Linux Desktop Readiness Thread

[chickengirl]

chickengirl --

I think your statement about trying to make Linux as good as it can be and that it should not be dumbed down in an effort to make everyone use it is the best analogy I've ever - ever heard for Linux being what it is. I've found in my daily use (without Windows) that it forces me to use what the distro gives me and those apps usually do all the their windows equivalents do, with far less overhead. Plus, I simply like using Linux so it's something I wanted to use, therefore I'll try to learn those things I don't know and teach others who do "want" to know what I've learned and experienced. Is that not the golden rule for the open source community anyway?? - share knowledge to build something better.

Just wanted to pass along my comments about how you expressed yourself within this thread.

Frank

Thanks.

[sweemeng]

want some unfortunate news, these are comments that i get from the last few months.

some people can't get their sata drive working very well.

i got friends who try linux and complaint keyboard(actually it is a well known bug)

i try to run a livecd long time back on a friends pc, the graphics won't work

friend who screwed up installation in ways that i don't understand(then ends up with a linux-windows war).

user need to edit sources.list to get more software software(though i think the latest automatix fixes that),

and many other more because the hardware don't work well(not many hardware is like that). which i can fix, but ordinary user don't. most hardware in windows work with plug and play.


good news, from the same period(from me.......)

most doesn't have problem with latest hardware.

i got someone that is learning kubuntu.

the software that can replace most windows app is very capable, so no need to depend on windows app anymore

there is linux version of cool application, google earth, picasa for example

wine been very helpful

automatix, helps alot

[Orwell]

Personally, I'm glad I've made the switch to Linux. I'm no computer expert and have been spoiled by years and years of MS-brainwashing. Having installed Linux for the first time, i'm finding that it is quite a steep learning curve for me at the moment. With that said, i've found that not only does Ubuntu currently meet my needs/wants in an OS, in some ways it exceeds them.

At the end of the day, we have to throw out a lot of what we know about Windows lest we bring excess baggage with us. Ubuntu isn't Windows....and in my opinion, that is it's best quality. I'm looking forward to making a truck-load of mistakes...and learning from them.

Viva La Linux!

[sweemeng]

harsh truth, linux is still for people that is willing to learn. it is for people that is willing to explore new things. and willing to do thing differently that what their previous os does. each operating system is different, both have their easy and hard part.

if things are done properly windows too can be secured, and do not need to be formated periodically. not just linux. it just that it is harder to mess up linux. once linux is successfully installed, problem rarely comes up.

ordinary user is different than geeks(like me), for us geeks, python is for this, perl is for that, opera vs firefox choices is natural. but for ordinary user, choices is not really good, come on how many people actually uses firefox, not in my place anyway, or open office. try to imagine they have to choose between ubuntu, fedora or suse, even with ubuntu they have to choose ubuntu and kubuntu.

the argument for linux(or FOSS software in general) is cost(at least at my place) and freedom. i don't really like, the fact that i have to go through wga to get microsoft software. and the cost of windows is ridiculous. and application is expensive, and people resort to crack to get it work. which is one reason for FOSS.

open source os such as linux is still for geeks, pretty much allows us to do anything we want, don't like(or don't have) an app from the distro, compile it. we can put a linux on pendrive, or on cd as livecd. try do that windows.

[aysiu]

I don't compile from source, and I don't know Python from Perl.

I do just fine with Linux, though. You don't have to be a programmer or "geek" to get it going. You just have to be willing to roll up your sleeves, try a different way of doing things, and occasionally paste in a few commands other people give you.

[crembz]

Hi all,

Just venting my frustration while i reinstall windows on my laptop.

I love the open source ideology and the community and all that. But I have still to get around to actually getting a fully functioning linux install on one of my systems!!!! Aside from my old s**t box systems, linux always struggles with newer hardware and pretty much anything it can't detect on install.

Every 6 months or so i decide to check out how far linux has actually come. I've given up on getting games to run on linux, all i want is a solid system that i can use to email, browse the net, write documents, light spreadsheeting, listen to music and moderate programming.

I have spent over 12 hours in the past few days just trying to get a wireless network card working. That was after numerous hours plugged into my router to get my display and touchpad working. ANY ... ANY operating system that needs a user to spend that much time to get some hardware working is NOT an option. I don't care how many fanatics there are out there and how many times they say "linux is better" "linux is more secure" ra ra ra ... Linux is still and, i'm beginning to think, will always be a second rate OS for home use. I don't care about server environments and security, i don't have any.

