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
Related posts:
- Ubuntu Applications – How to Get ‘Em
- New Video: Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx Review
- Taking my Linux Virginity
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.
it’s almost impossible to ” lose everything ” if you’re machine won’t boot just pop in the live cd boot it and move your files to a usb drive ….. for that mater boot with the live cd and just fix the grub MBR and restart … if you decide to not use linux use gparted from the live cd to reformat all of the free space on your drive to NTFS , shut down , stick in the windows install cd and do a repair install and that will fix windows MBR so you wont even know you ever had linux
Hey Ken good buddy, ur a god damn moron-now how does that make you feel? Calling people trolls is SUCH a linux fanboy trait, the only good thing about it is that it’s become such a knee jerk thing that most people don’t even pay attention to it.
I wish that instead of reacting linux fans could actually hear what people are saying but then the fans are not the devs. However the devs from what I see have the same head in sand trait as the fanatics-that is they don’t want to hear anything that could be a criticism.
Really linux is going no where but there is one place-smart phones with android that the open source community could hold some ground. After the debacle with netbooks actually using a ten year old OS rather than stay with linux and linux had a shot at that market too it’s kind of hard to say whether linux can make it in the smart phone field but at least there it has a chance.
Dude, Linux isn’t ‘going nowhere’.
For servers, there’s no other choice. Windows just doesn’t cut it.
The world literally *runs* on Linux. Stock exchanges, massive companies (Google, Amazon, just to name two) – they all run on Linux.
Even Microsoft use Linux servers ffs!
Just because the bit of technology you actually see – the graphical desktop – doesn’t run Linux, that doesn’t mean you can disregard it as ‘going nowhere’. It does a lot behind the scenes.
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.
@ Enemy of Linux:
There’s a reason no one in the Linux community listens to what outsiders have to say: they don’t know what the hell they’re talking about. What these newcomers want is to contribute no forum help, no code, no documentation, no bug testing, and no money, and have a group of volunteers working in their spare time for their own reasons give them the perfect operating system. Linux users don’t get what they pay for–they get what they WORK for. It’s for that reason that people who show up at the door and complain that their magic boxes aren’t working are brushed aside: they’re vampires that have nothing beneficial to offer.
As for Ubuntu specifically: it’s unfortunate that Ubuntu has become the face of Linux. Unlike most other Linux distributions, Ubuntu is primarily a brand intended to convert new users. Trust me, very, very few users of other distros–Arch, Gentoo, Sabayon, Slackware, Debian, etc.–give a goddamn about market share. They just want to make the best software and strongest community possible. Everyone’s welcome to join in and contribute; if you don’t like what you see, or expect someone to bottle-feed you, then just piss off and leave us alone.
http://linux.oneandoneis2.org/LNW.htm
Yeay! trolls throwing sh*t at each other!!
A lecturer in my university (he is also a Linx-lover troll) forced everyone in the class to use Ubuntu 11.04…
Well, let’s see what I’m experiencing 10-15 minutes after installing Ubuntu 11.04:
1) I cant shut down my computer
2) I cant restart my computer
3) I cant install the LINUX VERSION driver of my wireless adapter!
So, keep your precious linux to yourselves… stupid people stuck in 70′s and 80′s think typing some commands in a CLI means they have higher IQ than others! IT IS JUST AN INTERFACE…. there is absolutely NO difference in typing a command in a CLI and clicking on an “install” button… you are NOT doing some “low-level” sh*t!! you are just using an old “INTERFACE” compared to GUI, that’s all !
P.S.: “Sorry, but your IQ must be this high to ride” !!!
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!
I have been microsoft free since 1994, and linux is VASTLY better
than it was through the nineties. I have used slackware, suse, debian, ubuntu, and some of the smaller distros. Today, if you are using mainstream hardware you probably wont have many problems.
I use solaris, irix, and linux at work; and using real programming languages like ada, c, c++.
If you want to use an application that only microsoft has, or someone
only makes for microsoft then your only recourse to using linux is to
use “wine”. The windows emulator. Of course, emulators are fraught with their own problems. Remember, linux, the open source community are largely contributing the content for your free use.
And with that said, I say take another look at ubuntu, because it works
on my machines without having to work on my machines.
My wife’s machine was a gateway, with an oem xp load. It had a virus
and I wanted to reload with a fresh load of XP Professional (with SP2)
I used a ubuntu live disk to clean her disk and get it ready to load XP.
Then when I loaded XP Professional ($300), it woouldn’t run the network card; but the ubuntu distro could. Which means that I had to
find the OEM driver disk to get XP to work. I shouldn’t have had to do that since I paid 300 bucks for XP, the professional version should come with the Ktichen Sink.
On the other hand, ubuntu, which was free, could run the network card, an intel card by the way, and read email, surf the web etc.
Which is what 80-90% of what peoples do at home anyway.
So, I disagree with your comment about linux needing to grow up.
Remember, when microsoft was selling dos and windows 3.1?
Keep in mind that windows could not do real multi-tasking like
unix was doing in the 70′s and on. Also, the Amiga could even do
multitasking in the mid eighties.
My point is that linux’s objective is to operate like unix and unix kernels
are multitasking/multiuser operating systems. Linux was a multitasking
multiuser kernel by the mid nineties. Compare that to the kernel of the Windows 95 system, and you will see that it didn’t have true multitasking. Meaning it’s scheduling algorithms were not as good as linux.
