Posted on 07/06/2010 7:12:48 AM PDT by ShadowAce
This month's article isn't much of an article, but more like an interview. It's not very technical, but potentially satisfying. True or False? If you have been around Linux for a few years, you may have been called an open source advocate, a computer guy or just a plain and simple nerd. Probably true, right? For years, that's how Linux has been seen by many outside the open source community, and even a few within it. This article, I mean interview, is a living example that this stereotype does not stand true any longer.
About 15 years ago, when I first arrived in the US as an exchange student, I met a family in a small town called Hampden, ME. Over the years, I became friends with this family, saw their kids graduate from High School and College, and even lived as neighbors to their parents for about three years of my life. The person I am writing about is my good friend Brenda McCleary, a mother of two college graduates who decided to give Linux a try.
I also want to emphasize that I have done very little editing on this interview because I want to show the reader that one must not have to know all the right terminology or Linux versions and distributions to be able to start using it.
Anderson: Hi, Brenda, tell us a little bit about yourself.
Brenda: Hi, Anderson. I've been married 31 years to husband John. I am the mother of two adult sons: Patrick (26) and DJ (24). I live in Simpsonville, SC. I have worked cleaning homes, been a church secretary, an administrative assistant in a denturist office, and currently in the food service industry as dishwasher/baker/prep person.
A: When was the first time you heard about Linux?
B: I heard about Linux from you Anderson.
[Note: Yes, I've been using Linux since 1996, and virtually every time I hear someone complaining about their Windows machine being infected with whatever destructive technology is out there, my reply is usually: You should give Linux a try...]
A: What made you want to switch from Windows to Linux?
B: I switched to Linux because you recommended it and because I was tired of Windows not running properly. I often dealt with viruses and having to buy a new computer more often than I should because after a few times of trying to restore Windows it would no longer work. You convinced me that Linux was user-friendly and that I wouldn't have to worry about viruses like I did with Windows. You also explained that there would be some learning curve in using this new Operating System and that some applications or hardware that I currently use may not be compatible.
A: What Linux distribution and version are you using?
B: I am currently using Ubuntu 10.4?? It is the latest upgrade that Update manager offered. Is this right Anderson?
[Note: Ubuntu 10.04]
A: Tell me about your biggest frustration with Linux.
B: My biggest frustration with Linux is the simple things like trying to upgrade my Garmin. I did research on-line to try and see how to fix the problem but because of my lack of education concerning words like bzip, tarballs, source codes and such. It may as well be Greek or Latin and I gave up not knowing what to do. I finally had my son upgrade it on his computer with Windows.
[Another problem that I had, but not related to Linux itself, but more of a vendor support issue was:] When I first received my computer from Dell with Linux OS I was so excited. I could not however get the DVD to work. I called Dell and after many conversations, being transferred to different sections of the company and was asked to reinstall the OS system twice, that didn't fix the problem, I hung up angry and frustrated. Dell does not give customer support for Linux. I finally sent my husband and my computer to your home and you had it fixed in less than a hour. If the fix was that easy why couldn't they help me?
A: Have you ever used the Linux terminal? If yes, what did you do with it?
B: I have tried to use the Linux terminal using step by step instructions based on on-line articles by other Linux users. To be honest I don't remember what it was I was trying to fix, but I do remember when the terminal accepted my codes, copied line for line from the article, I was tickled pink!
A: Have you ever had to upgrade your computer by yourself? If yes, what was the experience like?
B: I recently upgraded my computer through the Update manager which automatically lets me know when there are updates and upgrades to be installed. Just a few clicks of the mouse and the update or upgrade is finished. So much easier than Windows! After the upgrade there were a couple annoying glitches, but they were soon worked out with new updates.
A: Tell us a bit about what you do with Linux at home? Anyone else in the family use it? What do they do?
B: The two major reasons I use my computer is to access e-mail and Facebook. I also do on-line searches, upload pictures from my camera with F-Spot photo manager, listen to music on Rhythmbox, type documents on Open Office, and create CD's on the CD/DVD creator. Synaptic Package Manager has also been a useful tool..as well as Users and Groups. I especially enjoy it that I can log into my own account and not have to deal with family members bookmarks or icons that they choose to use on their desktop screen. My husband also uses Linux for e-mail and Facebook, paying bills on-line and doing on-line searches to read news from our home state, Maine.
A: What's your favorite part about using Linux?
B: My favorite part about using Linux is not having to deal with viruses, cookies and not having to worry about when the OS is going to die. It is a stable, trustworthy system that I hope in time will be more and more compatible with Windows so that many other simple people like myself can enjoy the many benefits of using Linux without the frustration of certain things being incompatible. Although I do have to say that the upgrades to newer versions of Linux seem to fix some problems automatically which means Linux is aware of the incompatibility issues and is taking action.
A: Do you feel you've learned more about computers using Linux? Why?
B: I do not regret moving away from Windows as the benefits of Linux far outweigh the frustrations experienced in some things not being compatible and how to fix them. Of course it is especially helpful when I can Facebook you, Anderson, with questions.
A: Well, Brenda, thank you so much for taking the time to share with us about your Linux experience. One final question, if you had to recommend Linux to another mother like yourself, how would you 'sell' it?
B: I would definitely recommend Linux to other mothers because of the many benefits I have explained in this interview. I would however recommend to them that they do their research concerning compatibility issues of hardware and software they are currently using to make sure the change would best fit their needs. I would also recommend that they also find a current Linux user that could help them through the transition in case they run into the same problem I did of no customer support from the seller. You are welcome.
My friend Brenda McCleary has been a Linux user for a little over two years now, and every once in a while I check in with her via Facebook to check out her level of satisfaction with it, and even though I, myself, am a Fedora user, I try to make myself available for her when she has questions about how to get something working. But I have to confess that Brenda has been flying solo with her Linux install for several months now without any major incidents.
The Linux Operating System has definietly grown up, and so have its users. We are not all just College kids with nothing better to do than hack on our computers trying to solve a programming problem. A lot of us are ordinary folks with a simple wish: when I get in front of a computer, I want to connect with others, share media, and even work without having to keep fighting viruses, malware, trojans, etc. Not to say, that Linux is a safe haven, yet, in comparison to Windows, it is safe enough.
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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