[iyonix-support] Re: Problem installing Firefox-2-r2

  • From: Alan Calder <alan_calder@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: iyonix-support@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2007 13:54:40 +0000 (GMT)

In article <1d43edc24e.peter@xxxxxxxxxx>, Peter Naulls <peter@xxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
> In message <c4fad0c24e.SoftInfo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Jeremy Brayshaw
>           <jeremy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

[Snip]

> > Can I appeal to you, then, as one of the few talented programmers RISC
> > OS has, to produce a Packaging Programme as your next project? Or to
> > offer your services to the 'RiscPkg' team to bring that to completion?
> > It's no good asking the likes of me, because although I'm more than
> > happy to test software, I am not a software author.

> Thing is packaging is one of those things that _can_ be done by
> non-developers.

Can it?  OK, here I am, last did any programming, BBC Basic, some 25 years
ago.  Gave it up because I didn't have the time and realised I didn't have
the mind-set needed to be any good at it.  Pretty good with applications
though so just point me to where the non-programmer's start place is and
I'm off and running.  Presumably I just download something, install it and
then write the manual for others to use?  Or do I have to learn C (or
something) first and get to grips with the compiling game?  If it is the
latter then forget it if you want a working system this side of my demise. 
Eternity is a long time and I might have a chance then.

> > So the only part I can play at this stage is to appeal to programmers
> > to write such a system - so I appeal to you, Peter - please write such
> > a system. If you say 'no', then you can't criticise other developers
> > for also saying 'no', and RISC OS is the loser all round.

> But again, you still miss the point.  There remains a serious attitude
> problem, and you are trying to focus on specifics, when specifics such
> as packaging are only facets of doing things properly. 

I am sure that you are correct about 'attitude' but it isn't the 'fault' of
users who just want to get something to work.  Lambasting people for trying
to make things work within their level of competence isn't the answer.

If my car's cooling system develops a leak heading back to the Calais ferry
I can solve the problem by carrying a load of water and topping up at
frequent intervals.  It doesn't solve the underlying problem (the leaky
component) let alone the design error that makes it hard to fix easily but
I do catch the ferry.

Originally you asked for donations to help with the FFox porting project
from people who couldn't help in the actual development and coding work.  I
and many others happily helped in that way and continue to do so.  I would
happily pay more but now you say that it is not what is wanted.  Instead we
are castigated for not being programmers and told that what we can provide
is not needed - it is somehow up to us to go out and change the 'attitude'
(whatever that really means) of the RO development community (whoever they
are).

Is it still too late to calm all this down and set some simple and specific
goals that ordinary users can meet?

Best wishes

Alan

-- 
Alan Calder, Milton Keynes, UK.

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