[PD] New users and external path struggles

[Derek Holzer]

Chiming in here as well. At least one factor instigating this current 
thread was me asking in the Facebook group if there is a simple, 
canonical way of installing GEM via deken.

Of note: every reply apart from Alexandre's told me I should install 
Extended, or install Purr Data, or copy the lib binaries from those into 
my course material, or use a live Linux distro, or use a preinstalled 
RasPi, or do every other crazy/complicated thing *besides* use deken. 
This is how the user community perceives the situation at this moment.

Disclaimer: I am aware that GEM does not run on 64 bit, and I could not 
use Extended because I required the [metro] object from Pd  >= 0.45

I just did a one day workshop last weekend, and after giving the 
participants pre-flight instructions on how to install GEM that worked 
fine for me, 10 out of 12 could not create the GEM objects.

If it's only a 5 hour workshop and you spend more than an hour dealing 
with each participant's individual system to install and config while 
the others sit around and wait, what this tells me is that the deken 
system might not be ready for prime time yet.

Alexandre's document is great, but new users will not read 14 pages to 
install libs they have never used before. I miss Extended for this 
ease-of-use terribly, and I wonder how after two decades of Pd these 
issues still haven't been addressed completely in a systematic way which 
allows people to simply install and go (as Extended did once upon a time).

I guess it's important to debate whether it's "correct" to allow Pd to 
create directories etc etc, but the real crash test should still be 
whether a classroom full of undergrad art students on mixed platforms, 
and who don't just-so-happen-to-have a background in CompSci as well, 
can get things up and running without stress.

Best Sunday wishes to all.
Derek

-- 
derek holzer
noise.art.technology
http://macumbista.net