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Ubuntu sucks. I hate Linux!
(Click here to watch my short video version.)
I slumped over my keyboard, frustrated and defeated. After an untold number of attempts, I finally came to the realization that I could not salvage my dying laptop with the tools at my disposal. Windows XP had become corrupted after numerous freezes and could not be booted, and my every attempt to copy the files was met with further freezes. Desperate, I turned to an operating system that to date I had never even contemplated based on what I had heard about it – Linux. I downloaded and burned a Live CD of Ubuntu 8.04 (Hardy Heron), and inserted it into the disk drive. I had no idea what was in store for me.
———-
I am a fairly technically-minded person; like many people who grew up playing computer games at a young age, I learned to both tweak my machine to eek out as much performance as possible, and play around with the nuts and bolts of my operating system (DOS, at the beginning) and my hardware. Computer gaming was, and remains to an extent, synonymous with being a computer geek, in that what drives computer game players to succeed in the games themselves tends to drive them to gain an edge through manipulation of their technical environment.
A gamer takes an avid interest in hardware and software because computers are not standard; they are built with different hardware that provides different performance and non-standard features, so software does not always work on all configurations. New games push the performance envelope, and thus the gamer is by necessity encouraged to become an expert on the latest hardware and software, and is financially incented to learn how to, if not build a machine from the ground up, at least be able to upgrade pieces of it by him or herself. As a part of this, gamers tend to take to new applications like fish to water, learning them by playing with them, in a process very similar to enjoying a new game.
So it was with relatively little trepidation that I approached running a new operating system for the first time. I learned DOS, Windows 3.1/95/98/NT/ME/2000/XP, and older versions of Mac O/Ss, so how hard could Ubuntu Linux be? My first experience was a positive one, from the standpoint of someone using a new tool to accomplish a task – save my computer. The live CD of Hardy Heron had my dying Hewlett Packard Pavilion ZE2000 purring like a kitten, even running off of the CD Drive. I had no wireless, but I didn’t care because everything else worked perfectly; even viewing NTFS data without a hitch. I quickly salvaged all of my valuable data, stored it on an external drive, and began playing with the new OS. As a tech geek I loved the power at my fingertips, and as a PC owner I loved that my laptop stayed alive through the process, overnight, and into the next day. I decided then and there to install it and not look back.
As I shifted focus to evaluating Ubuntu from the standpoint of everyday use, my first impressions were very different. Tasks that I found to be very simple in Windows seemed very cryptic in Linux. A lot of things relied on the command line interface, or were actually easier to accomplish with the CLI than with the various graphical user interfaces also available. There was no commercial support available to me – to find help I joined a forum full of eager amateurs, but finding information when I didn’t know what I was looking for was like, if you will forgive the cliché, finding a needle in a haystack. Things often didn’t work straight away, and required tinkering within the terminal once specific instructions could be found to address the problem. Sadly, one of Linux’s greatest strengths, the fact that you can achieve one task in a myriad of ways and with a variety of different applications, left me feeling lost and confused. I had no direction, no idea where to start; I did, at one point, think “Ubuntu sucks, I hate Linux,†out of frustration.
There has been quite a bit of debate recently about whether or not Linux should become more like Windows. Linux is gaining some ground in a market in which it has not traditionally done well; on the desktops and laptops of more casual users. With the realization that it can indeed compete against Windows and Mac operating systems comes debate over how to grow its market acceptance. Observers have suggested that Linux development has to recognize its differences from Windows and bridge that gap. The Linux community has been understandably up in arms at this suggestion; Windows represents the antithesis of the open source movement, and the community wants to celebrate the differences between Linux and Windows rather than marginalize them.
On the other hand a strong argument can be made that the casual user won’t even bother to try Linux, much less adopt it, unless this gap is reduced: The argument is that Linux will never gain the market share it deserves unless developers acknowledge this. Each distrubtion of Linux has a different focus, and another strength of the community is that distributions become diversified, meeting different needs. Companies like Canonical (developers of Ubuntu) have recognized the Windows-Linux gap and are tailoring their distributions so that new users can more easily make the transition. There seem to be very few drawbacks to steering individual distributions toward a very Windows-like look and feel. If a Linux user does not want this Windows-like experience, there are plenty of distributions to meet their needs, including the ability to build their own Linux operating system from scratch.
