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Why are people afraid of Linux?


hokah
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What an interesting thread this is :thumbs:

The attraction of Linux for me is being able to tailor the system to how I want it to run, not me running the system as someone else wants me to run it. It's also about choice and being an enthusiast not just a user. Whilst I do not consider myself a guru I do like getting in there and getting my hands dirty.

I think the fear of a system is the mis-information that has been rumoured around. Most users are just that 'users' not enthusiasts.

 

Sorry if I'm waffling. Keep the thread going it's the best thing I've read for some time.

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I am afraid of linux because penguins are scary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

:cheeky:

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"Why are people afraid of Linux?"

 

Because it have console.

Because it is different.

And because there are missing important programs for linux... there is no software for my GSM for linux os and thats why i have dual boot linux and windows on my PC.

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BeOS was (almost exclusively) aimed at multimedia authoring, still has a couple of reincarnations which are free/GPL, but it should be considered dead meat by now... it simply did not survive Microshaft's tight embrace.

I was kidding about BeOS, of course. I could change Linux with some BSD or OpenSolaris, but not BeOS.

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Some people are just scared of Linux because they think it's L33T and for H4X0RZ ... others just have known Windoze for all of their lives and pee their pants at the thought of having to try out something else ("learning Windows was hard enough"), still others think "well, everyone has Windows on their PC's, my boss, my neighbour and his dog, so it's probably easiest if I do too").

 

I think if you look at it that very FEW people are using Windows because they consciously made a choice and really think it is better.

Edited by Darkelve
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People don't use linux because most people don't want to have to learn something new, they did not want to learn to use windows either(in their rather limited capacity) they were forced too.

That is all.

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At the top of this thread hokah asked:

 

Is there any chance to make linux more user friendly, I understand that linux is stable and secure, but for home users we except something really easy in use. Mandriva is doing well but there is still a lot to do in shell when something is wrong.

 

My answer:

If you want things much easier you may want to try Xandros, but my 12 year old daughter grew out of that already and now prefers Mandriva. Mandy gives you so much options and there isn't really much that can "go so wrong" that you would really need a shell to fix.

Should you really do get an error message in Linux, its not meaningless like in WndBlows but is actually meant to be read!

 

If mdk goes wrong, booting the install-CD with "rescue + Enter" is one option. If that won't help, mdk even tells you what you can do. Another option:

 

If Mandriva automatically boots into a shell and you can not get it back to work, you can always type " mcc " into that same shell and there will be hardly anything that a newby can not fix easily on his or her own. Its all self-explainatory. So why the fuss?

 

Remember the frequent "blue screens" and useless nonsense error messages and constant reinstalls of Windblows?

Why, I even remember the product-authentication-numbers of my last three WindBlows versions to this day! So much about how often WindBlows needed reinstalling! In hindsight, I must have been an idiot because it was a waste of time and money using it in the first place!

 

No, hokah, Linux is different from WindBlows. Its not more difficult, just different. It will run and run and run till you forget how to fix it! But that's a different problem.

 

Helmut

Edited by Helmut
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I found moving to Linux painful for a number of reasons.

 

After a month trying to get wireless working with a Linksys board (which worked fine in Windows), I finally went out and bought a different board. Was able to get it going in about three hours. So, the new Linksys one is just gathering dust.

 

I've got 4 webcams, none of which I have been able to get working in Linux. I used to have two of them hooked up in Windows, and had images automatically uploaded to my website. Now I can't find any comparable software (webcam32). Of course, it doesn't matter much since I can't get the webcams to work anyway.

 

I'm afraid to get an expensive "critter cam" that I had planned on to watch all the beasties that visit my deck every night to eat the food left out for them. I'm just afraid that I'll end up with another expensive piece of unusable hardware. Of course, if I got the hardware working, finding software would be another immense task.

 

I do updates weekly, and sometimes stuff just stops working. USB recognition stopped one day and it took me a couple of weeks to get it resolved. It still isn't right, but at least I can plug in a digital cam and get pictures to upload by doing some stuff manually. After the original install it worked fine. Seems that one of the updates just broke it.

 

The last couple of updates prevented my system from booting into graphical mode after the following boot. I would have to do a startx, go into mcc, boot section (where everything looked right, but I hit the "ok" key anyway.) then exit out, and do another reboot. Thereafter everything works fine until the next update. This just started recently.

 

I'm a running freak, and used to be able to import my data from my gps watch and overlay the tracks on satellite (or other maps) images. Can't find anything to let me do something similar.

 

I am still glad I moved to Linux, but I was prepared for the downside. A newbie has to be aware that he/she might have to give up a lot. Much more time is required to try to keep the system running, as opposed to actually using it for something useful. Also, more bits of hardware end up having to be used for paper weights.

 

I think it is going to have to improve sometime in the future for its use to become more mainstream with the zillions of non-technical users. In the meantime, its growth in the desktop market will not be as great as it should be.

Edited by RVDowning
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No, hokah, Linux is different from WindBlows. Its not more difficult, just different. It will run and run and run till you forget how to fix it! But that's a different problem.

Indeed, it has been so long since i last had to use my root password i forgot it !!!

i was pulling my hair out for all of ten minutes before i remembered i had written it down in a notebook lol.

 

still, i can't remember my mobile phone number either (i never have to ring it) !

 

i am just a light user of computers now, email, browsing the web, and some simple games and i find linux works fine for me and nothing to be scared of at all.

 

stick in a cd and re-boot, follow the on screen instructions and 1 1/2 hours later i am all up and running.

everything is installed office apps, games, email / web.

 

and when i've tried that with microshaft winblows its a case of, install operating system, then install office, then seperately install individual apps for whatever i want to do (at a cost £), then i find out that my hardware is not direct x 9.0c compatible so i can't play latest games without buying a new graphics card / sound card etc etc.

 

to me windows is scary not linux.

and i don't use a cli (command line interface), i use only the gui (graphical user interface) for setup

 

so to say linux is scary, in my own opinion is total bunkum.

but i do understand how other people would think it, it is what they have become accustomed to, and that is "the microsoft way" :popcorn::evilbanana::puke:

regards

reb

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Just my 2 cents...

 

People own computer to use it. They come to a shop and see a choice of Windows computers, and they buy one of them and use it until it breaks. Most people don't even know of alternatives. In the city I live, you won't find Macs or Macs software in a department store, let alone Linux. For most people, a browser = IE, a computer = WinXP Home, a dvd player = Windows Media Player, etc, because this software comes installed. You own a car, do you think of replaicing the engine or suspension the next moment you have left the caryard? Let's rename this thread "Why are people afraid of putting a Ferrari engine in their Ford?" Disclamer: I have nothing against Ford.

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I think both cover up and rebel have a point here.

 

I had to install a WIN-XP box last week it was a nightmare.. I went home so angry and stressed because they say their programs are made to be easy to install, but they really are not that easy at all..

 

Yes you have a GUI, but anyone tried the help?

 

On a linux box i can look at the GUI's but if that does not help i can jump straight to a config file.

 

99% of config files have examples commented out. You just need to get in there and change the settings..

 

When you install linux (Mandriva), i do a base install then walk away while it does it, i dont have to keep pressing buttons. Then i come back and open it all up check the settings for the display and then open MCC and select all the programs i want, click click, Then walk away again.There are no stupid questions are you sure , where would you like what.

 

Run Update and that is it..

 

Then add printers, press test and your finished..

 

You tried to get all the updates for a windows box, you have to visit every website for the applications, Not a single button, or command on the console... but hundreds of clicks...

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