one thing I like about the learning curve of Linux

[bonfire89]

My dad has a laptop that he uses solely for email and web surfing. Some how spyware and junk kept on ending up on his windows install.

I figured that since he uses the laptop for a very specific purpose I thought linux would be great since I wouldn't have to worry about compatibilitiy and all that.

And a lil while ago I found out my brother was trying to fiddle with settings and install some stuff, annnndd, since he knows nothing about linux, he wassn't able to clutter up my nice clean install whose main purpose is Evolution and Firefox :) hehe

[madjr]

My dad has a laptop that he uses solely for email and web surfing. Some how spyware and junk kept on ending up on his windows install.

I figured that since he uses the laptop for a very specific purpose I thought linux would be great since I wouldn't have to worry about compatibilitiy and all that.

And a lil while ago I found out my brother was trying to fiddle with settings and install some stuff, annnndd, since he knows nothing about linux, he wassn't able to clutter up my nice clean install whose main purpose is Evolution and Firefox :) hehe

you may feel elitist now, but that learning curve is more a problem really.

i hope this spec for Ibex may help:

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/NewUserEducation

the only way you should keep your brother out is by not giving him the password and not by a big learning curve.

[bonfire89]

oh trust me, I don't feel elitist.

I struggle enough myself. Probably going back to windows in September.

[madjr]

oh trust me, I don't feel elitist.

I struggle enough myself. Probably going back to windows in September.

whats in September ?

[TBOL3]

National go back to windows month. :lolflag:

[cardinals_fan]

whats in September ?
Probably the start of school.

[steveneddy]

National go back to windows month. :lolflag:

Really?

I'll have to check that out.

Um - what does LOL mean, anyway?

[Dr Small]

National go back to windows month. :lolflag:
Sorry. I don't celebrate that pagan month then ;)

[elmer_42]

LOL (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lol) = Laugh out loud.

[cardinals_fan]

LOL (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lol) = Laugh out loud.
Fix that sarcasm detector - it looks pretty bad ;)

[TBOL3]

Fix that sarcasm detector - it looks pretty bad ;)

What's sarcasm? :)

[bonfire89]

lol so this how the general discussion works at ubuntuforums.

And yes... start of school.

[madjr]

lol so this how the general discussion works at ubuntuforums.

And yes... start of school.

poor you not allowed to play with ubuntu during school time :lolflag:

[init1]

poor you not allowed to play with ubuntu during school time :lolflag:
Heh, yeah it can be quite distracting :D

[Trail]

What's sarcasm? :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcasm

[joninkrakow]

you may feel elitist now, but that learning curve is more a problem really.

the only way you should keep your brother out is by not giving him the password and not by a big learning curve.

A bit on the serious side...

I know there are lots of complaints about Linux's learning curve, but I came to Linux with 20 years of nearly Mac-exclusive experience (I used DOS for several years in the late 80s, and enjoyed it, but that was ages ago), and I did not find a steep learning curve, coming from the MacOS. Maybe it's because I am more technically-inclined than, say, my parents, or maybe most computer users, but I found Ubuntu, especially, to be only a small step sideways, rather than a steep hill upwards. In fact, in my short experience helping my Windows-using friends (I never ceased to be amazed how I somehow knew more than my Windows-devoted friends did about their system!), I thought that Ubuntu was both quite similar, yet, in many ways, better, than Windows. Dependencies are handled by the Add/Remove Programs app, which also got rid of the issue of finding good software (and trustworthy) that Windows has.

The thing is, IMO, watching my Windows-using friends both struggle with Windows, and also, in a couple places, with Ubuntu, I realized that the real problem is simply familiarity. They are familiar with how Windows breaks and how to fix it--in their own, small way. Usually, it involves installing drivers, or reinstalling the system. Beyond that, they are lost. Since Ubuntu and other Linux distros don't work in the exact same way, they sit there, clueless, and give up. That's not my style. When I discovered that my Pismo would only operate in 800x600 resolution, I fired up Google(R) and discovered these forums and the solution. The only time, I'm embarrassed to say now, that I re-installed was when I somehow screwed up my X11 (tried sawfish instead of Metacity, and set something wrong). I later discovered the fail-safe terminal, and now trash things with impunity. ;-) Actually, I've only had to do that once, so far.

In any case, people who don't want to learn, or are unable to be flexible enough to work out problems probably ought not to be considering changing operating systems, or they better have somebody on hand who can help them. I don't see this necessarily as a "Linux" problem, rather existing between the keyboard and chair. Maybe I'm being harsh, but I've been called upon too many times to help my friends who have no clue, and who want me to do everything for them... (and this is with Windows, which I don't even use!)

-Jon

[madjr]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcasm

is that sarcasm ? :mad:

[Black Mage]

A bit on the serious side...

I know there are lots of complaints about Linux's learning curve, but I came to Linux with 20 years of nearly Mac-exclusive experience


I've had the same experience you have. I grew up using Macs and only used Windows slightly here and there. I played in DOS for a little bit but didn't really like it. So when I got to Ubuntu and Linux, it wasn't that steep of a learning curve.

Like you were saying, it is familiarity. Many Windows users are unaware the other OS even exist and are either

1) To stuck in their ways to switch
2) To lazy to learn something new.

I have gotten responses such as, "I don't feel like learning another OS.:

But kudos to those who decide to stick with Linux and learn it.

[bonfire89]

that is true.

I think often when I get frustrated when I don't know how to do simple things not because they are particularly difficult, but because I'm just not aware how to do them where I have known how to do it for years in windows.

[days_of_ruin]

Whats the acronym of Universal Resource Locator?
I dun forget.:confused:

[steveneddy]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcasm

:neutral: