[SWLUG] Re: Starting with Linux

Wed Jan 19 23:43:07 UTC 2005

Tony Pursell wrote:
>I feel I've got to have my 2p of random thoughts about this one.
>
>First thought is that if we look at the really broad picture, we have
>got to forget about self-installs and encourage the trade in
>pre-installed Linux for the ordinary person in the street.  This is
>the only way it will break through into the wider consumer market.  We
>have got to make Linux as easy as Windows, which means that it 
>comes pre-installed and additional software can be installed as easy as
>double clicking on a setup.exe.  
>
>  

In my Suse install I double click on a RPM and install.

Whereas I agree that Linux isn't yet as mainstream as I would like, 
Windows /= ease of use. You're mistaking familarity there. Years of 
dealing with Windows clients and servers in a senior support/admin role 
have convinced me of that. I'd take Linux over Win any day.

>My experience installing Debian was, I have to admit, less than 
>satisfactory.  I had a lot of problems with the configuration of X.  I
>eventually got it working, only to have my custom configuration file
>splatted by the update I did.  Windows update has never done anything
>like that to me!  I still don't have sound working.  
>
>  
Debian's install isn't known for its user friendliness, but there's 
Xandros, Linspire, Mandrake even SuSe who aim for the one click factor. 
When I do updates in SuSe it doesn't overwrite willynilly. I've upgraded 
XFree to X.org and my custom written XF86Config was untouched. Ditto 
with Postfix and Courier-Imap upgrades, etc etc.....

>On the plus side, Ubuntu looks good run from the Live CD.  It really
>begins to look the biz.  Something approaching a PC system.  No
>problem with X and there is sound!  And its based on Debian!  But it
>still doesn't run TaxCalc or Money, so I will still need Windows. 
>There is a real chicken and egg problem here.  Until use of Linux is
>widespread I won't be able to go into W H Smith's and pick up next
>year's Tax Calc for it to £25, and until I can, I won't be able to
>just use Linux....
>
>'Nuff said for now
>  
If one app is making you shy away from Linux, then perhaps Linux isn't 
for you... but there's a long way between that and "isn't ready for 
anyone".

Perhaps this will be an unpopular opinion but I'm not waiting, or hoping 
for Linux to sweep away Windows in that way. Linux works excellently for 
me, I've been Linux only since 2000 and it's never been an issue that 
something isn't available, I just find alternatives.... The success or 
failure of Linux on the desktop is moot for me, I don't care. It works 
for me. I don't want to see insecure practises and methods shoehorned 
into Linux to make it popular with people who don't want to learn the 
*nix way.

For what apps I allegedly lose, I gain - for my degree course I have 
Maxsyma, Octave, Gnuplot, KStars, Xephem, OOffice.org.... I've done 
reports and presentations with OOffice and its wonderful ;-)

As I said it isn't a personal flame, I just despair of XP themes for KDE 
or Gnome, calls for an XP start menu, OS X style Docks etc. What I like 
about Linux is the power. The shell is a godsend. When my wife finished 
installing her SuSe box she started using it, and then realised she 
didn't have a web editor installed she liked. SO while she was working i 
ssh'ed in, started Yast and installed Quanta and Mozilla Composer.

She's now (as both of us) on KDE 3.4 beta 1.....

I'm not flaming you, or anyone here. Its just my view. I started on 8 
bit micro's, went to CP/M and then used Unix in a IT environment, then 
heading onto Win 3.11/WfWG and then NT Server admin. I used to love my X 
box with CDE in work, and preferred using that to any Win box, even when 
it was in mono only ;)

The most telling indicator for me was my wife, who isn't particular 
techy and uses her pc as a tool. When her XP machine went ****up last 
year she was using my Linux box for a month. She loved it so much that 
last week, when her XP install just keeled over and died (as it did on a 
bi-monthly basis without fail - and it wasn't spyware - she's a good 
admin of her own box and has no truck with Bonzi Buddy's, Smiley Central 
and the like - in fact SC launches her into a tirade of cusses ;-) ) she 
said "**** IT" and grabbed my SuSe DVD, and is now happily using Quanta, 
OpenOffice and Firefox on her machine and in her own words "Why didn't I 
do this years ago"?

She even installed it herself... And she's beginning to learn the love 
that is shell scripting ;-)

We're currently in the process of ruining my degree (exam week in 
cf.ac.uk ;-) ) by discovering the joys of our own Tetrinet server. I 
wonder if F/OSS has ever been quoted in divorce papers? ;-)

a

>Tony Pursell
>
>------- End of forwarded message -------
>
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-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
	/Adam Rykala/
/adam at rykala.demon.co.uk/ 	
	/Paradise is exactly like where you are right now ... only much, much
better.
-- Laurie Anderson
/

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