might be intimidated otherwise. Once a Linuxbox is going it is much easier
to manage than anything else as it takes very little maintenance. You have
no AV software to setup and maintain,no anti-trojan, anti-malware,
anti-hijacking software, no disk defragmentation, etc.
If only more people could get Linux factory installed then we might have a
different story. Sadly, people get Windows and have problems. That is not to
say that they would not have Linux problems, but that Windows has a whole
set of problems that you don't get with Linux.
An aside on this discussion is that Microsoft is developing its own package
management system and patenting things like sudo. I am not sure what there
plans are, but you can be sure that Linux is something that they have been
looking at.
Roy
Using Kubuntu 10.10 Maverick Meerkat, 64-bit
Location: Canada
On 20 October 2010 00:56, dbneeley <dbneeley@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> Ray,
>
> Because of the level of enthusiasm of many Linux users, a newbie can often
> get help with installation and whatnot from other individuals. Also, many
> Linux user groups have "installfests" in which anyone can take their machine
> and be guided through an installation. I know the one in Dallas does this
> before every meeting, as one example.
>
> Today, more people are becoming accustomed to looking for help on the
> Internet; some distributions have excellent community support where newbies
> are welcome (the Ubuntu family is famous for this), while others still are
> populated by "OS snobs" who are distinctly unfriendly to newcomers. To me,
> that is a factor in which distributions to recommend to newcomers, in fact.
>
> Although many don't want to be bothered by reading anything, there is also
> a large number of books dedicated to new users which can be extremely
> helpful--even some which are downloadable in ebook format for free.
>
> The HeliOS project in Austin, Texas, gives computers to disadvantaged
> kids--the machines are donated and often rebuilt by volunteers with that
> project. These kids range from early elementary age (and younger siblings)
> through high school--and few have any real issues using Linux. They seem to
> pick it up very rapidly. Some even complain when they must use Windows as
> being so difficult and non-intuitive!
>
> Obviously, there are those who will regard Windows as the path of least
> resistance--and they put up with the endless rounds of updates and malware
> difficulties as if that is a necessary and unavoidable part of computing.
> Even when you try to tell them there is a better way, those folks are the
> last to switch to anything new...even when, as you pointed out, the change
> from one generation of Windows to another is at least as difficult as going
> from Windows to Linux.
>
> Meanwhile, though, we continue to attract others who are finally ready for
> a switch. In my view, if you have a friend, relative, or colleague who tries
> Linux you should not abandon them from that point--but continue to help and
> encourage as you can.
>
> David
>
>
> --- In LINUX_Newbies@yahoogroups.com <LINUX_Newbies%40yahoogroups.com>,
> Ray Drouillard <ray-lists@...> wrote:
> >
> > This turned out to be one of the more informative threads. Thanks,
> > everyone, for your insight.
> >
> > No matter how easy it is to pop in a live CD and go, a lot of people
> > aren't going to do it simply because they have never and never intend to
> > load a CD. They buy a Dell or Gateway, pull it out of the box, fumble
> > with the cables, and go. In a year, their desktop is covered with junk
> > from everything they pulled off of the web or installed. If they don't
> > have malware, it's a miracle.
> >
> > It's possible to buy a car and never raise the hood. Fifty years ago,
> > owning a car meant changing your own oil, and probably changing your
> > points, plug, condenser, wires, and distributor. Now, you drive it off
> > the lot and take it to an oil change place or back to the dealership
> > every three months or 3000 miles. We're almost there with computers,
> > but not quite -- except, perhaps, for the Mac. When we see more Linux
> > machines pre-loaded straight out of the box, Linux will be used more.
> >
> > When Wal-Mart sold Linux boxes, I was going to get one. I never got
> > around to it due to financial considerations.
> >
> > The main thing that kept me from Linux was that I didn't know how to use
> > Unix, and I didn't want to chase all over the internet for drivers. I
> > used to manually install drivers in MS DOS machines, but doing so in an
> > unfamiliar system that wasn't up and running yet didn't sound like a
> > good use of my time.
> >
> > While I wasn't looking, someone invented the live CD, and designed a
> > number of desktop environments that were ready for the big time. When a
> > friend suggested Linux Mint, I downloaded an ISO, burned it, and was
> > soon running Elyssa. It took a little while to really get used to the
> > GUI, but no more than switching up from Windows 98 (which I had been
> > running for the last eight years or so) to Win 2K and Win XP.
> >
> > I had a few issues getting the most out of my video card when I upgraded
> > to Mint 6, so I skipped it. Mint 7 Gloria worked fine. Mint 8 Helena
> > didn't. I'm currently running Mint 9 Isadora on brand-new hardware.
> >
> > My point is that loading an OS, any OS, is a crap shoot. If some parts
> > don't work (like the wireless controller or bluetooth,) most people
> > can't do anything about it. Even an experienced Windows user isn't
> > necessarily going to know where to find drivers or change configuration
> > files. That's still an issue with me. Just where the &*^% is the
> > Tomboy Notes data stored in Mint 9, anyhow? I moved the .Tomboy
> > directory over from my old machine, and my new one doesn't see it. To
> > me, it's an annoyance and an opportunity to learn. To an appliance
> > operator (to borrow an old ham radio term,) it's a show stopper.
> >
> > In summary, if someone is used to buying a machine and running it out of
> > the box, the fact that Linux is free doesn't mean anything because his
> > new computer already has an OS. Who would swap the engine out of their
> > car for a new one, even if the new one is free? A few, but by no means
> > the majority.
> >
> > If you want to introduce an appliance operator to Linux, you need to
> > either set the machine up for him, or point him to one of the machines
> > that come with Linux pre-installed.
> >
> >
> > Ray Drouillard
> >
>
>
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
------------------------------------
To unsubscribe from this list, please email LINUX_Newbies-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com & you will be removed.Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LINUX_Newbies/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LINUX_Newbies/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
LINUX_Newbies-digest@yahoogroups.com
LINUX_Newbies-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
LINUX_Newbies-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
No comments:
Post a Comment