All I want is a wireless connection, a working display would be nice, and a working touchpad!

Maybe I'm plain incompetent when it comes to linux, but i still feel there is ALOT of room for improvement.

Ahhhh that's better!

[sloggerkhan]

Once again, the average user does not want to try 30 OSes on CDs or put one on a Pen drive.

All they want is to check email, visit youtube, buy some swag on e-bay, and maybe IM or email their brother 2 states away.

The average user does not want to isntall even 1 OS if they can help it.

They do not even want to have to install programs themselves, though they probably end up having to. (a lot of old people are often surprised by the fact that windows comps don't really come with any useful software, and have trouble with the idea of installing things.)

Gnome desktop is not too different than any other GUI. In fact, we all know that gnome is in pretty much more intuitive and easier to use for a typical user using a computer for the first time than windows is.

The only barrier to adoption is that we aren't giving all our friends and grannies comps with a stable linux configured for them instead of windows.

Seriously, pre-installed gnome is like the answer to people who don't know jack about computing:

Reiterate:
Linux/Ubuntu/Gnome combo makes it difficult for them to trash their systems

It simplifies their GUI layout

It makes providing the services they use obvious

It won't need maintainance once properly installed

They won't have to buy a new version of quicken every year

No more antivirus subscription

They will be happy, life will be better, things will be peachy.

[emarkay]

Aysiu, I did read that page - but it's 404 now.

Why CAN NOT Ubuntu be a SUBSTITUTE for Windows?

I am not talking about world domination or a noob Granny or some Unix geek, but so you can just get in and drive to do whatever you want to accomplish.

Ford or Chevy, while the fonts are different and the headlamp switch is in a different place, there's 4 wheels and a motor, and some form of a labeled transmission to get from point "A" to point "B" with only a rudimentary bit of skill and training...

Doesn't anyone agree that THAT is what will set UBUNTU apart from the plethora of Eek-Geek's Distro of the day.

[kuja]

I am not talking about world domination ...

You can leave the talks of world domination to me. Kyahahahahaahaha!!

[chickengirl]

Aysiu, I did read that page - but it's 404 now.

Why CAN NOT Ubuntu be a SUBSTITUTE for Windows?

I am not talking about world domination or a noob Granny or some Unix geek, but so you can just get in and drive to do whatever you want to accomplish.

Ford or Chevy, while the fonts are different and the headlamp switch is in a different place, there's 4 wheels and a motor, and some form of a labeled transmission to get from point "A" to point "B" with only a rudimentary bit of skill and training...

Doesn't anyone agree that THAT is what will set UBUNTU apart from the plethora of Eek-Geek's Distro of the day.

Linux is not Windows!

Linux vs Windows is not Ford vs Chevy. It's car vs motorcycle. Yes, they both take you from point A to point B, but they are entirely different types of vehicles. Knowing how to drive a car does not mean you automatically know how to drive a motorcycle or vice-versa.

People choose the type of vehicle that they do because it's the type that meets their needs. Different people have different needs, and that is why we have cars and motorcycles.

Question: If granny or average Joe has got their Windows system just the way they like it, they've installed anti-virus and firewall, dumped IE and done everything they need to do to be reasonably secure... WHY should we be trying to get them to switch to Linux? What would Linux be able to offer to them?

I'll tell you what Linux has to offer for me:
* It's free. I'm cheap. Match made in heaven. (Flipside: No cost inevitably also means no paid tech support. I'm fine with that. But Joe or Grandma might be happier with the paid tech support, and be willing to shell out the bucks for that. And that is perfectly okay! None of us are wrong, we just have different needs and interests.)
* It's open, which means I can mess around with it. This is one of the main selling points of Linux, IMO, and I'm all over it. (Flipside: Grandma and Joe aren't interested in this. And that's okay! We have different interests.)
* It can do nifty things. (Flipside: Grandma and Joe may not have a use for shell script tom-foolery and cron jobs and all that stuff. They do, however, have a use for their favorite computer game/tax software/whatever, which may not work in Linux. And that's okay! Diff'rent strokes, diff'rent folks.)

If Joe or grandma has virus/scumware issues, isn't dependent on any Windows-only programs, and/or has a use for some of the nifty things Linux can do, and is willing and able to learn something new, then they may be able to profit from moving to Linux. But if none of those situations apply to them, then why are we so desperate to get them to switch?