desktoplinux.com— This article by a relatively new user of Linux takes a look at the typical expectations and challenges of transitioning from Windows to Linux, and makes some sensible recommendations.
Sep 16, 2006View in Crawl 4
If i could run Photoshop on Linux i would switch immediately. Furthermore i have to say i have seen and worked with Suze and other installs of Linux, it's really getting there, for example the GUI (KDE) looks and feels much better than Windows XP does.Since Adobe is beginning to get some of it's software to work on Linux (PDF, Flash 9) there is hope...
That's because they won't write drivers for the software, and because NDISWrapper isn't worth the disk space it's stored on. I have been wrestling with the drivers for this thing for weeks now; no home user should have to go through this. Ever. People who claim that "Linux has better hardware support" are correct until you actually want to do something with it over wireless.I don't really care about the fact that the manufacturers aren't writing drivers. I am an end user; if something is broken one link in the software delivery chain above me, then that link is responsible in my eyes.
@metalhead3767"Repositories are a pain. They take too long and usually you can't find what you're looking for."You just don't know what you are talking about. So, you do think it's a better way to chase down the web site where you can download the installer, download it, run it (hoping you got step one right and this is not a spyware-equipped version) and then keeping yourself informed about updates of every program you installed this way?And, most of the time, you can just do that. Firefox, Java and others can be installed exactly like this.I will keep my package manager in the meantime.
I like this article because I believe that the author has the optimal approach for introducing Linux to the average windows user albeit after the the benefits of linux over windows have already been elabortated upon. What follows, is a list of pointers that I have derived from both this article and my own line of thinking. It is of course most important to explain to a user why it is beneficial for him to switch to linux, but once the user has agreed to try linux, I feel it is important to do the following: 1. Explain that Linux is structurally different from windows and do not attempt to introduce Linux as a free-ware version of windows. 2. Have the user understand that there is a learning curve to Linux but introduce this in such a way that the user does not fear the learning curve but rather views it as a key to unlocking the great benefits of Linux. 3.Provide the user with as many crutches/rafts as possible (i.e. KDE, wine, Cedega, ndiswrapper, Automatix, Ubuntu, CNR, Linspire) . If a user is persuaded to simply jump into a sea of learning, the user may begin to drown and end up furiously paddling back to shore (whatever OS he came from) with both hands. 4. Some users are not able to easily comprehend the philosophy and rationale behind community support. Take the time to explain to the user how Linux communities function, and make an effort to show the user the beauty and systematic coordination found within a community environment. Lastly and most importantly, remember that it may be "boring to teach yourself another operating system" and that it "is entirely a matter of personal motivation.". This means that one should realize that unless he/she makes an effort to transform the learning process into an exciting experience, it is possible for the user/student to become disinterested/dis-enthralled. Which will almost always cause the user to opt out, and return to the platform from which he/she came, if only because of its perceived ease of use.
I have the same problem with this article that I've had with every other 'switching to linux' piece I've read - the author is out of touch with his target audience. It's always the same - first, they start by putting you to sleep with the history/philosophy of Unux & the GPL. I might get interested in that later on, but right now I just want to learn how to use it. At this point I don't even know if I like the damn OS yet. You guys have to learn to tone-down the evangelism.And while they do acknowledge that most Linux newbies are typically somewhat advanced Windows users, they fail to keep in mind that they are talking to someone that is ONLY familiar with how things are done in Windows. "Mount" my cdrom? "Unpack" files? I want to know how things have changed from: 'C:/Program Files/$program' etc. And how to properly install something that I don't have an RPM for.