I believe that asking “Should Linux become more like Windows?†is asking the wrong question. I think it is clear that Linux has never had a better opportunity than now to make huge strides in the market. With the abject failure of Windows Vista, Microsoft seems more vulnerable than ever. Most distributions of Linux are free, and major hardware manufacturers are ramping up support for Linux. Netbooks and mini PCs seem to be a special area of interest for Linux developers; Linux takes advantage of system resources much better than Windows, and takes up much less overhead.
The question that Linux developers should be asking is not how to become more like Windows, but how to address the specific needs of average Windows users in adopting Linux as their everyday operating system. The majority of computer users are familiar with and comfortable working within Windows. However, Linux is not Windows. Linux will never be Windows. Users simply will not have an experience like moving from XP to Vista in moving from any version of Windows to Linux.
Having said this, the casual computer user has needs that can be addressed. John and Susan Jones from Champaign, Illinois are less interested in the wonderful features that their computer has to offer than they are having the computer just work for what they want to do. They don’t want to have to mess around with technical support, detailed configuration or programming, or installing and working with drivers. Ideally, they turn on their computer and it instantly works for them to complete whatever task they wish it to complete. For the casual, average PC user, simplicity and reliability are top priorities.
The computer that just works in all things is a panacea, and unlikely to be realized in the near future. So users who need to take more complex actions or are faced with more in-depth situations can, and should, be addressed through better education. While Linux will never be Windows, the Linux community can provide documentation that is geared toward Windows users. Currently there is a wealth of information gathered to describe how to do things. A casual user wants to know more than just how to do something – he or she needs some direction on what can be done and why to do it.
Fast forward from my struggles with XP to the Linux shangri-la I find myself in today. I have moved completely off of Windows to Ubuntu 8.10 (Intrepid Ibex) on two of my household’s PCs, including my ill-fated Pavilion (which is now running strong thanks to Linux) and my file server, and have set up dual-booting with Windows on four others, including my primary gaming rig. As a technical user my investment in learning how to install, configure, and work with Linux has been returned ten-fold. I can’t think of a single task other than high-end gaming that I can’t do in Ubuntu that I could do in Windows, and it is far more secure for things like web browsing (browsing with javascript turned off in Windows can be very frustrating, even if necessary). I guess you could say I am a true convert.
If I had approached Linux with the mindset of a casual user, I can’t say I would have moved past “Ubuntu sucks, I hate Linux!†I can see why the Joneses would be put off in attempting to use Linux, but I don’t see it as a lost cause. I think a focus on the following areas would greatly enhance its potential for market acceptance:
Continued development of Windows “look & feel†distributions. Ubuntu is a great example of a distribution moving toward being “easy†for the Windows user to accept. The ability to run off of a Windows drive, dual-boot, boot from a Live CD, the packaged software, and the familiar interface are all factors that make Ubuntu a great choice for the casual Windows user.
Creating documentation/guides to address what someone can do with Linux and why to take actions, not just how to take them. There is an incredible (and overwhelming for the new user) amount of information on how to do various things. What could help casual users be more accepting is a focus on explaining what is possible, and why he or she would choose each of the various options available to them to perform any specifc task. Also useful would be readily available, in-depth looks at what someone would do each day in Windows juxtaposed with the what, why, and how of doing the same things in Linux.
Providing a GUI to address each task that can be done in the CLI. Casual Windows users do not want to learn bash, or learn anything about the CLI. In Windows using the CLI is a last resort. Windows users are oblivious that their comfy GUI hides files that perhaps could be manipulated more easily in a CLI, and they like it that way. While many Linux users would find that a GUI just gets in the way and adds unnecessary overhead (and will always have the CLI as an option), for casual Windows users the lack of a GUI for basic tasks is a huge detriment. Additionally, guides that rely on CLI commands are confusing to Windows users.
Support teams dedicated to Windows users. Linux has a very large support community, and specifically places like www.ubuntuforums.org have teams dedicated to helping new users. Recognizing that the majority of new Linux users come from Windows due to Windows’ market share, and creating teams specifically geared toward Windows’ users unique needs, should help their adjustment to Linux.
Keep it simple – focus on having things just work. Apple may not have captured much of the PC market, but their simple, functional devices have become synonymous with digital audio players. A PC will never be as simple as an iPod, but moving toward simplicity and working without issues is a worthy goal. In many cases getting things to work in Linux is already easier than in Windows…but when they don’t, it is much more difficult. If hardware support as a starting point works without any input from the end user, Linux will greatly benefit.
