🚀 go-pugleaf

I agree with Edward J. Hartnett in that some of the GNU stuff I've downloaded  
has been neat to hear about and see other people using, but some of it is  
uninstallable on my platform (NeXTSTEP 3.0).  I had to get a lot of help before  
I could install the latest emacs 18.59, I believe.  I still haven't been able  
to just compile the latest versions of gcc, gdb and oleo.

I too was curious how many other people feel this way, but since the majority  
of GNU software is installed on UNIX machines and UNIX is mainly the OS for  
programmers, not users, most of the people on USENET reading this message will  
probably not identify with Edward J. Hartnett's post.  Therefore, when it comes  
to getting one's hand held for installing 1 or 2 pieces of GNU software, which  
it sounds like all some people need to get them on their way to being able to  
install other software, it would help if there were a way to learn to do it  
without needing to read 10 manuals on every function of C, UNIX and programming  
hints of one sort or another.

When I think about the whole GNU idea, I wonder if it will ever take off in a  
big way.  I fear that it will  become just another user-unfriendly,  
UNIX-lookalike, enormous set of tools where very few actual applications exist,  
just a *lot* of development tools.  I'm grateful for the idea of exchanging  
software ideas and code freely, but the implementation lacks any advantage for  
those who use computers for something other than managing other computers.

In summary, I feel the following about todays computers (applicable to UNIX  
machines and GNU software):  Computers were made to help people complete work  
that they would have to do anyways.  When you have to hire someone to keep  
track of things going on with your computer, or if you construct or use an OS  
that takes years to learn where the knowledge of how to do things rests only  
with a certain few (aka, UNIX gurus), you have a bad computer.  This is in  
direct violation of the purpose for computers because it makes them harder to  
understand and operate.
-- 
-- Jeff (jeffo@uiuc.edu)
-- NeXTmail welcome