So ask yourself, which system grew up first.
I think some users must be confusing the window manager with the operating system. In the mid nineties you even had Xfree86 which was a real X11 clone. Now we have Gnome, and gulp, KDE. Each of which are a good alternative to the windows window manager. And with linux you can change which window manager to run each and every day. That is something that the microsoft OS wont let you do. The window manager is integral with the operating system.
The operating system and the window manager are separate processes and unix and linux separate them properly.
So, if you guys understand what i am saying, then your obvious conclusion will be that it is the microsoft os that has some growing up to do.
NASA uses linux, linux is in the space shuttle, the FBI CIA and NSA all use linux almost all of the highest tech cell phones today are running linux (android)….. linux is used by all of the top scientists in the world to solve huge algorithmic equations … more than half of all enterprise servers are linux … this website itself may be hosted on a linux server ……….. Just exactly how much do you need Linux to Grow up sir .
microsoft got rid of having to use dos commands because they are pandering to a lazy user base that just wants to mash buttons and have things work at the loss of functionality and freedom … this move wasn’t done because it makes sense it was done to make money
it sounds like you are the one that needs to grow up and actually learn to “USE” a computer instead of just mashing pretty little buttons and being limited to what microsoft allows you to do with it
Bill Gates once said at a Microsoft conference, back when Microsoft had developer conferences, “The most thoroughly QA’d product Microsoft has ever written is Solitaire”. How do I know this? I heard him say it live.
This gives you some idea of the use case the computer fills for the vast majority of users. It’s a game machine, Solitaire and Tetris. Next, it’s an email client, next it is a browser for Facebook, or Twitter.
Linux, and its predecessor, Unix, were not designed to run games, it was designed to run businesses and commerce.
Of late, distro manufacturers have moved heaven and earth to make it more commercially friendly, for the tetris player, and Facebook junkie. Linux doesn’t suck because it doesn’t do Facebook (which it does), it ‘sucks’ because it was not intended to be an appliance for the masses.
Personally, I like Linux, and esp Ubuntu. I run it at home, I run it in the office. I develop software for a living. I do have Windows sitting in a VM at home for iTunes and in a VM at work for Outlook and Word.
I don’t understand why nobody has gotten Evolution mailer quite right. But aside from iTunes, the occasional Word doc, Outlook Office Scheduler everything else I do I do in Linux.
I personally only use Linux , Proprietary operating systems have very little use for me now a day’s except for a few application’s. My Linux distro of choice is Ubuntu on all my desktop’s and laptop. I prefer a Debian based distro because I like their package management system the best, and they also have the greatest selection of software as well. The reason my Debian distro of choice is Ubuntu is because of the newer software release schedule and the nicer user interface and integrated features. On my server’s I run a variety of Linux distro’s and BSD and mostly only use CLI , but for personal use I like the nicer interface and added features of Ubuntu with the GUI. Installation of Linux for regular “desktop” use to me is usually easier than Window’s with possible exception’s to certain hardware compatibility issues but those are usually pretty uncommon with any recent distro and common hardware. Yes Linux take’s some getting used to but for “average use” I see the hardest part being finding comparable software to serve the purposes the Windows/Mac software did. What I really enjoy is the added freedom of using any Linux distro and turning it into whatever role I need it to fill from dedicated server’s all the way down to regular use “web browsing/ office”. But people are right with the added freedom and capabilities of Linux comes a trade off of the user learning curve. But once you gain that knowledge a whole world of possibilities open’s up to you.
I reall’y don’t feel the need for Linux to adjust it self to become more Windows/Mac oriented, I feel with Linux the advantages are already there it’s just a matter of finding user preference and refining the system and software. I don’t really feel there is a learning curve for everyday tasks in Linux . Also surprisingly Linux makes a great OS for very computer illiterate people just install the system and apps and it will run forever. Look at Android to see what the future may hold for some of the more mainstream distro’s and you will see the Linux platform is solid and can be molded into any thing if need be that is where the future is. Open source is the way to go it can adapt and be used on a much broader scale more easily then proprietary systems can and it allow’s developer’s to innovate and bring new technologies much sooner and easier.
This puzzles me. I have been using Linux since the mid-late 90s. In earnest after a notebook refused anymore to run Windows ME. Well, I researched which was mostly likely to work, and settled on Ubuntu and I couldn’t believe how FAST Ubuntu was compared to Windows. Since then, there is no telling how many computer I have installed Ubuntu on and in more recent years, Linux Mint. My sister, her kids, my parents, friends, neighbors. I have only had significant problems on Acer netbooks, but I found out how to fix that and posted it to the Ubuntu forums almost 2 years ago. I find that I have more problems installing windows on computers and getting them to work as I have to go find drivers for most things (if they exist for newer versions of windows). Plus, windows takes forever to install (just the OS, not other programs like Office, etc that also need installed).
Windows’s difficult to use equivalent to the CLI is the Windows registry. It is dangerous and not for the faint of heart. With the CLI (as root) in Linux AND modifying the Registry in Windows can completely trash one’s system. Trying to understand the registry without help is next to impossible.
Many Windows gurus state that Windows should be reinstalled once a year because the registry gets so corrupt. This means all the programs must be reinstalled, too. People who don’t do this notice the significant speed decrease over time and the computer becoming more unstable and more crashes.
