The Seen and the Unseen.

[irv]

The seen and the unseen
The seen is the Desktop the unseen is the Operating System (OS).

The saying goes; “You have the user and the abuser.” We are talking computers here!
I came up with this from reading the Introduction to CIFS From Eight Miles High. The author started out by talking about first impressions. “First impressions are important. The handshake, the smile, here's our brochure, would you like a cup of tea or coffee?” Then the author goes on to talk about Microsoft's Windows family of operating systems. And he made some good points.

This is what got me thinking about first impressions when it come to desktops. When we first turn a computer on; are we overwhelmed or are we are greeted with something like a pleasant sound, some simple icons and a categorized menu? Or are we looking at clutter, and the feeling, “where am I and what do I do?” I think this will either makes or breaks what we think about the desktop and in turn the unseen operating system. Our first impression is very important.

Now like I started out, you have the average computer user who really does not care what is going on underneath the surface. They don’t care what is unseen. Take for example the network neighborhood icon in Windows desktop. It hides a great deal of gear-churning and behind-the-scenes fusing. They just want it simple and easy to do things and find things. They really don’t care about the unseen. (The OS, Windows or Linux). Then you have the guy or gal who says to themselves, “I wonder how this work? And the first thing they want to do is dig deeper to find out why. They want to see the unseen. (I believe that these types of people like Linux over Windows because Linux is open source and Windows is not. They can’t look at the source in Windows but in Linux they can.) I believe I am this kind of person. The first computer I bought back in the 70's, I didn't have it two days and I had it all apart trying to figure out how it worked.

Now when it comes to the average user all they want is a candy-coated surface. They don't care what is happening underneath. This is why Windows OS was so successful. If you remember DOS and the black screen with a prompt. You sat there staring at the screen thinking what in the world do I do next? But when Windows came along you turned on the computer and was greeted with a pleasant sound, and a button in the bottom left hand corner of the screen that said “start”. Simple and down to earth.

To be honest with you the first computer I used was an Atari XL800 with TOS which was like DOS. Then I moved up to an Atari ST then a TT with a nice graphic interface and an easy to use OS. This is the system I started to learn programing on. My first PC with windows was a 286 with Windows 3.0. After going through all the versions of Windows I started trying Unix and Linux. And after trying many different distros I came upon Ubuntu 5.04. The interface just seemed to fit. It was one of those good first impression. Now that I have been using Linux for 7 years I finally know why? It’s because I am not just a user but an abuser. I will be doing something on the computer and I will make a comment, “I broke it again”. My wife will look at me and tell me to quit changing things all the time and I wouldn’t be break it. She is right, but then how else will I find out how things work?

I have learn more about computer because I keep breaking things and have to fix them all the time. So this brings me to this last question which I will leave with you. I know Linux appeals to people like me, but will it ever appeal to the average user?

[KiwiNZ]

The seen and the unseen
The seen is the Desktop the unseen is the Operating System (OS).

The saying goes; “You have the user and the abuser.” We are talking computers here!
I came up with this from reading the Introduction to CIFS From Eight Miles High. The author started out by talking about first impressions. “First impressions are important. The handshake, the smile, here's our brochure, would you like a cup of tea or coffee?” Then the author goes on to talk about Microsoft's Windows family of operating systems. And he made some good points.

This is what got me thinking about first impressions when it come to desktops. When we first turn a computer on; are we overwhelmed or are we are greeted with something like a pleasant sound, some simple icons and a categorized menu? Or are we looking at clutter, and the feeling, “where am I and what do I do?” I think this will either makes or breaks what we think about the desktop and in turn the unseen operating system. Our first impression is very important.

Now like I started out, you have the average computer user who really does not care what is going on underneath the surface. They don’t care what is unseen. Take for example the network neighborhood icon in Windows desktop. It hides a great deal of gear-churning and behind-the-scenes fusing. They just want it simple and easy to do things and find things. They really don’t care about the unseen. (The OS, Windows or Linux). Then you have the guy or gal who says to themselves, “I wonder how this work? And the first thing they want to do is dig deeper to find out why. They want to see the unseen. (I believe that these types of people like Linux over Windows because Linux is open source and Windows is not. They can’t look at the source in Windows but in Linux they can.) I believe I am this kind of person. The first computer I bought back in the 70's, I didn't have it two days and I had it all apart trying to figure out how it worked.

Now when it comes to the average user all they want is a candy-coated surface. They don't care what is happening underneath. This is why Windows OS was so successful. If you remember DOS and the black screen with a prompt. You sat there staring at the screen thinking what in the world do I do next? But when Windows came along you turned on the computer and was greeted with a pleasant sound, and a button in the bottom left hand corner of the screen that said “start”. Simple and down to earth.

