I think many users would have a hard time if you just handed them a Windows CD and said "Have fun!" Installing any OS from scratch is not something the average consumer wants to do or even understands. Most people don't really understand the difference between Windows and Office, let alone Linux or *BSD.
I think the major difference here is that Windows comes preinstalled on most systems, so the no brainer, just use it as a tool stuff is easy for most people to pick up on. Lindows and some of these other consumer 'friendly' distros help with that a little bit, especially when they come preinstalled on systems. Josh -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Devin Pratt Sent: Tuesday, 04 November, 2003 12:23 To: BYU Unix Users Group Subject: Re: [uug] this make me a little sad... >I'm going to have to disagree with him somewhat also. > >I must say that my wife (not a computer person) has very little problem >using Linux for all her computing needs. The only time she does have a >problem is when I spent the previous evening upgrading or tweaking and >some how left evolution or Gaim not installed (oops). As for Matthew >Szulik's 90 year old father, I think he wouldn't have any trouble >whatsoever doing the things he would want to do with Linux. (Email, web) > >There aren't just two distinct groups of users: corporate and home. I >would dare say there is a large section of home-users that would have no >problems using a Linux desktop. As for those not in that group. . . I, >for one, won't suggest what other operating system you can use. > >Greg > > The situation with you and your wife is more like the corporate case than the home user case. In a corporate setting you have a sysadmin whose job it is to set up the computers and help fix your problems. That exactly what you do for your wife. My wife could also work just fine on Linux if I installed it and answered a few simple questions. But if I handed her a Mandrake CD and wished her luck she'd be in a bad way. She's a smart lass, too, but she just doesn't have any experience with that stuff. Devin ____________________ BYU Unix Users Group http://uug.byu.edu/ ___________________________________________________________________ List Info: http://uug.byu.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/uug-list ____________________ BYU Unix Users Group http://uug.byu.edu/ ___________________________________________________________________ List Info: http://uug.byu.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/uug-list
