I remember when I first used windows. It was difficult and it took me a while to get used to how they do things. It wasn't just automatically understood for me. After I got used to the way they did things, then it became intuitive, and I was able to find my way around and do just about whatever I wanted. I also had the same experience with linux. I took a little while for me to understand how they do things, but just like in windows, the slope of the learning curve increased exponentially in time. The reason people find windows so easy is because they are familiar with how things are done. On the other hand, some people have all kinds of trouble with windows. That's why various computer tech type vendors cumulative tech support expense ranges in the hundreds of millions if not billions of dollars.
Searching for an application for linux on the internet is just as easy as searching for a windows app. Opening synaptic, finding the app (which you already found in your internet search) clicking on the check box and clicking on Mark and Apply doesn't seem to be any harder than clicking on download and run, or install and finish, with most often the option to choose where you want to install the folder. I'll admit that adding repositories is a little more complicated, but some version of most applications that a typical workstation user will use are already in the ubuntu repositories, except medibuntu and maybe a few others, and once you learn how to add repositories, that also is very simple. Adding repositories could be compared to the beginning stages of being a windows power user. As for > > MS with a hand on this? Are you serious? Do you REALLY believe they > > would waste time with such a small little thing? No I don't really believe they would or would not waste their time on something like this. It just wouldn't surprise me. I wouldn't be surprised if they did have a hand in this, and I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't have a hand in it. As for: > > First of all, for someone that still uses hotmail, you blame Microsoft > > too much. That's like saying that someone cannot complain about their job, or their cell phone carrier. Many people could get a new job if they wanted to, or a new cell carrier, but for some reason or other they havn't. Nevertheless, they can still complain about it on occasion because they don't like some aspect of said entity. I, on the other hand, was neither complaining nor blaming M$. I was just saying that it wouldn't surprise me. The first paragraph where I said that I wouldn't be surprised if M$ or dell had a hand in the article was really just an introduction, and the statement about the author running the article without researching was the only really definite statement in that paragraph. The real point of my response was that it would have been more appropriate to direct dissatisfaction towards Dell rather than Ubuntu. Hmmm..... I wonder why Ubuntu became the target rather than Dell, which was really the culprit at fault? I really don't hate M$ Dante, and everyone knows that you are partial to it. Hey.... No worries!! In my little response, it's like I'm posing a question. Did Dell and/or M$ have something to do with the generation of this article, or was the author really that stupid, cause you gotta admit, the article really is stupid, and it expressed animosity against Ubuntu. I'm not about bashing M$. I couldn't give a flying (you choose how many letters the word has) about what M$ does. I'm speaking on a different level. I hope I wasn't going over you head. As for bad publicity: Sometimes even bad publicity can be good. I can imagine that the curiosity of some computer users who have little knowledge of Linux or Ubuntu will be sparked by the vehement and often rude response levied by multiple Ubuntu lovers. > Date: Fri, 16 Jan 2009 23:13:46 -0600 > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [LinuxUsers] Wow - Linux just ruined this girls life. > > Hotmail or not, you can NEVER blame M$ enough. That is like holding > back on.....well there is no comparison :-). > > I do not think it is out of the question to suspect M$ having a hand > in this situation. They have done things like this before. They have > in fact done much worse. I would be surprise if dell had something to > do with this story assuming things were a bit more manufactured. It > was a bitch getting Dell to sell Linux machines. I give them props > for doing so. > > To some, Linux is cool. Maybe the support person was just hoping she > would see thing the same way. I would have probably gotten dell to > send her an XP disk. Unfortunately, the people at dell were probably > wanting to avoid the giving of free stuff and having to explain how > one uses a recovery cd. Furthermore, the dell machines are setup > with recovery software built in and it is often a pain getting OEMs to > send you a disk in fear of piracy. > > Most OEMs have deals with Microsoft. I believe in most cases OEMs are > not even charged when putting Windows on desktop/laptop machines. M$ > give Windows away to the OEM for desktops and laptops. Similarly, my > entire university gets a huge deal on Windows and is able to give the > corp. ed. of Vista XP and Server 2003 away to any who is a student, > staff or faculty. > > 3g works in ubuntu, but it can be a little trick getting it setup, > even if everything is working out of the box. > > I agree, no one should have insulted her directly on facebook. If I > had thought to look there, I would have offered my help free of > charge. My mother has no idea what she is doing on a computer unless > I tell her she is doing it and things work great because she has me on > speed dial. Expecting the everyday person to be able to configure > anything on a computer is asking to much. > > It seems that this reporter is really trying to stretch out "Abbie's" > suffering as much as possible. The the news site that reported the > story said that this topic caused more traffic in its time then they > had ever seen. I guarantee they will being using those statistics > when trying to sell