To be honest with you the first computer I used was an Atari XL800 with TOS which was like DOS. Then I moved up to an Atari ST then a TT with a nice graphic interface and an easy to use OS. This is the system I started to learn programing on. My first PC with windows was a 286 with Windows 3.0. After going through all the versions of Windows I started trying Unix and Linux. And after trying many different distros I came upon Ubuntu 5.04. The interface just seemed to fit. It was one of those good first impression. Now that I have been using Linux for 7 years I finally know why? It’s because I am not just a user but an abuser. I will be doing something on the computer and I will make a comment, “I broke it again”. My wife will look at me and tell me to quit changing things all the time and I wouldn’t be break it. She is right, but then how else will I find out how things work?

I have learn more about computer because I keep breaking things and have to fix them all the time. So this brings me to this last question which I will leave with you. I know Linux appeals to people like me, but will it ever appeal to the average user?

To answer your last question, Linux Distros may gain broader appeal when it is no longer a fix, stitch, wrestle, and generally tacked together OS.

[QIII]

To answer your last question, Linux Distros may gain broader appeal when it is no longer a fix, stitch, wrestle, and generally tacked together OS.

Where's the fun in that? ;)

[irv]

I believe the bulk of Linux users are fall in the class of abusers. If I was just a user I would still be using Windows.

There are times when I just user it for some task, but I love when I can try to dig into something and if I break it, so be it. I will try to fix it and if not I can start over again. If I had a dollar for every time I did a reload, I would be a rich man.

[Paddy Landau]

Irv, I am one of those who prefer things to "just work".

But I also tell people that computers are still terribly primitive.

I get into a car; I turn the key; and I go.

I wish computers were like that.

I became an "abuser" not because I wanted to know how it worked, but because I wanted Windows to stop crashing! And because I wanted to get my work done without spending hours on work-arounds.

I came to Open Source initially with Open Office not because of any ideal but because it worked better than the alternative. I came to Linux when I lost the will to reinstall Windows yet again.

Yes, Linux has problems. So does Windows. Unlike Windows, I am not expected to pay for the privilege of fixing the problems, nor is it next-to-impossible to report bugs or get my requests heard (and even sometimes acted on).

So, you could call me a wanna-be average user; but also an abuser not by choice!

[KiwiNZ]

Irv, I am one of those who prefer things to "just work".

But I also tell people that computers are still terribly primitive.

I get into a car; I turn the key; and I go.

I wish computers were like that.

I became an "abuser" not because I wanted to know how it worked, but because I wanted Windows to stop crashing! And because I wanted to get my work done without spending hours on work-arounds.

I came to Open Source initially with Open Office not because of any ideal but because it worked better than the alternative. I came to Linux when I lost the will to reinstall Windows yet again.

Yes, Linux has problems. So does Windows. Unlike Windows, I am not expected to pay for the privilege of fixing the problems, nor is it next-to-impossible to report bugs or get my requests heard (and even sometimes acted on).

So, you could call me a wanna-be average user; but also an abuser not by choice!

i have systems here that turn on and just work, every time. Please do not ask the OS I am using

[Linuxratty]

I know Linux appeals to people like me, but will it ever appeal to the average user?

It already appeals to many average users...Many who are using it in their phones and on their tv's and don't even know it.
On the desktop will it ever appeal to the average user?
I doubt it..Microsoft dominates the desktop market and I doubt that will ever change.
I want mine to just work as well.I have fixed it using the command line more than once,which is interesting.

[irv]

Originally Posted by Paddy Landau
Irv, I am one of those who prefer things to "just work".
.......
So, you could call me a wanna-be average user; but also an abuser not by choice!


I put abuser before wanna-be average user, so we are somewhat alike. I actually have one Server that I never touch except to do updates. It is running 10.04. I also have one older laptop running Ubuntu Studio 12.04 controlling a sound system. Never touch that one either except for updates. But my everyday laptop is the one I do all my changes, testing and just plain abusing on. Here is top running on my server to show it up time.
221753
You can see it been running 24 days since my last reboot. That must have been when I did the last kernel update.

I wanted to buy another small laptop but my wife said she thought I had enough computers. (I also have a desktop, running WinXP and Ubuntu 10.04) I have this one for the grandkids when they come over. (I bought this one at a yard sale for 25 cents.) Well worth the money.

[DingusFett]

I keep having a hard time convincing my fiance to give Ubuntu a go, though she does like the look of it. She's just used to the old line of you have to be technical to work Linux, and doesn't understand that the reason I have terminal open a lot, and fairly frequently reboot, and sometimes have to fix things is through no fault of the O/S, but because I enjoy stuffing around with it, learning the technical side of it, I would certainly class myself as an 'abuser'. She sees what I go through, and thinks it'll all be too hard, even though another friend, who I would class as a 'user' in this case, has it on his laptop and his very non-technical Mum prefers it to Windows and doesn't have any issues.

