[SoaS] installation fear, was Re: [Marketing] Governance & Trademark in the Wiki

[Douglas McClendon]

Dave Bauer wrote:
> On Mon, Oct 19, 2009 at 9:07 PM, Douglas McClendon
> <dmc.sugar at filteredperception.org> wrote:
>> Sean DALY wrote:
>>
>>> You've mentioned how the website could be improved - the "fine print".
>>> When you look at the Sugar on a Stick page, what do you think it could
>>> express better to guide inexperienced users? The single biggest
>>> barrier we face is installation fear - this is how Windows keeps its
>>> marketshare (with help from proprietary file formats), and why
>>> GNU/Linux desktops have so much difficulty breaking out. Sugar on a
>>> Stick sidesteps the problem by not touching the hard disk, but does
>>> indeed require system-specific BIOS fiddling.
>> In response to this, and DancesWithCars autorun html point, I can see
>> possible progress in this direction-
>>
>> a) autorun html.  Simple to add technically.  I'd opt for pure open
>> source but possibly less compatable simple autorun technique, as opposed
>> to using the various less-free and often closed source autorun helpers.
>>
>> b) the content of the html to be autoran- obviously the sky is the
>> limit, and something marketing is particularly suited for.  To the
>> extent that technical information should be contained, there is the
>> LiveDistro wikipedia page, which would be included, as well as a layer
>> above it translated/shrunk into a quickstart version targeted at average
>> parents/teachers.
>>
>> c) other low hanging fruit windows FOSS.  Firefox seems worth it if
>> you've got the space.  But more importantly qemu, or whatever the best
>> open source windows virtualization solution is (qemu/virtualbox/?).
>> I.e. the webpage should include simple instructions for launching that
>> virtualizaiton targeted at the CD/USB that contains it.
>>
> 
> Virtualbox could allow a pretty good in-Windows experience. With
> seamless mode it runs in an OS window. We can automate the startup so
> a Sugar appliance starts up with  one click. The trick is getting
> permission to bundle an  installer with virtualbox and the sugar
> appliance. I think one would have to ask Sun for permission to do
> this.
> 
> You could do this also with OS X and Linux although each needs a
> seperate installer.

Yes, I did notice

"
Please note that the Open Source Edition does not include an installer 
or setup utilities, as it is mainly aimed at developers and Linux 
distributors. We do request that anyone intending to redistribute the 
Open Source Edition contact us first. Please also take a look at our 
licensing FAQ, in particular regarding the use of the name VirtualBox.
"

But I was thinking however about an installed(on external media - 
cd/usb) version, not an install_able_ version.  I.e. what I think 
they're calling 'portable firefox' vs the firefox installer on portable 
media.

It seems easy to satisfy their request for first contact, though I'm 
pretty sure GPL gives you the right to redistribute.  I'm sure they'd be 
delighted to also let us use their marks, and even if they weren't, I'm 
sure you could put together a chillyweasel edition or just refer to it 
as the embedded soas virtualization platform.

-dmc