Ubuntu: "Linux for Dummies"?

[Ebuntor]

Hi everyone,

A few days ago I went to the helpdesk in my university to fix my laptop's wireless connection. When I said which Linux distro I used (Ubuntu of course) the girl who was helping me replied: “Ah, Linux for Dummies”.

At first I thought that was pretty funny but got me thinking. Is she right? Is Ubuntu one of the big distros which is more user friendly and is meant for/used by novice as well as advanced users? Or is it really just a dumbed down Linux distro for the masses?

If something is user friendly should that automatically mean it's (only) for unexperienced/ex-Windows users?

Now I'm not very experienced with Linux (been using for almost a year now) but I just can't imagine why you wouldn't want a user friendly operating system even if you're an expert. Why would you want to do every thing manually or the hard way (unless you're just doing it for fun)?

[jrusso2]

Aww did she hurt your manhood? I have been hearing that since I started 11 years ago. First it was said about Redhat, then Mandrake, then Corel Linux.

Use what you like and don't worry about anyone else.

You can use Ubuntu all commands if you want and edit everything by hand just like any other linux if thats what you want.

But, you also have the option of some decent GUI tools.

[voided3]

To say it simply, Linux can be pre-packaged to be whatever you want it to be and be advertised under a given image, but that doesn't stop you from doing whatever you want with it and making it something for a more experienced user. Some people may stick in the live CD, install it, and not change a thing for years, just using the standard configuration while others may go nuts on it and make it really tailored for their hardware or visual preference. That's why it's advertised as being for humans :-D

[Ebuntor]

Aww did she hurt your manhood?

No, usually don't associate an operating system I use with my "manhood". I dunno how that's in your case.


Use what you like and don't worry about anyone else.That wasn't really an issue here. I asked what other people's views are on user friendliness as an experienced user. :)

[Mazza558]

It's a sneaky comment designed to get at your subconscious - it's a way of saying "I'm better than you".

I agree that linux should really be pushing for user-friendliness, but there should still be a layer (hidden or not depending on the goals of the distro), that lets people who want to tweak do that. PCs are designed to help us complete jobs, not tweak them 24/7. The ideal would be a system that works out-of-the-box, with several themes/styles set up, and then letting the user tweak as they wish. This is where Ubuntu succeeds, due to it being accessible from nearly all skill levels, and keeping everyone happy. Sure, having your OS tweaked exactly as you want it whilst installing is nice, but most people want to work/do something on a PC, and having a system that is set up ASAP is ideal for most people.

If I wanted to do some work, and I wanted a quick setup with everything I need, Ubuntu's the one for me. I could choose a distro that throws me into the technical level, but if I wanted productivity, Ubuntu's the one for me.

[coffeecat]

She didn't mean anything by it. Perhaps she had just been reading this book (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ubuntu-Linux-sup-%C2%AE-Dummies/dp/0470125055/ref=sr_1_1/202-1117335-3865422?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189548639&sr=1-1) and those were the first words that came to mind. :wink:

[fwojciec]

Now I'm not very experienced with Linux (been using for almost a year now) but I just can't imagine why you wouldn't want a user friendly operating system even if you're an expert. Why would you want to do every thing manually or the hard way (unless you're just doing it for fun)?

The more automatism there is in a distro, the more "just works" it is, the more complex and difficult it gets for those users (expert users, I guess) who like to make their own decisions about how their system should work (instead of just letting the automatisms decide). In this sense many "expert" users are likely to prefer the seemingly less user-friendly distros, because they are, paradoxically, easier for them to use.

[Old Pink]

The problem isn't that Ubuntu is built for dummies. The problem is it's built for human beings, and human beings are dummies.

[Nano Geek]

Ubuntu is built for everyone.
It has an easy interface for the non-technical people out there, but it still will let you do as much command-line hacking as you want.

Unless you got rid of the terminal, Linux will always have a place for the geeks. ::)

[Ebuntor]

It's a sneaky comment designed to get at your subconscious - it's a way of saying "I'm better than you".

Hmm, considering she's a Windows user I assume she either knew nothing about Ubuntu or she was just joking. ;)



I agree that linux should really be pushing for user-friendliness, but there should still be a layer (hidden or not depending on the goals of the distro), that lets people who want to tweak do that. PCs are designed to help us complete jobs, not tweak them 24/7. The ideal would be a system that works out-of-the-box, with several themes/styles set up, and then letting the user tweak as they wish. This is where Ubuntu succeeds, due to it being accessible from nearly all skill levels, and keeping everyone happy. Sure, having your OS tweaked exactly as you want it whilst installing is nice, but most people want to work/do something on a PC, and having a system that is set up ASAP is ideal for most people.


I agree, a sort of mix between user friendliness as in "being able to do with your OS what you want" and as in "easy to use".

[flatwombat]

Ubuntu is built on Debian and is a complete distro with exceptionally good gui tools. You can, however use CLI exclusively, just as with other distros. Perhaps she prefers Windows, which is "DOS for Dummies"? :)

[kf4tqj]

Ubuntu makes me feel like a dummy from time to time, but that happens less and less every day.
73's

[sstusick]

Even if you're a dumb Linux user, you're still smarter than a dumb Windows user.

[southernman]

You should have let her fix your wireless, and then opened up and showed her your big...










bad...


















Website!


PSYCH! XD

[tcpip4lyfe]

Should have gotten her number. :)

[jeanjo]

Ubuntu is built on Debian and is a complete distro with exceptionally good gui tools. You can, however use CLI exclusively, just as with other distros. Perhaps she prefers Windows, which is "DOS for Dummies"? :)

Good one.

[kopinux]

if i can remember it, in computer terms, dummies is not an offensive term. somewhat like complete guide for dummies and such.

[wersdaluv]

Calling Ubuntu "Linux for Dummies" is not nice. It's the best distro around. It may be the most user friendly (which is a good thing), but it also has the best community, a very organized development strategy, the best repositories, the most number of Linux software to be easily installed (Ubuntu debs seem to be the most abundant) and so on. It is just the finest distro around

You don't have to be dumb for you to use Ubuntu. Calling Ubuntu "Linux for Dummies" is not nice (unless I misinterpreted it).

[eljoeb]

Add me to the "Who cares?" group. So what if someone does not think your precious ubuntu is the best? Grow a pair and deal with it.

[Boomy]

A female who knows what Linux is? Impressive. You should have gotten her number. :)

[Ebuntor]

Should have gotten her number. :)


A female who knows what Linux is? Impressive. You should have gotten her number. :)


lol, well my university is filled with girls who use Linux, it's not that special. With her negative view on Ubuntu, I don't think it would have worked out anyway. ;)

[mdsmedia]

I think the thing that attracted me to Ubuntu, and still attracts me to Ubuntu, is that, as a "Linux Dummy" I get to learn Linux, use it productively, while still being able to get my hands dirty as I see fit.

I've got a book on my bookshelf called "Linux for Dummies" and it's a graphical guide to running Red Hat...not Fedora, but Red Hat....but back in the 7.x days I think when Fedora didn't exist and neither did Ubuntu, Lin(dows)spire, Mandriva (may have been around), PCLOSers (sorry, I've never used PCLOS but its zealots have given me a bad taste).

To me, Linux for Dummies isn't a bad term, because it helped me to get to know my system a bit better, and as a Linux Dummy, every little bit helps.

I'm not sure what experience she has with Linux, whether she even has any idea about Linux, she's just coining a phrase she's heard from those who are jealous of the popularity of Ubuntu, or she's got dirty hands from Debian, Slackware, Gentoo...etc and knows what she's talking about.

I'd love to know enough about Linux to comfortably use a bare bones distro, but I don't, so if Ubuntu is Linux for Dummies, Ubuntu is for me.

[AndyCooll]

She didn't mean anything by it. Perhaps she had just been reading this book (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ubuntu-Linux-sup-%C2%AE-Dummies/dp/0470125055/ref=sr_1_1/202-1117335-3865422?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189548639&sr=1-1) and those were the first words that came to mind. :wink:

As mentioned above, she was more pointing you to a basic entry level title (which most library customers want) rather than saying anything about your character. Probably the only title on the subject she'd be aware of.