I got so tired of having to chase down viruses, trojans, etc for my sister’s computer. It is what I spent the majority of time doing when I would visit her rather than spending quality time with her and her family. I finally talked her into letting me install Linux Mint. We haven’t looked back. Now I can sit and visit with her rather than fix her Windows install all the time.
I have had so little trouble with Linux over time. I tend to use the Long Term Service based editions of Mint based on Ubuntu for family so I only need to reinstall once every 2 years. I also keep user data on a separate partition, something that is much harder to do on more recent versions of Windows (esp for Public verse Private folders) and requires a lot of manipulation. In 20 mins, I have the new install with Linux. I update it, and then they are good to go. Simple and easy and requires no CLI. It is also pretty easy to set up the programs that were installed on the last version of Linux and it will thus install them automatically (with just a little CLI) if they are from the repos. Can’t be done on Windows.
What do people do when Windows has a prob? Most people I know don’t have subscription service to Windows. They have to pay money if they want Microsoft help, or, just like in Linux, they have to start trolling the net (usually in forums) find to find the solution for themselves, just like I do for Linux OR Windows. Not much difference there.
Probles are NOT the norm in Linux anymore. Usually things just work.
Regards,
Narnie
Ubuntu is pretty bad. My experience with Ubuntu was GNOME, and my friend installed it over 2 dead copies of Windows. Ubuntu was dirt slow on my computer, with 1 gig of RAM, and Flash didn’t work very well at all, and would crash with Firefox every like 5 minutes.
I thought it was terrible, so I reformatted my hard drive manually by putting into another computer, and then downloaded Crunchbang Linux, a Debian distro, and life has been relatively good since. Crunchbang came with Chromium, the open source Google Chrome, so I use that now, too. Yeah, now it’s about as easy as using a Mac, just super+W, gets your web browser, everything runs smooth and fast and I love it. I mean here and there are issues, I have/had trouble installing Java, but then again, I did too on Windows machines when I was a kid, too, so… It does require relearning, though, that’s the thing. It’s not free Windows, and yes, people should expect something different, but my choice in switching to Linux was basically like the “get a Mac” commercial, I just wanted something that wouldn’t get malware and be in general retarded, but I also didn’t want to pay money, so, here I am.
But yeah, Ubuntu is bloated like hell and terrible, use like any other Debian distro, if I had known that damn small linux was fully capable, I’d have used that, but oh well. Crunchbang took me a whopping like 8 minutes total to get it completely installed, I’m happy with it. And the terminal isn’t bad really, assuming you know what you’re doing, but yes, learning curve. typing “sudo apt-get _____” is significantly easier to me than downloading something and going through install shield crap.
So yeah, my message summary, try any other Linux distro ever if Ubuntu left a bad taste in your mouth.
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.
So Mr. High IQ thinks that APPLE designs its own hardware!! You are an idiot, sir !
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.
I don’t know, I’m no computer genius. However I have now been using Linux in one flavor or another for over four years.
NO it’s not Windows. You have to do a little tweaking to get everything working. Just remember you are dealing with something that is totally free as opposed to something that costs $400 if not packaged with a computer. ( You are paying for Windows not just the computer ) I honestly hate using the terminal commands, however if you just learn a very little bit, you would be surprised at how much you can accomplish.
I use my computer to download and edit videos and music. In Linux Ubuntu and other distributions you have tons of software ( called applications ) that you can install and try out for FREE. If you don’t like one, or have problems with it theres always something else you can try. I have four different video editors installed on my Acer Extensa. Which by the way, I was told “can never run Linux” the the geeks at Best Buy. Well it took all of thirty minutes to install Ubuntu for the first time on this machine. I am now using Linux Mint, which worked ” out of the box” right away. Unfortunately some applications that worked on Ubuntu don’t work well in Mint. You have to realize that all these Linux distributions are made by ordinary computer geeks. Unlike Microsoft programmers, who make big bucks working for a company that also charges big bucks. Get a life! Stop complaining about something you got absolutely free. As far as Linux working with ALL software, most commercial software is made for Microsoft. When I was using Windows I spent almost all the money I had to spend, just keeping up with the security issues and necessary software. With Linux you don’t need security software! It’s all a trade off. Yes, silly computer games and some other software made exclusively for Windows cannot be used on a Linux machine. Neither can it, on a Mac! You are comparing apples and oranges. Just depends whether you like apple juice or orange juice!
If my problem was a Death Star, this article is a photon trepodo.
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.
Shannon,
I’m a new Linux user (Ubuntu) struggling with the increasing ‘conditions’ the OS demands which just ‘have to be accepted’.
Your post has cleared away much of the fog.
Tried PCLinuxOS once a long time ago and liked it.
Began seriously shopping for a non-Vista OS recently and (sigh) fell for the Ubuntu hype.
Time to go back to what felt right.
More than anything, you bring up the most interesting aspect of Linux;
It’s a ‘free’ OS developed by people with all the best intentions. Yet there are multiple distros. Why? Differences of technical opinion and / or core philosophies? Could some distros be a bit more ‘Corporate Prone’ than others? If the issue were as simple as Linux battling Microsoft (which it isn’t and never will be) the idea of downing Goliath by building a bigger one is just so lame.
Thanks for spreading the light.
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 tried playing games on it (purchased PC games), they just don’t work.”
