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General Software Discussion / Re: Which Linux For Non-Techie Windows Users?
« Last post by MilesAhead on February 25, 2010, 04:16 PM »I agree if you're a programmer there's all kinds of freebies on Linux that I wouldn't imagine getting(at least at the time) under Windows. Stuff like working CORBA implementations with test apps. I think the build ran overnight to compile all the little CORBA test apps on my 486 back in the '90s.
I just think the "easy for Windows newbs" is pulling in the opposite direction. It's like trying to interest people in jazz by playing elevator music. Yeah, it's instrumental but people walk away with a totally distorted idea if they think that crap is jazz.
Slackware was way frustrating, but even though I never got to guru level, after messing with it, if I did an easier to handle distro, like Mandrake, when the little applet didn't work I could usually mess around below the /etc directory and remember which script I had to fix.
I guess it may be an inexpensive solution for a work setup where all you do is allow people to log on and run the word processor or other app to do their work and you don't let them mess with the core of the install. For people to voluntarily mess with it though, I think they need some interest in system configuration and at least a bit of script programming.
Of course there's always the "this app we have to use is on this system and not on that" reason for using an OS. But for the home user I don't know why they would really want to get into all the nitty gritty. Not unless you sat the guy down and said "this is computing!" and let him have at it. Don't tell him there's any other universe.
I just think the "easy for Windows newbs" is pulling in the opposite direction. It's like trying to interest people in jazz by playing elevator music. Yeah, it's instrumental but people walk away with a totally distorted idea if they think that crap is jazz.
Slackware was way frustrating, but even though I never got to guru level, after messing with it, if I did an easier to handle distro, like Mandrake, when the little applet didn't work I could usually mess around below the /etc directory and remember which script I had to fix.
I guess it may be an inexpensive solution for a work setup where all you do is allow people to log on and run the word processor or other app to do their work and you don't let them mess with the core of the install. For people to voluntarily mess with it though, I think they need some interest in system configuration and at least a bit of script programming.
Of course there's always the "this app we have to use is on this system and not on that" reason for using an OS. But for the home user I don't know why they would really want to get into all the nitty gritty. Not unless you sat the guy down and said "this is computing!" and let him have at it. Don't tell him there's any other universe.
