> The article mentions that pre-loaded Linux laptops are > returned at a far higher rate than Windows laptops, because > people have been led to believe that using Linux is > "just like using Windows". Are naive users being sold a > bill of goods? When will Linux systems stop being a toy > for tech geeks and start being a useful TOOL (or do you > feel we're already there)?
I am new to Linux myself and I have found some issues. I grew up with DOS so I am comfortable at the command line, problems on Linux that require a terminal don't bother me. But they will bother the average windows user greatly who doesn't even know it exists expect for a icon in applications (ubuntu) that they quickly close out of boredom after launching each application to see what it does. Take the most basic task that they will likely perform, web browsing. This has been covered on slashdot a couple times and from what I see it hasn't been fixed. So the first site they go to is youtube but it tells them they need flash, normally they can just click in the ActiveX browser pop-up and install it. On ubuntu no go, youtube redirects them to the adobe website for a manual install. This is specific to youtube and not ubuntu's fault, if they went to addictinggames first it would appear and install properly in the browse. But who cares, to the average person it doesn't work, but does on windows. Then later on they need java for some fancy website. Google "ubuntu 8.10 installing java" and you get answers like: Access to Java Runtime Environment To use Java programs, you need to install the openjdk-6-jre package whch contains the Java Runtime Environment. If you want to develop Java programs, then install the openjdk-6-jdk package. To work with Java applets in the Firefox browser and compatible browsers on x86 architectures, you need to install the icedtea6-plugin package by hand. The JRE and the Java applet plugin are installed by default in the live session on the Ubuntu DVD, but are not currently installed elsewhere due to space constraints. However, a missing feature in the installer means that these packages will not be installed when installing using the graphical installer on the DVD, so you will need to install them afterwards. http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/releasenotes/810#Access%20to%20Java%20Runtime%20Environment A regular windows user can just again click the install through the browser. So then you have people returning their PC because it doesn't work. Don't get me wrong Linux is great and surpasses windows in so many ways, don't have the driver cd for your printer who cares just plug it in and it works (if it is supported) but a lot of things don't work the same in terms of ease. Generally people do not read, that is a big problem, this is evident went someone says they had an error come up in windows. "What did it say" "I don't know I clicked OK, now such and such isn't working" These people bring their computer to BestBuy for repairs and are the people that are the most common, anything at the terminal is not happening. -- Matthias A. Johnson [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ Mid-Hudson Valley Linux Users Group http://mhvlug.org http://mhvlug.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mhvlug Upcoming Meetings (6pm - 8pm) MHVLS Auditorium Sep 3 - Porkchop - The Areas of My Expertise Oct 1 - Ubikeys Oct 4 - Linux Fest Nov 5 - Releasing Open Source Software Dec 3 - TBD
