The real he problem/challenge Linux has is the balance between choice and usability. What Windows/Mac do is take out all the options and give you one simple way of doing things. Linux traditionally gives all these options on how to do things, and it is too much for Joe Desktop-User. Kubuntu/Ubuntu 8.10 for me has almost hit the spot with regards to that balance – minimal time installing things, yet easy to still get in there and fix them. Might still be a step far for Joe over there…
TK From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Peter van Bussel Sent: Monday, November 10, 2008 3:34 PM To: Linux Users Group Uganda Subject: Re: [LUG] Desktop Linux - Will it ever stick? "Branding is one of the biggest challenges Linux faces." Well, my biggest problem is to install hardware and software...and as long as this is not working properly I can't use my Linux installation and thus can't promote it. Just as an example: I've spend days trying to install a cannon scanner, a cannon printer and an HP printer. All three relatively common pieces of equipment. I failed myself and then had two times a linux users at my place to help. However, both of them also failed and it still doesn't work. Regarding installing software: with windows I, as an ordinary user, just click the .exe file and 99 times out of a 100 it works immediately. There is no hastle with missing, finding and installing packages and dependencies or the use of the terminal and it's commands. Now, from my own experience, I think to be able to promote Linux and have ordinary windows people to learn using it, the starting point will be to use the terms and language that these windows users understand and to package software and the installation of hardware in a "windows" manner. I know that a lot has been done already but there still seems to be a long way to go. Peter Wire James wrote on 10/11/2008 11:54: On Mon, 2008-11-10 at 11:41 +0300, Simon Vass wrote: I also think there is the power of branding going on here. Spot on Vass. I agree with you on this. Branding is one of the biggest challenges Linux faces. I remember having to learn OS2 forcefully simply because it was an IBM thing and if you really wanted to retain a job or be noticed as IBM compliant, knowledge of it was paramount. When it comes to Linux, people expect the reverse. Wire People will spend time learning Windows and MAC OS X where as it's Linux they throw there hands in the air and give up. Admittedly this is probably because when they get stuck who do they ask? A friend, A neighbor and invariably the response is Whats Linux? You should have got a MAC or used Vista! Simon Mark Tinka wrote: > On Monday 10 November 2008 16:07:11 joseph mpora wrote: > > >> So why would a new user adjust easier to a Mac than to >> Linux? >> > > You surely do know how to start a war, Joseph... > > But, I think OS X is more intuitive, from a lay-user > perspective, than Linux is; and that's why I think users > would adopt faster to OS X if they decided to dump Windows, > than if they chose Linux. > > Cheers, > > Mark. > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >
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