Linux is a wonderful operating system, and Ubuntu has epitomized its move toward acceptance with new users. The time is right to tackle the Windows market, and with a little help, Linux is poised to make great strides.
Nixie’s Ubuntu Linux – A Travel Guide for Visitors from Windows
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WTFFF,
Well, I’ve reloaded Ubuntu (Gnome) several times due to system failure and it has locked up a lot since I first tried it. In fact, it is very easy to get it to lock up. Sometimes, just opening a browser or copying several files at once locks it up. I haven’t had to reload XP and it doesn’t lock up. Yes, I do like an OS that never breaks down.
I agree Hugh. Linux is an exercise in futility. A couple days ago, I clicked to upgrade to the latest release. The update ran for quite a while and then froze up. I let it sit for a couple hours but nothing changed. My only option at that point was to rebooted the system but it wouldn’t boot. I lost everything in it. You get what you pay for.
I’d rather work with my computer than work on my computer. Put another way, I’d rather surf the web and read e-mail than edit configuration files and type commands all day. I get enough programming at work. Yes, it’s in a real programming language, not click and go. At home, I want to click and have the computer work. Using “terminal” to install software and editing configuration files with a text editor is pretty lame. Microsoft pretty much got rid of requiring the use of DOS commands a long time ago, although it is still there for the die-hard DOS fan. Apparently, Linux is 30 to 40 years behind the times. Grow up Linux!
@ Don:
Your probably a troll, but anyhow:
Buy a Mac. If you’re to stupid to RTFM, or check the log files, then you shouldn’t be using GNU Linux. It wasn’t designed to be used by Joe public, but for computer enthusiasts and usage on embedded / dedicated systems.
Ubuntu throws a terrible light on GNU Linux. There are so many distributions out there that essentially every one of them is a different OS. Ubuntu works for some people and doesn’t for others. I think it’s massive bloatware that is far from maturity.
I run Arch Linux on my desktop/laptop machines because of its ease of configuration and lightness. All I have to do is: download the ~150MB ISO, burn it to a CD, boot it, select the packages I want, and after some minor configuration, I have a fully-fledged system running in ca. 30 minutes.
I also administrate a high performance computing cluster running a highly customized version of CentOS for my University’s MIME department. GNU Linux is optimal for that purpose. Windows can’t efficiently handle 32x 16 core machines with 144 gigs of RAM as cluster. Hey, Windows Server 2008 HPC can’t even handle over 128 GB of RAM.
I think I’ve made my point. Sorry, but your IQ must be this high to ride.
Nixie, you make some good points, but remember, Ubuntu is developed by people in their free time as a hobby and lives off of donations. While it may try to compete with corporations that put over 7 digits into developing software, Ubuntu just can’t hold water in terms of usability against, for example Mac OS X.
But I think the developers have come very far in this short time, and the fact that they can compete with Windows on a certain level is very respectable.
you are right on it, I’ve been working with computer for 25 years now and I have to agree with Don, I’ve lost everything on my system, even though I’ve tried not too, the computer simply will not boot at all, it stays on the GRUB window forever and differently what they say that you can boot to the Windows system, it did not work at all with me. I admire the effort of these people trying to put something nice for you to use, but unfortunately in my case it just did not work at all.
Speaking of trolls, you certainly sound like one,
Windows 2008 with the HPC stack can handle exactly 128Gigs of ram,
but since the machines are clustered ie. not shared memory it does not matter. I ran a SGI blade cluster running Win 2008 HPC at my university during my undergrad,12 machines with 256Gigs of ram total along side a 128 core Itanium 2 shared memory machine machine running Cent, and guess what? For certain serial tasks the latest crop of opterons killed the Linux system. You need a right tool for a job.
As far as the op goes, I agree, in attempt to make Ubuntu user friendly the canonical crew cooked up a half usable and completely non-hackable system. WTF folk, you did not pull the hipster crowd from their macbooks, and spat on the hacker community who is now happily compiling kernels on Debian. Great job. I hope the Ubuntu fad goes away or at least Ubuntu devs switch kernels to something like Mach so they stop calling it Linux, and stop giving us a bad name.
Your Dumb.
You say that Linux was not meant to be used by Joe Public. Well, Joe Public consists of people who work for a living, want to relax and play games or just go on the internet at home, but cannot afford to buy a new computer to run Windows 7 well.
