Coot
Click To Undress
Premium
join:2001-02-10
Not Here
clubs: 
| Linux Ready for Prime Time?
How close do you think Linux is to being a serious contender in the desktop market for the casual user that either doesn't want to or can't get into the nuts and bolts of an OS?
Poll
Ready for prime time? |
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view results · flash pie chart
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What is the definition of quality? |
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DaveW$
The Sultan - Suleiman I
Premium
join:2000-12-30
Maryville, TN
| Get the hardware issues fixed and we're there. To compete as a serious contender the software (Linux OS) must be able to keep up with todays hardware market. USB, FireWire, Dual-Monitor setup, sound cards etc. Most of my problems revolve around driver issues. I love the OS and use Linux-Mandrake 8 on my desktop in a dual-boot setup with Win98SE and right now I spend about half my time on each. I was very impressed with installation ease, ability to easily setup my system to use my cable internet, and most of all--all the applications available. Open source is the way to go Linux, just don't ever become another MS---no matter how much competition there is. The Linux OS,as a whole,has been very challenging to learn and has opened new horizons for me.
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Jim Morrison - I'll tell you this, no eternal reward will forgive us now, for wasting the dawn--The Wasp (Texas Radio and the Big Beat) |
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Coot
Click To Undress
Premium
join:2001-02-10
Not Here
clubs: | reply to Coot
I guess I should have asked why. It seems so far that most people think it's 'Almost Ready'. What do you think still needs to be done?
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What is the definition of quality? |
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Steve
I'm a PC, so shut up
Consultant
join:2001-03-10
Yorba Linda, CA
| said by Lone Gunman DSLR:
It seems so far that most people think it's 'Almost Ready'. What do you think still needs to be done?
Change human nature itself.
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Stephen J. Friedl / Software Consultant / Tustin, California USA / »www.unixwiz.net |
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nitroteen
join:2000-12-02
Kenosha, WI | reply to Coot
I'd say you need something between Almost Ready and Won't Ever Get There. |
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drjim
Premium,MVM
join:2000-06-13
Torrance, CA
clubs:
| reply to DaveW$
90% of the hardware issues are due to the manufacturers not releasing enough information to write a proper driver.
The other 10% is the manufacturers not caring enough to write their own drivers for Linux.
Of course, some of the 90% is related to the fact that many manufacturers are afraid of Micro$oft, while others have NDA's regarding the hardware that makes it extremely difficult to write a GPL driver. Proprietary drivers I don't have a problem with, but many others, who use different flavors of Linux, do.
We're all rooting for our favorite flavor of Linux to knock down big, bad M$ several pegs, but I don't know if that will ever happen. I mean, face it......would you like to see a distro of Linux that was perfectly suited to the average brain-dead Windoze user? It almost wouldn't be Linux.
drjim
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One man's Magic is another man's Engineering. |
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TheGiant
Next Year Is Here.
join:2001-03-28
Augusta, GA
| reply to Coot
quote:
What do you think still needs to be done?
Must be able to by a computer with it pre-installed just like Windows. When the masses see the difference in price Computer X with Windows and Computer X with the Linux of there choice, it will take off. Lets see I can Save $200. Much easier than Dos and everyone was using it.
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DaveW$
The Sultan - Suleiman I
Premium
join:2000-12-30
Maryville, TN | reply to drjim
Good point drjim and one that is well taken. |
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The Deuce
join:2001-02-23
California
| reply to drjim
said by drjim:
would you like to see a distro of Linux that was perfectly suited to the average brain-dead Windoze user? It almost wouldn't be Linux.
This is what Corel tried to do, and they caught a lot of ridicule from the Linux community for it - unfairly so IMO.
It was still Debian 'under the hood', and you don't _have_ to run the GUI if you don't want to... |
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Hall
Premium,MVM
join:2000-04-28
Dayton, OH
 ·EarthLink
·AT&T Midwest
 ·Earthlink Cable Mo..
| reply to Coot
I voted for "Should Remain a Geek Domain". I hate to sound arrogant, but there's more to computers than point-clicky... You can't be afraid to use the command-line, but it seems that too many people are.
