When Chrome is the leading desktop browser then it indicates most users are happy with just basic functionality, and do not want to get into the very helpful amount of customization that can be had in both a browser and a OS.
Posted on 12/19/2018 4:28:57 AM PST by ShadowAce
Back in 2016, I took down the shingle for my technology coaching business. Permanently. Or so I thought.
Over the last 10 months, a handful of friends and acquaintances have pulled me back into that realm. How? With their desire to dump That Other Operating System™ and move to Linux.
This has been an interesting experience, in no small part because most of the people aren't at all technical. They know how to use a computer to do what they need to do. Beyond that, they're not interested in delving deeper. That said, they were (and are) attracted to Linux for a number of reasons—probably because I constantly prattle on about it.
While bringing them to the Linux side of the computing world, I learned a few things about helping non-techies move to Linux. If someone asks you to help them make the jump to Linux, these eight tips can help you.
Linux is great. It's not perfect, though. It can be perplexing and sometimes frustrating for new users. It's best to prepare the person you're helping with a short pep talk.
What should you talk about? Briefly explain what Linux is and how it differs from other operating systems. Explain what you can and can't do with it. Let them know some of the pain points they might encounter when using Linux daily.
If you take a bit of time to ease them into Linux and open source, the switch won't be as jarring.
It's easy to fall into what I call the power user fallacy: the idea that everyone uses technology the same way you do. That's rarely, if ever, the case.
This isn't about you. It's not about your needs or how you use a computer. It's about the person you're helping's needs and intentions. Their needs, especially if they're not particularly technical, will be different from yours.
It doesn't matter if Ubuntu or Elementary or Manjaro aren't your distros of choice. It doesn't matter if you turn your nose up at window managers like GNOME, KDE, or Pantheon in favor of i3 or Ratpoison. The person you're helping might think otherwise.
Put your needs and prejudices aside and help them find the right Linux distribution for them. Find out what they use their computer for and tailor your recommendations for a distribution or three based on that.
And not everyone wants to be. Everyone I've helped move to Linux in the last 10 months has no interest in compiling kernels or code nor in editing and tweaking configuration files. Most of them will never crack open a terminal window. I don't expect them to be interested in doing any of that in the future, either.
Guess what? There's nothing wrong with that. Maybe they won't get the most out of Linux (whatever that means) by not embracing their inner geeks. Not everyone will want to take on challenges of, say, installing and configuring Slackware or Arch. They need something that will work out of the box.
In an ideal world, we'd all have tricked-out, high-powered laptops or desktops with everything maxed out. Sadly, that world doesn't exist.
That probably includes the person you're helping move to Linux. They may have slightly (maybe more than slightly) older hardware that they're comfortable with and that works for them. Hardware that they might not be able to afford to upgrade or replace.
Also, remember that not everyone needs a system for heavy-duty development or gaming or audio and video production. They just need a computer for browsing the web, editing photos, running personal productivity software, and the like.
One person I recently helped adopt Linux had an Acer Aspire 1 laptop with 4GB of RAM and a 64GB SSD. That helped inform my recommendations, which revolved around a few lightweight Linux distributions.
The DistroWatch database contains close to 900 Linux distributions. You should be able to find three to five Linux distributions to recommend. Make a short list of the distributions you think would be a good fit for them. Also, point them to reviews so they can get other perspectives on those distributions.
When it comes time to take those Linux distributions for a spin, don't just hand someone a bunch of flash drives and walk away. You might be surprised to learn that most people have never run a live Linux distribution or installed an operating system. Any operating system. Beyond plugging the flash drives in, they probably won't know what to do.
Instead, show them how to create bootable flash drives and set up their computer's BIOS to start from those drives. Then, let them spend some time running the distros off the flash drives. That will give them a rudimentary feel for the distros and their window managers' quirks.
Running a live session with a flash drive tells someone only so much. They need to work with a Linux distribution for a couple or three weeks to really form an opinion of it and to understand its quirks and strengths.
There's a myth that Linux is difficult to install. That might have been true back in the mid-1990s, but today most Linux distributions are easy to install. You follow a few graphical prompts and let the software do the rest.
For someone who's never installed any operating system, installing Linux can be a bit daunting. They might not know what to choose when, say, they're asked which filesystem to use or whether or not to encrypt their hard disk.
