[ale] just installed LibreOffice in Linux, should have been easier

[JD]

After years of learning some-other-way to deal with software installs, 
it is hard for everyone to understand how easy it really is doing it 
with a package manager.  We've all been there - done it the hard way.  
These days, if something seems hard, I'll ask for help **first**. As in ...

   "I'm thinking of doing X, does anyone have tips or suggestions 
concerning any issues that I may encounter?"

IMHO, being afraid of the shell makes things much harder than 
necessary.  Pointing and clicking can't be put into a shell script, 
reused next year, across 2,000 systems or accurately shared in an email. 
It also requires a video to show someone new to a platform how to 
complete a task. Yuck.  Pointing and clicking just seems easier, it 
isn't really.

I'll say it again ...*put down the mouse, place your forefingers on 'f' 
and 'j', begin computing. *Don't fear the shell.

Here's a challenge to all those who are still pointing and clicking.  
For every administrative task this week, try to do it from the shell 
instead. Ask for help if you need it, but please read the man page 
**first** - some of the man pages do really suck. Learning how to read a 
man page takes time and practice, then it becomes very clear.  `apropos` 
is your friend too.

On 03/13/2011 08:06 AM, arxaaron wrote:
> I love it when people take the most difficult route to
> a destination and then blame the people who provided
> the map.
>
> peace
> aaron
>
> -- Mcrosoft windoze == Mafia$oft Windisease:
> -- Cancer for your computer and your freedom.
>
>
> On 2011/03/11, at 20:11 , Ron Frazier wrote:
>
>> I just got LibreOffice installed in Linux.  I got it done.  But, it
>> was
>> much more difficult than it should have been.  These are problems the
>> developers must fix if they want wide acceptance of Linux outside of
>> the
>> ubergeeks.
>>
>> Steps to remove OpenOffice on Windows:
>>
>> 01) Access programs and features menu.
>> 02) Select OpenOffice and click uninstall.
>>
>> Steps to remove OpenOffice on Linux:
>>
>> 01) Access the software center
>> 02) Select OpenOffice word processor and click remove.
>> 03) Select OpenOffice spreadsheet and click remove.
>> 04) Select OpenOffice database and click remove.
>> 05) Select OpenOffice presentation and click remove.
>> 06) And do the same for 1 or 2 more.
>> 07) Access Synaptic package manager.
>> 08) Search for openoffice.
>> 09) Filter by installed programs only.
>> 10) Manually select each of about a half dozen items and select
>> complete
>> removal and apply.
>>
>> Steps to install LibreOffice on Windows:
>>
>> 01) Download and save the installer.
>> 02) Double click it.
>> 03) Follow the prompts.
>>
>> Steps to install LibreOffice on Linux:
>>
>> 01) Download and save a main tar ball.
>> 02) Double click on it to extract it.
>> 03) Download and save a help tar ball.
>> 04) Double click on it to extract it.
>> 05) Go find and double click on readme file and read it.
>> 06) Open terminal and manually change to a very long path name
>> directory
>> for the main set of files.
>> 07) Change to the DEBS directory.
>> 08) Implement the sudo dpkg command with specific syntax from the
>> readme
>> file.
>> 09) Change to the desktop integration directory.
>> 10) Implement the sudo dpkg command again.
>> 11) Change to the help files DEBS directory.
>> 12) Implement the sudo dpkg command again.
>>
>> Windows wins the least pain in the butt contest with this hands down.
>> This is utterly ridiculous.  If I were to recommend to a family member
>> or friend that they use Linux and try to explain the procedure to
>> install an application like this, they'd laugh me right out of the
>> house
>> and say they'll just stick with Windows.  Now, obviously, I CAN do all
>> these things, and I DID, and I WILL on my other PC's, but I shouldn't
>> HAVE to.
>>
>> Also, this should have been in the Ubuntu repositories, or LibreOffice
>> should provide a repository of their own.  As far as I know, I
>> completely bypassed the Synaptic / Apt package manager.  So, does
>> anyone
>> know how I can get Synaptic / Apt to understand that his new
>> application
>> is there and auto update it?
>>
>> Sincerely,
>>
>> Ron
>>
>> -- 
>>
>> (PS - If you email me and don't get a quick response, you might want
>> to
>> call on the phone.  I get about 300 emails per day from alternate
>> energy
>> mailing lists and such.  I don't always see new messages very
>> quickly.)
>>
>> Ron Frazier
>>
>> 770-205-9422 (O)   Leave a message.
>> linuxdude AT c3energy.com

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