[ubuntu-za] Fwd: Re: Comment on Microsoft “tricks” users into upgrading to Windows 10

[Matthew French]

On Thu, May 26, 2016 at 11:43 AM, Jan Greeff <jan at verslank.net> wrote:
On 26/05/2016 11:19, Miles wrote:

> Typical



> Give him a piece of your mind...
>

Ah, but to what end?

Unfortunately this is a problem Linux has been battling for decades - the
primacy of knowledge.

For many people introduced to computers for the first time via DOS/Windows,
Windows represents the way a computer should work. All their experience and
habits have been developed to cope with Windows. Thus when faced with
something new, it doesn't work the way they think it should work and
therefore is not better. Those habits developed to work around shortcomings
in Windows can't just be dropped because the new system doesn't need them.
It takes a while to see how a new environment works.

It is not just Linux, I have seen this numerous times with Apple Macs as
well.

The clue this is happening is in the statement: "...it was not easy to use
or to tweak...". Having watched new users on Linux I don't think it is fair
to say it is not easy to use, it is just different. And saying Windows is
easy to tweak but Linux is not is only true if the author considers
tweaking as a process of changing Windows settings and wants to be able to
change those same settings on Linux.

As for boring... the reason I *don't* use Linux every day is because it is
too exciting[1]. Too much happening, too much changing, too many new ways
to solve old problems. So many cool utilities to play with. So many
different window managers. So many distributions. On the other hand I have
Windows 10 on my gaming computer, but I can't tell the difference between
it and Windows 7. If you want boring...

Arguing with someone whose only real frame of reference is Windows will
just make them dig in and re-enforce their opinion. I think a better
strategy is to suggest that Linux works well for you and to point out that
it takes a little time to adapt, and that some things will be different.

- Matthew

[1] Okay the real reason is the corporate decision makers have decided
Windows. If I could reformat my laptop without a world of hurt descending
upon me from the IT/Security department it would be a Linux box by
tomorrow.
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