A Comment For Our Buddies Over At The Linux Shoppe

Think about how long it took for Microsoft to get the operating system ‘dumbed down’ enough that the blathering idiots would use it - about 14 years (I use the DOS 1.0 to Windows 95 time frame). Microsoft has thousands of people dedicated 40+ hours per week working on their software.

Linux may take a while longer, because the developers are fewer, their hours are fewer, and their standards are higher.

I also think that they expect the users to meet them half way, because they aren’t kowtowing to the LCD.

When it comes to improving on Microsoft’s mistakes, they’re slipping on the one thing that they could use as a selling point. Make it easier. And I’m talking about writing cogent, useful help files and some simple GUIs, not inventing cold fusion.

If the Linux developers expect the users to meet them halfway, they don’t REALLY want to be top dogs in the fight. You either build a product that sells, or you just talk about selling. I’m not saying Linux isn’t better than Windows; I’m saying it’s no easier to use at present, so why should people bother to switch? The vast majority of people don’t CARE what’s under the hood, and they hate change. The elitist attitude is precisely what needs to go.

Just wondering how you managed to put up a comment without it being counted, or an icon to the left of it. I was looking through the dashboard, thinking we’d undergone a revision change, but no.

So, how?

Edited the original, like this.

Ubuntu is too much trouble for you?
Vista will make your head explode then.

My parents and coworkers use EEE-Ubuntu daily and not a single one has any trouble with them. I suspect some of them don’t know it’s linux.

I said it was annoying; I didn’t say it was “too much.” (And Vista was off my new machine within two hours of opening the box. I have two more licensed copies of XP Pro on the shelf, too. We’ll see about W7.)

If there’s a Unix-based OS of the future, it will come from someone who’s more interested in usability than freedom. Oh, wait. There’s the Mac….

I started using ubuntu 8.10 and find it much easier to use than Windows Vista.

All of the comments seem to miss what I said in the original post. I did not say Ubuntu was harder to use than Vista. I didn’t even mention Vista. Ubuntu kicks its butt — except for all those Windows applications that don’t run well or at all in WINE. Nor did I say I had trouble using Ubuntu (or any other form of Linux, including the command line versions). I said it was annoying. I happen to prefer my streamlined version of XP, but that has nothing to do with what I wrote either, it has to do with some of the work I need to accomplish.

In my opinion, not even Ubuntu is ready for prime time. It’s still too geeky. That’s all I said. That’s all I meant. End of story. Last comment from me, unless someone comes up with something really interesting.

I agree with the points put forward in this article.

1. Members of the Linux community often exhibit an elitist attitude which tends to put off new users.

2. Almost all the distributions of Linux out there still need to make a significant amount of progress in user-friendliness, if Linux is to enter into mainstream usage.

That being said, the current situation is definitely a lot better than the old days.

With the increasing popularity of netbooks, it would be interesting to research the customer experiences of those who have bought the models which come preloaded with Ubuntu.

Re. #1, I think there are many Linux distributions out there whose goal is not to enter into the mainstream. Therefore, I think it would be unwise to expect their developers or communities to pay much attention to user-friendliness.

I personally dual-boot Ubuntu and Windows XP. I’m biased towards Ubuntu because it works well with (admittedly) some tweaking.

I’m also satisfied in using Windows XP when I have to. In my case, Windows XP has been much better than Vista.

I think a lot of us in the open-source community get really worked up sometimes and miss the point entirely.

As technical users, we sometimes forget how difficult it is for someone new to computers to get to grips with Linux.

Perhaps this is why some of the comments above immediately jump to making comparisons?

No doubt you are correct. Many people seem unable to understand that criticism, whether or not couched in terms that they consider respectful, may yet have some basis. I was a bit snarky on purpose: I wanted to stir up a reaction. Worked, too. But it kept some folks from seeing the point.

Thanks for “getting it,” and saying so.