Well you answered your own question. PC games that you purchase in a store or online are usually designed for windows. As a matter of fact they are usually designed for one version of windows only! Try using an old game on a Vista machine. Or a game that is made for windows 7 on an xp machine. You will find that you will have the same problem.
Likewise drivers. Linux doesn’t make them, the companies that make the hardware make them. If theres not enough money there, they don’t bother. Which is why many printers and scanners have problems on Linux systems. The companies that make them, can’t be bothered to make drivers for an OS that doesn’t bring them that much money. It’s the old “supply and demand” thing. So don’t blame Ubuntu or Linux for your problems. Blame the manufacturers of the software. Or next time you buy something spend enough time to see what operating system they are compatible with!
This post puzzles me, too. I HATE having to update Windows. #1, it seems that it takes forever (esp on a shutdown) and then need restarted. I just THINK I’m going to get to work on the computer, but NO, I have to wait forever for the silly update to finish.
Linux updates occur much more quickly. I’m not sure what King notices that Ubuntu is 80mg a week. I usu get 10-20 mg a week, but King needs to remember, this is NOT just the OS updating, it is every repo’d program installed. Windows JUST CAN’T DO THAT. You are only updating the OS in Windows. Many people don’t take the time and research to update their other programs on Windows, which can lead to significant security vulnerability. Comparing updates sizes on Windows vs Linux is comparing apples and oranges, because much more is getting update on Linux (as it includes other programs in the repo, not just the base OS) than on Windows.
Also, things are updated more quickly in Linux in their development cylcles, hence with more up-to-date software, more updates will be required.
On my computer AND my family computer, I now use Linux Mint Debian edition. I can agree that at times there ARE big updates. I’ve seen in the 80′s the other day, I had a 140mg update. No big deal. I’m getting the latest stuff. Mint Debian is getting ready to change its repos though to make it less likely to “break” Mint Debian. Debian is for more skilled Linux users. Ubuntu and regular Mint are for the less skilled person. If my mom can run Linux Mint Ubuntu-based Linux, anyone can. She is a technophobe, but she is doing it!
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.
Indeed the government does use Linux for webservers, but majority of the ‘.gov’ sites that you’ll encounter runs on IIS/Windows Server, because they can afford it. I’ve just tried Ubuntu 11.04 like a day or two ago and it ‘crashed’ on me, I couldn’t shut down, start programs, all I could do is move the mouse, I managed to get a screenshot though as you can see in the following image; http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/9092/screenshotdoc.png
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!
Yup everyone who doesn’t agree with you is a troll.
This is why linux will never move out of it’s fanatic supported religious status. In order for there to be change and growth you actually have to be capable of listening to criticism and fanboys only react-they never listen.
I’d love to slump you over your keyboard and put some life into you =)
Honestly, take a walk, see this beautiful world.
I’m a system administrator that has used several flavors of Linux for many many years. Over the years Linux has gained a great word of mouth marketing trait… it’s not windows.
Sure your favorite gnome or kde desktop system works great…. after how many hours of configuration? In the year 2010, why is it I have to manually edit xorg.conf to get two monitors to work on any system!? New hardware very frequently causes Kernel panics (this is true even in OS X) or just doesn’t work.
See that paragraph is full of actual information, not things like “Microsoft is evil..”. Don’t get me wrong, I have to maintain a windows network with wondeful AD and the mess it’s made of the LDAP system. Really it comes down to the fact that when a user needs to get things done… Linux doesn’t fit the bill. Software takes at least some manual configuration to work properly, important settings are buried and vague, and if you don’t know how to use a terminal… well forget about it…
This might have been ok 15 years ago, but technology moves forward… Desktop nix flavors need to stay in stride.
Cheers to the article, glad to see someone using their brain instead of following the pack.
Ubuntu? Bad choice. Get fedora.
Linux=DOS. Distro=Win 3.1, a shell which runs on dos.
Well, what would you expect more from a *Girl*? They form less than 1% of the opensource community.
Well yeah, if you’re a Windows fool and just love the next next finish shit, you should probably get commercial support if you decided to use Linux… you ain’t intelligent enough. Sorry.
Ciao
trovo che il tuo sito sia proprio carino.
Ma cio che adoro è il tuo htc droid
It’s funny to see Microsoft and Linux fandorks alike talk smack about Ubuntu, Ubuntu must be doing something right to garner such envy. You’re not a player unless you have haters. Sorry fans of other Linux distros, you don’t have the market share Ubuntu has nor it’s advertising success. Windows users should keep something in mind, Linux is very user-friendly; it’s just very particular about who it makes friends with.
I use Ubuntu Linux everyday for over 4 years now. It’s cleaner, faster and better configurable than any other OS I have ever used.
Sure the fanboi crowd will dispute everything. Their favorite line is “it works for me”
Well I dispute THAT! It only works for you fanbois because you have nothing else to do but play with your computers all day.
Some people really want to get things accomplished in the same month they started them-thank you!
The roots of linux are from …well Labs, computers scientists, geeks and programmers.
It will never ever completely be free of it’s origins. If you have tons of time and like to mess with your computer toys all day then it’s great FOR YOU geekster.
I used linux for almost ten years. The breaking point for me was when the devs who were looking for more mainstream adopters changed a lot of the standard tools I had learned (like the xserver and grub configurations). Did they pull in more newbies? No because the crowd that wants to experiment with OS fun and games is played out. I still use linux but I can always count on it to be one big PITA when I really have to accomplish anything important.
