[news.eclipse.newcomer] Ganymede & website usability for Linux users (wa

[Nick Boldt <codeslave@xxxxxxxxxx>]

> The problem is that gcj is the default on many systems, and while the
> packaged version of eclipse works with it plugins often don't - nor does
> a downloaded version.

Yes, and this is documented in many (but perhaps not enough) places. For 
example,

http://wiki.eclipse.org/IRC_FAQ
http://www.eclipse.org/downloads/
http://wiki.eclipse.org/SDK_Known_Issues#Linux_issues

But it's not on the actual platform download or EPP download pages.

http://bugs.eclipse.org/239883
http://bugs.eclipse.org/239884

> The non-free flash plugin has been pretty easy to install for a while -
> besides people really know what it does and why they want it - whereas
> someone trying out eclipse often won't know if it's the right thing for
> them

OK, what about the non-free Sun JVM plugin, also for your browser? If 
that too is easy to install, then why not the Sun JVM/JRE/JDK for use 
with Eclipse?

> I find the Eclipse website to be quite inward looking
> take this page for example http://www.eclipse.org/projects/whatsnew.php
> Two clicks from the home page - I can't see any other what's new section
> - I expect it to be a list of new features from the new release .... but
> it's about Development Process Changes ...
> The content for what's new exists (it's in the eclipse help) but much of
> it is really hard to find online.
> All those great screenshots - only available to people who have already
> 'bought into' Eclipse.

Yeah, you probably want something like this:

http://www.eclipse.org/ ->
http://www.eclipse.org/downloads/ -> "Eclipse Classic 3.4 > Release 
notes" -> 
http://download.eclipse.org/eclipse/downloads/drops/R-3.4-200806172000/whatsnew3.4/eclipse-news.html

But for individual projects... uh...

hmm. http://www.eclipse.org/ganymede/learn.php doesn't link to New and 
Noteworthy...

Crap. Time for another bug report...

http://bugs.eclipse.org/239889

> I spent a year using Windows recently - Cygwin is the only way I
> survived ;-)

I hear ya: http://divby0.blogspot.com/search/label/windows


Nick