The first steps (Score 1)

While this debate is facinateing, a way to deal with the issue at hand would be nice. Linux/Windows/MacOS all have their up sides as well as their problems. Windows and MacOs have tried very hard(maybe not hard enough though)to make things easy on the end user. Linux is trying very hard to catch up. I think everyone can agree that Linux is aiming for the desktop, and a large part of wether Linux can conquer the desktop is if "aunt millie" can set it up quickly and effiectly, and then use it to do basic tasks easily. Now that should by no means exclude the power user(read geek). So the point of my wrap-up here is that maybe a forum for guidelines on makeing Linux easier is in order. There are as many ways to go about that as there are Linux Distro's(in all reality, probably more). But maybe, just maybe getting some ideas together and setting forth guidelines that_everyone_can use will make things better. KDE/Gnome are makeing things easier(slowly but surely)for the straight interface, but again as mentioned many times before individual programs need to have some sembelence of ease(while retaining function). This is where the guidelines come in. I think we can mostly all agree that if guidelines are setup and a default install is created that makes it easy on new(inexperienced)users but still leaves that I-can-tweak-it-like-theres-no-tommorow feel that OSS seems famous for that we can all get along(at least in theory)and that Linux can make it's first steps towards edgeing into Windows/MacOS's niche. I'll probably regret this but if anyone out there thinks that an open forum to create guidelines is a good idea let me know and lets see what we can't set up, if we can pull together the total novice's idea's and the "hardcore geek"'s ideas maybe we can synthesize something worthwhile.