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Thread ID: 54706	2005-02-20 00:12:00	Linux Now Easier To Use Than Windows?	vinref (6194)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
326593	2005-02-20 07:06:00	So much is a matter of what people are used to. There's heaps of windows users who will stick to windows because it is what they know, and they might find something new a bit strange and scary. Some with Mac users as well i assume. I'm now probably the same with Linux! :rolleyes: When ever i find myself on a windows machine, i find it odd. I go to do things and find XP has no idea of what i am trying to do. Under XP i select text, and then middle click, but the text fails to paste. One must select copy and then select paste.. to me this is tedious. When selecting files i sometimes look into a directory and select all the files within a rectangle i draw with the mouse. With FC3 (linux) all the files i draw around are highlighted and thus selected, but when i used a friends XP system, i went into the folder where a digicam had dumped its files and tried to select what i wanted. NOTHING happened! Having said that, i should balance things by saying i only needed to use my friends computer because his camera wasn't recognised by my linux laptop, although his scanner was. In summery, i think every system has its problems and drawbacks, as well as several advantages. Many people just stick to the devil they know, usually windows.	personthingy (1670)
326594	2005-02-20 07:27:00	My viewpoint was rather how easy it is for people to pick up the simplistic file structure of Windows . My Documents= Personal files . Under Linux /Documents or /Desktop, Both are in the users /home/specific_user files, and thus seperated from all other users, allthough if you didn't poke around, you wouldn't see that . My Computer>Drive icons /home is on my desktop for my stuff, and i can go back further and see all directorys in all drives if i wish, just not other users stuff . A= Floppy Forgotton what that was called . . don't have one now . D=CD I got an icon on my desktop thatsays CD-Rom (granted "writer" would be more acurate) C Drive> Program files,windows folder,User settings . /home/whatever for settings that are user specific /etc/whatever for settings that are program or system specific My point being that nothing here is harder, just different! :2cents:	personthingy (1670)
326595	2005-02-20 07:28:00	My viewpoint was rather how easy it is for people to pick up the simplistic file structure of Windows. As for Linux....well......If the Tech suport I have seen for users all over the net is indicative of what needs to be done to keep her sweet...... Agreed Agreed Agreed. Jack	JJJJJ (528)
326596	2005-02-20 07:43:00	IBM puts cash behind Linux push news.bbc.co.uk	Sue (33)
326597	2005-02-20 08:11:00	I gave up eventually with Xandros version 2, because there was no driver or software for my newly aquired Canon printer/copier/scanner, no driver or software for my Logitech webcam, no surround sound software for my soundcard, and the sound quality was very poor as well. I couldnt listen to Live365, and it was an absolute pain in the bum trying to configure things just in order to load what should be simple programs, which, in DOS or Windows would just mean running the .exe. So, I'm still waiting for it to become as simple as Windows and do ALL the things that windows can do. I concede that if all one wants to do is surf, email, and use an Office program, then Linux will do that just as easily as Windows.	Terry Porritt (14)
326598	2005-02-20 09:07:00	I gave up eventually with Xandros version 2, because there was no driver or software for my newly aquired Canon printer/copier/scanner, no driver or software for my Logitech webcam, no surround sound software for my soundcard, and the sound quality was very poor as well. I couldnt listen to Live365, and it was an absolute pain in the bum trying to configure things just in order to load what should be simple programs, which, in DOS or Windows would just mean running the .exe. So, I'm still waiting for it to become as simple as Windows and do ALL the things that windows can do. I concede that if all one wants to do is surf, email, and use an Office program, then Linux will do that just as easily as Windows. Well, my experience of Xandros v2 and now v3 is different from yours Terry. It networks like a dream (far better and simpler than XP), and it was a breeze to install from scratch, and to upgrade to v3. The only thing I couldn't get to work with v2 was wireless networking because there was no driver available then. That was fixed with v3, which recognised the wireless network adapter immediately on first boot with v3, and all I had to do was enter the WEP key (as you have to do with Doze). Xandros works with my HP Deskjet 6110 all in one, and my HP Laserjet 2300d. I haven't tried it with my Olympus 5050Z digicam yet, but don't see any reason why not. And in response to an earlier poster who said that it was important to be able to use Microsoft Office, you can do so with the Xandros Deluxe edition because it comes with Crossover Office which will run many native Windows apps. Personally, I am more than happy to run Xandros clean (ie no Microsoft products) so I have installed both OpenOffice and StarOffice to see which I prefer. At present the narrow leader is OpenOffice, to the extent that I wonder why I bothered shelling out the dinero to buy StarOffice. And now you can use Firefox with Xandros as well. :D I acknowledge that sometimes I get totally lost when trying to install apps, but mostly you can install via Xandros Networks, and it does it automatically. I am not saying that Linux is perfect, and that I am right and Terry is wrong - I just wanted to give another side to the story. Oh, and I don't find the Linux file structure at all confusing, even though when it comes to computers I am a klutz. I started out on Macs and used them for quite a few years and then found the Windows experience (starting with Win 95) a nightmare after the Mac. I still think that Doze is inferior to MacOS, but that is another story. The rate at which Linux has developed to become more user friendly in just the short time I have been using it suggests that it will shortly be available in flavours for all sorts of computer users. :D	John H (8)
