A New User Experience

[Andrew Price]

I guess this little new user account is exemplary of the kind of 
situations in which new users who have no knowledge of Linux 
administration can be put off using Linux altogether. Maybe it will help 
to remind us of the challenges we face in order to patch bug #1. Here's 
the tale:

Due to Windows 98 support being discontinued, my brother-in-law has 
recently been trying to switch to using Linux. Since I'm a keen Ubuntu 
user and I've even got my mother using Ubuntu quite comfortably (dual 
booting windows for when she gets annoyed with trying to print on Linux) 
back at home, he thought he would give it a try too.

As far as I know, my brother-in-law has managed to get Ubuntu installed 
and up and running, but without an internet connection. Yesterday 
evening he sent me a text message saying, "Need help with Linux. Trying 
to install adsl modem" which I didn't have the time to reply to last night.

He obviously didn't get very far with it since then because tonight I 
received another message with a couple more details from him saying, 
"Trying to set up sagem modem in ubuntu. Can't get terminal into session 
root. Asking for password." So I replied to this one explaining about 
how to run programs as root in a terminal on Ubuntu. Unfortunately SMS 
isn't the most wonderful way to act as Ubuntu help desk but alas, I had 
no other option.

The next reply that I received left me grumbling a bit: "Trying Suse 
10.1 now. Given up on Ubuntu." Well, I'm happy that he's sticking with 
trying the FOSS solution for now, but the fact that he was put off 
Ubuntu after a very short amount of time, and because of a problem that 
probably exists on a lot of other Linux distros too, leaves me a bit 
frustrated.

So, I guess that's where it ends. Instead of replying saying that he 
should stick with Ubuntu and learn more about it, I asked him to send me 
an e-mail (once he finally gets on-line) detailing why he gave up on 
Ubuntu specifically. If he does that, I'll post it on this thread.

What's missing from Ubuntu that would have let my brother-in-law install 
his modem and become just as keen a Ubuntu user as I am instead of 
giving up on it?

--
Andy Price
http://andrewprice.me.uk