It is exactly this sort of often computer illiterate person that any Linux distribution should be targeting.
I am not against Linux, and am learning command line and have tried Ubuntu 9.10. I still cannot get my internet modem to work, but am prepared to learn so that maybe one day I can do it.
I have the curiosity about Linux to do this. Other people do not.
I use Ubuntu Linux for 5 years( thank God for that) actually right now the 10.04 Lucid Lynx. God, what a great system. What i do on it? Let’s see: Dolby home cinema system with a second HD screen, composing and mixing my music using a lot of VSTi plug-ins, usin a Samsung hsdpa phone on the go for internet with Vodafone subs., syncing my IPhone manipulating its’ folders without the need of an music organizer like ITunes, music copied drag and drop onto, using Facebook application(!) installed, and goes on…. so actually everything, WITHOUT ANY ISSUES! I really can’t image how retarded someone must be to not being able to use this beautiful, secure, stable system!
Ken, I think you’re the troll.
Don makes some very valid points, most especially “I’d rather work with my computer than work on my computer.” and what follows. but you, in your apparently self-judged infinite wisdom, can only throw IQ insults.
Most people do not want to get into the grit and oil of their cars engines either, they want to drive. As a driver’s vehicle, all linux is in the Model T stage, at best. not competitive with Windows on ANY level.
Hell, Windows 98 did better than Ubuntu does in 2010.
I actually bought the Debian discs way back when, to support the open source OS idea, but now that ‘ve actually tried Ubuntu, i am sorry I bothered.
Oh, and as to IQ? I write stories, I write music, I act, I sing. I don’t do computers as a grease monkey, but as a race driver, (see the above analogy, if you know that word). I bet mine’s bigger’n yours.
Siddhartha Vicious:
I suggest you read my post again.
“Don makes some very valid points, most especially “I’d rather work with my computer than work on my computer.”
I remember specifying that Linux isn’t for everyone. He also doesn’t deliver any facts, merely his opinion from personal experience, which sounds so inflated, it made my trollometer go off.
Regarding the “[...] but you, in your apparently self-judged infinite wisdom, can only throw IQ insults.”
That’s a lot you’re insinuating out of a short sentence appealing to his lack of initiative/intelligence. I throw one ad hominem in and you go all crazy. The Herman Hesse book as your name makes you sound really smart, I bet you’re also a member of Mensa, wink, wink. Sorry, but you really have to be a moron to be unable to handle Ubuntu.
Windows 98 handled better than Ubuntu? All I can deduct from that is that you either never actually used Ubuntu, or W98 for that matter. I’m not a Ubuntu fan, but in terms of stability and usability, Ubuntu does so much better than 98, it’s not even a contest.
The whole car analogy doesn’t really work. Different uses, different operating systems. It’s merely a functionality thing. 80% of servers in the world run Linux. This website you’re arguing with me on is most likely running Linux. Do you have a cable box, perhaps a Tivo? It runs Linux. An Google phone? Linux. Even some flat-screen TVs run Linux.
If you don’t have in-depth knowledge and skill of computers, you’re not likely to run Linux because it’s easier for you to use something that “just works.” Linux can be made to just work, in some cases it just takes a bit of effort.
Macs “just work” because Apple designs the hardware and software, thereby minimizing the margin for bugs. Linux can run on virtually everything with a processor, but in most cases, the hardware wasn’t designed for Linux. Fun fact: the underlying system that Mac OS uses is BSD based. In other words, you using something that’s 90% Linux without even knowing it.
“I write stories, I write music, I act, I sing. I don’t do computers as a grease monkey, but as a race driver.” Great for you. Think of Linux as an Boeing 747 for a second. You can sit yourself in a car and drive it, but you’re far from capable of handling a 747 without extensive training and knowledge. But if you can fly a 747, you’d much rather fly from, for example, L.A. to New York, than drive there.
Linux, while it may deliver to so many computer hardons i really don’t like it -.-…..I want my operating system to be able to install a game by sticking in the CD…i want it to install Java, and plug-ins with a simple click…But Linux seems to have trouble with all this >_>….I think somewhere along the lines they dropped the development CD on it’s head while they were working on it.
