[ubuntu-uk] Ubuntu/Linux is still not an OS for the masses - discuss

[John Matthews]

On 13/10/10 16:09, Alan Pope wrote:
> On 13 October 2010 14:54, John Matthews<jakewc2 at sky.com>  wrote:
>> On 13/10/10 13:49, Alan Pope wrote:
>>> It's easy if you know what you're doing. Same as rocket science or
>>> brain surgery. It's all about perspective. Many people who say 'ubuntu
>>> is easy' are almost always people who have had the pain of
>>> administering Windows systems for years and come to Ubuntu with that
>>> baggage. They probably find that Ubuntu fits their brain better and
>>> they feel at home with the way stuff works.
>>>
>> But that is what I mean, you have years of experience, and to you its
>> second nature. I have spent almost 4 years struggling to keep my Ubuntu
>> working. I never had problems like this on windows, I was even able to
>> help other people with windows problems.
> You're missing my point, and illustrating it perfectly. People seem to
> have an expectation that you should be able to install Ubuntu and it
> works out of the box with zero effort, zero learning and no issues
> whatsoever. That expectation isn't levelled at any other OS, so why
> Ubuntu?
>
> You probably haven't had many Windows operating system upgrades over
> the years either. We've released 2 versions a year since 2004.
>
> I bought a Mac for the first time last year having never owned one. It
> was a steep learning curve learning OSX, but I didn't complain that it
> was broken.
>
>> But at least, if there is a problem, somebody is there to help. You know
>> exactly what I mean there.
> Yes, there is someone there to take your money, delete viruses and
> reinstall the OS. There's very little else they help with. Ask them
> how to do mail-merge with Microsoft Word and Microsoft Access and see
> how far you get.
>
> If you have a problem with Windows you get help from a Windows expert
> (in this case Dixons).
>
> If you have a problem with Ubuntu, you get help from an Ubuntu expert.
>
> How is this different?
>
>>>> Windows as much as I hate it, is easier to set up than Ubuntu.
>>> I disagree. I recently installed Windows XP on my desktop computer for
>>> some light gaming. It took the best part of a day to get the OS and
>>> all the necessary patches and drivers located and installed. Some of
>>> the drivers are quite hard to find. The printer driver alone was
>>> hundreds of megs download. Even if I used the most up to date Windows
>>> 7 DVD it would still require significant pain to setup.
>>>
>>> With Ubuntu I put the CD in, ran the installer and all the updates and
>>> software I needed was done in an hour and two reboots.
>>>
>> That is you, you have the knowledge to deal with a problem, so it is
>> going to be easy for you, your not really a good example of somebody who
>> is new to Ubuntu.
> You missed my point. My point was that it is not "easy" to install
> Windows, and I've been doing it for years. It's tedious, painful and
> time consuming. Ubuntu installed on the same machine in a fraction of
> the time with no problems.
>
>>> I have had very few calls from my mum asking for help with her Ubuntu
>>> system. She uses the same kinds of apps most people do.
>> Sorry, but from somebody who has had to struggle since I installed this,
>> and still cannot get answers to problems I posted about years ago, such
>> as my network shares, video not working, and other minor things, I still
>> say sorry but that is wrong.
>>
> Please don't tell me my own experience is wrong. It's an indisputable
> fact that I have had less calls for help from my mum using Ubuntu than
> I have from my sister using XP.
>
> Al.
>

Yeh, but there you go, for you, its never a problem, so it shouldnt be a 
problem for anybody else. And as for getting help from Ubuntu, that isnt 
easy either, if it was, I still wouldnt have problems with my network 
shares and videos problems. I would be able to use my numbers at the 
side of the keyboard after asking for help. And I wouldnt be 
continuously reminded that you volunteer for help, and I shouldnt expect 
it. Which has been told be on quite a few occasions. So, you'll have to 
excuse me if I still say, I find windows easier, and most of the time, 
it work out of the box, far quicker than getting Ubuntu to work out of 
the box. That is coming form about 4 years of trying to get my Ubuntu to 
work properly. So sorry, its not about telling you your experience is 
wrong, its telling your my experience. And I wouldnt be told when trying 
to get help, buy a better computer. That isnt help.

John.

-- 
Ubuntu User #30817