Example: I was talking to a "pc tech" here at work a while back (she's MCSE, etc, etc). Mentioned linux to her and she said that the "guys" in the dept play with it, but she doesn't. She said it's for "different" people (implying geeks, nerds, ???). Then, a few weeks ago, she had to take a linux box I had and set up Win9x on it. I watched her boot the PC with a bootdisk and stumble to get fdisk started. Once she did, she was lost !! Didn't have a clue what to do...
Also, people are way too dependent on Plug-n-Play. I've had great experience with Windows and *new* hardware. Just plug it in and it works. I can handle non-PnP hardware just fine too, especially if it has jumpers and *I* can decide what IRQ, IO, etc to use. But take a modem (not a winmodem) that's PnP and in Windows it's using IRQ 8, then people don't understand why linux can't "find" it without some help. "But it works fine in Windows...".
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-= Mindspring Max via Covad 1500/384 TeleSurfer Pro =- |
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TamaraB
Question The Current Paradigm
Premium
join:2000-11-08
Brooklyn NYC
·Verizon Online DSL
| You got my vote I agree!!!
If you make Linux "ready-for-the-masses" you have to dumb-it-down. The very nature of Nix Os's is their infinite configurability and flexibility, this flies in the face of point-and-click, which means "click on my limited choices".
If you need limited choice, easy, point-and-click; then stick to Micro$h|t. Don't ruin a fine OS, by limiting it's capability, or by emulating the worst OS on the planet!!
Bob
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Networking and Communications
Consulting since 1983
»www.blythe-systems.com |
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jhboricua
ExMod 2000-01
join:2000-06-06
Minneapolis, MN
clubs:
| reply to Hall
My transition to Linux would have been complete already if only there were a REAL alternative to Quicken on the Linux world. For me, that is the only thing missing. GNUcash is not good enough, I need to be able to do online banking transactions too. When that missing link is filled, then I can kiss Windows goodbye, well maybe not, I still want to play games, so I'll demote my Windows machine to the rank of "Super X-box rig".
If Linux is to become a serious contender in the desktop market, it can't ignore the millions of users that are not as computer savvy as the Linux geeks, that is a reality.
Someone mentioned change human nature itself and I agree. But it has to change on both sides, Linux and Windows community. Arrogance is not going to win users for Linux or convince people to try it. Perseverance will. I've seen a lot of people in the newsgroups just being plain rude to Linux newbies. How is that going to change the human nature? Granted, we should all RTFM, but we should realize also that not everything goes according to it.
Windows users should open their eyes to all that Linux offers. A OS that is not controlled by a single entity and thus not subject to its ridiculous license fees. Open Source rules, not only you get good solid apps, but they're dirt cheap, even free to use for the home user. And just the freedom of choice, something that DOESN'T EXISTS in the MS world, makes Linux worth learning and using.
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all statements made by me do not reflect the beliefs or opinions of my employer. |
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drjim
Premium,MVM
join:2000-06-13
Torrance, CA
clubs:
| reply to Hall
Yes, I see it where I work, too. Our IT Dept (M$ clones) doesn't really have a clue about "The Big Picture", and stumble around fdisking, formatting, and reinstalling when they hit a snag. All of them have various "Certificates", obtained by themselves at great expense, and all they learned was the party line. Sad. They show no creativity at all. We've finally completed swapping all our various flavors of *nix for Linux, and it makes it much easier to use, as those of us who interact with the boxen now only have to remember one command set. The IT Dept treats these boxen like they're an alien life form (a 'Cancer', maybe?), and won't get within ten feet of them.
It's actually refreshing to work with / use a box they haven't touched!
drjim
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One man's Magic is another man's Engineering. |
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astirusty
Premium
join:2000-12-23
Henderson, NV
·AT&T Southwest
| reply to Coot
said by Lone Gunman DSLR:
I guess I should have asked why. It seems so far that most people think it's 'Almost Ready'. What do you think still needs to be done?
Linux will take off when there are more Apps "Titles" available that people need, use & recognize. Some of the
hot games re-written for Linux would help. But still you need Apps that can R/W M$ files of the types Excel, Word, Power Point, etc. I gave StarOrfice a try and well, gave that up quickly. 
