Recent experience advocating Linux

[Ralph Janke]

 From my own experience, that can be a myth!

I have numerous times now discovered, that users of
windows computers had problems connecting printers.
And even PC technicians from stores were not able to
find the right driver to get the printer working (and
I am talking standard HP printers here).

However, if you install Ubuntu on the same machine
the printer just works without any configurations, hence
passing the Eric Raymond test.

Please lets stop live in the past. Ubuntu is now as easy
(if not easier) to use as Windows. And we are also making
strides trying to catch up with the user experience of Apple
which is certainly excellent. However, just wait for the next
two releases and we will have made additional strides.

The nice thing for ubuntu is, you can do both. There is
nothing that prevents you from using command line
terminal if you are good in using that, however,
point&click is supported equally.

Just my 2c

Ralph (txwikinger)


On 06/03/2010 01:12 PM, Borden Rhodes wrote:
> I get a little concerned when I read 'point-&-click' syndrome.  One of the
> major reasons why I don't advocate Linux to clients, friends and family (the
> biggest being bugs and instability) is the fact that configuring and
> troubleshooting Linux requires a huge amount of technical expertise.
>
> People use computers like cars: they just want to get from point A to point B
> as quickly as possible.  These people have careers and friends and other
> responsibilities and although the amazing things you can do with gawk are
> fascinating, they aren't useful for getting work done.  Accordingly, people
> pay me huge sums of money precisely because they're using their brains for
> things other than hardware troubleshooting or virus removal and I don't use my
> brain for anything much more useful so I have room for this information.
>
> I'm pleased to see that recent efforts are trying to fix this in Linux but we
> still have years to go.  I know that sitting in front of a root terminal gives
> a huge rush of power but people looking to get something useful done rather
> than bask in the computing experience don't appreciate the novelty as much as
> the hackers and hobbyists do.
>
> Borden
>
> On 3 June 2010 09:25:25 Stephen Kawamoto wrote:
>    
>> On the bus to work the other day - I'm a security guard - I talked to an
>> Asian lad using his PSP 2000.
>>
>> He claimed familiarity originally with Mac and Windows XP.
>>
>> At some point in the past, he tried Linux but didn't like it. I assume this
>> may be due to the point-&-click syndrome caused by extensive Mac and
>> Windows use.
>>
>> So I advocated Linux like mad, expressing my opinion about freeing one from
>> licensing renewals during upgrades i.e. XP and 7 require separate
>> licenses, as do Macs. This is reflect in their price.
>>
>> As the person has some familiarity with Linux, I didn't mention that Linux
>> is usually free.
>>
>> At our destination, he said he'd look into trying out Linux again.
>>
>> My only regret is not having printed up personal business cards, which I'll
>> remedy when I return to my Dell machine - I'm in the middle of migrating
>> from a Dell GX60 to a Compaq D51C.
>>      
>