Linux Desktop Readiness Thread

[hellomeow]

Linux is not Windows

Yes, and it took me a while to understand this. I can sympathize, actually, with the new users that don't quite get it. Why would we not want to pick a fight with Windows in a race to become the most popular operating system? But most Linux users would agree that this is not the point.

[Fenryr]

Linux is not Windows,

Yep, and a FORD ain't a BENTLEY, either...But they're BOTH designed for basically the same JOB...

[Gnub_Daemon]

Yeah...the only reason it isn't desktop ready for me is because my desktop isn't ready for it. And do you know why? It's an '02 Dell with 256mb ram and 18gig HD...and get this...it's full of Windows. Perhaps I should upgrade to a better desktop and then install Ubuntu. Heck, I already made the complete conversion from Vista to Feisty on my new laptop. I love it. The only thing that doesn't work is the on-board card reader, and I'm not the only one having issues with it. All in all, though, I prefer the Ubuntu experience to the Windows experience. There is still a lot I have yet to learn, but it gets easier every time.

[karellen]

Yes, and it took me a while to understand this. I can sympathize, actually, with the new users that don't quite get it. Why would we not want to pick a fight with Windows in a race to become the most popular operating system? But most Linux users would agree that this is not the point.

point or no point, the fact is that without a decent desktop market share Linux will remain a hobbist business (with its fans) but without hardware makers support (the magical word - drivers). and this support comes with market share. and here the vicious circle ends. hardware makers don't bother to release linux drivers because it has an insignificant market share (on desktops at least) and linux has that small market share because (in 80% of cases) of the lack of original drivers designed specifically for it. the rest, 20%, I would assign to its software ecosystem
solutions for breaking the circle?

[karellen]

Yep, and a FORD ain't a BENTLEY, either...But they're BOTH designed for basically the same JOB...

well....it wasn't exactly a benign thing what I wrote, there is a high degree of irony among those lines...

[bapoumba]

We used to have Testimonials section but I guess it works better this way. I say that you should pitch that idea in the forum discussion section where the mods hang out

I must say that I don-t like the fact all threads that somehow relate to this get merged to this thread.

We still have Ubuntu Testimonials and Experiences which has been renamed some time ago to include both positive and negative feedback regarding Ubuntu as a whole.

As far as this super-mega-Desktop Readiness-thread, staff usually talk before merging a thread there. The idea being that we do not have 10+ threads all discussing the same subject. It gets difficult (for staff and members alike) to follow a discussion when scattered in different places.
If anyone considers that a merging was inappropriate, please open a thread in "Forum Feedback and Help".

[bapoumba]

One additional thread merged: "There is only one reason why people think Ubuntu isn't desktop ready".

[dbee]

So I was trying to logon to the wireless network at a local mall. I switched the networking widget to roaming and tried to change interfaces.

Now my system is completely kaput. All I get is ...

Could not find information on interface eth1:avahi in /proc/net/dev

I've been using linux ubuntu for a number of years now, and I work professionally as a web dev. I've been through the /etc/network/interfaces, I've brought down the interface and back up again, and I've tried to reconnect to dhcp. I've also tried to get some help on #ubuntu on three different occassions and I've have a post on the wireless and networking section of this forum that has so far gone unanswered.

My question is this ... if a reasonably experienced linux user like myself, is capable of completely TOTALLING my system by simply switching a value on a GNOME widget to such an extent that multiple IRC posts and an ubuntuforums post isn't capable of even receiving an intelligible answer. Then how is it exactly that Linux is supposed to be ready for general rollout ?

Does Dell know what they've let themselves in for ?

[ukripper]

And it is Windows. It is that simple.

Why do people make this so complicated? Why do have a 700+ page thread with pointless debates? The answer is clear: it is Windows, and only it.

When a user won't use the command line, who do we have to blame? Windows, naturally one of the only operating systems with use of such an interface seemingly discouraged. You know, its almost as if Microsoft wants to make users use an operating system just like theirs.

"I want to play Counter Strike!" exclaims a hopeless new Ubuntu user. "Ubuntu doesn't have something exactly like it, so I will run away and cry!!!!!"

Some drivers aren't available for Ubuntu. Why? Because companies don't care to release them, not, at least, when 90% of their market is using Windows!

"Ggharfjxljfkl;jgl;djsf;ajklaj!!" cries Mr. Office Professional, after finding out that (insert minor feature here) is not available for OpenOffice. Judging by the ensuing reckless head-pounding and office property smashing, it does not appear that Ubuntu would be quite ideal. Where did Mr. O. Professional find (insert minor feature here)? He found it in Windows, silly.

"I must have (insert media player or multimedia codecs here) so that I can listen to Senses Fail!!" asserts the typical high-schooler. He can't listen to Senses Fail (or He Is Legend, for that matter) because all of the songs he downloaded off Lime Wire weren't in Ogg format. And why would he downloaded them in any formats besides the quality options available, such as WMA? Windows doesn't play Ogg by default....

"Even worse," the high-schooler continues, "my pink and black Myspace profile looks so horrible! It looked fine in IE after I dumped those 250 lines of CSS or whatever that is I copied from freecoolmyspacelayouts.free.fr into my About Me section!!!"

When an unfortunate new user gets ready to vent his frustrations on the Ubuntu message boards to let everyone know about all of Ubuntu's problems (which are there because he or she says they are, darn it!), he will take the word "Windows" and complexify it to create numerous paragraphs. Let's take a look at the the-reasons-why-you-think-you-hate-Ubuntu-and-the-reasons-why-you-REALLY-hate-Ubuntu table:

______________

Reason: "The command line is too hard! T_T"
Real reason: "In Windows, I am used to not using the command line."

Reason: "My hardware isn't detected!!"
Real reason: "I decided to buy hardware only for Windows. Silly me."

Reason: "I don't wanna edit text files!!"
Real reason: "I have not learned to use text editors or edit text files, because I have used Windows."

Reason: "I want to play games."
Real reason: "I want to play games on Ubuntu, but I can't because some overwhelming percentage of the Earth's population uses Windows. So I will get a Wii and get over myself now, if I want to continue to use Linux, that is."
______________


It is clear. Every reason you don't like Ubuntu can be drawn back to that essential obstacle, Windows. All posts about this matter which don't simply contain the word "Windows" are redundant.

I am the same way. Because there are these small, little things that are missing in Linux, I continue to use the very operating system I grew up with and have banished Debian to my server, where it awaits faithfully for my Filezilla sftp connection request.

So please, stop wasting valuable disk space on the Ubuntu servers by keeping the Linux Desktop Readiness Thread. Delete, and subsequently shred it, to ensure that it can never be recovered somehow. Then make a sticky containing EXACTLY these words:

______________

Here is the reason why you don't like Ubuntu

windows
______________


and end it there. As a matter of fact, it is time to deprecate even the concept of messing around. From now on, the Ubuntu mods must screen all comments being made right as they are being typed. Upon the slightest evidence that post might involve criticism of Ubuntu, forcefully redirect the newly enlightened user's browser to the post above. "OOOOHHHH!!!" the newly enlightened user will exclaim as he drops to his knees. "Now, I finally understand."

Grow up mate, if you are still growing I don't blame you.

[Enverex]

Actually I think he completely hit the nail on the head.