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View Full Version : "What's Mac OS X? Is it like Internet Explorer?"



ByKeLaO
June 14th, 2008, 01:19 AM
I'm gob smacked. A couple of days ago I was asked this most bizarre question. It led me to realize that a lot of people still have no concept of what an Operating System is.
How can we expect people to move to Linux, when they don't understand what Linux is?

bruce89
June 14th, 2008, 01:21 AM
How can we expect people to move to Linux, when they don't understand what Linux is?

We don't and we shouldn't.

RiceMonster
June 14th, 2008, 01:23 AM
People who don't know what an OS is are exactly the people who shouldn't make the switch to Linux.

ByKeLaO
June 14th, 2008, 01:35 AM
On the contrary, I believe that the people who don't understand what an OS is are the people who would benefit from Ubuntu as a distro the most. The person who asked me this question would without a doubt find Ubuntu just as easy-to-use and functional as Windows. However old habits die hard and he's still using Windows XP.
I shouldn't have said "move to Linux". What I meant was "use Linux", with the implication that installing it would be done by a professional.

bruce89
June 14th, 2008, 01:37 AM
On the contrary, I believe that the people who don't understand what an OS is are the people who would benefit from Ubuntu as a distro the most. The person who asked me this question would without a doubt find Ubuntu just as easy-to-use and functional as Windows. However old habits die hard and he's still using Windows XP.
I shouldn't have said "move to Linux". What I meant was "use Linux", with the implication that installing it would be done by a professional.

True. It's the mid-range ones that shouldn't then.

aysiu
June 14th, 2008, 03:12 AM
I would just say, "Yes. It's like Internet Explorer. So is Ubuntu. Want me to show you Ubuntu?"

keiichidono
June 14th, 2008, 07:30 AM
I like the way you think aysiu. ;)

FFighter
June 14th, 2008, 07:50 AM
People who don't know what an OS is are exactly the people who shouldn't make the switch to Linux.

I disagree. Ubuntu is a proof that the community is trying to change this paradigm. A person does not need to be a hacker to use Linux, Linux should also be a good OS for getting things done.

I hope we computer-literate ones don't forget that IT applies to virtually every other knowledge domain. A musician for example can make heavy user of computer software and hardware and still he/she does not have/need to know how to install a new kernel or what GRUB is.

FFighter
June 14th, 2008, 07:52 AM
I would just say, "Yes. It's like Internet Explorer. So is Ubuntu. Want me to show you Ubuntu?"

I would say, "Yes, It's like Internet Explorer. Ubuntu on the other hand isn't. Want me to show you Ubuntu?". :D

quanumphaze
June 14th, 2008, 08:59 AM
I believe these type of people need to learn to use a computer and understand the basic things like what an application is and how it differs from the mouse.

Car analogy time:
Just as you need to know about right of way, driving of the left/right side of the road so you don't kill people. Computer users must also know what an exe file is so they don't load a trojan and loose their bank info and that MS Word is not the same thing as the mouse.

Of course just as I don't expect drivers to replace the engine, I don't expect users to compile the kernel or learn C.
</car analogy>

This should be taught in our schools instead of how to make a pretty border in Word™

Tomatz
June 14th, 2008, 09:04 AM
I would just say, "Yes. It's like Internet Explorer. So is Ubuntu. Want me to show you Ubuntu?"

That made me crease.

:lolflag:

rraj.be
June 14th, 2008, 09:21 AM
People who don't know what an OS is are exactly the people who shouldn't make the switch to Linux.

I too strongly disagree with this.

Its something like one who dont know to make a car engine shouldn't drive or use a car.

Every one can not be a master of every thing.

As FFighter said even a musician or even a departmental store staff may use computer.
But there is no need for them to know what a complete process inside it.

generally computer is a black box to ordinary user's.

Knowing the concept will be great but its not the need for every one.

We the community people should take such people into the ocean of computer by leading them to keep their first step into the sea shore and not into the sea.

izanbardprince
June 14th, 2008, 09:35 AM
I too strongly disagree with this.

Its something like one who dont know to make a car engine shouldn't drive or use a car.

Every one can not be a master of every thing.

As FFighter said even a musician or even a departmental store staff may use computer.
But there is no need for them to know what a complete process inside it.

generally computer is a black box to ordinary user's.

Knowing the concept will be great but its not the need for every one.

We the community people should take such people into the ocean of computer by leading them to keep their first step into the sea shore and not into the sea.

I second that, my mother, who has never used a computer in her life, is in her 50's and wants to learn now, so I gave her one of my system's with Ubuntu on it and have been going over it with her.

I think it's better to learn how to do it right the first time, than to learn it the Windows way, just to have to throw out all the knowledge of using your computer you obtain over the years, to learn something else.

Ioky
June 15th, 2008, 01:40 AM
Well, I mean Linux is for every one, but I am pretty sure people who is brave enough to use Linux is those who already have a set of good computer skills or the one who never use a computer before.

I mean if Linux help those who doesn't even know what OS is, then we should give Linux a plus.

stmiller
June 15th, 2008, 10:25 PM
Some people don't know what 'Internet Explorer' is. Often I hear, "Oh, you mean "the internet"?"

or

"Oh, you mean, yahoo? Is that what you mean? Yahoo?"

No, Internet Explorer is the name of the program on the computer....

Grrr..

damis648
June 15th, 2008, 10:28 PM
Some people don't know what 'Internet Explorer' is. Often I hear, "Oh, you mean "the internet"?"

or

"Oh, you mean, yahoo? Is that what you mean? Yahoo?"

No, Internet Explorer is the name of the program on the computer....

Grrr..

+1 I hear stuff like that all the time.

artrbinfo
June 15th, 2008, 10:45 PM
Yes this is funny, I think what ubuntu should work to professionals as well as to not the brightest ones... And let's remember if some one don't know what is Internet Explorer, he don't know what Is My Computer, Games etc. as well - they are like blank paper, and the best is that first work what they write in IT world is Ubuntu, not M$ :D :lolflag:

RiceMonster
June 15th, 2008, 10:49 PM
I disagree. Ubuntu is a proof that the community is trying to change this paradigm. A person does not need to be a hacker to use Linux, Linux should also be a good OS for getting things done.

That wasn't the point. People like that shouldn't switch OSes at all. I don't care how easy the one they're switching to is. I don't think Linux has to be for people who are computer literate, I just don't think some people are ready to move to a different platform at all, because most people don't want to learn something new.

I know some of you have stories like "My gandma uses Linux." That's great and all, but most people aren't ready to change.

original_jamingrit
June 15th, 2008, 11:01 PM
Compared to the early 90's, it seems as though people are less educated about computers, now that the novelty has worn off to some extent.

amazingtaters
June 16th, 2008, 12:29 AM
My two cents follow this sentence. We've drawn a lot of car analogies in this thread. So let me draw one more. I don't know how to build an engine, or do much more than change the oil and battery. Now, I still know what the engine is, the basic concept of what the engine does. We should apply this same idea to operating systems. I don't know how to compile the kernel, or write my own code, but I understand the basic idea of what an operating system is. Having at least some idea of what makes things run is important, whether it's a car or a computer.

Joeb454
June 16th, 2008, 12:33 AM
Compiling a kernel isn't that hard. I've only done it in a VM though ;) I don't trust myself to do it properly