desktoplinux.com— "Architects from two dozen desktop-oriented Linux projects converged in Portland, Ore. last weekend to collaborate on perfecting the Linux desktop." --- Good Stuff! Gotta love Open Source!
Dec 9, 2005View in Crawl 4
Linux is not always as easy as veterans like to make it seem.I've used a number of distros in the past years, and for the last two weeks I have been using Ubuntu 5.10. Luckily, I have some experience, so I sort of know what I am doing. But the thing is, the average person would find a terminal prompt daunting. Its not that its hard to learn, because it isnt, but that the average Cindy, Joe, or Sam would like to double click an installer icon, click Next through a few prompts, place an icon on the desktop and the start menu, then run the program.The first distro of linux I used was SuSE 8.1. At the time, I believe it had a half-broken package manager, so I was doing most of my application installing myself. This meant I would literally spend hours trying to get the program installed. I am not kidding. I had no idea what cd, ./, make did.SuSE 9.2 was a huge improvement, with a more functional package manager, but sime weird quirks now and then. Still, I would run into much trouble installing some peices of software.Ubuntu 5.10 has been mostly a dream. Its package manager is great. Still, my biggest gripe was when I was trying to get a podcasting client to work. I downloaded around 5-7 different programs, being unsuccessful in installing them. I later found iPodder in the package manager, but the fact that it was difficult to install any of the other podcast clients shows that there is still work to be done.
In my opinion I don't find linux a good OS for mainstream use, I just see it as a secure OS. To me, theres a Windows-PC and a mac; so basically linux is barely 'alive'
It's funny how so many people here are saying "Linux didnt work for me, so it must not work for anyone." Do you actually think that's true? My girlfriend can install anything she wants on her desktop with a password and a couple of clicks. My point is, just because you don't like it, just because it's not like windows, just because x variable didnt work for you, that doesnt mean that someone else might not like. that was for the windows / osx fanboysfor the linux fanboysyes linux is great, i've used it since 1998, if windows users want to use windows let them, dont try to convince them it's better. if you have to convince someone something is better, its probably not in most peoples minds. Just stick to your guns and improve on the projects we have. make them so diabolically good that no user could resist having it.
"Gdjrptryjg saidSo no-one buys ice cream, because there is too many flavors?"That's an awful analogy. I don't know of any ice cream that's not compatible with a spoon or a bowl. I know many linux distros that aren't compatible with sound cards, video cards, dvd burners, multi monitor displays, games, apps...Linux to ice cream would be more like, ok, here's your milk, a freezer, a blender and your choice of berries, chocolate, bubble gum, m+ms or receeses pieces....oh you want peppermint, no problem, drive to Whole foods, search every aisle until you find the peppermint, skip checkout, maybe, go to the parking lot, find your car, get in and drive home. Get home, open then peppermint...s**t, how the f**k do I open this?....Finally got it open, but now all my ice cream is melted, shiiiiiiiiit. pull trigger, end of story.
""""If not, well, is pretty hard for them to know that Linux actually exists.""""That is the problem. Linux isn't really that easy. I gave linux probably 20 hours all together and I couldn't get it. There is very little out there for absolute beginners. Eric Wilson
If you buy a Pre instaled Linux PC you will only need that and a internet conection, but if you buy a windows based pc you will need Antispyware, Antivirus, etc. you can waste a lot of time trying to close a banner with a Cassino sign or lost all your WORK with a simple virus, in the corporate area you will have with a Linux the best tool. If in your home you wanna have this kind of problems is your problem y wanna save my pictures for ever in my /home directory
The simplification of integrating linux apps into the desktop, whether it be Gnome or KDE or other X Window system based desktops, is one step closer thanks to The Portland Project and for that fI am gratefull. This is clearly the right development path. Good on'em.
gdjrptryjgDec 10, 2005
@carguy84So no-one buys ice cream, because there is too many flavors?
toasterwaffleDec 10, 2005
"Double click. Wow that was easy."More like:Double click. Click. Agree I guess. Click. Click... No I don't want third party software. Click...
neurokaotixDec 10, 2005
"Open a terminal as root.Type "apt-get install mozilla-firefox"Wow that was hard."Don't be a douche bag. That is exactly why Linux is not mainstream.