If it can’t perform a simple task, then it might as well be slow. Sadly i’m stuck with this p.o.s. until a few days since i’ll be getting windows 7. Also, if you use WINE to run windows stuff….It looks so sloppy =X. It’s really irritating to say the least. If microsoft didn’t have stupid validation thing i wouldn’t be stuck with this crap -.-. I was happy with Vista =’{. Now i have to run my computer on this crap it came with.
wtf im on 9.10 is good
Linux is designed for people with some computing knowledge. It’s not 30-40 years back as some stupid guys says. It’s pretty up to date. The fastest super computer in the world runs Linux . The best and most technologically advanced systems runs on Linux and you say it is 30-40 years back. It’s perhaps you Mr Don who is 30-40 years back because you do not have enough computing knowledge to be able to use Linux.
Ubuntu converted me over to Linux. I’m learning as much as I can about Linux from free on-line sources. I have installed it on 3 different computers and all of them Just worked. I think it is great! I’m an ex-windows user and from my point of view it was exactly what I needed in order to move across to Linux. My first two months were quite difficult as I had to learn how to get my wireless modem working and my DVD player and a host of other problems. In the end the solutions were so simple and literally put right in front of me in the Ubuntu forums. Nixie’s on line tutorials helped me out in the beginning and I still enjoy watching them and learning from them (Thanks Nixie!). Anyway my point is Ubuntu was what made it possible in my case so I think it is exactly what is needed.
From Ex-Windows to X-Windows
See what I did there 
Nixie, I am in complete agreement with the main thrust of your article, but I’d like to disagree on the point of bridging the gap between Linux and Windows. The desktop OS GUI is moving in the direction of Mac, not M$ Windoze.
Canonical have very cleverly understood this, as we can see from Ubuntu 10.04, which is very, very, Mac-like. Now I despise Apple’s infantilizing approach to hardware, e.g. the iPad’s battery cannot be replaced without some “Genius”, but one thing Apple deserves credit for is showing how to make an OS, which is very geeky, something that normal people can get excited about.
I have started a computer retail and training business down here in Australia, and my goal is to promote Linux from Melbourne to Cairns, and all the way out to Perth. I have seen for myself how Ubuntu can be used to save people time and money, promote FOSS software, and inspire non-techies to roll up their sleeves and get to know their computers better.
To those who have been put off by the difficulties of Linux, I completely accept the validity of your criticisms: it’s true that a computer should “just work”. To be fair though, MacBooks don’t always “just work” even though their OS is made specifically for their hardware, and Windows, even with all the hardware vendors in tow, has a litany of problems.
However, rather than denigrate Linux OS, which can work wonderfully if given a chance, let’s bear in mind that most people can take to Linux if given proper guidance.
And with Ubuntu Lucid Lynx it has never been easier for a novice to take his first steps.
So if you feel Linux has let you down, please give Ubuntu 10.04 a go, I’m sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
And if you deride Ubuntu in favour of your distribution of choice, just bear in mind that Ubuntu might be the first step towards Arch or Gentoo, whereas snubbing a Linux novice will only send him back to Windows, or even worse, to Apple.
And really, whom would you prefer as your manager? An Ubuntu GUI fan-boy with a smidgen of CLI knowledge or someone on his way to a Mac convention?
Why is it that so many people jump from Windows to Ubuntu, see that Ubuntu doesn’t “just work”, and walk back to Windows believing “I tried Linux, and it sux.”?
Because Ubuntu is a terrible option for people coming from Windows. Or – to be fair – it was last time I checked.
I’m not saying Ubuntu is a bad distribution. I’m not a fan, but over time, it has won my grudging respect. The devs are pushing ever forward, and things are definitely improving rapidly. However, Windows users seem to land on Ubuntu for two reasons only:
1. Canonical has enough money to advertise it into popularity, with the result hat they have built a large forum, where people can “go to get help”, and that means Windows refugees feel safer; and
2. Fanboys (See #1.)
Now as a long time Linux user, and one who arrived from FreeBSD back in the day, I have a pretty good idea how to use a computer, build a computer, install any OS you throw at me, compile, etc. But what I can’t figure out is this.
Ubuntu has problems that force Windows users to either give up and run away, or to turn to a forum for help on a lot of things. It’s not the easiest and it’s not the most user friendly. They way they do things (rigid six month release schedule, for instance) means things break unnecessarily. Upgrades and updates break things. The system commits suicide over time, if you don’t go search for a fix on their wonderful forums. (I say this based on observing what my friends using Ubuntu go through.) Why is this being put forward as the “Windows lifeboat”?