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My other computer writes/reads data @ 1GigaByte/sec. |
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Alnero
join:2001-02-15
Mount Vernon, WA
clubs:
| reply to jhboricua
said by jhboricua:
Windows users should open their eyes to all that Linux offers. A OS that is not controlled by a single entity and thus not subject to its ridiculous license fees. Open Source rules, not only you get good solid apps, but they're dirt cheap, even free to use for the home user. And just the freedom of choice, something that DOESN'T EXISTS in the MS world, makes Linux worth learning and using.
My flavor is FreeBSD, and it is controlled by a single entity, but I think that's why it's (in some ways) better than Linux, granted Linux has better SMP support (and that is why DSLR uses Linux) but FreeBSD handles some things faster, and more reliably, (I could be wrong). It's just that the FreeBSD project actually cares about putting out a quality product, even if it is free, where as M$ only cares about putting out the next "Killer App" weather it works or not, and charging up the nose for it... I say that free *NIX OS's are on their way to the desktop, and with OS/X on Mac computers, we'll see more and more *NIX compatible software that is easy and ready to Port to Linux/FreeBSD/etc.
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Here I sit, same as ever, took a dump, pulled the lever, the toilet clogged, umm the water flowed, look out world, it's a mother-load. "Beavis" |
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Anon | reply to jhboricua
Although I have only used RedHat based distro's (RH 7 and Mandrake 8) and poked through BSD a little bit, I must say LM8 is an outstanding end-user os. It's very n00bieish but has less bugs than RH7. I was shocked when even the bootup sequences in /etc/rc.d were displayed by a color gui.
As for who is suitable for the Linux OS, I think EFnet's #linux current topic describes it best: "Lazy? Don't like to read? Forget Linux"
Except that I think I'm pretty lazy =)
This link is about "Unix as Literature"
»www.sims.berkeley.edu/courses/is···011.html |
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Coot
Click To Undress
Premium
join:2001-02-10
Not Here
clubs:
| reply to Coot
My reason for starting this thread was to get as many opinions as possible on the matter. From the posts, it seems that the more knowledgeable of our esteemed members think it shouldn't be for mass distribution to people who aren't willing to put in the required reading and study to use it. I have to admit, that the poll results notwithstanding, you make a strong case.
I was actually hoping to hear something that would bear out the poll results. I want to get MS off of all the machines in the house, but it would appear that I'll be shoveling out the old moolah to MS, so that my wife can keep her windoze. I've tried to get her interested in at least looking at using Linux, but as soon as I start talking to her, the eyes glaze over and that's pretty much it.
Ah well, thanks to all who took time to post and also for all of your opinions.
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What is the definition of quality? |
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statemachine
Premium
join:2001-01-21
Si Valley
clubs:
| reply to Coot
Late to the mix...
It's a hardware problem. Let's face it, computers are too complicated for most people. They're like cars. You have learn how to use it, but that's still not a guarantee you'll understand how it works or how to fix anything. It doesn't even mean you'll know how to use it well.
Since a normal road car hasn't been invented yet that someone with no experience or training can drive, I doubt computers will achieve this either.
Besides, Linux and other Unix variants are customized dragsters built out of salvage yards compared to other operating systems which are dumbed-down street versions. The custom jobs just aren't for the masses. |
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drjim
Premium,MVM
join:2000-06-13
Torrance, CA
clubs: | reply to Coot
What distro are you trying to get to use? Some of them are pretty arcane.
Tried Mandrake? StarOffice? WordPerfect?
Just curious.
drjim
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One man's Magic is another man's Engineering. |
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Coot
Click To Undress
Premium
join:2001-02-10
Not Here
clubs:
| Mandrake with the Star Office is what I was trying to get her to look at. Personally, I think she just wants to be difficult. I want MS out of the house, and she sees no reason to change...windoze works for her, and that's all they use at work.
I was hoping to have the house converted over prior to XP becoming 'mature'. Her response is....well, that's probably best left to another thread 
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What is the definition of quality? |
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