Closed AccountDec 10, 2005
Linux is not always as easy as veterans like to make it seem.I've used a number of distros in the past years, and for the last two weeks I have been using Ubuntu 5.10. Luckily, I have some experience, so I sort of know what I am doing. But the thing is, the average person would find a terminal prompt daunting. Its not that its hard to learn, because it isnt, but that the average Cindy, Joe, or Sam would like to double click an installer icon, click Next through a few prompts, place an icon on the desktop and the start menu, then run the program.The first distro of linux I used was SuSE 8.1. At the time, I believe it had a half-broken package manager, so I was doing most of my application installing myself. This meant I would literally spend hours trying to get the program installed. I am not kidding. I had no idea what cd, ./, make did.SuSE 9.2 was a huge improvement, with a more functional package manager, but sime weird quirks now and then. Still, I would run into much trouble installing some peices of software.Ubuntu 5.10 has been mostly a dream. Its package manager is great. Still, my biggest gripe was when I was trying to get a podcasting client to work. I downloaded around 5-7 different programs, being unsuccessful in installing them. I later found iPodder in the package manager, but the fact that it was difficult to install any of the other podcast clients shows that there is still work to be done.
diggnationdevonDec 10, 2005
In my opinion I don't find linux a good OS for mainstream use, I just see it as a secure OS. To me, theres a Windows-PC and a mac; so basically linux is barely 'alive'
barbobotDec 11, 2005
It's funny how so many people here are saying "Linux didnt work for me, so it must not work for anyone." Do you actually think that's true? My girlfriend can install anything she wants on her desktop with a password and a couple of clicks. My point is, just because you don't like it, just because it's not like windows, just because x variable didnt work for you, that doesnt mean that someone else might not like. that was for the windows / osx fanboysfor the linux fanboysyes linux is great, i've used it since 1998, if windows users want to use windows let them, dont try to convince them it's better. if you have to convince someone something is better, its probably not in most peoples minds. Just stick to your guns and improve on the projects we have. make them so diabolically good that no user could resist having it.
carguy84Dec 11, 2005
"Gdjrptryjg saidSo no-one buys ice cream, because there is too many flavors?"That's an awful analogy. I don't know of any ice cream that's not compatible with a spoon or a bowl. I know many linux distros that aren't compatible with sound cards, video cards, dvd burners, multi monitor displays, games, apps...Linux to ice cream would be more like, ok, here's your milk, a freezer, a blender and your choice of berries, chocolate, bubble gum, m+ms or receeses pieces....oh you want peppermint, no problem, drive to Whole foods, search every aisle until you find the peppermint, skip checkout, maybe, go to the parking lot, find your car, get in and drive home. Get home, open then peppermint...s**t, how the f**k do I open this?....Finally got it open, but now all my ice cream is melted, shiiiiiiiiit. pull trigger, end of story.
tkdwilsonDec 11, 2005
""""If not, well, is pretty hard for them to know that Linux actually exists.""""That is the problem. Linux isn't really that easy. I gave linux probably 20 hours all together and I couldn't get it. There is very little out there for absolute beginners. Eric Wilson
barbobotDec 11, 2005
you're
talishteDec 14, 2005
If you buy a Pre instaled Linux PC you will only need that and a internet conection, but if you buy a windows based pc you will need Antispyware, Antivirus, etc. you can waste a lot of time trying to close a banner with a Cassino sign or lost all your WORK with a simple virus, in the corporate area you will have with a Linux the best tool. If in your home you wanna have this kind of problems is your problem y wanna save my pictures for ever in my /home directory
lordfoulJul 1, 2006
The simplification of integrating linux apps into the desktop, whether it be Gnome or KDE or other X Window system based desktops, is one step closer thanks to The Portland Project and for that fI am gratefull. This is clearly the right development path. Good on'em.