326599	2005-02-20 09:24:00	well....being the open minded chap that I am :D , I'm thinking of throwing another HD into the old girl and installing Linux again....Wonder what distro's Chilli has on hand that he can recomend.... And I supose Via have linux drivers available? Google shall enlighten me no doubt.	Metla (12)
326600	2005-02-20 10:35:00	That all depends on what you're after from an OS Metla. This is why (Coming from probably the most fanatical linux user on the forum) I can honestly say that its just not right for everybody on the planet to be running Linux! Of course Via have Linux drivers. I just purchased a USB2.0 PCI Card for my Desktop PC because it only has USB1.1 and its dreadfully slow :( Shutdown my PC (first time in about 18 days), put it in along with another 80GB HDD and powered on. No fumbling with a Driver CD, Windows Updates online for newer drivers, restarting after it thinks its figured out the hardware.... Just power on, format the HDD, mount it for use (Transparently replacing /home) and plug in my External HDD.. Im away laughing over why people think that _every_ piece of hardware is going to be a dread. Did I research the hardware? No Did I care what I was buying? As long as its the cheapest one at QMB... No Did I have more troubles than if I were a Windows user? Id say less Is this going to be the same for every piece of hardware, or every end-user? Certainly not. Personally though, it seems a much more logical file-system heirachy than Windows. Why on earth would you call a Hard Drive C: ?! Why "My Documents" when its go "My Music" "My Pictures" etc within it. "Documents and Settings" is the windows version of Linux "/home" which seems just as logical place for your documents and settings. Home sweet home.... Ah well... Linux viruses & exploits? Sure there are a minority few out there, but Im yet to see one near any of my PC's. Perhaps as programmers become more slack about what code they put in to linux-based apps?! If you do the odd bit of solitaire, surfing, and precious little else (As my family do) then its not likely to matter what you use. They ran Firefox & Thunderbird in XP, so when it went bust about 3 weeks back and I couldnt figure out why.. I just threw Xandros on another partition and they're happy. Firefox/Thunderbird, MS Office (under cxoffice), much much more games & things for the family to use on a daily basis (typing tutors, mind games etc all come with it), so they honestly dont mind. YMMV of course, and each to their own. I know I couldnt run Gentoo at work (Although I'd love to, with a 3.2Ghz P4, 1GB Ram... Yummy!) I doubt that Peoplesofts CAMS would work under Linux. Now whilst linux has a way to go for application installation (Although nothing is easier than Synaptic/guitoo, regardless of OS) and hardware support, windows also has a way to go for security and outright system breakdowns! I think the point appears proven from previous posts that (mostly) Microsoft have spread enough FUD into the lives of (somewhat) dedicated Windows Users enough to prevent them even considering an otherwise viable alternative for those who just arent happy. Its not "unusable" or "strange", just not a Windows Clone like some people seem to expect. All I can say is that with the functionality, and accesibility of my current setup - There's no way I could ever go back to being a Windows user! What is a dead simple task of me SSH'ing into my home PC, tunneling port 5901 from my desktop to my server through my work firewall to my work PC, then VNC'ing into my home Desktop... Is a downright three-month-long (And still counting) task for my workmate. Took me all of 10 minutes to sort out. So again... Its not that its unusable, or strange, or worse in every way, nor better in every way... Just different. Coke Cola or Sprite anybody?! Chill.	Chilling_Silence (9)
326601	2005-02-20 10:50:00	What am I after for an OS? Well.....XP is already stable as a rock, Has billions of excellent programs that run natively on them...infact designed purely for the OS and the hardware. So, I would be after a Linux distro purely for novelty and due to my interest in all different platforms, However, The requirements would be that it wasn't in a beta release, That it was NOT chocked to the gills with 4378902 versions of slightly different apps, has Mp3 support off the bat, And that it has its own identity, Rather then being a Windows Clone. It must also be supplied with a Gnome to sit beside me on the floor and point out my folly. Linux does come with a Gnome does it not? Muhahahahahahaha. Not interested in emulation software either, Linux must be able to stand on its own 3 feet.	Metla (12)
326602	2005-02-20 11:38:00	May as well give Fedora Core 3 a run then.... While Gentoo isnt difficult to install, for somebody who may have been heavily influenced by MS FUD campaign, it may seem a little daunting. Take a bit of time to get to know Fedora... Install an extra package or two and it'll be your best friend! Jen has a really nice Walk-Thru IIRC which guides through installing mplayer and a couple of other items with ease. Ark is alpha, so out of the question Xandros is a Doze look-alike I dont like SuSE or Mandrake, neither have been stable enough for my likings (With older versions, this may have changed) Debian seems too much like a Gentoo installation Knoppix is Live and comes with 3 of everything Yoper perhaps, but its not as stable as Fedora as its more 'bleeding-edge' Slackware might be a good idea, the latest Slackware has just been recently released.... Its installation is nothing pretty admittedly Realistically, I'll be honest and say that Desktop Linux sucks, and there's nothing out there that does all that it should (or at least that I want it too). Perhaps one day I'll remaster Knoppix and make it do what I like, but until then..... Regards Chill.	Chilling_Silence (9)
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