Posted on 07/06/2010 7:12:48 AM PDT by ShadowAce
I don’t doubt the potential is there, it has been for years but again the user and developer base in the problem for Linux. There are too many Linux distributions out there, not one unified UI and an user base that looks down on those computer users who want something more simple.
Again, I love *nix in general and use it for my own purposes but you need to look at this question from the point of view from John Q. Public computer user.
Luckily, I've never had one of those old Realtek wireless cards that have Linux trouble. I did have a Lexmark printer once, but it was such a frustrating piece of garbage that I threw it away before trying to use it with Linux. I haven't looked into whether progress has been made on them.
I’m glad you like the UI of Ubuntu but the average user does not and will not but again you and I are not the average user.
I'm glad we have you here to speak on behalf of all of those 'average users'. I wonder which one they will like least. Gnome? KDE? Xfce? You're right about one thing: you're not one of them. Average users would have followed the instructions.
Daniel,
This is my assessment as well, there seems to be a bit of cheerleading going on from the “going to take over Windows crowd” that just aren’t dealing in reality. Stroll over to slashdot and read through some of the tech forums on this.
Again, the very thing that makes Linux great is also its Achilles Heel. It will always be the choice of the power-users out there or people that don’t want to conform to Windows of OSX debate.
I haven’t tried the PCLINUXOS yet. But you have provoked my interest :-) Did you know there is an open source project that allows you to run windows programs on “ix” OS. I guess its just a shell of some sort.
I’ve never tried it as im pretty busy guy, but here is a link if you care to try it out.
There is also an opensource Windows rip-off (xp/2003). Same story, haven’t tried it yet but here is some info.
http://www.reactos.org/en/index.html
Hey guys, if you are looking to run windows programs on Linux, might wanna give this a try. Haven’t used it myself so i would be curious to hear some reviews.
“It’d cost me probably several hundred dollars using a windows machine.”
How do you figure that? As a long term Windows user, and who also has installed different versions of Linux, i can attest that I have never needed to buy any software for Windows, except a while back for DVD authoring, nor use the bloatware than comes with it, as far more safe, quality freeware exists for Windows than for Linux, from Bible programs to video encoding, and is far quicker to get and install than going thru Synaptic or the like, and being restricted to the pertinent repos, or having to compile code. And in the US., Linux users are probably are breaking the law (unless they buy them) to get the degree of video codecs you legally have under Windows.
Linux is good, but enough with the hype.
So I take it, you’ve never worked at as a Tech-support person have you? If you haven’t then you have no clue as to how the average user interacts with his/her computer.
Well, that didn’t take long for this to get personal. Glad you have me all figured out, guess I have to defer to your great knowledge on the subject; likely all subjects I suspect. Time to check out of this ‘discussion’ at this point. Good day sir….
I understand and largely agree. Check Linux forums versus those of Windows, compared with the number of users, and it should become evident. My key word was “potential.”
Don’t seem to have a problem with security running Windows.
And I don’t need to enter a password every time I want to check my hard drives for files.
So what ‘security’ do I have to worry about?
I’m not running a ‘network’ here or ‘server’ either.
I’m not saying Linux is ‘trash’. It’s just not that ‘user friendly’.
If you’re going to set up a system for public use, then it needs to be ‘idiot proof’ and usable by the average ‘joe’.
Thanks. I do run WINE, and as Linux Bible programs are not as good as those available for Windows, i use WINE to run TheWord software, which is does well, But it is hit and miss with other apps.
We agree on more than disagree at this point. I see Linux distros as more niche or specialized productions/solutions than ‘main-stream.’ For instance, the MythTV or DD-WRT projects. I use are participate in the developer communities respectively.
The same people that champion Linux as a dominate desktop are the same people that lament about the ‘dumb’ Windows user base. I’ve worked with and known many such *nix users and to be honest that attitude alone will be counter-productive with regards to widespread adoption. What I see as the catalyst for wide-spread conversion, will be the tightening on digital rights and controls from the software and media industries.
Too much of a pain for me. So I just run WinXP.
Uh, that password prompting is what keeps your system from getting p0wned by viruses/trojans/worms.
Umm.. no it doesn’t.
It’s the fact that Linux is based on the UNIX system and most ‘hackers’ can’t be bothered with hacking a system that hardly anyone uses.
When Linux’s market share gets above 10%, then maybe you’ll see more hackers.
