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Linux IS user friendly.

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by jaqui

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At least, the senior citizen I was listening to this evening says it is.

"
I can do everything in Linux that I can do in Windows or OSX, EASIER than in Windows or OSX.
"

Now, the funny thing is, this same person took 18 months to learn how to add time to his pay as you go [ pre-paid ] cell phone.

if someone who is that ill equipped to work with technology finds linux easy, there is no excuse for anyone to find it hard. :D

21 replies

by jaqui

I told this person I want a video clip of him saying that it's easier, for taking to an MS sponsored presentation about MS products. ]:)

by hal 9000

Don't you know by now that the people at M$ don't understand that there is anything else to use but M$ products? :D

I still have a very vivid memory of a M$ programmer asking what I wanted to be incorporated into the next OS. I said to use something like requiring Admin Passwords to be entered to install new software so that things didn't get installed accidentally. I don't think that my single suggestion had any weight but enough people must have asked for it. So the result is UAC in Vista which is a Pain and a sloppy way to do what should be a simple exercises. :(

Col

by jaqui

he wasn't happy with Ubuntu.
We tried him with PCLinuxOS, and it was, ok.
We changed a few minor things, like default folders for applications like picture viewers to use.
added a couple of shortcuts to the desktop.
changed the homepage on firefox.

and now he loves PCLinuxOS. :D
[ I prefer to forget the two days with Mandriva on the laptop ] :D

by j-mart

Would be the concept of adhering to standards. An OS that reinvents itself drastically with every new version requiring many drivers to be rewritten is hardly the most efficeint way to go. Linux by being built on what has gone before means that once you have learned a way of accomplishing a task it will most probably still work whwn you upgrde to next version.

When you are using a GUI it doesn't require you to be an aero-space enginneer to point with your mouse and click but to some, who contribute to this forum, pointing and clicking in linux is a world away from pointing and clicking in windows, even though some of them work in IT.

A good test is when an averge windows user, typically has not a clue regarding set up email accounts, network connection - set up etc, uses a linux desktop for the first time.They will be opening aplications, browsing the web, sending and receiving email once they know what menus and icons to click, with the added advantage of it being much harder to screw up the system than with a windows system.

For the more advanced user linux gives you a system that will do what you want it to do, the more you are willing to learn the more power and flexability you will have. With the latest tools you can perform configeration and admin functions with the aid of a GUI or with a command line and knowledge, a very fast and efficeint way of handling these tasks.

The main reason the "linux is hard" myth has been perpetuated is narrow mindedness and a fear of learning anthing. Linux can be almost the same to use as windows and also comletely different but once you take the plunge and give it a fair go, with an open mind, you will find how easy it can be.

Qf course, with a disscusion topic such as this I'm sure we will see a few of the "fan boys" from both sides chucking in their 2 cents worth, the popularity argument, the lack of gaming etc . These are all applcations, not the OS itself. After all if Microsoft wanted to, they could release a linux version of MS Office if they so desired.

I myself don't care if linux never becomes a dominant or major player in the desktop computing world because I will choose to use it untill something better comes along with the same ease of use and value for money and linux will continue to be the OS for the serous jobs, servers, power users,scientific research, and fo other "industrial strength" computing

by jaqui

though I'm often considered one of the Linux fan boys. :D

My whole point in starting this was to demonstrate, with a good example of a non technical person, exactly how easy it is once you actually put the small effort into learning the KDE menu. [ KDE because of the windows similarity is purposely has. ]

If someone wants the Mac os look, go with Gnome.
[ right down to the "popping" widget bar across the bottom of the display it's duplicated the OSX interface ]

If people would actually give Linux a try, with an open mind, instead of whining because it isn't windows, then there would be far less negativity in both camps.

by dumphrey

that it is not Windows is important.
When people buy a disposable razor, they do not whine "I can't use this, its not a [Brand X]!" People need to be "sold" on Linux because its an alternative, not a replacement.
Nice fighting of the FUD Jaqui.

by jaqui

I figured a title about linux being user friendly would have brought people out to play ;)

[ actually, just bumping because of time thread started ]

by jdclyde

When I first started with Linux, there was not a lot of support out there, and all of the documentation sucked a$$.

The gurus were egotistical dicks that looked down upon anyone that didn't delight at the idea of working from a command prompt.

These factors kept a lot of noobies out or chased away most of them that DARED to poke their heads up. Well, that and the focus seemed more on the server than as a desktop (from what I saw).

Now, there are plenty of desktop alternatives because of distros coming out with that as their focus. I think SOME of the documentation is better, a lot still needs some work.

Sure, I had some problems when I crashed my video, but to be fair, it was running on an OLD Dell Poweredge 2400, not current hardware. Tried to change the video resolution, and when I FINALLY found the setting, the whole graphical died. :(

by jaqui

the software has been influenced to have less cryptic user interfaces.

a lot of hardware manufacturers have come online and actively help the projects to develop drivers.
[ NVidia and HP being two of the major ones ]

Ralink open sourced the drivers for their wireless network chipsets.

With the extra support from hardware manufacturers making drivers better, the simple fact is, linux has made it.
now the core development can focus on the perceived usability issues so that linux on the desktop becomes a more popular choice.
[ it is viable already, just not popular ]

as the ease of use is known to improve, the commercial software houses won't be able to ignore the linux desktop market.

by the scummy one

oh wait, thats right. I am actually using a PCLOS box right now for this post.

Bump!!!

I just had to comment a little, even though it is mostly irrelevant and not usually worthy of a post.

by boxfiddler

Linux is user-friendly.

But where are all the MS fans? Strange that they didn't come out to play. That must make you right again! ;)

by hal 9000

Is spreading more FUD about the advantages of Linux over the vastly superior Windows.

OH wait a minute quite a few people here consider me a [b]M$ Hater[/b] so no matter what I say I'm criticizing M$ Windows. :D

Yep Jacqui's right even my 80 year old mother can use Linux without problems but she finds in impossible to use Windows because it doesn't make any sense. Like why click on the Start Button to shut down the computer? And who keeps wanting to give her cookies all the time. :D

Col

by neil higgins

In 1992 Andrew S. Tanenbaum, recognized computer scientist and author of the Minix microkernel system, wrote a Usenet article on the newsgroup comp.os.minix with the title "Linux is obsolete. (Wiki)

Oh dear.

550 different distro's later (probably more),the latest one (maybe?),OpenGEU,a mix of Gnome,Enlightenment and Ubuntu,has a lot of eye-candy,several pre-installed themes,and you can tweak the desktop to your heart's content.Of course,you can not judge linux simply on how it looks,but how it interacts with your hardware-software-display configuration.And yes,my Nvidia card works fine with OpenGEU,but more is needed.Again it is all down to choice.Thanks Torvalds,Open Source,(Dave).

There.I feel much better now.

by jdclyde

where we can get them, huh?

Have a grand weekend! Looking at weather in the 60's here. woo woo!

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