I’ll take mac os x or win7 any day when I have something that needs doing right the 1st time.
This is interesting. My mom, who uses Linux Mint mainstream wouldn’t even have a clue what xserver is nor grub. She didn’t even know they were changed. This poster must be more of a power user if s/he knows what they are and mess with them. A novice or non-techie user wouldn’t even know they changed, because only hackers would mess with them. This somewhat negates this person’s argument.
Changing the xserver or grub doesn’t give Linux more mainstream adopters as these are back-end programs that are essentially transparent to a non-power user.
When I want something done right, I use Linux. However, we can politely differ in our opinions.
PS, for work, I’m stuck in Windows XP, so I am reminded every day what makes me such a fan of Linux vs Windows.
i have been dual booting windows and Ubuntu Linux for about 7 months.Linux was kind of strange coming from a windows back ground but i can honestly say i enjoy linux much more than windows now.so many people think Linux is so hard.well i cant speak for everyone but Ubuntu worked right out of the box for me.is it perfect?no.name a os that is.but outside of games i can do anything on Linux that i can do on windows.except get nasty viruses. and yes printers are not a problem so far.i sometimes go out of my way to use the command line.its kind of fun actually.personally i thing arguing over what os is better is kind of dumb.use what ever you want.really don’t care.all i will say is that so far Linux has more than met my needs.i will say one thong though.Vista was hell compared to Ubuntu Linux.Windows 7 is a hell of a lot better than vista.ps.just have to say you are one pretty Linux geek.
Yeah this is one of the popular responses from fanbois ^ at linux forums.
“I don’t know what your problem is-it works fine for me!”
I never have seen that response resolve anything. It’s just a rah rah were linux and were proud expression of solidarity.
You’re proud and you work in the command line – for hours in your parents basement-IDC! The numbers speak for themselves Windows get 97% of the marketplace,; Mac gets 2.75% the rest is beos, amiga, and unix including linux.
There are significant reasons why Windows garners most of the market share. The systems are cheaper than Mac OS and a workable Windows has been around longer than OS X.
It also has more market share because of strong-arm tactics. I won’t go into the many examples of this. If one has done any research into this at all, one will soon find from reliable sources how Microsoft has accomplished this.
Still, if it isn’t a good system, why would ALL of Russia’s governmental system be switching over to Linux? What about Munich, Germany? Why did they? What about the educational system in Brazil? What about the London Stock Exchange?
If Linux is so hard to use, why would a day-to-day employee be “subjected” to a Linux desktop?
Several reasons. It is cheaper, easier to maintain and control, and you have little to no chance of getting viruses, trojans, worms, or other malware. Plus, it is more stable (as long as you are using a stable distro; usually only the more geeky use the cutting edge, less stable distros), robust, and scalable.
BTW, I am not in my parent’s basement. I have been a highly successful physician, but now I am a medical science specialist (I see the righting on the wall for practicing medicine in the US) for the second largest (soon to be largest) pharma company in the world. Most of my friends are “non-techies.”
Kind Regards,
Narnie
Imagine that there were two kinds of cars in the world. One is manufactured by a large corporation that has R&D, engineering, quality control, safety-testing, and service departments. We’ll call it the XP. The other car is built by an ever-changing group of enthusiasts whose only premise is that their cars are faster and easier to modify, and don’t burden the user with bloated features like seatbelts, airbags, and antilock breaks. Well call that one the Penguin. The XP is extremely reliable and very safe, the Penguin requires constant maintenance and offers very little protection from itself.
Now, imagine that every Penguin enthusiast out there who had the time and the knowhow to work on it was bashing you for:
1. Liking the first car
2. Being stupid enough to think you could replace the first car with the second if you can’t devote all of your free time learning how to work on it.
Linux will never be capable of offering the masses what Windows already does. There are too many people out there who don’t want to be mechanics.
Not a very good comparison as several of the premises are wrong. Much of Linux is now developed by corporations (but it is still Free/libre Open Source Software {FLOSS}). Red hate does most of the kernal work. Intel contributes an aweful lot. Cannonical does a lot of work with the user interface. There are also many more examples. As far as software, that is true in some instances, but not in others. Much of Libre Office development is by professionals (not in the basement enthusiasts) who are professional developers.
There is no question that a Linux system based on a stable distro is more stable and secure than Windows. Linux systems can be up for months without a reboot. Try that on Windows. No Viruses or other malware, either. Windows 7 is a definite step in the right direction as far as stability. By many benchmarks in major PC mags, it isn’t much faster than Vista, though. It is not safe at all unless you pay for safety. It isn’t so out of the box, and even with that payment, badness can still get through. Windows even warns you if you don’t have a firewall and virus software installed because it is ABSOLUTELY necessary because it IS unsafe. Virus programs are unnecessary on Linux (but they do exist to altruistically disinfect tainted emails that have been received from and passed on to Windows users).
Penguin require constant maintenance? No more than and oil change and air in the tires (which Windows needs, too). Again, if you are using a stable distro, it is not any more trouble to run than Windows (even easier in some ways: eg, my mom wouldn’t know what to do with a “driver” disk she got when she bought her printer and I’d have to install it for her when I visited next. With Linux Mint, she just plugged it in, went to “Add Printer” and it found it and installed it with no driver disk needed. Simplicity in itself!). There are some things that are easier in Windows and some things that are easier in Linux (and the scales are tipping toward the majorty in Linux, eg: I just plug in my Verizon wireless USB and it just work. No installation necessary; again, simplicity in itself).
