dnoack wrote:
> 1. How long have you been using Linux and which distribution do you use?
3 Years? Slackware 96 --> Redhat 4.2 -- 5.1 --> Suse 5.2 -- 5.3 -->
Debian 2.0--> planning back to new Suse
> 2. Have distributions that have been packaged such as Red Hat and SuSe,
> made it easier for the average user to install and run the OS and
> applications?
No one has installed and run Linux for years without using a
distribution.
> Is this an OS, at least in its present form, a general
> purpose of OS that you buy, install and within no time your up and
> running? Or is LInux being over-hyped, possibly giving users false hopes
> of ease of use?
The hype is about power, flexibility and freedom, not ease of use. It
can be usedas a general purpose OS, but is not generally regarded as
such. Its a server / software development platform OS with the desktop
as a future goal.
> 3. Before a new users goes out and buys or downloads one of the
> distributions, what do they need to know? Should they take some computer
> programming or maybe a Unix course? If you they know DOS and the command
> line does it really matter and is that analogy accurate?
Know your hardware, the settings and components installed. Ie, what the
soundcard is, not just that its a SB16 clone. Video card details (
Video ram and chipset)
Be familiar with a commandline (not DOS - Linux has a better commandline
than that)
Be familiar with more than the Windows interface - understand what goes
on underneath, even at a basiclevel (if you think its done by magic, you
won't like Linux)
Computer programming is entirely unecessary. A Unix user course would
be handy - but most trouble is not using, but administrating the
machine.
> 4. What would be the greatest advantages and disadvantages to a Mac or
> Windows users going over to Linux? How long would it take them to get up
> to speed before they could install programs, compile the kernel, etc.
3-6 months? On and off, thats how long it took me. Learning would have
gone faster had I bought a book about linux or discovered a searchable
help system. (I spent a long time in /usr/bin doing "command --help |
less" .
Installing programs off the Linux CD is easy - the distro has a tool or
interface ie glint, pkgtool, yast, dselect to name a few.
Off the net is not so easy, since the newbie is confused over source
code vs binary, library requirements etc.
> What is the greatest challenge facing new Linux users? Did you
> experience any problems in installing, running or figuring out how to
> install applications?
The greatest challenge is the difference of Windows 95 / Mac from
Linux. Users of DOS/ Windows 3.1 are more familiar with seperate GUI /
OS like Linux, and probably did deal with hardware drivers,
configuration in a more advanced manner than running a wizard.
> 5. What kind of learning curve is involved in learning Linux for someone
> that has never had any experience in this OS before? If the learning
> curve is too steep might that scare away folks? What is the best way to
> learn, books, classes a guru?
Steep curve for computer novices.
Best way to learn - try, fail, ask on net, ask guru, buy book, redo as
necessary.
> 6, If you get questions for new Linux users, what kinds of questions do
> you get the most? Do new users know how to mount their CD-ROM or a
> floppy drive. Does a lack of easy to use apps hurt the popularity of
> Linux?
Two most popular questions - how do I get X Windows working and how do I
setup PPP.
Users don't usually know howto do these things, but its in the
documentation (how many people read it? SuSE's docs are really good)
Linux is easy to use.
Getting it easy to use is the hard part.
There are planty of easy applications. Its the OS thats hard.
> 7. By making Linux too easy to install and use, is that a case of
> "dumbing it down" so everyone can use it? Should Linux be an elite OS
> for serious computer users?
No. Everyone starts somewhere, and ease of install means power can be
found by the user when the user wants or needs to use it.
> Please include your name, state or city where you live, and if you care
> too your age.
George Russell
Strathclyde, Scotland
Aged 19 years.
--
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the Darkness bind them,
In the Land of Mordor where the shadows lie.
