Re: [UUG/MLUG] getting Linux to the "million idiots"

["Jason McIntosh" <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

I'm very upbeat about linux as well.  Setting it up for use as a server.
However, it has been (in general, imho) not as easy to install and support
errors, devices, etc. inside of Linux as it has been with Windows.  It's a
whole different learning curve and style of OS, that most people are totally
unfamiliar with.  We're going to have to deal with that for a while.  Yes, a
computer illiterate person couldn't really tell the difference, but there's
a LOT of levels out there, from grade A Idjit, to half-way moronic user, and
depending on the level, they may have different abilities.  I personally
think that before Linux can be put on general desktop use, it needs a much
better installation program for programs downloaded/picked up from CD's, OS
installation, as well as a couple of other areas.  It's very nice in that it
doesn't crash, solid & robust, fast, etc.  But, it's the general users who
really matter, and if they can't use it with the same ability that they can
use Windows, there's a problem.  I don't mind recompiling source code, or
doing RPM installs, but people want a one click install that they don't have
to worry about, or the ability to just pop in a CD, and let it do all the
work for them.  Recompiling the kernal, compiling software that you want to
run, even if it's as simple as ./make, ./install is more than most people
want.  People (IMHO, all of this) want to be able to do everything by a
simple mouse click, have it work well, (not perfectly, or MS wouldn't even
be around right now), w/o having to worry about which version of glibc you
have.  I think Linux will eventually or can eventually reach that point
(HURRAY Corel, for their new system!!!), but I don't think it's quite there
yet.  You have to have someone who knows what they are doing to install
Linux, get it set up and working, before you can give it to the Mom's.
Right now, you can plug in a Windoze machine, turn it on, and be done with
it.  Pop in the CD's of the software you want to install, click install, and
be done with it.  Linux isn't there yet.  IMHO that is.
Jason
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Miller" <EMAIL:PROTECTED>
To: <EMAIL:PROTECTED>
Sent: Friday, December 10, 1999 3:15 PM
Subject: [UUG/MLUG] getting Linux to the "million idiots"


> On Fri, 10 Dec 1999, Jason McIntosh wrote:
>
> [snip]
> > I'm not complaining that Linux is getting all this attention, but I
> > think that in reality, as of right now there is this huge focus on it,
> > but people need to realize that it is still early in the phase of
> > development for a general, million idiot user release, imho that is.
> [snip]
>
>
> That's what everyone is saying, and there's plenty of truth to it.  It
> seems to me though that the million idiots don't really know how to use
> Win NT/95/98 OSs either.  One member of this list put Linux to the "mom
> test" (or something like that) -- a test to see if his computer-illiterate
> mom could run Linux instead of Win, and it turned out that she could, and
> it was easier for him because it didn't crash so often.  The so-called
> "million idiots" depend on other people (usually people like us) to tell
> them what to buy and to make things work for them.  This is very
> important.  If the more sophisticated users move to Linux, others will be
> forced to follow.  You can point and click just as well in Linux as in
> Win.
>
> Another big plus:  Linux and related programs are usually free.  So users
> don't have to pay for the software and they can afford to pay someone to
> make it work.  Linux afficionados are often deeply committed to promoting
> Linux, so they will do what it takes to get their friends using it.
>
> There are still many issues to deal with.  New software on CD will not
> always be available for Linux.  Users who want to use a lot of fancy
> devices with their computers might not be able to get those things working
> under Linux.  But many things are just as easy in Linux as in Win.
>
> So I do think Linux or similar OS will eventually dominate.  Sure it's
> just starting, but the pace of acceleration is huge.  I'm very upbeat
> about Linux.  Remember the book "Internet Snakeoil" from about 1995?
> What a joke!  Why did the author believe the internet wasn't going
> anywhere?  Because he liked the feel of the wooden card catalogues in the
> local library.  This got him on NPR and in all the newspapers.  This
> proves that someone will always take the losing side in any debate!
>
> Regards,
>
> Mike
>
> --
> Michael B. Miller
> University of Missouri--Columbia
> http://taxa.psyc.missouri.edu/~mbmiller/
>