I think that some statements made in the article are right on. Now, don't shoot mehih :-) I've just had cofirmed something I had proudly said to my sister (linux fan, writes articles and stuff for a fresh Linux romanian magazine ... I might proudly add that she picked up Linux from my excitement), which is that there's a LOT of awesome people on this list .. and a really friendly group .. and furthermore very mature people. About the article:
for saying that. In the time since I started hearing about Linux (summer, '95) until I really took the plunge and started working with it (about a month or so ago), I have heard and read frequently about how Linux was sooo much better than any MS
alternative. This, I won't dispute. However, there are some Linux advocates that will,
without fail, push Linux as an all-purpose solution in every situation. Not necessarily true.
Corporate/enterprise users generally have an established IT and support structure in place. Computers are often standardized to a common specification or set of
specifications, so it is easier to create, deploy and support a standard desktop image.
Home users do not have this luxury. Many want the computer to simply work. Most don't want to have to work to get the system to do what they want it to do. The 80s mentality of a computer user that it's OK to have to know something about the system
is now the minority among computer users. The Macintosh and Windows are largely responsible for this situation. I am, and most on this list are, part of that minority. My wife is an example of the majority. I let her work on a laptop that only had Mandrake on it, and she was not happy. It didn't look like Windows, it didn't behave like Windows (similar, but not exactly...and she didn't get to the stability and all that, didn't give it sufficient chance), and I didn't (and still don't) know quite enough to get things to do just what she wants (give me time, and she will see a Linux system set just as she
wants it, behaving as she should expect). Add to this mentality the often discussed
and disparaged tendency of hardware makers targeting home consumers with budget
hardware designed to defer to Windows and you have a configuration and driver
headache.
If the average home user had the mentality that it's good to know a little bit about how to configure their computer (beyond adding a theme, setting a screen saver, or arranging icons), and if the home user would not settle for the consumer grade computers they can pick up at Costco, Sears, Circuit City, or from Gateway and Dell for cheap, then the reality of Linux as a viable option on every desktop will be a reality.
No, the guy from Red Hat is not a traitor. He's just being honest with expectations. Of
course, I think most of us here would take less exception if he'd had said "many home users" or had similarly qualified his statement about Windows still being a more
appropriate option for some.
Just my two cents.
the many home users of Linux would argue with it .. but still .. this view is somewhat close to mine: right now Linux still isn't for your average joe .. but rather more for
a) your more technical minded joe, excited geek, fond of new stuff person
b) somebody who doesn't want to pay money
c) companies that get support
d) the user that has very limited expectation of his pc that can be easily satisfied with stuff that comes automatically in a distro and that will use his whole pc just for that .. and has somebody around who will do the first tour & installation for him
e) user d) with pre-installed Linux
with all this said ... I think it's beyond doubt that Linux is a tough ass sonnof a bitch already .. and is getting more so by the day. It's already a strong beast ... it's just that it's not a particularly friendly one ... but once you've mastered it the satisfaction and benefits can be quite worth it.
Also, I don't generally say the problems I have with Linux to a windows user, because I think they need to pushed a bit into actually trying the alternative and not discouraged, but at the same time I dissagree with the people that say Linux is soooooo awesome & soooo easy, and sooooo working. I encourage people to try Linux, help & advice, copy cds ... and so on .. I just warn them together with the hype & advertisement not to expect magic ... and that though there's a lot of stuff great about it .. if they don't have a strong will and wish to go on they might find themselves leaving it frustrated. This cuts down on the people coming back shouting how much Linux stinks and how it doesn't work and presenting me with hardware or sofware that didn't work and stuff. I don't need that nor do I feel like getting it. That's why I've got a somewhat more passive approach to promoting linux: me using it, saying the good stuff, the moments when I'm happy with it, spreading info, news & copies of cds ... but also warning them that they might face troubles.
btw, I've been thinking today .. and I realized: as many geeks & non-geeks out there I wouldn't mind owning a new mac ... and then I realized that Mac OsX & Linux are cousins MacOsX is based on BSD afaik, which is step-brother with Unix, which is the father of Unix ... They're family :P
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