do you guys agree? i found ubuntu takes way less effort to fix than windows and everything seems to work great. they said in their recent podcast that it's just not easy to use even for "linux geeks" well i haven't been using ubuntu for long and i already find it easier to use than windows. or am i just super talented?
Engadget Says Linux Not Easy to Use
Archived thread 1038436 from Recurring Discussions. Markdown source: Recurring_Discussions/thread_1038436_Engadget_Says_Linux_Not_Easy_to_Use.md
Apparently they were told that by some anti-linux users. Ubuntu isn't hard for the newbies, and surely isn't hard for the geeks. That's ridiculous.
I would like the link to this it sounds funny.
Really like Dr Small has said they were just told FUD and are continuing to spread the FUD.(sucks doesn't it...)
I mean really if you can't tell if its FUD there is a problem...(no offense if you really can't this is just a joke).
As they say even Linux is not ready for Linux Geeks,that is a double negative... lol
I think Linux requires a different kind, or *way*, of thinking that some, having used Windows for so long, may find difficult.
Kind of like an OS-based Stockholm Syndrome.
I find Ubuntu easier to use and my last Windows OS was 98SE. No hard drive maintenace needed, no problems with viruses, though to be fair, I never had any with 98 but I needed utilites to keep the registry clean and clean out the temp files, plus look for malware. I even took time to install Ubuntu on an extra drive with all the same characteristics as the primary drive for extra backup. Still did not take as long as installing, say XP which I have done for one person. No drive partition or dual booting needed. Still going good after five years.
Rich
Is this the same Engadget that looks like it was designed for OS X?
it was their last ces podcast and they even mentioned ubuntu. they kinda lost credibility with me when they said it wasn't easy to use because i am by no means a tech genius but ubuntu is easy to use and when something is broken i come here and copy paste a few lines and it's working again
Therion said: I think Linux requires a different kind, or *way*, of thinking that some, having used Windows for so long, may find difficult.
Kind of like an OS-based Stockholm Syndrome.
I couldn't agree more. I've used Windows exclusively since Windows 3.1 until my recent switch to Ubuntu. At the beginning I was just lost, but after a while things just started to click. So, it's not that Linux is harder, it's just different.
When people say Linux, especially something like Ubuntu, is "hard", all they mean is "it's not Windows". People who think that if it's different than how they're used to it, it's hard.
Funny thing is, I adjusted to Ubuntu FAR faster than trying to go the other way. Since I haven't had Windows on my computer in over a year, nowadays when I try and figure out how stuff is done on it I'm just baffled. Seeing system files just thrown in the same folder with user files blows my mind. The labyrinthine Control Panel isn't exactly useful half the time, and why is "system" a different menu than the CP stuff?
Once again, take the old test of snagging two people of the same age and background who've never used a computer. Give one a laptop with Ubuntu, give one a laptop with Windows. Seem who's more productive after a week.
Point is, if it wasn't for the fact that Windows has been the "standard" for the past ~20 years it wouldn't be considered easy. Considering the layout of Windows hasn't changed since Window 95, obviously people are going to think it's easy. There's no way something brand new won't seem scary and foreign to someone whose OS hasn't significantly altered how it functions in more than a decade.
Joeb454 said: Is this the same Engadget that looks like it was designed for OS X?
Engadget did a poll about half a year ago and it showed that most of their readers are OS X users with windows second and barly any linux users, I like download squad better because they have more linux support and news. although they don't do gadgets, they have news about software, if anyone has a site like engadget but more linux friendly let me know. Alot of readers on engadget regularly bash linux, i know because i read the comments on any linux gadget news and most of the reader show no love for tux. :(
It's a different mentality, I went from: AmigaOS -> Windows -> Ubuntu -> OS X - with each step requiring me to force myself to get used to very different ways of thinking. Ubuntu is fairly similar to XP cosmetically, but once you start using it properly, it can seriously bog you down early on... of all of them Ubuntu is my favourite but like I say, it was really difficult to get used to.
