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Hit, but mostly miss.
1: "The thing is, the vast majority of work now is done through a Web browser."
Not at my job. While we have a few in-house applications that we use in a browser, as well as accessing some applications for the public that are browser-based, about 80% of our work is *not* browser-based. They're stand-alone apps, division/unit databases, and mainframe applications. So switching to Linux in our environment would be counter-intuitive.
2: "It???s not Windows"
For a lot of users, though, they don't want a change in behaviour. They're comfortable with the way their old PC (WinMac) worked, & don't want to change just for the sake of change. Price isn't the only reason users have hung onto XP; they don't want to have to relearn how to use Win7.
3: There is no ???C???
See #2. Especially for those users that *aren't* as familiar with shell or DOS/UNIX-style prompts as the rest of us, telling them "your directories are here now" just confuses them more.
4: Installing software is a different process
That's fine if the only software you installed came over the Internet. For the majority of us, though, most of our software comes from CDs, so an "app store" site doesn't really help.
5: The command line is not necessary
Good...although Windows & Mac have been that way for years. That's why potential users ask that question; Linux doesn't have a long enough history of a desktop working "out of the box" without having to resort to command-line setup.
6: There???s no need to worry about infection
yeah...that's why the kernel.org site was taken down... you know, the one running *on* Linux *for* Linux? Not saying that the security might not be tighter, but it's not 100% safe.
7: It???s free
Directly, yes. Indirectly, no: it costs a few pennies for the power & Internet connection to download the distro, and/or some pennies to buy the blank disc you burn it onto for installation.
The thing is, there's that little problem about tech support. WinMac users have access to the vendor tech support (Microsoft or the vendor for Windows, Apple for Macs). For a lot of those Linux distros, though, if you want the same level of tech support, you have to pay for it.
8: If you don???t like it, you can change it
Again, though, that's been around for non-Linux OSs as well. Hello, Win98 Themes? Even in XP, you can make plenty of changes to the appearance of your desktop, as well as access to free 3rd-party utilities that can change the appearance of your desktop.
9: Not all hardware is created equal
And there's the biggest killer right there. You tell someone the all-in-one printer they have "may not work 100%", & they'll tell you to shove Linux into the "circular file". Having to replace working hardware because the Linux distro you're trying to use won't support it, or doesn't have driver files yet, is not a good way to show how "good" Linux is.
10: Google is your friend
Oh, wow...*snrk*... oh, wait, you were serious, weren't you? I think you'd better change that to, "The Internet is your friend", & not harp so much on Google. After all, they can use just about any search engine (ask.com, Yahoo, Bing, etc.) to look for Linux help. Or you could simply point them to some particular websites, instead of just throwing them to the figurative wolves.
Not at my job. While we have a few in-house applications that we use in a browser, as well as accessing some applications for the public that are browser-based, about 80% of our work is *not* browser-based. They're stand-alone apps, division/unit databases, and mainframe applications. So switching to Linux in our environment would be counter-intuitive.
2: "It???s not Windows"
For a lot of users, though, they don't want a change in behaviour. They're comfortable with the way their old PC (WinMac) worked, & don't want to change just for the sake of change. Price isn't the only reason users have hung onto XP; they don't want to have to relearn how to use Win7.
3: There is no ???C???
See #2. Especially for those users that *aren't* as familiar with shell or DOS/UNIX-style prompts as the rest of us, telling them "your directories are here now" just confuses them more.
4: Installing software is a different process
That's fine if the only software you installed came over the Internet. For the majority of us, though, most of our software comes from CDs, so an "app store" site doesn't really help.
5: The command line is not necessary
Good...although Windows & Mac have been that way for years. That's why potential users ask that question; Linux doesn't have a long enough history of a desktop working "out of the box" without having to resort to command-line setup.
6: There???s no need to worry about infection
yeah...that's why the kernel.org site was taken down... you know, the one running *on* Linux *for* Linux? Not saying that the security might not be tighter, but it's not 100% safe.
7: It???s free
Directly, yes. Indirectly, no: it costs a few pennies for the power & Internet connection to download the distro, and/or some pennies to buy the blank disc you burn it onto for installation.
The thing is, there's that little problem about tech support. WinMac users have access to the vendor tech support (Microsoft or the vendor for Windows, Apple for Macs). For a lot of those Linux distros, though, if you want the same level of tech support, you have to pay for it.
8: If you don???t like it, you can change it
Again, though, that's been around for non-Linux OSs as well. Hello, Win98 Themes? Even in XP, you can make plenty of changes to the appearance of your desktop, as well as access to free 3rd-party utilities that can change the appearance of your desktop.
9: Not all hardware is created equal
And there's the biggest killer right there. You tell someone the all-in-one printer they have "may not work 100%", & they'll tell you to shove Linux into the "circular file". Having to replace working hardware because the Linux distro you're trying to use won't support it, or doesn't have driver files yet, is not a good way to show how "good" Linux is.
10: Google is your friend
Oh, wow...*snrk*... oh, wait, you were serious, weren't you? I think you'd better change that to, "The Internet is your friend", & not harp so much on Google. After all, they can use just about any search engine (ask.com, Yahoo, Bing, etc.) to look for Linux help. Or you could simply point them to some particular websites, instead of just throwing them to the figurative wolves.
Posted by spdragoo@...
7th Oct 2011
