[Koha] ANNOUNCE: Koha perl dependency RPMs for Red Hat 9

[Larry Stamm]

"Tim" == Tim Bell <bhat at trinity.unimelb.edu.au> writes:

    Tim> On Mon 23 Jun 2003 at 08:22:06 +1200, Peter Harrison wrote:
    >> On Monday 23 June 2003 01:22 am, COURYHOUSE at aol.com wrote: > "it
    >> would really help a lot of not-so-IT librarians to just install
    >> Koha > without them knowing the hard work."  > > Correct..  In
    >> this manner and other things leading to the one click instal, >
    >> shall any software package gain universal acceptance...

I don't see how the install can get much simpler, given Koha's
dependency on other software.  I've installed three versions of Koha on
three versions of Linux, and it has always been a simple matter after
I've insured all the right Perl modules are in place.
    
    >> A manager once put me right on this point. Your application might
    >> be the best in the world, but if the install isn't easy, or
    >> doesn't work right, the user will never see how good it is.

This assumes that the end user should be the one responsible for
installing the software.  I'm not sure this is a valid assumption for
a complex, flexible application that depends on other applications being
correctly installed before it can function.  After it is installed, Koha
has proven stable, efficient and extremely easy to use for our library.

    <snip>

    Tim> What does all this mean for Koha?  Well, I'm not a Koha
    Tim> developer (not even a user yet, although I hope to persuade our
    Tim> library one day), but here are the options as I see them to
    Tim> make installation easier:

    <snip of installation options>

These are all good options, but I would put them pretty low on the
development priority list right now, unless there is somebody new
willing to take on these tasks.  Getting a stable version out that
includes most needed features should take priority, IMO.

    Tim> But I guess the main point I'm trying to make is that users
    Tim> need to be realistic in their expectations of the installation
    Tim> process.  To quote (possibly misquote) Einstein, things should
    Tim> be made as simple as possible, but no simpler.

I agree.  Koha is not really a good choice for a library without IT
people available as of now, but having watched a linux neophyte install
it with no trouble I would say the install is not overly complex.

-- 
Larry Stamm, Chair
McBride and District Public Library
McBride, BC  V0J 2E0
Canada
http://www.mcbridebc.org/library