>1. The ease to install new program that are not found in Yast2 or Synaptic. Sorry, but this is a pain. Ever try to get LimeWire installed on Ubuntu without using automatix or easyubuntu - installing Java is a pain!.....From what I can remember Java has been in the Ubuntu repos for like 3 months now... no idea about the rpms, Yast sucks.>I like automatix, but personally think it's silly that Ubuntu users need it just to get a "functional desktop" -- Yast is the same way -- if I a package is made for yast then intalling software is a breeze. If it isn't good luck to you.I have never actually used Automatix, and I came from Windows, being a total linux n00b, and got everything setup in less time then I would have even installed Windows.Not really... I mean sure you have to resolve dependancies yourself (if you have to compile... you can usually get the binaries), which isn't always too hard since the configure script tells you whats missing. I compile a lot of stuff myself because there is a small lack of amd64 binaries (I'm talking about software that isn't in the repos of course).>They understand "click here, click this, do this" not type these 3 commands and it should work!!!!I disagree. I think if a n00b tries to do something to the core system, they probably won't understand what they are doing through a GUI anyway. It's more likely that they will, but I doubt it.>4th complaint is they had to seek online help for even simple things (especially in Ubuntu) -- things that they had simply taken for granted on Windows, but just wouldn't work on Linux. One of them wanted to update FireFox, and get Flash working -- it was a nightmere.Flash is a nightmare, I totally agree (though I hate flash in general and never install it), but that's Adobe's problem and they are fixing it. Firefox gets updated automatically from the repositories... I don't get what you're on about. If you want a beta or something then compile it yourself or find a precompiled binary, it's not hard.>Sorry, I'm sad to say it but Linux isn't ready for desktop, and won't be until these things are addressed. Speak for yourself, I love linux, I'm not going back to Windows. I can do everything I did on windows and more (minus Photoshop of course :(, thank god I have a mac)
Great to see all the comments. Some are positive, some negative. To the ones that concern why I write this or that, the article had a touch of subtleness, respect, but also (maybe less obvious) a filtering effect. It divides people into two groups, those who care to make an effort (they are encouraged) and those who don't (they most likely will be discouraged).It is best for Linux if you don't push the system on all people - but only those who are willing to work it out - because - it does require an effort to change to Linux, we cannot get around that.You could even say that IF changing did not require anything, then there's no reason to change in the first place (because the systems would be alike).
"You could even say that IF changing did not require anything, then there's no reason to change in the first place (because the systems would be alike)."You could say that but you would be wrong. Even if Linux were functionally identical to Windows, it could still offer practical advantages --- lower cost or better security for example. As it stands, the advantages are offset by the cost (and pain) of switching
symenSep 17, 2006
If i could run Photoshop on Linux i would switch immediately. Furthermore i have to say i have seen and worked with Suze and other installs of Linux, it's really getting there, for example the GUI (KDE) looks and feels much better than Windows XP does.Since Adobe is beginning to get some of it's software to work on Linux (PDF, Flash 9) there is hope...
captainktainerSep 17, 2006
That's because they won't write drivers for the software, and because NDISWrapper isn't worth the disk space it's stored on. I have been wrestling with the drivers for this thing for weeks now; no home user should have to go through this. Ever. People who claim that "Linux has better hardware support" are correct until you actually want to do something with it over wireless.I don't really care about the fact that the manufacturers aren't writing drivers. I am an end user; if something is broken one link in the software delivery chain above me, then that link is responsible in my eyes.
rbanffySep 17, 2006
@metalhead3767"Repositories are a pain. They take too long and usually you can't find what you're looking for."You just don't know what you are talking about. So, you do think it's a better way to chase down the web site where you can download the installer, download it, run it (hoping you got step one right and this is not a spyware-equipped version) and then keeping yourself informed about updates of every program you installed this way?And, most of the time, you can just do that. Firefox, Java and others can be installed exactly like this.I will keep my package manager in the meantime.
yharrowSep 17, 2006
I like this article because I believe that the author has the optimal approach for introducing Linux to the average windows user albeit after the the benefits of linux over windows have already been elabortated upon. What follows, is a list of pointers that I have derived from both this article and my own line of thinking. It is of course most important to explain to a user why it is beneficial for him to switch to linux, but once the user has agreed to try linux, I feel it is important to do the following: 1. Explain that Linux is structurally different from windows and do not attempt to introduce Linux as a free-ware version of windows. 2. Have the user understand that there is a learning curve to Linux but introduce this in such a way that the user does not fear the learning curve but rather views it as a key to unlocking the great benefits of Linux. 3.Provide the user with as many crutches/rafts as possible (i.e. KDE, wine, Cedega, ndiswrapper, Automatix, Ubuntu, CNR, Linspire) . If a user is persuaded to simply jump into a sea of learning, the user may begin to drown and end up furiously paddling back to shore (whatever OS he came from) with both hands. 4. Some users are not able to easily comprehend the philosophy and rationale behind community support. Take the time to explain to the user how Linux communities function, and make an effort to show the user the beauty and systematic coordination found within a community environment. Lastly and most importantly, remember that it may be "boring to teach yourself another operating system" and that it "is entirely a matter of personal motivation.". This means that one should realize that unless he/she makes an effort to transform the learning process into an exciting experience, it is possible for the user/student to become disinterested/dis-enthralled. Which will almost always cause the user to opt out, and return to the platform from which he/she came, if only because of its perceived ease of use.
