[ Date Index ] [ Thread Index ] [ <= Previous by date / thread ] [ Next by date / thread => ]
Neil Winchurst wrote:
There have been several emails about getting more people to move over to Linux. I have recently installed Linux on a laptop for my brother who wanted to try it. I have also talked about the move across to several friends. May I add my two pennyworth? Anyone who has used Windows up to now needs some kind of incentive to try Linux. This could be curiosity, saving costs, security etc. But they also need a lot of help in the early stages. It is no good installing it for them and leaving them to it. They will all too easily give up and go back to the OS they are used to.
That is true.
I tend to help friends/family move to the distro I know - Ubuntu. Then when they phone up, if I'm not near a computer I can still offer them some sort of support over the phone. I'm sure others would recommend Debian, Fedora, PCLinuxOS etc. I don't tend to as I don't know these distros too well (okay, Ubuntu being Debian based isn't too different for me).So, from my experience, what scares and worries Windows users about moving to Linux? There seem to be several things. Linux has so many versions (distros). Distrowatch lists 100 and there are more. To us that may seem like a strength but actually it is a weakness. For most people Windows has just three choices, XP, Vista and now Windows 7. That is already more than enough to worry about. Even when I said that there were perhaps about 20 strong contenders that was still scary.
Yes, it can be scary, but if you have someone there to install it for you, or give you a hand with installation then it's no do bad. Everyone I have converted over to Linux has had Linux installed by me.Most Windows users acquire their computer with the OS already installed. The thought of having to install it was again really scary. Of course, we would not expect anyone to do it the first time without help, but even so ...... And I did not even mention partitions and dual booting.
I can't see that being so bad a problem for a novice. I mean most people I know who use Windows tend to use two locations, My Documents or the Desktop. Or in the case of Vista/Windows 7, the user directory and in there, Documents, Pictures, Music, Videos, Downloads.Learning about a different layout for files and folders on the hard disk. Again, they all looked a bit worried and puzzled. The main question was why?
So in that case, on an Ubuntu desktop, I'd tell them to go to Places -> Home Folder.
Okay, this can be a little bit of a problem. Ubuntu uses Sudo which for me appears to be the closest thing to UAC on Vista and Windows 7 or Runas... on Windows XP. I find that 99% of XP home users tend to be in the Administrators group. At least with Ubuntu, if they need to run any updates/install any packages they are prompted for their password rather than asked to login as root, even on Fedora/Debian it asks for the administrative user (or root) password. So it's just one more password to remember. Not really that hard.The user system was again a big problem. Learning about root, users and their passwords, groups, the home folder etc. Wow. Scary again.
But on the other hand there are hundreds and thousands of applications already in the repositories. Plus it's possible to add applications through packages. On Ubuntu 9.10, it's as simple as going to the 'Ubuntu Software Centre'. I think with the advent of the iPhone, more and more people are getting used to going to an 'App store' to get their software. Again I think a lot of it is explaining and talking the users through it.Installing new packages. Well on Windows, I think, you either download the exe file and double click on it or put the relevant CD/DVD in the drive, wait for the install button to appear and click on it. On Linux I could have mentioned apt-get, synaptic, adept, deb files, repositories, RPM files, dependencies, well you get the idea.
Yes, in a lot of cases I can see that. If it works, don't fix it so to speak. I think there are possibly two groups who might be interested in moving, Windows Vista users who are stuck with Vista, and those who are on XP maybe on an older PC which is getting slow.Conclusions Perhaps I have been talking to the wrong people but here are my suggestions. Need for an incentive to move.
Yes, this is also the case with anyone new to a computer in general. I certainly didn't know anything when I first used my ZX81, why should anyone who is new to computing, or even a new system be expected to know what to do straight away. If it was say, the case of my mum who is computer illiterate, I dare say if I showed her how to turn the computer on, login (or set it to autologon), told her how to get on to the internet, how to get her e-mail, how to browse her pictures and maybe print them then I'm sure she would be fine. I wouldn't expect her to know how to do all that on Windows XP/Vista/7 or on a Mac as much as I wouldn't expect her to be able to do it on Linux without being shown.Much help and hand holding required.
Same goes for Macs, and to a point anyone moving from XP to Windows 7 or Vista, there are changes which you have to get used to. Ubuntu (and most Linux distros) aren't THAT hard to use.
Same can be said for Windows/Mac too. When I use MacOS X I find that I can get frustrated as it's new to me (okay I have used it extensively in the past, but thats going back 7 years!).This help will sometimes need to be available for some time.
This will all require some organisation and co-ordination. No point in going at it piecemeal or haphazardly.
Same can be said for a Windows 7 upgrade.
So, a lot of work and planning and preparation I think.
Same as for Windows.
I was talking to my dad about his experiences with Ubuntu, both on his desktop and laptop. His main bugbear was that Ubuntu started by default when he was dual booting and sometimes he didn't have time to get things done in Ubuntu (such as quickly writing up an Invoice). I suggested that this time round, he runs Ubuntu for a while in Virtual Box, that way he can use it when he has time and when he's done he can shut down Ubuntu and carry on with Windows. He's happy to try this and when he's used to Ubuntu I'll have a go at dual booting his desktop.Sorry to be so long winded but this is important. We must get it right. If we get it wrong not only will they give up and go back to Windows, they will also tell all their friends!!
Any thoughts and comments gratefully received
See above. Rob -- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG http://mailman.dclug.org.uk/listinfo/list FAQ: http://www.dcglug.org.uk/linux_adm/list-faq.html