OS differences (Was: Re: My experience with Ubuntu...not great)

[bwright]

In my opinion I think Ubuntu and indeed all Linux distributions are a
little bit of a culture shock for people whom are used to being given
software from a proprietary organization such as Microsoft or
Macintosh. Avoid the technical details between the systems I think
it's important to new realize that by using Ubuntu you are part of the
Ubuntu community, how active you are within it is completely up to
you. But since the entire project is community driven you have to give
some leeway to developers and community member's with the overwhelming
majority doing the work for nothing. I think it's quite outstanding
what distributions such as Ubuntu have achieved both in technical and
communal areas. If you are unsatisfied with it that is fine that is
how progress happens report what you don't like in a sensible manner
and we can help sort out your problems, whether that be a need for
technical change or perhaps some links to educational material. Anyway
I hope you choose to stick with Ubuntu it can be a little hard at
first but after a while I can assure you, you will want to stay.
George Patterson wrote:
> 2009/11/9 Daniel Mons <daniel.mons at iinet.net.au>:
> > Microbe wrote:
> >> I have no problem with Ubuntu or Linux as such, my issue was that
> >> Ubuntu in particular is being touted as a windows replacement.
> >
> > By whom?
> >
>
> Good question...
>
> > Ubuntu is not designed to "replace Windows".  No Linux distribution is.
> >  I think you'll find that when it comes to development of Linux, the
> > people actually writing the code generally aren't doing it to replace
> > some other bit of software, but rather just because they are interested
> > in developing their own system for their own needs.
> >
>
> The often touted "Year of the Linux desktop" is not the right phrase
> as it depends on who's desktop are we talking about. In the past I
> have been involved with a non-profit organisation that refurbished
> computers and gave them to consession card holders and those that
> could not afford them.
>
> Linux desktop for
> - Technical Support Help Line:  possibly if they also have access to a
> Windows machine for replicating faults.
> - Accounts department in a largish company:  only if they can get
> obtain accounting software that complies with the taxation laws.
> - The CEO - Unless demanded, I'd say heck no as a new tools and
> workflow needs to be learned.
>
> We noted that those that would accept the Linux desktop the quickest
> were those that had not used a computer before. It partly comes down
> to preconceptions of where something can be found and how do do
> something. Some things are too hard, different to what you have learnt
> before or back to front from you knew from before.
>
> Part of the exercise of learning a new OS (or even differences between
> distributions) is putting aside some of what you learned before and
> learning with a new slate of curiosity. I find that it can be helpful
> to have a table of common tasks and the steps required or the location
> in the GUI.
>
> Certainly if something is broken, then report it on Launchpad. If
> something could be better documented, edit the wiki or blog about it.
> With any system sometimes the worst people to ask for documentation
> are the developers themselves as they are seeing the system from the
> code perspective and not the ends users.
>
> Regards
>
>
> George
>
> --
> ubuntu-au mailing list
> ubuntu-au at lists.ubuntu.com
> https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-au