Flame Wars

[plurworldinc]

With out starting an all out flame war I was wondering why do you that Ubuntu should or should not be mainstreamed. I myself am a average computer user that clocks in about 18 hours of PC time a day. I have fallen in love with the Ubuntu OS and Linux since I have discovered it works perfectly for my lifestyle. In fact my entire family uses Linux as or primary OS since it can be customize to our own personality's and age group. I am a very strong believer that Ubuntu is ready for mainstream and in a way is mainstreamed but just need to get the word out for the general public know we are here. So I was wondering, what is holding everyone back that I am not seeing. Now this is not to be a flame war. Our goal is to grow.

[crlang13]

I have to agree. I've only been on Ubuntu for a couple months and I found the transition extremely easy. There have been other people (as you can see on the forums) that have had certain hardware issues, but I really think that this is the minority. Windows and Mac operating systems have hardware issues as well anyway!

I really think that for the average computer user - a person who simply wants to use the internet and the and office suite (word processor, spread sheet, etc), Ubuntu is a great way to go. Average users are scared off because they think Linux systems are too hard, but they're not! I find Ubuntu easier to understand than Windows or Mac.

I've always contended, as well, that it's great that you can customize Ubuntu to suite your needs, style, etc. Most of the time this is very easy. If you really want to get interesting, it can be a little fiddly, but, ultimately you're doing something you can't do on a Mac or Windows machine anyway...

The GUI in Ubuntu is great and does everything and more than Windows. I think access to the command line inspires people to learn a little more about how a computer works and ultimately this is a good thing. Computers are an important part of the average person's life, but not enough people know how to use them properly, and they should.

Why shouldn't it be mainstream? More users may inspire more people to make malicious software for it.

[tcoffeep]

When I switched to Ubuntu (7.04), I was in love with it. it was perfect and flawless. Then I ended up using a bunch of other distros, and I became enamored with them, as the flaws in the diamond that was Ubuntu started to show. Eventually, I used BSD and I began to see flaws everywhere, BSD/Linux/Windows - but I now use OpenBSD and Windows XP (though, hopefully, I can get my hands on cash for 7). My mother hated Ubuntu, so I wouldn't prescribe it to anyone's mother, based on my experience with it (I wouldn't prescribe a *BSD either, however). Windows XP works for her. Same as with my grandmother, and my brother, and my girlfriend.

Windows is the only OS line that I would prescribe to everyone outside of someone who doesn't practically live on their computer.

[crlang13]

Windows is the only OS line that I would prescribe to everyone outside of someone who doesn't practically live on their computer.

I've only been living on my computer since I made the switch to Ubuntu. Not because I've been having problems, because I'm enjoying it so much and having fun. There's so much to do with it!

So I would re-phrase - I wouldn't prescribe to someone who doesn't want to get addicted:P

[Frak]

Ubuntu is nowhere near mainstream. It's still missing many administration functions for system administrators, the media capabilities are lacking, fully functioning device support is few and far between, and nobody can agree on any one neutral art direction.

I would prescribe Ubuntu to anybody who wants to tinker. I'd recommend Windows or Mac for anything else.

[audiomick]

It's still missing many administration functions for system administrators,
Whilst the point is valid in a business, for a very large number of people it is not. They (like my mum, and me, and my brother, and my other brother, and my brother in law.....) have a computer at home to write the occasional document, send e-mails and look around in the internet. There is nothing lacking in a distro like Ubuntu for such users other than the purchase price and the customer binding.


the media capabilities are lacking
they are not lacking, in my opinion, they are just not installed by default for very specific reasons. There is always medibuntu or mint.


fully functioning device support is few and far between
I consider that to be simply not true


and nobody can agree on any one neutral art direction.
That will never happen. Too much personal taste involved. As far as that goes, I find windows ugly and OSX overloaded with whizz-bang.

[NovaAesa]

I myself am a average computer user that clocks in about 18 hours of PC time a day.
What what? Doesn't sound very average to me...

[KiwiNZ]

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