Consider that for me, installing takes about 15 minutes, and then I perform an update (about 10 minutes and 2 clicks) install the software I want to have installed (takes another couple hours to look through all of it and about 10 minutes for the actual install). Then I reboot to synch the stuff on the hard disk to the stuff in RAM, and… that’s it. I’m off on my merry way, using my computer. Not trying to set it up, not trying to fix bugs or breaks or wonky scripts, and not trying to find the answers to problems that showed up after I ran the update (which doesn’t break things in the distro I use).
Basically, it just works.
Do I have a forum to turn to? Sure. Do I have thousands of programs to choose from? Sure. Admittedly, not so many as Ubuntu has… but ~12,000 is enough for me. Do I need to use the forum to fix problems occasionally? Yes I do. It’s rare, but it happens. Almost always the result of one particular piece of software that has a bug – which isn’t the distro’s fault. Usually, I am just asking for it to be re-packaged or updated.
But… do I EVER need to use, or even SEE the command line interface? NO!
Do I ever need to worry about updates breaking something? NO!
Do I ever need to worry about upgrading from one release to the next? NO!
Do I ever need to worry about updating from one release to the next breaking something? NO!
Do I ever need to re-install because a new release came out? Well… okay, twice in the last five years I had to. (Most of my Ubuntu-using friends reinstall every six months, by comparison.)
Is my distribution stable? It’s so stable, in fact, that I know my hardware is dying when something goes wrong. Much like with FreeBSD before it, I have seen a kernel crash twice in the last 5 years, and it was a dying RAM chip in one case, and dying video card in the other.
Is the forum I frequent friendly to new people and people new to the distribution, or Linux itself? YES!
Hands down, this distribution beats Ubuntu as being a better choice for people coming to Linux from Windows. Instead of perpetuating the “How do I fix this?” mindset that apparently has some perverse comforting effect on Windows users (it’s just like home!), it just works. And the distribution I use isn’t even the only one that can claim this! I know of one that’s even based on Ubuntu! “Ubuntu done right” ring an bells? As in… now it “just works”.
Indeed. Again, don’t get me wrong: Ubuntu is a fine distribution. I’m not interested in starting a flame war here. I’m just stating the facts: Ubuntu is giving linux in general a black eye with the general public by trying to be the Windows refugee saving grace, and failing. It’s like the kid who’s two feet taller than all the rest who thinks he’s the best spokesman for the group, and because he’s taller, gets the first notice… but doesn’t quite succeed as well as a couple others could have.
For a regular linux user, Ubuntu is just fine. For someone willing to learn Linux, Ubuntu is just fine. For someone who has a business to run and has work to do that does not involve setting up the computer or fixing the OS every week, it’s not fine. Neither is it the best choice for average people coming to Linux from Windows, who have been brainwashed by MS into believing that ANY repairs must be done by a “qualified expert” and that they are absolutely helpless to do anything for themselves. Instead, that distinction goes to 2 specific distros I am having a hard time figuring out why are not more well known, since they do their job so well:
PCLinuxOS and Linux Mint. Some might even include SuSE in there.
Both of these distributions have a KDE and a Gnome edition. Both do a good job with each of these editions. Both have other editions. Both use Synaptic for update and upgrade. Both are intended to “just work”, and they succeed at it. PCLOS was originally based on Mandriva, but has been it’s own distribution since 2006, although it draws from a variety of other distributions (including Ubuntu – see? They must be doing something right.
) Mint re-bases from Ubuntu every 6 months.
The biggest difference between PCLOS and Mint is that their design philosophies are wildly different. Beyond the “it just works” aspect, Mint is based on Ubuntu, which has a philosophy of “Every six months, we release a new version, whether it’s ready or not.” And this shows in the results they get. In fact, it is likely the very reason Mint even exists! PCLinuxOS, on the other hand, is designed not just to “just work”, but to be as reliable, stable and problem-free as possible forever. I don’t know how well Mint accomplishes that, since I don’t use it; again, I am going on what I observe from friends of mine.
Basically, those people who come to Linux through PCLinuxOS are, in my experience, about 90% likely to stay, and be happy with PCLinuxOS. Those people who come to Linux through Ubuntu are about 45% likely to stay, and they tend to go looking for a better distro after a while.
I am talking serious computer illiterates. My mother. Two of my ex’s. My grandfather. Several of my friends. The only people I have introduced to Linux with PCLinuxOS who haven’t switched to it without looking back are my grandfather (who gave his computer away because he never used it) and my uncle, who was too afraid to try to learn anything new at all.