Regards,
Narnie
LOL Nixie your experience ressemble pretty much mine. I switched to linux when I bought Vista. I knew nothing about it, and the first 2 month were utterly frustrating. But as I really don’t like to lose, I sticked with it. And now I have a system that allows me to do things I would have never dreamed to do in windows lol : multitasking ! having 10 different windows opened without any clutter ! boosted my productivity 10 fold. I eventually fell in love with KDE for that reason. GNOME was still to limited for me.
And I make money with linux now, that’s the best part ! Made myself a network and system administrator for a small company (check it’s website lol), and that without taking a single course (well I was kinda lucky to find this job). Only thanks to google. Also permitted me to take interest in developing websites, that could put food on my table and jakuzzy in my bathroom:).
The best part is that I’m supposed to be studying to be a physics Engineer.
you can do that with windows 7 to you should try windows 7 it is alot faster than ubuntu 10.10
Well not “all of that”, I can’t. I have to use Windows 7 at school so I know it. I don’t use ubuntu so I don’t know if it’s faster or not, but I’m content with opensuse, don’t need to switch, and don’t want to lose my functionalities
you should try windows 7 it is vista done right. it is really fast on my old desktop and ubuuntu is a good os it is for the computer techs. the ones who know alot of linux commands for it. im daul booting between windows 7 and ubuntu 9.10. it took me 15 minutes just to install a webcam thats would of took me a minute or two for windows 7.
I love ready all the arguments (for and against) and all the crap people put on linux /ubuntu.
i have 4 computers running UBUNTU . 2 new HP machines, 2 compaqs 7yrs old as servers.
NO PROBLEMS AT ALL. i do everything on here and only use WiNdOzE at work. xp pro sp3. for my personal computing i will never run a proprietary OS again.
music and video watching/conversion -EASY as.
p2p – to easy.
photo /video editing- a breeze
open office is easy to use.
file compression/zipping – EASY
ipods- no problemo
BACKUP – samething
webcam/ skype – eassssssy ass
web design -yeeeha
virtualmachine – hahahahahaaa
virus scanning – WHATS THAT i dont need it!!!!!!!!!!
my music collection has 65000 tracks – no problems
i can have 4 desktops running 20-30 apps at once if i want (and thats on my laptop)
YES this is for real !!!!
if i could post a pic of my 3D desktop cube i could show uze
MY systems fly
just like customizing my bikes, i love it that i can fool around with my computers to make them look and do what i want.
AND if i stuff my computer up i just blow it up and reinstall everything again.
WHY coz i back up regularly and especially back up before i make any changes/ add new software. ALL my data is stored on separate partition and backed up to external hdd
EVERY o/s will get sluggish over time as you do more updates and add more apps
BUY the way, I am 42 and i have only been using a computer for less than 4 YEARS.
GUESS I WAS LUCKY to have a good teacher
My next tattoo is gunna be – UBUNTU ROOLS
HAHAHAHAHAHHHAAA
sucked in to all you windoze and mac users
lazy ignorant fools
windoze is dead/ apple has fallen from the tree
LINUX rules the world
600 million FB users can’t be wrong – can they?!?!?!?!?!?1?!?!!?!!
2 billion google users cant be wrong – can they????????
US govt/nasa/cia/fbi/nsa/ IRS
what about russia/spain/brazil/EU/China /nth korea – all these govts use linux
oooopppps i said a dirty word in there
i could go on for ever
well that was fun – c u
Well to be fair there is no good audio/video editing software for linux,
for webcam it depends on the model, but most of the time you don’t need to install a driver, it is already included
ipod support is not that good for obvious reasons but other mp3 player works without hassles
skype not as good as windows and mac (I mean not as flashy but still good enough to do everything you would want to do with it)
and why would you need a virtual machine if ubuntu rules ?
With linux it’s all about the choice of hardware. I wouldn’t buy an obscure wifi card for exemple, and alway double check if a new hardware is compatible.
But yeah the market share is groping. you can notice by the number of “hater” growing too
are you sure you spelled your age properly? I’m pretty sure you actually meant 12
Well daz-ed the biggest issue I see with all that is all the excuses you needed to make for linux-excuses masquerading as defense. A US General once said “when you’re excusing you’re losing.”
If you like being a masochist and your way to do that is using linux for self torture go to it.
And your numbers are completely laughable. Microsoft has 97% of the desktop so how do you get all those millions? Oh I know from the same place you get linux is great-it’s your fantasy.
Some of the countries you listed never went with linux at all and the EU isn’t a government or a country. Those governments that did try linux are now abandoning it. You can’t get any sizable group anywhere to use linux anymore it’s in full retreat.
Hating?-oh yeah enemies of linsux has a huge website and we get paid by our corporate sponsor to hate on linsux-we have great holiday parties too-you really should come to one!!!
Maybe the reality is that after trying linux people get outraged at the overzealous hype and promotion that doesn’t fit reality. In other words it’s not linux, so much, that they hate but the evangelists for linux who they are upset with.
The whole “linux just works” blather, that I read here also, is just not reality.
