- Most basic computer users want to have the same 'environment' like the 'guy next door'. If they need help, they can ask others for help.
Looking over what you just wrote... dont you feel like you're the reason that MS can make bad software and just get away with it? So you're basically saying that all people should have the same OS, no matter how good or how bad? I mean, man up and be willing to make a change for the better. Oh, and about everyone having it so you can "ask your neighbor for help"... How many of your neighbors have a clue in the slightest how to do even basic things like remove a couple of infections in Windows or reinstall the OS? I'd assume not many because I have an insane amount of people that pay me a lot of money to install things like drivers, OS', and NIC cards in Windows. A big difference between MS and Linux is that with MS, if you get it "properly set up," there is still a big chance it will break (
see: registry
) where in Linux, if your system is set up right, it will keep on running for years without an issue.
- To be honest: Installations in Linux are harder to perform, than in Windows or Mac OS. The command prompt is necccesary to use in most cases. Installing a driver is more difficult. You can't just select an INF file in device manager. You'll need to compile it or use an installation wizard by command.
You really think its harder? And you've done both a Mac and Windows installation? I'd say they're all pretty similar in terms of difficulty, and as of Vista, the installers are all equally "pretty". On any of the three, you can more or less press next, next next, finish and be done with it. Linux just
offers you more options. That doesn't mean you have to take them up on it. And just like AT said, you have the choice of what's on and not on your system from the get go.
- The interface is different. No Start button, different location of buttons and different procedures, like shutting down or installing software.
Once again, I dont quite follow where you're getting this from. If you're referring to the difference between the GUI's of Gnome, KDE, Enlightenment, XFCE, etc then well... duh. But every KDE interface I've seen has had it in the lower left by default and then you click logout and shut down to power the computer off. You are able to change it, but that's no fault of KDE. And of course all the GUI's are different, they are meant to be different and give users a different look and feel. But I will give you a little when it comes to a few of the additional configurations.
Some drivers can be difficult to install for a Windows user, and the installation method varies a bit with different drivers. Although to be fair, when vendors support Linux officially it becomes loads easier if not supported out of the "box". Once again, if set up properly the first time, none of this is an issue as it will "just work" for years. Like I said before, I get about 20 people in eight hours asking me to install RAM, drivers, games, other misc software at between 30 and 60 dollars each. They dont have a clue how to do these simple things. I am not exaggerating. I've told them how and they get overwhelmed and ask me to "do it anyways." I should also mention that I've seen drivers just stop working in Vista several times a day where it just needs to reinstall itself (namely sound, networking, and cdroms). Users cannot figure this out and pay me 30 dollars to fix it for them.
Moderate and Expert computer users won't have a problem with the above challenges, but basic computer users do. But if someone wants to switch to Linux, it's best to start with Ubuntu or Mint Linux, instead of the more difficult distros like Debian and SUSE.
Actually, it'd be best if they started with something not as broken, like debian and just had it configured before they get a hold of it. If they are a power user, they should opt to build it themselves, but then again at that point they shouldn't have a problem figuring it out themselves.
