Re: What's an even easier explanation how to setup gnus ...

[Carson Chittom <carson@wistly.net>]

Don Saklad <dsaklad@gnu.org> writes:

> Please explain the instructions for folks completely unfamiliar with
> computers, for complete novices how to setup gnus... for example for
> grandparents unfamiliar with computers.

Absent some other compelling fact of which I am not currently aware, I
don't think "grandparents unfamiliar with computers" should be using
Gnus for mail.  I don't say this from some elitist conviction that they
should already know how to use it or any such nonsense.  But Gnus'
defining feature is its configurability, and therefore complexity:
because it's so complex it's *hard* and you have to be able to read the
instructions, by and large, to do much that's useful.  Just to pick what
is to me the obvious example, when you start Gnus by default it does not
show you mail you've already read.  To say that nearly all other email
clients behave differently is not a complaint, just an observation that
Gnus is more complicated.  You cannot make these theoretical
grandparents put up with an excess of complexity and still expect them
to actually *use* the software, unless you're willing to act as
technical support all the time; and even then the barrier may be
unsurmountable.  I've learned that you cannot (not should not, but
*cannot*) make people accept complexity except to the extent to which
they are willing.

For nontechnical users like you posit, I would recommend either
Thunderbird or, on a Microsoft platform, Windows Live Mail (or whatever
they're calling it these days).  Thunderbird in particular does a pretty
good job of getting in the server info right just by putting in your
email address in the initial startup wizard.

Of course, if they're willing to read docs and spend some time, that's a
different question altogether.