Stop trying to blame users and writers that feel Ubuntu is difficult and start working on making it better.
As I pointed out in the NY times article post almost every article outside of the ones written by Linux websites say the same things. Linux is difficult to use and its not just clicking ICONS. It can be simple things like upgrades, adding software ( I just spent twenty minutes trying to figure out how to start and install Calgoo calendar which is not in the repo myself. I also installed it on XP which took all of a couple seconds.
And I have been using Linus almost 13 years and people just go on and on about anyone who says anything bad about Linux being some kind of conspiracy or just anti Linux.
jrusso2 said: Stop trying to blame users and writers that feel Ubuntu is difficult and start working on making it better.
If you want Linux to get better, here is a programming language, here are some tools, and here is a tutorial.
Have fun. :P
phrostbyte said: If you want Linux to get better, here is a programming language, here are some tools, and here is a tutorial.
Have fun. :P
I am helping by voluteering to help new Linux users on Yahoo chat the last few years and in this forum.
Now what is it you said you doing?
jrusso2 said: I just spent twenty minutes trying to figure out how to start and install Calgoo calendar which is not in the repo myself. I also installed it on XP which took all of a couple seconds.
Sounds to me like this could be fixed by "having Calgoo in the repos". Has nothing to do with Linux being difficult any more than trying to get something not built for Windows installed is.
I'm using CUPS to connect my Arch installation to a network printer. CUPS in Arch isn't the easiest thing to get set up, but it took about 10 minutes tops and I've never needed to mess with it again. My mother has Vista installed on her machine and is attempting the same thing, using the software that CAME WITH the printer. Every time there's a windows update, something breaks and I have to come over and help fix it. Not to mention the HP software is so hilariously labyrinthine that getting it all set up is nearly impossible.
Linux is harder, my ***.
The reason people get annoyed at screeds accusing Linux of being difficult is that if it was harder than Windows, most of us wouldn't be using it. College students can get Windows/Office for free from the tech desk and most people can get a copy through college students, so really money isn't an issue for me on this front. I don't "need" to use a light distro because my computer has plenty of hardware to run Vista. I'm also not married to FOSS in any ideological sense.
I use Linux because... it's easier. My computing is far more seamless under Arch than it ever was with Windows. Believe me, if Linux was harder to use than Windows, I'd be using Windows!
jrusso2 said: I am helping by voluteering to help new Linux users on Yahoo chat the last few years and in this forum.
Now what is it you said you doing?
I do a bit of programming, of course I can't compare (yet?) to the likes of Linus and RMS. But really if you have something you really HATE about Linux or Ubuntu you have the power to change it yourself, and hopefully you'll share your good fortunes with the rest of us. :)
For instance you could create a .deb package of your calender software and share that (assuming the license allows it). Then suddenly the thing you were complaining about isn't relevant anymore.
I wouldn't really take Engadget's opinions on operating systems to heart. They aren't exactly tech geniuses, they just kinda know about gadgets and can do some basic journalism.
That statement is a complete joke. When I first started using Linux I downloaded the Ubuntu 8.04 live cd, put it in the tray, rebooted, and that was it. Everything worked out of the box and it was so easy and simple to find answers to any questions I had.
The real problem with Linux as far as I'm concerned is getting companies to support it by releasing drivers. If companies put out a good driver for Linux when they added a Windows driver there would be no hassles with installation.
My statement: so? It doesn't affect me any, so I don't really pay attention to those types of articles.
phrostbyte said: I do a bit of programming, of course I can't compare (yet?) to the likes of Linus and RMS. But really if you have something you really HATE about Linux or Ubuntu you have the power to change it yourself, and hopefully you'll share your good fortunes with the rest of us. :)
For instance you could create a .deb package of your calender software and share that (assuming the license allows it). Then suddenly the thing you were complaining about isn't relevant anymore.
IF I was any good at coding I would be doing it. I didn't do well in the classes I took so I went into server and networking which I have been doing for ten years.