Examples: We had linux in a small office as a trial. Everyone was really hoping it would work-and give us a less expensive alternative. Even with hardware that was suppose to be supported it was an epic fail.
Why? because even printers didn’t work correctly with linux. Sure it set up fine but comparing the output from mac and windows machines to that printed from linux showed that colors and even blacks didn’t print correctly. No-i’m not talking about something requiring hi res ad copy just some charts and headings-all failing using linux.
Another thing that fails is troubleshooting. If a printer or network switch goes offline or maybe it gets accidentally switched off windows will actually tell you what happened. Mac, for me, is less clear but people who know macs can figure it out. With linux your on your own-there is no troubleshooter.
What I’m saying is that with linux you really need to use the command line (CLI aka terminal) to configure and troubleshoot it. Saying anything else is just bull and fandom. Can linux work for people?-well maybe but the cost in time and effort (and that’s a cost anyway you slice it) is not going to look good when you compare it to windows.
I’d have to agree that Ubuntu sucks, There are much, much better distros out there that make Ubuntu look like some sort of messed up prank someone wanted to play on the general public to make them believe Linux is rubbish and go back to supporting software giants. For anyone switching from Windows to Linux and wants a nice, basic desktop and a rock solid and dependabe OS that’s pretty easy to install apps in I’d suggest Puppy Linux, the iso is only 130Mb and it flies online and plus it supports a whole lot of hardware, installing it to and using it on a thumb drive is great. It’s such a small distro that it just flies even with 20 browser tabs open and all sorts of other stuff going on barely using the cpu. In Ubuntu, good luck! Just idling my cpu was running at over 30% for no good reason, not even connected to the net! I’ve found that a lot of the smaller distributions are actually the really nice treasures in the computing world, especially the ability to run them right off a cd or usb drive, the big guys can’t compete with that!
I like Puppy a lot, and it is blazingly fast, even on older systems. However, if you are not installing it on a desktop that is attached to ethernet, getting it to run on wifi cards can be a challenge for the non-technical user.
It is cool, tho, that a really nice OS can fit on a 130mb iso.
убунту действительно отстой
My all time favorite:
- FreeBSD/PC-BSD
- openSuse
Seriously the rest of the distros are not even trying!
(Ubuntu is the net hooker, you ride the cab, get drunk then slap yourself back to life.)
si pidarilor va este greu sa faceti ceva singuri? cicatilor nu puteti sa facei nimic far ajutorul tehnic care va este acordat
da incercati sa faceti singuri ceva si o sa intelegeti cit de degradati sunteti
I’ve only been using a computer for the last 4 years and Linux /GNU is the OS of choice in my home. My wife likes Mint 9 which is Ubuntu based on her laptop, an eMachines E625 that was running vistuh last year (for about 3 months)and mine is a Dell Inspiron 1525 with LMDE which is Linux Mint Debian Edition. We do have an old run down HP in the back office with XP on it BUT it very rarely even gets looked at . My point is Linux may not be for everybody but it sure fits the bill here. I installed both of these OSs in a matter of a couple of hours with a minimum of tweaking(spelled coffee breaks)and since neither of us is into gaming these tend to do quite well for us. We use the box in the office perhaps once every three or four months just to remind us what hell we were putting up with, just kidding I use it for my iPod which was a gift so it does get some attention. I have tried other distros but seem to always return to what I know and feel comfortable with, which is pretty much why most people run windows. The truth with the numbers game that some of you are trying to put forth is NOBODY can give an exact percentage of M$ vs Linux as just about every computer sold comes with windows and THAT is the number M$ uses to claim 90 -98 % of the market share! think it over!
Wow, I salute you for using LMDE and being relatively new to computers. You must have well-educated your self in 4 years to run a geeky version of Linux (I run the same). I find it faster than “stock” Linux Mint based on Ubuntu
Hello dude! Ubuntu is a Linux based KERNEL OS using the GNOME desktop environment. It has nothing to do with Arch, Debian or so whatever! If you are comparing the hassle to implement a Linux OS to the simplicity of Windows (sucks!!!) then fuck off! Ubuntu is not meant for lazy shit like you…
Nice article. I switched to Ubuntu just a couple of days ago. Why? Because I had a trojan virus on my Windows — and this wasn’t the first time. But I’m so fed up with all this virus crap that I simply couldn’t stand it anymore. Ubuntu saved my ass when I needed to rescue my data from my infected Windows. A bootable live stick was done in minutes. Started from the stick, copied my data, done. And I used the opportunity to get to know Ubuntu a bit more. I was pleasently surprised how easy it is to use and how awesome it looks.
Oh, and were can I find such a geeky girlfriend as the one who wrote the article?