advertising. > > > > On Fri, Jan 16, 2009 at 2:53 PM, Dante Lanznaster <[email protected]> wrote: > > Dude, > > > > First of all, for someone that still uses hotmail, you blame Microsoft > > too much. Second, let me point out a few flaws in your POV: > > > > On Fri, Jan 16, 2009 at 12:08 PM, Paul Saenz <[email protected]> > > wrote: > >> The story definitely doesn't pass the sniff test. > >> I wouldn't be surprised if M$ had a hand in it. > > > > MS with a hand on this? Are you serious? Do you REALLY believe they > > would waste time with such a small little thing? > > > >> In addition, I wouldn't be surprised if dell had > >> a hand in it. > > > > Again? Do you REALLY believe in this? > > > >> I'm sure they get some compensation > >> for installing Windows. > > > > Everyone knows they have deals with Microsoft to have Windows > > pre-installed on new computers. > > > >> Furthermore, the article > >> was written by someone who either just ran with it > >> rather than doing any research, and/or has a beef > >> with linux and/or ubuntu. > >> > >> If the dell tech support tech is going to recommend that > >> she stay with ubuntu, then they should have helped > >> her connect to verizon. This problem is really more > >> about Dell than ubuntu. When she called back, and they > >> told her it was too late to get M$, then why did they not > >> at least tell her that there is a way to make it work, and > >> direct her to people who know how to implement it? I > >> have seen many people have the exact same difficulty > >> with windows, but in that case, Dell will definitely help > >> them to get connected. > >> > >> The following quote from http://www.linux.com/feature/52729 Dated: March > >> 15, > >> 2006 > >> shows that this problem has been solved long ago: > >> > >> "I found some invaluable information online about how to get EVDO working > >> in > >> Linux online, mostly from kenkinder.com, www.ka9q.net, and > >> LinuxQuestions.org. With the help of these sites and my own perseverance, I > >> figured out an easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide to connecting to the > >> Internet in Linux with EVDO." > > > > Dude, like any non-ordinary hardware, it takes googling/tinkering to > > install these things on Ubuntu or any other linux flavor. > > > >> > >> In light of the major improvement in ubuntu user freindliness > >> as of late, if it was, "easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide," > >> back in early 06, then you know it is no harder than M$ today. > > > > Have you tried to install one of these cards on Windows? I don't think > > so. If you did, you certainly wouldn't say such a thing. > > > >> > >> Dell should be taking the hit not ubuntu. > >> The community needs to focus the blame on Dell. > >> There are many things that people don't understand > >> about windows, and when they have a problem, Dell > >> supports them. If they install ubuntu, and they have > >> tech support, then why the hell did the tech recommend > >> sticking with ubuntu if they are not going to at least give > >> her the slightest direction on how to make verizon work. > > > > While I agree that Dell shouldn't have insisted on Ubuntu, I find it > > hard to believe in this story, given their long-standing practice of > > pushing Windows for every desktop/laptop sold. There's more to the > > story than this article seems to report. > > > >> > >> This is a quote from the updated article: > >> > >> "If you're not a computer tinkerer, and you're not willing to do research > >> and digging, it may not be for you." > >> > >> This is still a major misstatement. You don't need to be a computer > >> tinkerer to either use open office, fire fox or connect to the internet > >> on ubuntu. Except for the verizon connection, everything is ready > >> to go out of the box (so to speak). All you have to do is learn how > >> to use synaptic, and how to search for programs > > > > Learn how to use synaptic? search for programs? That's already > > tinkering with stuff. Let's compare apples to apples: How does the > > average joe blow user regularly search/install programs? He opens his > > browser of preference and finds programs. Then he downloads an .exe > > and opens it, then next, next, next, finish. Not so easy with Linux. > > If you use synaptic, you've gotta know what you're looking for. > > > >>. For the most > >> part the ubuntu install comes with everything that a typical > >> desktop user will need, and being a computer tinkerer is only > >> required for someone who wants to do more that what M$ will > >> do out of the box. > >> If you think about it, running synaptic is no > >> harder than downloading an exe, and clicking on run, and/or > >> install: You simply select the program, and click on apply. > >> > >> On the brighter side, whoever may have intended to put a hit > >> on ubuntu has made a mistake. In light of the virulent response > >> by ubuntu groupies, it seems that: > >> This attack on ubuntu has BACKFIRED! > > > > Although Linux has come a long way towards user friendliness, it's > > still not for everyone and definitely not on par with Windows or OS X > > in terms of friendliness. We here all like Linux a lot, and I suppose > > everyone in this group knows its way around it. But this girl is one > > of those that needs to stay away from it. > > > >> > > > > -Dante > > _______________________________________________ > > LinuxUsers mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://socallinux.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/linuxusers > > > > > > -- > "As we open our newspapers or watch our television screens, we seem to > be continually assaulted by the fruits of Mankind's stupidity." > -Roger Penrose > _______________________________________________ > LinuxUsers mailing list > [email protected] > http://socallinux.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/linuxusers _________________________________________________________________ Windows Live™: Keep your life in sync. http://windowslive.com/howitworks?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_t1_allup_howitworks_012009