[cariboo]

I keep having a hard time convincing my fiance to give Ubuntu a go, though she does like the look of it. She's just used to the old line of you have to be technical to work Linux, and doesn't understand that the reason I have terminal open a lot, and fairly frequently reboot, and sometimes have to fix things is through no fault of the O/S, but because I enjoy stuffing around with it, learning the technical side of it, I would certainly class myself as an 'abuser'. She sees what I go through, and thinks it'll all be too hard, even though another friend, who I would class as a 'user' in this case, has it on his laptop and his very non-technical Mum prefers it to Windows and doesn't have any issues.

You're doing wrong, if you only show your girlfriend the cool stuff you can do. Ubuntu has gotten to the point where you don't need to use a terminal every day, or even every week.

Show her how easy it is to do every day tasks, Watch what she does on her computer, and show her the same tasks on a system running Ubuntu, without using any of the cool geeky tools we love to use.

[irv]

Your right. Geeky is not cool except to another geek. I know it is faster to do it in a terminal but using the GUI is more appealing to a user not an abuser.

[sa2.14]

I know Linux appeals to people like me, but will it ever appeal to the average user?

I am an "average" user. And I really like Precise-I am a noob & like to learn about the command line and how to do all this stuff. But still gotta live in the world to get things done. I first tried like 8.04- & from then to now is night and day. I can learn to be a geek and still get the work on

[DingusFett]

You're doing wrong, if you only show your girlfriend the cool stuff you can do. Ubuntu has gotten to the point where you don't need to use a terminal every day, or even every week.

Show her how easy it is to do every day tasks, Watch what she does on her computer, and show her the same tasks on a system running Ubuntu, without using any of the cool geeky tools we love to use.

Sorry, maybe I worded post wrong, was still very tired. When I've shown her around the basics, she likes the look of it and show her that for most people you don't really need to use the terminal at all, very easy to install programs and open them from Dash.

She's just iffy because Windows it what she knows and resists change, and is used to the days where you had to be technical to make Linux work.

[Face-Ache]

I'm definitely "just a user". I came to Ubuntu out of necessity; got a PC with no OS at all, simply couldn't afford to purchase a Windows OS for it, and gave Ubuntu a go (11.10 was on a PC magazine DVD, with an accompanying article called 'Operate Freely').

That was in January. I'm now running Ubuntu 12.04 on a desktop, and Lubuntu 12.04 on this old laptop that i was given.

I only 'abuse' when i am forced to do so, when i break something. That's happening less and less, as i pretty much have each install working and looking how i want. The Ubuntu install has Compiz and all the cool whizz-bang effects etc, whilst Lubuntu is kept as a slim, stable workhorse.

There are still some things that i just can't get my head around, Conky for instance, but the reward versus the time investment just isn't worth it to me, so i make do with other tools (like Compiz, Ubuntu Tweak, Screenlets).


I'm an "if it ain't broke, don't try and fix it" kinda guy, so i can't actually remember the last time i had to use the Terminal - i think the terminal is quite intimidating to a non-Linux person, and i still struggle with it. For me, function beats form every time, so when things are working as they should, i don't tinker, i just leave it be.

[Paddy Landau]

i have systems here that turn on and just work, every time. Please do not ask the OS I am using
If you mean Windows, I must say that Windows 7 is light-years away from Vista, XP (not so bad), 98 and prior.


I'm an "if it ain't broke, don't try and fix it" kinda guy ... i think the terminal is quite intimidating to a non-Linux person... For me, function beats form every time, so when things are working as they should, i don't tinker, i just leave it be.
That is a typical average user. Actually, an average user is even more extreme: the average user is someone working in an office, and when Windows is not playing nicely, the user calls Technical Support instead of trying to fix it himself. If Linux were in the workplace, the same would apply — and Red Hat has proven this by making money from Technical Support!

[vasa1]

Where's the fun in that? ;)
In remaining 1% or less :)

[irv]

After reading some of the posts on this thread, I am starting to believe I should have added a third class. We have the user, the extreme user and then the techo geek user (or abuser). The one who can never stop tinkering and digging deeper into the system trying to make it better (and in some cases worst).

One thing about Linux, it has made some great tech support people. Not only for Linux but for Windows also. That's because many Linux users also use Windows. I did up to about a week ago. I am now Windows free.

Got to go I am outside with my laptop and it is starting to rain. Not good on my laptop.

[Nixarter]

To answer your last question, Linux Distros may gain broader appeal when it is no longer a fix, stitch, wrestle, and generally tacked together OS.

Was it really necessary to quote his entire post? :p