So… for new people… for people who want it to “just work”… point them to a distro better designed for these things. For the rest… enjoy your Ubuntu. After all, in the end, it’s all Linux.
The biggest problem for windows users is they are used to windows period.
They grew up with it all their life, all the bugs, viruses, ad-ware and crashes are normal to them, and they are seen not as a problem, since they know how to deal with them. Thinking Linux is the same they give it a try, few want to learn something different (its hard to learn something new. why oh why, cant this be like windows) soon get frustrated and give up. They find the games and software no longer work unlike a mac where it will. example “Microsoft office” available for the mac and windows platforms. Sure theres open office, but thats buggy, it cant play nice with Microsoft office anyway. If you stick to windows you can use both programs,
So linux is crap.
I for one am not a windows user and love Linux. Making Linux more like windows is a mistake. Windows is an inferior product that you are trying to copy ” sorry all you pc linux, mint fans out there”. and this still does not address any of the other issues.
Desktop Linux has two choices stay where it is, and” that’s not a bad thing”, or go main stream. Going main stream won’t come from building a windows like distro but what linux can offer. Think about it if all the games worked under native Linux, windows would be finished that same day. Why would anyone give Microcrap $$ for Winblows when you can use Linux and get the same. The whole issue of trying to learn new things is so minor compared to that.
Will this ever happen,” unfortunately no”
Microcrap and crapple understand that their only threat is Linux, and will never allow this to happen. They have billions of $$ to play with, and have a no fuck with us attitude. Do you think its a coincidence that there are no computers sold without an OS, or why a computer that’s prefigured with a free Linux distro costs more. I worked for a games software distributor, and was told that if they made any games running Linux they would be cut off. No dirct X no discounts nothing and considering windows is 90 percent of you business you would be bankrupt.
The only hope I see for desktop linux is that they are like ants always building something better everything changes. Although i don’t really believe that just look at the netbooks they are all running windows again, “a coincidence” I think not.
linux and windows are both sucks
I had been using Windows 7 on my netbook and had absolutely no problems. Everything runs smoothly, but I decided to give Ubuntu Remix for netbooks a try.
I wanted to see what benefits there were to using Ubuntu. Well I got worse battery life, the interface was sluggish, there were hardware incompatabilities, the same software I used on Windows 7 performed worse on Ubuntu. The boot time was slower, so was the shut down time.
Only benefit I saw to linux is a customizable interface. Other then that the headaches of the lack of driver support, and bugs aren’t worth the problem for me.
I don’t even get blue screen of death or viruses that other people may have trouble with when using Windows, but I encountered so many problems with linux. Im just staying with Windows.
Ubuntu was to be the best in every way, so far it’s a mind boggling pain in the@*?
After it was loaded, everything appeared to be great. Then day after day it just did not perform as well as the first day. I’ve tried playing games on it (purchased PC games), they just don’t work.
talk about updates to a system; I’m averaging 80mb every two days, what the heck. windows never had so many.
well I’ll get off my soapbox…I really hates this program. One other note it can not be uninstalled according to “ubuntu”, what else can go wronge.
I’ve been using Ubuntu for the past 3 years and have been very satisfied. I’m glad I made the switch.
I don’t know what you’re doing, but I hardly ever have to drop to the command line–and I have non-repository software installed on my machines. Nor am I a super-knowledgable computer geek, I had used Windows for eons before I made the switch (due to a frustration with Microsoft’s direction). I have customized my machines to a fair degree. When I didn’t know, I asked, and usually someone had the solution. It really wasn’t that hard at all.
At first, I thought I would need a Windows partition, or a Windows dual-boot system, to get things done–but I found out soon I didn’t need Windows anymore for anything. Moreover, I help several people maintain their Ubuntu systems–people who couldn’t find the “Start” buttons in Windows are now running Ubuntu w/o any problems.
That all being said–I think that the Ubuntu team is falling into the trap of being a bit overambitious. The biggest problem that Linux faces is a lack of hardware support–that’s because manufacturers often only write drivers for Windows-only, not even for Macs sometimes, so it takes a while for the Open Source community to come up with drivers. There have been freeze issues with the latest releases of not only Ubuntu, but with other versions of Linux running the 2.6.31 and 2.6.32 kernels with certain hardware configurations. Rather than coming out with a new release every 6 months, with new eye candy and more cool features, every Linux distribution that desires to “go mainstream” to the wider public should really consider periodically consigning one of their releases for 1) additional hardware support and 2) fixes of outstanding bugs.