I have been using linux on and off for years now and was forced to switch to linux completely this year after my windows system crashed and I didnt want to buy a windows license or fool around with cracking it. So I installed ubuntu 10.10 and the experience has been underwhelming. Most features are stable and fast, but the GUI is unbelievable buggy. Menus constantly get stuck open and i have to go back through the menus, open them, then close them to get them off the screen. I frequently found that I wouldn’t be able to click on tools or menus and would have to move the mouse, click on something else, then go back and start all over again to make it work (absurd!) When I tried to use my webcam it worked the first time, then I had to unplug it and plug it back in about a dozen times before it started working again. At one point the cam was working but the mouse stopped working, a dozen restarts later the mouse is working again for no logical reason, then I find that my external USB hard drive isnt working, so I unplug that and plug it back in about half a dozen times before it finally detects it… The worst part is the pompous assholes on ubuntu support forums who ignore posts about bugs and try to sweep issues under the rug to perpetuate the myth that linux is perfectly stable. And they keep coming out with pointless esoteric updates that do things like link your twitter and facebook account to your ubuntu desktop and add screenlets that were so impractical I don’t see why anybody bothered programming them. It leaves me asking, did they even beta test this crap? And who are these pompous developers who have the conceit to add new flashy features to a product they havnt even tested yet. Why dont you work on making it stable first? I think the longest my ubuntu box ran without a restart is probably 36 hours…. Of course any member of the linux cult will insist that these problems are unique to my system… OKAY, maybe ONE or TWO problems are unique to my system, but there is no way I am the only one who has to put up with this crap… I mean, menus getting stuck open?! come on! thats a programming issues!!!!!!
I bet this poster ISN”T the only one have these problems, too. Ubuntu is taking a bold step in reimagining the paradigm by which computers are used. They are trying to bring a smartphone and tablet way of doing things to the desktop. I’m not sold on it, but I do think it is a bold step. We’ll see if it will pay off for them. Many are switching away from Ubuntu because they don’t like where the company is going. I’m on the fence, but when something new is tried, it is going to be buggy.
I recommend the LTS (long-term service) version of Ubuntu (10.04 LTS is the most recent). I like these because they are supported for 3 years with updates and they are much less buggy than the interim releases like 10.10 that are trying new things.
If you try again with 10.04 LTS, I think you experience will likely be much different. Or better yet, go with Linux Mint 9 (the Ubuntu 10.04 LTS-based distro).
Everyone that has problems in GNU/Linux needs to stop being a n00b and RTFM (Read the F%$#! Manual) Every distribution has its manual. Read it, and it will help you solve your own problems and make you more computer savvy so you wouldn’t need help from anyone when the time comes when you WILL have an issue with something.
it’s a fallacy to claim 600,000,000 facebook users use ubuntu. (or even 600,000 for that matter)
i love using linux’s partitioning tools, less restrictive. many are comfortable configuring linux as a php webserver and mysql server – good for them.
linux should stop targeting desktop users, because when a platform is difficult for programmers, it ain’t gonna work for ordinary users.
companies/goverments now rather spend the millions on microsoft office, tackling windows security/virus rather than wasting millions and time on linux training and having to switch back to windows.
hooray for linux servers.
Interesting. I thought a python computer program class to a highschool group last semester (volunteeered) and had Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X users in the class. It is much easier to program in the Linux and Mac environment than Windows (as the python binary file is installed in a location that makes it easier to run from the command line): eg:
Linux/Mac
python myprogram.py
Windows:
c:\Python\Python2.7\python.exe myprogram.py
Confused the stink out of the Windows kids.
I know that changing PATH variables or editing the autoexec.bat (again, back to the CLI even on Windows) can do this and make it easier, but each person had to do that on each machine. MSCONFIG could be used to do this in a GUI, but a cli-like command still needs put into MSCONFIG.
python myprogram.py is much more user friendly, IMHO.
sorry. Taught, not thought, a high school . . .
bawwwwww
Wow. I just installed Ubuntu v11.04 and love it! However, nothing can beat the good ‘ol MS Office
I think WordPerfect is a much better word processor. I sure wish I could have it in linux native. I like how I can reveal formating codes. I don’t understand why this isn’t available in Office or LibreOffice/OpenOffice!?!?
Downloaded 11.04 yesterday and installed. As soon as I entered my password, the mouse quit working. Spent the entire day reading the ubuntu/support page – this seems to have been written several years ago (talking about a 1.7GB hard drive), and scouring the web for answers. Seems this problem has been around for awhile, but didn’t find anything that helped. While I was messing with that I ended up updating GRUB and apps. Something in there fixed my mouse problem, but now as soon as I enter my password my keyboard goes dead(lights even turn off). Went into System and messed with the keyboard settings, but then in order to save your settings you have to enter your password. Hard to do with no keyboard, possible perhaps, but I’m not going to waste another day on it.
Ofcourse linux sucks we all know about it , it sucks so many years ago and now it sucks too, it will never evolve . Look its library system with those depentencies etc , only a mad and stupid programmer would create this shit.
Its the hell of the programmers , no programmer that respect his self would make any app for linux. Linux is a mistake. People spend hours and hours on linux , not normal people! people that have no life and want to find something more to spend hours and hours infront of their pc .
Linux has shitty apps no professional would survive with those apps .
Forget about linux , linux is good for big companies cause its free and they use it for servers , you know that dont mean that its good.
Static libraries vs dynamic linked libraries. Each have their advantages. I prefer the static libraries. Less chance of duplication of a smaller overall system when libraries are shared. Dependencies are resolved automatically by a good package manager.
To install a program on Windows, you have to hunt for it and install it. On Linux, just open the package manager, find the program, and click Install and it installs it. No hunting the web for the file. And it will keep track of updates that are needed, too. Quit nice, if you asked me.
If it sux so badly, why is Microsoft imitating it so much in the user interface? Also, Microsoft is going back to a command-line for server approach. GUIs are less stable and less safe. I think it was smart of Microsoft to do so.