There's loads of "For Dummies" titles and the fact that Linux (and some distros) has one is an indicator that it has reached mass market level. It's a good sign in my opinion when mainstream publishers include Linux as one of the titles in their mass appeal series.

:cool:

[karellen]

that should be taken as a compliment. and as "dumbed down distro" I have no idea what it means.
what do you prefer? to push your car to the destination or to drive it?

[Samhain13]

Is it possible that the woman in question was just trying to start a friendly argument between herself and the OP? Friendly arguments are nice, I think.

But going back to the topic, I don't mind being called a "Linux Dummy", if it were me. I'm not a computer scientist or anything similar. I just make websites, edit graphics and occasionally write music for a living. I watch DVDs on my spare time and listen to anything from Classical, Symphonic Metal, Filipino Ethnic, and other "World Music" as I work.

I don't know what a Kernel is nor do I care. I don't know what makes my webcam, Wacom tablet, printer, and headset work-- nor do I care. I don't know why it is possible for me to chat with people in the IRC or with those who use Yahoo! Messenger while I use either Gaim or GyachE-- and again, nor do I care.

What I care about is that all these things work and therefore, I can continue to make a living, relax occasionally and stay connected to the people I want to be connected to.

Arguably-- in a dummy's point of view-- these things work too in Windows and in Macintosh. But I'm not someone who will spend 100K Pesos for a computer-- I have other things to spend my money on.

These things should work too in other GNU/Linux OSes. But I've made friends here in this community already and I've been getting all the support I need so far. Thus, I have no reason to try the other OSes at the moment-- and perhaps not for a very, very long time.

So there. :D

[jcconnor]

We are a Windows shop at my office. The other day I notice Amarok running on a Unix support guys laptop (and this is a corporate laptop not a personal one). I ask him what he's running on it and he says Ubuntu. We talk for a while about it and I ask why Ubuntu. He tells me he came from a Linux shop at his old job running Gentoo. Tells me he has Gentoo at home. Then he says, "I couldn't be bothered to spend all that time tweaking. It's fast, it just works and I don't have time for anything else."

This is my first Linux distro but I've been in IT support and project management for 20+ years. I feel the same way. I am the IT support in my house. 2 desktops, 1 laptop. And I don't want one that I have to muck around with if I don't want to. I wanna get the systems set up and then let 'em rip.

John

[sanderella]

The problem isn't that Ubuntu is built for dummies. The problem is it's built for human beings, and human beings are dummies.

Human beings are divine, made in the image of God. Don't let these comments put you down. :KS

[Ebuntor]

We are a Windows shop at my office. The other day I notice Amarok running on a Unix support guys laptop (and this is a corporate laptop not a personal one). I ask him what he's running on it and he says Ubuntu. We talk for a while about it and I ask why Ubuntu. He tells me he came from a Linux shop at his old job running Gentoo. Tells me he has Gentoo at home. Then he says, "I couldn't be bothered to spend all that time tweaking. It's fast, it just works and I don't have time for anything else."

This is my first Linux distro but I've been in IT support and project management for 20+ years. I feel the same way. I am the IT support in my house. 2 desktops, 1 laptop. And I don't want one that I have to muck around with if I don't want to. I wanna get the systems set up and then let 'em rip.

John

That's very interesting, seems I was right about thinking that professionals prefer "out of the box" or "easy" distro's even if they can do everything manually.
If recently found out that my neighbor installs and secures Debian servers and networks but uses Ubuntu too for the same reasons as that support guy you mentioned. :)

[SunnyRabbiera]

well it is at least debian for dummies, thats what I call it sometimes due to ubuntu's ease of setup compared to debian

[Ebuntor]

Is it possible that the woman in question was just trying to start a friendly argument between herself and the OP? Friendly arguments are nice, I think.


Oh yeah absolutely, she was just joking, no doubt about that. As I wrote in my original post what she said "just got me thinking". :)

[Lord Illidan]

Hmm..how about trying Linux from Scratch then?