Why do we need a new release every 6 months? If we had a new release every year instead, that was more robust, that would still outpace the development cycles of Windows or Mac.
peter is spot on. For example, “The biggest problem for windows users is they are used to windows period.” This fact is precisely why microsoft has spent more resources leveraging their large bankroll with other companies for the previous decades than developing an operating system. And apple is just following suit to compete. It makes them lots of money and secures it for the future. You can choose to follow their lead if you like, just as you have the right not to vote.
And this talk about windows users wanting to know “why” as opposed to “how” on linux. This is really unbelievable. You wouldn’t be using windows if your primary concern involved any words other than “what do I click on”. Its primary purpose is to hide upper level ideas from the user.
I have read the debates discussed here from my laptop running windows xp as my other commie is up the spout , I am a good mechanic but know nothing about computers and it is no good me trying to learn because I am far too dumb unlike some people on here , I have had a go at this linux mint on this other computer and I have lost count at the number of reloads due to freezing and error messages or will not start without disc that it has just asked me to remove and press enter and even if I can get forum help on the same wavelength as me I will only be going back to windows at some point when I am frustrated enough in which case I will have wasted somebodies time , it works for some but not for me , its in the bin and good riddance to it , regards ex newbie Paul Jackson
As someone who has used computers since the 8bit machines, I’ve seen OS’s come and go. What attracted me to the Windows line was its ease of use, simplicity etc. Of course I didn’t read a manual, so I do things differently to most users. IE: I don’t use the Explorer to search for programs, I just dig through the C drive to find my stuff, seems easy enough to me.
But with Linux everything is different and not very intuitive. I can’t seem to make sense of the folder labels, they make no sense, but when I find out what they are I decided to change the names so I was more comfortable with using them and finding my programs etc. Uh oh, bad idea.
So even though I keep on trying Linux in its many forms, I always come back to Windows. Using XP at the moment as Vista was not the best thing MS have released
) And have messed around with the registry etc to make my system really fast, start up, shutdown, program launching etc, so I know a little bit about how to get a good system set up.
I think that when the Linux developers make Linux as super easy as Windows to use then you’ll see a fair number of converts, although if Apple ever make MacOS available to install on pc hardware you’ll see a major jump in Apple marketshare. Then Linux will have to say goodbye to the desktop and stick with servers.
I’ll visit Linux again in a year or so, and if it has improved then we’ll see about putting it on my machine, until then, sorry, no can do.
Linux not a challenge against windows or mac? Your kidding right?
Linux is used by about 60% of ALL web servers!
The government uses linux!
Security pentesters use linux!
Mac OS and linux are both based of the same thing!
WAKE THE HELL UP, PEOPLE.
stop living in your company owned fantasy world and get a grip on the reality of the situation, which is linux is soaring in popularity and with more effort, can be a HUGE foe against mac OR windows.
I have used linux for 8 years. The last 4 I’ve used mostly ubuntu although I have tried many many distros over the years. More recently I’ve stayed with debian based and debian itself. It really doesn’t matter and while no OS is perfect I find that the snags or hurdles linux can throw at the user are really more work than I want to deal with.
I know the fan boys hate hearing these things but yes-as others have said here-sometimes I don’t have an extra hour or two-or maybe a whole weekend to track down why something isn’t behaving right and then applying the fix. And it could be applying the fix-finding that doesn’t work and going back through the whole troubleshooting process again. Example I have an older HP laptop (2+ years old) it has an nvidia gpu-everything seems to be supported in linux BUT occasionally without warning it doesn’t suspend correctly. I have no idea when OR WHY that might happen but it does and I’m really lucky that I haven’t overheated it when it’s in it’s bag and didn’t suspend. That never happened even with vista and certainly not with win7.
When and if I get around to buying new I will be going for win7-linux will not be on that computer.
OS/2 4evar!
Man this site is full of trolls or just plain liars. Anyone that has used any Linux distro consistently for several months would never go to back windoze. All these folks that say “Oh I’ve used Ubuntu or some Linux for years and years, but after 8 years Linux sux so bad that I’m bagging Linux and moving back to Micro$ux” is just full of crap. These folks must really be hurting to see windoze getting its Ass kicked by Linux. The truth is actually hurting.
Linux Rocks!