Until then, having no password isn’t going to open it up to any viruses, because there aren’t any. YET!
And please don’t lecture me about password and viruses.
I was programming computers long before Windows, on DOS and CP/M, MP/M based machines and when ‘modems’ were nothing more that ‘Acoustic couplers’ you put your phone receiver on.
I’m not a neophyte when it comes to computers.
It’s the fact that Linux is based on the UNIX system and most ‘hackers’ can’t be bothered with hacking a system that hardly anyone uses.
When Linux’s market share gets above 10%, then maybe you’ll see more hackers.
Until then, having no password isn’t going to open it up to any viruses, because there aren’t any. YET!
You might want to look up the "witty worm" on google. It was designed to attack a userbase of approximately 50,000 worldwide. Marketshare is not nearly as big a hurdle for viruses as some would like for us to believe.
The fact is, unix (which includes OSX as well) has a better design than windows from the ground up which makes it less succeptable to all kinds of attacks.
The fact that you aren’t running a network means you aren’t the typical user of a Windows box. From what I recall - the average time to infection for an unmodified XP box (from the original XP release) directly connected to the internet (as opposed to being behind a firewall of some sort) is under 7 minutes.
The system can just be sitting there - and it will get hacked.
If you aren’t running with a password & you are able to install software on your Windows box - this means you are running as Administrator. That is the same as running as “root” in a linux environment. You are then susceptible to attack via malicious email and browsing hacks that can take over your machine. Because you are running as an Administrator - this software can seize your machine. This same thing is true on a Linux machine.
To prevent this scenario - Linux enforces the idea of user accounts and permissions. It is further recommended that a user not run as root. So - even if you did run into malicious stuff, the hacker wouldn’t gain complete control over the machine, because they aren’t root. That means if you want to do something requiring “root” access, you get to put in a password. If you want to access something your normal user level doesn’t provide - you run into a password. It’s called security.
It is QUITE possible to set up a Linux box without requiring passwords... you might have to hit the carriage return, but it can be done. It just isn’t recommended!
In the Windows world to prevent those hackers from taking over your machine you are going to have to run anti virus software that scans your every move on the internet and your email operations. This takes away horse power from your normal applications, and can cause even FAST systems to feel sluggish. Depending on the virus software in question, it might have multiple pop-up messages saying your about to do this or that - do I have permission to do it? How is this much different from having to type in a password to do something requiring “special” privileges?
Linux because of it’s password requirement and other design decisions inherited from the Unix world doesn’t require antivirus software.
So I guess my contention is - if you are running antivirus software, I don’t think you have really gotten away from it - you just pay for it in other arenas in other ways.
I don't get your comment about installing software on linux, though. I'm no expert by any means, but installing software on Ubuntu 9.10 is very simple. You can use Synaptic, but there's Ubuntu Software Center in the Applications directory that's even easier to use. There's thousands of programs available in the repos (although you don't have to stick to them), and I haven't compiled code in quite a while. I refuse to do so. I some program requires compilation, I'll look elsewhere, and can usually find something else similar that doesn't require it.
Yah. As a frequent car renter I am really happy with the single unified UI found in all automobiles.
Yup. I haven't used synaptic in quite a while, but I'm fairly sure it works pretty much like yumex. With yumex, I bring it up, select the software I want to install, (it automatically pulls in the info from the repos), click Apply, and wait a few minutes while it downloads, and installs the software. I don't really see how much easier it could possibly be unless one wants your computer to somehow read your mind. Updates for all installed software is just as easy, if not more so, because it will give you a list of all sofware you have installed that has updates available. You simply tell it to go do it. Most of the time, (unless you do a kernel upgrade), you don't need to do anything at all after the upgrade to pick up the changes. I generally logout and back in if there is a KDE upgrade. I figure for microsoft programs, updating is fairly straightforward if you have auto-updates turned on, but what about all those other programs that have bugfixes/updates/upgrades?
I like the ease of use you find in modern Linux distros.
That's good to know. Thanks for all the great info. DH is using Firefox and so far he's had no problems with Ubuntu. I think I'm the worrywort! LOL
Guys, take you’re blinders off. Why can’t all cars get 80mpg and have a 0-60 time in 3.9 seconds.
I’m on your side here, I love Linux for what it is but it’s not for every computer user in it’s current state.
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