If someone out there has a spare computer or wants to use an unlock, why not use camtasia studio, captivate, or even fraps to record the process of installing lfs from a downloaded zip then send the 'movie'to the intended user, even a slideshow of selected screenshots would be more than enough? Most ppl are quick to learn from a hands on visual perspective?

Just my 2 cents

Oh come on people...

Even when being instructed this guy is not able to unpack a zip-file...????????

Sorry, but this goes beyond my understanding. I even instructed old people without any knowledge of computers (via telephone) to successfully install drivers and/or set up their internet connection and stuff like that. If you can tell right from left, unzipping and starting an unzipped program can in no way be too difficult when you are instructed. No need to be any kind of "computer geek" for that. Just an IQ of over 10 is needed...

Quote from Christian Seidel :

Oh come on people...

Even when being instructed this guy is not able to unpack a zip-file...????????

Sorry, but this goes beyond my understanding. I even instructed old people without any knowledge of computers (via telephone) to successfully install drivers and/or set up their internet connection and stuff like that. If you can tell right from left, unzipping and starting an unzipped program can in no way be too difficult when you are instructed. No need to be any kind of "computer geek" for that. Just an IQ of over 10 is needed...

It does seem strange but then again this guy is a racing car guru, prolly has ice for blood, fear glands surgically removed at birth, 1/1000th second reactions times and sleeps with his tyre warmers instead of electric blanket

Who needs an education, the ablity to say three words in the one sentence etc

You could do it for him with remote assistance in msn and explain basics at the same time...

cool didnt realise i could use that. its all sorted now, but for people without someone helping them, they would have just given up...

i understand it all, but i also understand there are alot of people out there who dont. out of the 20,000 licenences sold, i wonder how many more there would be if it was a bit more simple to 'install'

Quote :

Becky, its not mark litchfield or gary catt, if thats who u are thinking

I dont really know names, I goto the track and chat whilst setting up but once i'm on the track all I see is red. At the end of the day the last thing I will remember is the brief chat whilst I was pumping tyres up . I just asked because i've come across quite a few FRenault drivers over the years.

Quote :

I'd say Scawen should just make a 'Selfextracting Archive' or an 'Installer'. I guess nobody cares if there will be something like this available if the Archive is still available, too.

Trust me it leads to more confusion, you cannot make downloads more simple and you cannot provide more than 1 download - it just doesnt work because too many people download everything and too many people can't download .exe files because of the warnings or ISP limitations.

People can open a single file inside a zip though. Im quite sure many noobs will open the zip file, and then click the LFS exe and get loads of errors because of files which werent found. If you just put a tiny exe into the folder, which downloads the files then, it should work better.
That is, if they know how to unblock this exe in their firewall...

As a sidenote, on the LFS mainpage, there is a clear installation instruction, its impossible to do anything wrong there. And if you are even not capable of downloading a file, well then a racing sim isnt the right game for you.

[EDIT]
there are two kinds of people i'd say
1. the ones who are just too stupid :P
2. the ones like my mother, who are not stupid but have absolutely no idea about computers and dont understand the logical structure behind an operating system

I guess, group 1 will get LFS installed somehow, but group 2 not.

sorry, i can't be bothered to read through the thread, if he still haven't figured it out i'll create a self-extracting .exe and host it for a while.

For geeks, its really simple to install.

For inexperienced users, its not. Instead of an installer, we need INSTRUCTIONS

How complicated can it be?

1. Download

2. right click --> Extract

3. Play.

I am with ayrton on this one. Many people have no frame of reference to understand a zip file, folders, double clicking and so forth. Saying simple things like "double click on the exe to run", means absolutly nothing to them. "Extract to a fold of your choice" also has no meaning.

A simple installer would be nice for those people, but Becky's comments are spot on. Just the choice of what to download is confusing. Then all the AOHELL users who can't download an exe anyway...

I think a set of graphics and very simple, step by step instructions written for the computing challenged on the main LFS site would be the best way to go for now. Avoid comments like "Create a target directory". Just show the steps. Open My Computer by double clicking on this icon...

Another thought would be for LFS to prompt you to install a desktop icon on first run. This would help some people a little bit.

I have done technical support over the phone. It is very difficult because you can't see what they are doing and they will lie to you. They say they did it, but did something else... very frustrating.

I love the install the way it is. No registry crap, no rebooting, I can keep older versions intact easily... it is great. But I have been using computers for a very long time.

