When asked why he wasn't helping to repair his immobile Sherman, he said, "Oh, man, I just ride in 'em ... I don't know what makes 'em work ..."
Posted on 08/17/2011 5:00:18 AM PDT by ShadowAce
IBM failed with OS/S in that market because DOS (Windows) was cheaper.
And that is precisely why Linux will never be more than a niche product on the desktop/laptop market. Linux makes an excellent server for some applications, but the desktop is an entirely different matter. When something goes wrong, where is Grandma going to get help?
Outside of web servers, Linux is having quite a bit of success on mobile devises in its Android incarnation. That's because Google make it extremely easy to use. As for the Linux incarnation of Chrome OS, it's still too early to tell if Google will be successful. But I think Google has a better chance than the typical Linux distribution.
No. Instead you had to deal with anti-virus tools that take over your system almost as bad as a virus itself (norton and mcafee, I'm talking to you). You had to sweep regularly as well with malware tools, firewalls, and other annoyances.
It's a trade off.Linux (and Mac users), largely don't have to deal with any of that.
I find it funny that people are complaining so much about printers, when the vast majority of them are supported, even older ones that MS-Window 7 will never support.
The biggest problem I know of with Linux these days is wireless cards, and even they have come a heck of a long way especially considering so much of the work is the result of some rather painstaking reverse engineering of the hardware. The simplest solution to wireless card issues, is to simply get a supported one. There are many (if not most these days) that are supported right out of the box.
One solution for your quicken issues might be to run it in a virtual machine. There are several out there, though I’m partial to VmWare. (VmWare player is free).
The average home PC user doesn’t need, want or even know what any of that partial list of 31 Linux capabilities are.
Linux is a fine industrial operating system, but is not even close to suitable for the average PC user. When an average person goes to the grocery store, they hop in their Civic or Chevy sedan; they don’t hop in an 18-wheeler tractor trailer truck, particularly one built by a hoard of volunteer mechanics in their spare time.
Well I may have to deal with them, but they are far easier to deal with and are a fair price to pay for dealing with something that doesn’t give me headaches trying to get the simplest stuff to work.
And Windows 7 supports almost all printers made at least within the past 8 years. That’s about 99% of all relevant models.
Maybe a few dot-matrix machines get left out, but that’s ok.
You missed my point - Comparing the modern nixes to older ones, it is getting much easier to operate (and by similar comparison, Win is getting more difficult and obfuscated). While it may still need work, Linux is going in the right direction, which is why I deny your position (nix will NEVER be...) It is now at a point where it is no more difficult that Windows, albeit in a different perspective.
When something goes wrong, where is Grandma going to get help?
The same place she goes now... Me, and others like me. I don't think you realize how deep the Linux revolution goes - I literally don't know a single service tech who is not at least passingly familiar with Linux, and most that I know use it regularly. And those service techs are the direct interface between computing and John Q. Public.
That began all the way back with Win2k, where M$ in it's hubris, failed to provide a means to access a dead box (no boot disk for YEARS) - For me, and many others, Linux (Knoppix mainly) picked up the slack - being the only means to access a broken box to fix it or get files off it without hanging the drive in a test bench - Most service techs I know are quite comfortable in Linux, and many are spearheading it's distribution to their clients, if for no other reason than that it is impervious to viruses - By far and away the lion's share of the trouble my clients encounter.
And about 1/3 of my Linux desktop users ARE Grandmas, btw.
When asked why he wasn't helping to repair his immobile Sherman, he said, "Oh, man, I just ride in 'em ... I don't know what makes 'em work ..."
Try Rhythmbox or Amarok and add gtkPod.
“IBM failed with OS/S in that market because DOS (Windows) was cheaper. “
We’re saying the same thing. IBM was pricing the market for corporate users and figured individuals would not buy PCs for home use. Hence the higher price.
Microsoft priced things lower and sold it to the world.
Linux went free but still can’t get a foothold in the desktop market. Partially because the space is filled already but mostly because the linux desktop product isn’t as easy to use. There also aren’t as many software products for use on Linux.
Mac OS X is the modern Unix that is easy for the average computer user. Linux isn't there, except for mobile devices running Android. And some special purpose devices like home routers and Tivo.
The same place she goes now... Me, and others like me.
That isn't going to happen. Grandpa needs a trustworthy vendor to get help from.
I don't think you realize how deep the Linux revolution goes
I have been running Linux for 14 years. And for 14 years I have been hearing the same thing about Linux going mainstream on the desktop. It isn't going to happen.
I literally don't know a single service tech who is not at least passingly familiar with Linux, and most that I know use it regularly.
That has been true as long as I have run Linux. Most of these techs went to colleges that ran Unix. Linux is an easy step and cheap step for them. So what? I have been around techs long enough to know that the vast majority can only explain things to other techs. They have no patience or communication skills for explaining to Grandma how to fix her Linux box. In fact they will think she is an idiot because she can't figure it out on her own.
And about 1/3 of my Linux desktop users ARE Grandmas, btw.
And how many millions of Grandmas are you supporting? And how much does the job pay?
“Many people believe computers are tools. They don’t care how it works, they don’t want to modify the kernal, drivers, system files or anything else. They just want to use it. Ya know what, thats ok.”
Sure,but weighing up the end-benefit in terms of education of users,I pick Linux users.
As for the desktop debate,it depends totally on your hardware,choice of Linux distribution,and also some preparatory homework,but with those caveats aside,you can find many better desktops available off the virtual shelf than windows.
There`s nothing inherent in the windows desktop that can`t be surpassed by a Linux one.
“Geeks are geeks. they tend not to be very sociable.
I think that is true. Linux on the desktop is for geeks. So you have to become a geek to use it. Don’t expect much help getting there.”
From a Linux veteran,although still a beginner in terms of technical stuff on some issues I must admit there is some truth to the Geek charge regarding Linux vs Windows.
However,I disagree that you have to be a geek just to get a Linux desktop to do what you do on windows.
“There`s nothing inherent in the windows desktop that can`t be surpassed by a Linux one.”
Sure, all it takes is money, development, testing, marketing, and people willing to spend their hard earned money on an un-proven product.
Until then its all vaporware.
I've been using Linux at home almost exclusively for the past two months. I am not, nor have I ever been, a geek.
All I can say is "May the force be with you".
Ha!
You just described about half the FReepers around here!
Apparently it has been.
What I am saying is that when a user has problems with the system, technical support becomes necessary. On a PC, that help comes from the hardware vendor or Microsoft. On a Mac it comes from Apple. Where does the help come from on a Linux box? At that point the user needs to be the system administrator. Good luck if you don't have a solid background in Unix system administration.
The force has been with you for two whole months? I do hope it's still with you 3 years from now.
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