Topic: Why GNU/Linux is ready for the Average User

[sam]

http://jeffhoogland.blogspot.com/2009/12/is-linux-ready-for-average-user.html

I spend a fair amount of time on UbuntuForums.org and while poking around there this afternoon I came across this thread. It is no where near the first thread I've seen like it (and sadly I doubt it will be the last). To quickly sum up the thread the original poster is detailing why he believes Ubuntu is not ready for the "average user" because of a recent poor experience he had attempting to get Karmic (latest Ubuntu release) installed on a friend's laptop. Ubuntu's motto is "Linux for human-beings" - no where does this imply it is going to be bug free or that Joe Moron is going to be able to get it all setup just fine on their own. Personally I think it is foolish to think that you could ever create a operating system that the average user is going to be able to setup/maintain one hundred percent on their own. Its just not feasible to think as such.

[Simon]

I like the "Linux for human-beings" line.  When I dabbled, I found it OK, but not OK enough to ditch Windows for.

[Rik]

Then you need a Mac, my son. 

[Simon]

£££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££

[Rik]

Just a few less Chateaubriands.

[sam]

you should give it a go again.. its like anything give it a week and then you will never look back. Though I understand the lack of need to change - if you are on top of your windows machine then why change I guess. I just love the fact that I'm free...

[Simon]

I think that's just it, Sam, it's not worth changing for the sake of it.

[Rik]

I just love the fact that I'm free...

I wondered what had happened to John Inman. 

[sam]

I think that's just it, Sam, it's not worth changing for the sake of it.

yeah and I can't argue against that - though I'd argue for it when people are thinking of buying the latest windows. Personally my life is so much easier with linux, much fast and more productive and I can do what I like with it. I also like not having to worry about third party firewalls and antivirus etc.

[Rik]

You also know what you're doing, Sam, which is something the rest of us can't say with confidence.

[sam]

I guess so, but there was a point when I didn't know what I was doing too... and then things were a lot different - not all the great help you can find via a 2 second google search.

[Rik]

Thing is, I guess, you're young and everything is a blank slate still. Us old folks have been doing it this way for 20 years or so and are no longer as quick to learn, or as interested in doing so.

[sam]

I see your point.. then again I'm sure you have learnt how to use the new windows version every few years - and lets be honest they may have a slightly similar structure but there is still quite a change between them. To a first approximation these days going to Linux is the same.

[Rik]

Interesting, Sam. It looks a bigger jump to me, but maybe I ought to try it on a spare machine and find out.

[sam]

yeah... I'd say give it a go - with a live cd all the time you will lose is clicking the download and burn button.

I'd suggest installing it to give it a proper go but... that will then take a bit longer.

I'm not going to give you a big list of benefits but I love the package manager that comes on most linux distributions... just hit update and it finds all the updates to software you have installed... and you want a new package just look there! Simples.