dicknutsSep 17, 2006
I have the same problem with this article that I've had with every other 'switching to linux' piece I've read - the author is out of touch with his target audience. It's always the same - first, they start by putting you to sleep with the history/philosophy of Unux & the GPL. I might get interested in that later on, but right now I just want to learn how to use it. At this point I don't even know if I like the damn OS yet. You guys have to learn to tone-down the evangelism.And while they do acknowledge that most Linux newbies are typically somewhat advanced Windows users, they fail to keep in mind that they are talking to someone that is ONLY familiar with how things are done in Windows. "Mount" my cdrom? "Unpack" files? I want to know how things have changed from: 'C:/Program Files/$program' etc. And how to properly install something that I don't have an RPM for.
xilonSep 18, 2006
>1. The ease to install new program that are not found in Yast2 or Synaptic. Sorry, but this is a pain. Ever try to get LimeWire installed on Ubuntu without using automatix or easyubuntu - installing Java is a pain!.....From what I can remember Java has been in the Ubuntu repos for like 3 months now... no idea about the rpms, Yast sucks.>I like automatix, but personally think it's silly that Ubuntu users need it just to get a "functional desktop" -- Yast is the same way -- if I a package is made for yast then intalling software is a breeze. If it isn't good luck to you.I have never actually used Automatix, and I came from Windows, being a total linux n00b, and got everything setup in less time then I would have even installed Windows.Not really... I mean sure you have to resolve dependancies yourself (if you have to compile... you can usually get the binaries), which isn't always too hard since the configure script tells you whats missing. I compile a lot of stuff myself because there is a small lack of amd64 binaries (I'm talking about software that isn't in the repos of course).>They understand "click here, click this, do this" not type these 3 commands and it should work!!!!I disagree. I think if a n00b tries to do something to the core system, they probably won't understand what they are doing through a GUI anyway. It's more likely that they will, but I doubt it.>4th complaint is they had to seek online help for even simple things (especially in Ubuntu) -- things that they had simply taken for granted on Windows, but just wouldn't work on Linux. One of them wanted to update FireFox, and get Flash working -- it was a nightmere.Flash is a nightmare, I totally agree (though I hate flash in general and never install it), but that's Adobe's problem and they are fixing it. Firefox gets updated automatically from the repositories... I don't get what you're on about. If you want a beta or something then compile it yourself or find a precompiled binary, it's not hard.>Sorry, I'm sad to say it but Linux isn't ready for desktop, and won't be until these things are addressed. Speak for yourself, I love linux, I'm not going back to Windows. I can do everything I did on windows and more (minus Photoshop of course :(, thank god I have a mac)
cfuttrupSep 19, 2006
Great to see all the comments. Some are positive, some negative. To the ones that concern why I write this or that, the article had a touch of subtleness, respect, but also (maybe less obvious) a filtering effect. It divides people into two groups, those who care to make an effort (they are encouraged) and those who don't (they most likely will be discouraged).It is best for Linux if you don't push the system on all people - but only those who are willing to work it out - because - it does require an effort to change to Linux, we cannot get around that.You could even say that IF changing did not require anything, then there's no reason to change in the first place (because the systems would be alike).
jqp123Sep 19, 2006
"You could even say that IF changing did not require anything, then there's no reason to change in the first place (because the systems would be alike)."You could say that but you would be wrong. Even if Linux were functionally identical to Windows, it could still offer practical advantages --- lower cost or better security for example. As it stands, the advantages are offset by the cost (and pain) of switching
kaffeefilterSep 22, 2006
Very good article, despite some rather disturbing inaccuracies, its finally a clear and relatively succinct outline for winblows users.