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Re: [LUG] Im moving back to windows

 

jon.davey@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> I would just like to add here that I am a very average ability computer 
> user and probably have more difficulty than most would in understanding and 
> using Linux and that my opinion counts for very little really...but 
> unfortunatly this, at the moment is how I feel about Linux. Sorry to have to 
> do that here.
Hi Jon,

I don't think you should be apologising for your ability level, in fact 
I think it is people with less than 'expert' level ability which Linux 
needs to have as a target audience since they outnumber 'experts' by a 
massive margin.  On that basis I disagree that your opinion counts for 
'very little' and would suggest it counts for a lot.

Granted Linux has become much less painful to install in recent times 
however, especially with specialist software and hardware, Linux has a 
way to go before the 'average user' will find it as easy to use as 
Windows.  The average user doesn't want to have to download a binary 
package and then compile it, then find the kernel needs to be patched, 
or there are dependency issues - and they certainly don't want to have 
to delve into a command line environment to do it[1].  They want one 
program they double-click and it all installs itself.   The battle Linux 
has with this requirement is that the user knows Windows delivers that 
and the same peripheral would have taken them ten minutes to install - 
and that includes opening the box and physical installation if it's an 
internal card.  Like it or not, and I suspect many long-tern Linux users 
won't, Windows' ease of installation is the yard-stick by which the vast 
majority of average computer users judge the competition[2].  People 
want to buy hardware, pop it in the box - or plug it in - run an 
installer from CD or a download, and then use the new kit.  Until users 
can do that with Linux installer the situation will not IMHO change.

If the average user just wants Office functions such as a word 
processor, spreadsheet etc. then Linux is fine.  If you want to surf the 
web, email, irc, etc. then Linux is fine.  Where Linux falls down is 
when users want to do more than just the standard - as you've identified 
Jon.

Kind regards,

Julian

[1] Assuming they know the commands to even navigate around in the CLI 
much less what commands to use to actually do anything.
[2] TBH that's an extension of society today.  Nobody wants to have to 
learn how to do anything - if they did technical support callcentres 
wouldn't exist, or if they did they would only ever get calls about 
usernames and passwords, or if the product developed a major fault.  
However the solution is not 'they'll have to learn' - especially when 
there are 100s of millions of them - the solution is to accept the 
refusal to learn and figure out a way they will accept.

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