Guide them through at least one installation. While you should let them do most of the work, be there to answer questions.
As I mentioned a paragraph or two ago, using a Linux distribution for two weeks gives someone ample time to regularly interact with it and see if it can be their daily driver. It often works out. Sometimes, though, it doesn't.
Remember the person with the Acer Aspire 1 laptop? She thought Xubuntu was the right distribution for her. After a few weeks of working with it, that wasn't the case. There wasn't a technical reason—Xubuntu ran smoothly on her laptop. It was just a matter of feel. Instead, she switched back to the first distro she test drove: MX Linux. She's been happily using MX ever since.
You can't always be there to be the guiding hand. Or to be the mechanic or plumber who can fix any problems the person encounters. You have a life, too.
Once they've settled on a Linux distribution, explain that you'll offer a helping hand for two or three weeks. After that, they're on their own. Don't completely abandon them. Be around to help with big problems, but let them know they'll have to learn to do things for themselves.
Introduce them to websites that can help them solve their problems. Point them to useful articles and books. Doing that will help make them more confident and competent users of Linux—and of computers and technology in general.
Helping someone move to Linux from another, more familiar operating system can be a challenge—a challenge for them and for you. If you take it slowly and follow the advice in this article, you can make the process smoother.
Windows 10 and Edge for me. Thanks though.
Yep. Computers are a commodity now. You might as well be telling people why they need to replace their shocks with Bilstein. They just want to drive their car and it works fine.
I have an added dimension - I tried Ubuntu about a decade ago and it was like when I used to use Windows and OS2 Warp. I hated it. In fact, it’s what caused me to decide I needed to move on from considering Linux. I don’t want the hassle. I just want to use my computer like I use my car. I’m not a hobbyist any more. I don’t build my own computers any more.
I don’t want to fiddle with it. I just want to use it. And Windows 10 works great for me. I’m not a fan of Microsoft, nor windows, but it does the job, allowing me to focus on the things in my life that actually matter. The computer is just a tool.
I have Mint on a dual boot with W10. It’s become a PITA because it comes up before Windows on the boot list, so if the computer restarts while unattended, I come back to the Mint screen and have to restart all over again. Originally I had the dual boot done as a backup when Windows has problems. Windows has had no problems. Yet.
Exactly!
(Sometime, I should probably sit down and figure out how to remove the dual boot feature. If it’s even possible)
What I’d like is to have W10 be higher on the boot menu than Mint.
Is the boot menu from Linux, or Windows? I can help if it’s the GRUB boot menu—not so much if it was built by Windows.
You’re right.
Most folks considering a Linux Desktop will be better off if they purchased a Mac.
Desktop Linux... in a version usable by the average schlub... has been a disaster.
I think it is in the BIOS on the boot tab.
Maybe I’ll get up the nerve to try it. LOL
https://www.pcsteps.com/1053-change-grub-boot-order-linux-mint-ubuntu/
There’s a program called Grub Customizer
grub is the boot loader that gives you that boot menu. Did this on my wife’s puter
That manual fix looks promising.
Seems like I did it a different manual way. I just edited one file and moved the windows entry to the top. Had to do it as root. Maybe grub works different now and needs multiple numbered files?
Regardless, it can be done and isn’t tough. Sometimes I go to restart to use windows for something and forget to sit there and catch the grub menu and it goes back to linux.
Thank you!
When Chrome is the leading desktop browser then it indicates most users are happy with just basic functionality, and do not want to get into the very helpful amount of customization that can be had in both a browser and a OS.
Wow.. I guess I’m going to have to remake all of these.. the degradation is terrible, sorry about that (darn Winblows :/)
Make a google drive (I hate it, but required to do it >.<) .. upload the pp sheet/doc.. double click it to run, then open it as a google sheet (or form, can’t remember which). It will convert to google (crap).. open it with Chromium (spy-free version of Chrome)..
There’s workarounds for almost anything.. just some things take some digging.
(Kind of like the problem with DoCoMo Sony smartphones.. if you aren’t using a sim card directly from them, it disables tethers/hotspotting. After about 2 weeks of digging, I found a way to get rid of that problem completely by changing 1 line of code for the phone).
Debating whether or not I am going to root this phone now and install another OS..
G=C800:5
bfl
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