing. However, this is pretty near impossible as the U.S. DOJ has shown no such interest in the name of maintaining U.S. domination of computing software and technology. So Microsoft is effectively a state-approved and blessed monopoly--they can and will continue to do whatever the hell they want in North American markets. As long as the U.S. government continues to let Microsoft extend its monopolies into every facet of computing, there is really nothing Linux can do to compete with Windows (at least not in North America.)

[poofyhairguy]

Yup. Thats one of the best features of Mepis. When I switched to Ubuntu I tried double clicking on a deb for far too long of a time before realized it didn't have this feature.


I like how YAST in SUSE not only installs the RPM with a click, but it installs the dependancies too. Amazing!

[aysiu]

I like how YAST in SUSE not only installs the RPM with a click, but it installs the dependancies too. Amazing! I believe KPackage in Mepis does this as well, if I'm remembering correctly.

[nocturn]

Hate to say it, but Mepis already does this. I happen to like Ubuntu better because I'm learning to love the command-line, and I just think Ubuntu is more stable and faster, but if people want stuff automatic, it's out there.

Mepis does it because it is a built-in feature of KDE.

[aysiu]

Mepis does it because it is a built-in feature of KDE. Really? I don't see KPackage in Kubuntu...

[Knome_fan]

Really? I don't see KPackage in Kubuntu...

Then you didn't look too hard.
KMenu -> System -> KPackage

At least in hoary kubuntu-desktop even depends on it.

However, for me it never really worked, as it doesn't seem to work with sudo, so there's no real way to use it to install stuff.

[Hobbsee]

kpackage is in the repositories...

I've had it before, i just realised that I didnt, and so have downloaded it. I've never had much success with it though - it never seems to accept the sudo password.


If you are a KDE user there's this cool package called Kconfigure that automatically run's tar *, ./configure, make, ask's for the password and then run's make install, it's fantastic, but i use GNOME, however a quick google has uncovered this...
G Configure (http://gconfigure.sourceforge.net/)
When i get home i will have to try it out

I've never seen kconfigure though - i searched with apt-get, and it couldnt find it. I'm using the kde 3.5 beta repositories instead of the 3.4.* ones though - would that make any difference?

[aysiu]

Then you didn't look too hard.
KMenu -> System -> KPackage As you can see (http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b337/psychocats/cd450b50.png), it's not in my System part of the KMenu.



At least in hoary kubuntu-desktop even depends on it. I'm using Breezy.



However, for me it never really worked, as it doesn't seem to work with sudo, so there's no real way to use it to install stuff. Yeah, I haven't tried it in Kubuntu, only Mepis.

[aysiu]

kpackage is in the repositories... Yes, it's in Universe.



I've never seen kconfigure though - i searched with apt-get, and it couldnt find it. I'm using the kde 3.5 beta repositories instead of the 3.4.* ones though - would that make any difference? You have to download the .deb from their website (http://kconfigure.sourceforge.net/). It's not in any Ubuntu repository.