"Does Fedora Linux have any sort of Windows based installer, anyone?" [SOLVED]

[Techokami]

The thread title is a direct quote from someone who made a message in my shoutbox who is considering about going to Fedora. However, he's not experienced about Linux... no, computers to know how to burn a CD and partition his hard drive.

This "Windows based installer" he's talking about is the Windows installer for Ubuntu. It's a Windows app that will automatically do all the drive partitioning, downloading, and installing, all from Windows. It's a good idea as it gives people who aren't super-technical about computers make the jump to Linux.

So, my questions for this thread:

• Is there a Windows-based installer program for Fedora?
• If so, can you please point me to it?
• If not, do you think Fedora would benefit from such a convenience?

[JN4OldSchool]

Originally Posted by Techokami

The thread title is a direct quote from someone who made a message in my shoutbox who is considering about going to Fedora. However, he's not experienced about Linux... no, computers to know how to burn a CD and partition his hard drive.

This "Windows based installer" he's talking about is the Windows installer for Ubuntu. It's a Windows app that will automatically do all the drive partitioning, downloading, and installing, all from Windows. It's a good idea as it gives people who aren't super-technical about computers make the jump to Linux.

So, my questions for this thread:

• Is there a Windows-based installer program for Fedora?
• If so, can you please point me to it?
• If not, do you think Fedora would benefit from such a convenience?

I think there are no definites in Linux. I learned the ropes in Fedora. People say Ubuntu is "the" beginners distro. Many people, including me, had more problems getting Ubuntu installed and running than anything else. However, as a rule of thumb, a generality, the consensus, the majority opinion ...Ubuntu is set up to be as graphic and as easy as possible for the most non-technical of people. Its stated goal is to capture the desktop market from Windows. Fedora has no such goals. It is a more technical distro, full of bugs and pitfalls and problems for those not willing to dig in and roll up their sleeves.

So no. In fact I think an installer like this would send the wrong message to the people who would be inclined to use it, as I think install scripts do. In and of themselves there is nothing wrong with these aids, in fact I use Dangermouse's script myself. But Fedora is not for those people who do not want to learn the technical side of Linux. They might get it installed, and may even sail along quite well for a few months, but sooner or later they will be faced with a serious problem requiring them to dig in and get dirty. I think it is doing them a dis-service to not tell them this right from the start.

[Dan]

Hmmm.

OK.

1) Not to the best of my knowledge.
2) See number one.
3) No. I really don't think so. To be blunt, if the Windows user is that technically challenged, I don't think fedora is the right distro for them to start with. I would simply direct them to Ubuntu. After they get a little Linux experience under their belt, then perhaps fedora would be good, but it is a bleeding edge distro that is going to take some knowledge and effort, perhaps even some command line work, to get to function in the way a former Windows user is going to expect.

http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Objectives


Dan

EDIT: Man, I guess I type way too slow! Mornin' JN4!

[forkbomb]

Originally Posted by JN4OldSchool

Many people, including me, had more problems getting Ubuntu installed and running than anything else.

Ditto. I've never used any flavor of Ubuntu for more than a month without getting to the point where several apps just wouldn't launch.

Frankly, if a person is not technically inclined enough to learn how to burn an .iso disc, take a few minutes to learn about partitioning, read a few how-tos on installation, and set up the BIOS to boot from CD, then he is going to have big problems actually using any distro. The Ubuntu-from-Windows installer strikes me as silly for that reason.

And, yes, Fedora is for a bit more experienced users, but people willing to do their homework can pick up Fedora pretty fast and actually start learning Linux (Ubuntu users, I daresay, don't often really learn anything about Linux). Ultimately, using most distros is about learning and rolling up your sleeves, not just Fedora.

[stevea]

I mostly agree with Dan. It's a little difficult for a noob to install Linux on his Win system, so I'm glad to see that someone has simplified the procedure. OTOH I don't think there is a huge call for such a tool. Linux is not really a Windows add-in product. Most people either test Linux as a "toe-in-the-water" effort or alternatively they switch to use Linux 95% of the time yet may need Windows for a few apps.

Ubuntu is reputedly a fine distro for noobs, so I would suggest someone trying the dual-install to use this WUBI tool. I do NOT feel that Fedora is particularly good distro for noobs so I would not recommend that a WUBI type tool be developed for Fedora. I really like Fedora, but I'm a little appalled at all the folks on this forum trying Fedora as their first Linux experience. That's OK for a more technical computer user, but not the average Win user IMHO.

[Techokami]

Alright, I guess this answers my questions :P
Thanks guys!

[Dan]

OK. Can I mark this one [SOLVED]?


Dan

[cable_txg]

Originally Posted by Dan

OK. Can I mark this one [SOLVED]?


Dan

Hold on....
My first intro to computers was on AT&T Unix System 5 running on an old 486 pc, that did not count until I fried my laptops' motherboard 5 years ago while installing fedora 3/4 i think (took the cpu apart several times and accidentally messed up the pins on the board.), but it was fun.

Okay and now you could mark this one.
:-)

[Dan]

OK. Closed it too!