TehGhodTrole wrote:It is optional. You can optionally minimise it, or even optionally ignore it.
Hello,
Respectfully: I'm not sure whether you were attempting to be funny, failed to read my entire post, or simply didn't understand it. <SHRUGS> One of the problems with trying to use this Internet critter as a method of communication is that I cannot see facial expressions or hear tones of voice. I also cannot tell whether someone will look at a short post of only 5,000 - 10,000 characters (or even less) and decide to only skim it "because it is so big"
.
I'm going to guess here and assume that you just didn't understand it (if I am incorrect, please forgive). Some computers cannot successfully complete Mint 14's installation process unless the user disables - as in, removes - the slideshow that runs during that installation process.
I know this because after trying repeatedly to install it on my desktop computer (from multiple verified-burn discs made from md5-verified source .ISO), I did some searching and found a thread here on the Mint forum that discussed the issue and gave instructions for disabling/uninstalling the slideshow.
Which, aside from a little frustration, was fine -
in my particular case. I had previously installed Mint 14 on my laptop, so I knew what a nice OS Mint is. And I am used to things that work for "everyone" and having to search for a solution and then implement it so that it will actually work on my hardware. So it was NBD. But for someone who is trying Mint for the first time - or, perhaps, trying
linux for the first time - the minor frustration combined with possibly not knowing that it is an issue that is easily dealt with, could cause that prospective user to not try Mint. Making the slideshow optional along with adding a statement explaining that, in the event that Mint fails to successfully install, the user should try again after selecting "Disable Installation Slideshow" because allowing it to run causes an install failure on some computers seems like a good way to ensure that those prospective new (Mint or linux) users actually manage to successfully complete the installation process.
And, yes, I realize that one can "try out" Mint via it's live/install media. But it's not the same - there's no persistance on optical media and possibly not on USB, ether (I am unsure) and the experience is a lot slower than with an installed Mint OS.
Again, I just thought it would make it that much more likely that someone would try Mint out. I have nothing against the slideshow, and do not mind its inclusion - other than the fact that it causes the installation of the OS to pooch on some computers, lol, which would seem to be of importance to those who are affected. Other than that, the slideshow or something like it is probably a good thing. When everything works correctly, it provides somewhat of an introducton and reassures any users who don't think to look at their drive activity light that, no, their computer hasn't locked up
. And while I have no idea as to the actual number of affected computers, I would guess that they are in the minority. So I would not suggest that Clem get rid of it altogether - merely make it optional somehow, either through an easy to set (and easy to understand) option or via some method of autodetection. I would assume that the former would be easier to implement than the latter, but that is just a guess.
Best regards,
MDM
). A lot of people still hear "linux" and think "OS for the mutant-brains," and if they find themselves unable to even install it, well, it only serves to further that myth.
