[nos-bbs] Update on JNOS (WIN32, Native Windows) + new installer :)

[Michael E Fox - N6MEF]

I'd be willing to bet that the "market" for an easier to install linux
version would be 10x the market for Windows!  Here's why:

The people that ask me for help getting started with JNOS *all* want to run
it on linux.  They can install linux just fine.  And they can install tons
of other tools and applications on linux from packages.  

But they fail with JNOS because it's just so darn hard to get started.
Everything on the .../downloads/linux page of the website is about the
source code.  Even the generic installer mentioned on the very last line of
that web page is source code.  And for someone that has never built from
source, they are again stumped.  

The first time I had to build JNOS, I typed "make" and got an error.   I
didn't even know what packages I had to download just to be able to build
JNOS.  I asked around and no one seemed to know the specific list.  I
eventually figured it out through lots of trial and error.  But to this day,
the only source code I have ever had to build is JNOS.  The same is true of
the two other sysops in our county and a few other would-be sysops in
neighboring counties.

So we really need current installers and getting started docs for linux.
If you don't want to go the full deb/rpm package route, at least a tarball
maintained at the latest release which includes clear, step-by-step
instructions written for users (not software developers) would be a huge
step forward. 

Well, that's my $0.02 anyway.  How much is that in Canadian $?  ;-)
Michael
N6MEF

P.S.  BTW, this has nothing to do with not liking Windows.  I am a Windows
fan.  MS Office, the whole 9 yards.  Love it (mostly).    Love Win8 less,
but o.k.   Anyway, JNOS is a server application best run on a server.  And
to perform mail gatewaying, routing, etc., linux is a better platform
choice.  People will have broader options and a better chance of long term
success if they go that way.  But it's just so darn hard to get started.
Make getting started on linux as easy as running a Windows installer!
That's what needs fixing the most, I think.

M


-----Original Message-----
From: nos-bbs-bounces at tapr.org [mailto:nos-bbs-bounces at tapr.org] On Behalf
Of Maiko Langelaar
Sent: Sunday, March 02, 2014 11:20 AM
To: TAPR xNOS Mailing List
Subject: [nos-bbs] Update on JNOS (WIN32, Native Windows) + new installer :)


Just wanted to let people know, I am wanting to put more focus on the
development of JNOS within the Windows environment. It is probably fair
to say, there is a large untapped JNOS 'market' in the Windows world.


I look at software like the 'famous' UIview and WinPack by the late
Roger Barker, and I have to wonder how many people out are using some
type of version of that software. I can't imagine, I know it's tons.

I'm not saying JNOS will ever go that far (probably not) ...

But, anyways, a milestone of sorts. I have a new installer for the
windows version of JNOS. No more zip files, no more first time editing
of configuration files, just run 'setup.exe', it asks for a callsign,
and then generates a basic first time configuration to play with.

I am using the Inno Setup (free windows installer) software. Initially I
found it a bit daunting, but in the end, it's an amazing product, and the
end result is an actual windows installer.

That's all for now (there's still much left to do) ...

  * from the record cold depths of Winterpeg (Winnipeg, Manitoba)

Maiko Langelaar / VE4KLM

http://www.langelaar.net/projects/jnos2

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