Quote from Hallen :

I think a set of graphics and very simple, step by step instructions written for the computing challenged on the main LFS site would be the best way to go for now. Avoid comments like "Create a target directory". Just show the steps. Open My Computer by double clicking on this icon...

Agree

In which case this needs updating...

If people don't know how and where to download files, or they even don't know what it means to double click on something, please keep them away from a computer

I don't want to be mean, but come on! If you want to use a computer, fine, learn how to do it. It's not because a person doesn't even know what clicking on something is, you have to give him voice recognition so he doesn't have to click... And then you still have to learn him what he has to say... These people drive cars, how come they can do that? Not because the car starts driving for them, right?

This is one of the most simple computer tasks there is, and running an .exe isn't the solution for it. If these people know this little about a computer, I start wondering why they have one in the first place, and how they ever found how to start it up.

It get's me so pissed that when somebody can't do something, they just quit, and want somebody ELSE to solve it for them, or to make it easier. At this moment computers are very easy to use, it used to be a lot different. They have dumbed enough people down by making it how it is already. If this was about editing something in the registry, or some enhanced stuff, I'd agree it should be made simpiler, but come on, it's just a few clicks and it's over. There are people all over the world that can do this, this is the first time somebody complained about this kinda thing, and now I start to wonder, how many people are actually here, that don't consider themselves "computer geeks", and had problems to start the game, I don't even mention actually playing it...

Quote from Hallen :

I am with ayrton on this one. Many people have no frame of reference to understand a zip file, folders, double clicking and so forth. Saying simple things like "double click on the exe to run", means absolutly nothing to them. "Extract to a fold of your choice" also has no meaning.

A simple installer would be nice for those people, but Becky's comments are spot on. Just the choice of what to download is confusing. Then all the AOHELL users who can't download an exe anyway...

I think a set of graphics and very simple, step by step instructions written for the computing challenged on the main LFS site would be the best way to go for now. Avoid comments like "Create a target directory". Just show the steps. Open My Computer by double clicking on this icon...

Another thought would be for LFS to prompt you to install a desktop icon on first run. This would help some people a little bit.

I have done technical support over the phone. It is very difficult because you can't see what they are doing and they will lie to you. They say they did it, but did something else... very frustrating.

I love the install the way it is. No registry crap, no rebooting, I can keep older versions intact easily... it is great. But I have been using computers for a very long time.

a testament to LFS, i have it on my stick, i have a Q (unfortinately i cant unlock lfs at school, i go on multiple pc's and have an over zeleos network admin, so you can geuss why i have Q) and U version for some multi-player BL1 races (4 friends + 8 Ai is damn good fun with 0 lag over lan!). Leaves nothing on the host pc, and running it off a stick doesnt hamper performance. Oh yes, and its a mere 275 mb!

Although a self installing archive would be a nicer idea!

Guys, seriously, if extracting a zip - in times where windows has integraded zip handling that does all the work for you - is already a problem, how the heck is the person in question going to configure LFS? I mean, creating an installer is good and all, but even if we have one and LFS is installed, what then? If zip extracting is already problematic, you need nothing short of a miracle to get the controls configured.
What comes next, paperclip LFS edition? "It seems like you are on the racetrack. Do you want to a) apply throttle b) steer c) leave the game? Click >here< for help, or call the Scavier hotline under 555 LFSHELP".

I think it's a shame that nowadays such relatively simple things become problems. It's not that the people are too stupid to understand it, they just cannot be bothered to activate their brain and figure it out themselves. From my experience, they're either incredibly frightened of "OMG COMPUTERS" or they simply shut their brain off and cry for help at the slightest thing they haven't seen before. Really, if someone can't figure out how to install LFS, no offense but, maybe that someone should avoid computers in general.

I always see LFS different from other games because it ain't "fry chicken" stuff, if you get what I mean.

I don't know how one could enjoy the depth of LFS without the basic motivation in understanding a zip file, since it's a computer simulation in the end, it will always involve computer stuff. If the problem a computer specific one or is it a problem with the mindset? If old people can learn how to send an e-mail I don't think handling a zip file is anyway difficult for a youngster.

IMHO, there is a very simple and satisfactory compromise:

A self-extracting ZIP. Just as "clean" as the real thing, somewhat simpler for the PC-trech-noobs.

You could even trow in the question of making desktop/start menu/quicklaunch shortcuts. Still no regestry clutter, but 100% hassle free. Run and Play.



Edit: Hmmm, should've read the entire thread . Although my post remains valid. I kinda agree with AndroidXP aswell.