Linux Challenge.... !

Debian Live is my favourite

you could tell them what the advantages are of having a Linux computer..

I have a dual boot XP and ubuntu 9.10. I can do anything easier on XP than Karmic. I have learned to use some of the pre-installed programs like listening to streaming radio but needed help. I tried getting sea monkey browser from ubuntu software center. First window advises to upgrade. . That's where the fun began. I managed to get a folder on my desktop but no icon to open the browser. In XP its much simpler to update. Ubuntu is NOT easy! Of course, I am 69 yrs old so a 10 yr old would probably find it easier. LOL ANYWAY..the price is right and I know if XP gets corrupted (lost my XP disk ) I still can get my email and surf the web with Ubuntu. Dan

My main advantage is that you don't always need to reboot after updates.. You usually only need to update after kernel upgrades. It runs better on older computers -- Meaning you don't need to have fast computers.

Graphically, I find Ubuntu is much more capable of displaying better visuals (i.e. via compiz engine).

I find, personally, Ubuntu to be more polished, and more stable than Windows (Vista, anyways..) Since Ubuntu doesn't use a lot of resources compared to Windows you can utilise your computer's hardware a little more.

Ubuntu is a small learning curve -- As is anything new you're learning. It took me a few days to get used to it, but then again when I was learning it I went straight to the command line... so updating became very easy and efficient (as were installing, removing, etc).

Give their computer a very visiblie virus and tell them that it got into their computer through a vulnerability in Windows, even though you've got a firewall. It worked for my family.

(although, actually, they did get a virus, I can't explain exactly how it got in considering that my network is firewalled and there were no odd programs downloaded. I spent hours finding a way to remove this resiliant virus and in the end my family asked me to install Ubuntu).

Average illiterate use.
For using a PC? Yes. The human animal learns from mimicry. If the person can read, they will find what they are looking for. Scratch this doubt out.
Run XP to surf google? If the person can turn on a switch and read, and ask questions, then the answer is , "Yes," once again.
Formulate a question? See the above answers. Very few animals with sight are not able to differentiate between mass, number, and appearance.
Run Out-of-the-box Knoppix? can they read, write, ask questions? probably. Can they use some other means such as phone or cell phone to contact a friend who could help them? Sure.
Could the average person with average intelligence from 4 to 124 runa computer given the right circumstances? Yes.

Do you know what you are talking about? No.

10 yr old calls his buddy (after he downloads an iso file and burns it to a CD) and says "hey Joey, what's the difference between knoppix desktop=fluxbox|gnome|icewm and knoppix desktop=kde|lg3d|larswm? do you think i should try knoppix xmodule=ati|fbdev|i810|mga instead of knoppix xmodule=nv|radeon|savage|s3?"

or "do you think xmodule=ati|radeon|fbdev|vesa|savage|s3|nv|i810|mga|svga|tseng will help?"

can you imagine the uproar if M'soft were to give a list of 50 licence keys with every OS install disc and say "here, one of these will get you up and running"

fact: it's not user friendly (even to someone who remembers the difference between cd.. and cd\)

,.

At 10, I was reading Morte de Arthur, beowulf, studying typhoid mary and gynecology.

You must have been in the remedial classes.

#At 10, I was....studying typhoid mary and gynecology.#


,.

At 6 my sister became Linux user, at 4 Linux was still too hard to use.

You failed health class, didn't you?

Some people has more abilities than others, but some people does not like/refuse/or feels intimidating from learning a new trick or just does not like to feel "illiterate" when using a system.

The point that I am making is that we are used to one way and when some different comes in, is all the sudden difficult to learn.

I still saying, Linux is easy but people seems to approach it like a MS system.

to learn how to use as Windows. I updated to 9.10. In Ubuntu software center they have an older version of the Seamonkey browser. I like Seamonkey. When I open the browser the first window tells me to update to V 2.0 with a linux link.I downloaded it. Trying to follow the instructions I wind up with a folder in MY documents. No way does it lead me how to get new version. In Windows its very simple. Set up and install. Now if the Update manager would update it, That would be simple. Dan

See my post Dan. You are the average computer user.

The fact is that installing software on Ubuntu is much easier than any version of Windows. You can download the new version of seamonkey and install it manually, or setup the mozilla repository and it will update automatically every time.

Look, this took me 5 seconds to find:

http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/ubuntuzilla/index.php?title=Main_Page#Repository_method

Add the repository/follow the instructions and you are done.

To install a windows program I dont have to type anything! I just use the mouse to click my way to install the program. I found that site also. LOL That is too funny if you think doing all that is as easy as installing a program in windows. As far reinstalling windows, I have never had to do that in 5 years. Also, the XP OS on this computer is much faster than the Ubuntu 9.10. That might be because I use Sea monkey on XP and FireFox on Ubuntu as far as browsing goes. But even just working with installed programs XP is faster. Having said all that, the price is right and it's something to play with for now. Maybe with future upgrades it might be useable. Dan

And what you do with 16 digit-letter cd-key of your favorite windows program? You do not have to type it? And how you find that windows program on net without typing? And what you do with license of you windows program?: you have to read it carefully!

Linux program install is 10 times easier for sure.

If Ubuntu is slow for you try Xubuntu it is more specialized for ~10 years old PC.

ONLY in Linux you can find, download and install program you need without typing at all.

I can go to download.com on this very site and type in one or two words to find the program I want. After that it is nothing but mouse clicks. So you understand, I'm not talking about programs in the ubuntu software center. I'm talking about the example I used in getting a newer version of Seamonkey. Much easier in XP. Dan

sudo apt-get install seamonkey
and press enter done no mouse clicks at all!
No need to open browser and go to web page no need to open file manager and enter download folder.

Other way is synaptic package manager and it also allows to install program 3-10 times simpler and faster than on windows. Look here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lr9pb14sD2E
Maybe you missed it somehow?

Older version of Seamonkey. I did that already. I'd like to update to Seamonkey 2.0 . Not too easy. Dan

One downfall in the Linux world is that a lot of developers has their views on how is supposed to work, so they add their little twist to it.

That is why a RPM from Red Hat might not work on Mandriva RPM system. Some Application Developers try to cater to the Major Distros, so I do really recommend to use their repositories.

Then it is simply small bug. Repos missed update. Add to lauchpad and you get new version automatically when it is ready.
--
And R., IMO it is very good that Linux do not have uberfiurer.

Yeah I've tried Linux by virtualizing it. Works great. When it comes to dual-booting it with Windows, disappoints me. So, the so-called latest version of Ubuntu, Karmic Koala has a very uncustomizable GRUB!!!
So now I'm stuck with Karmic Koala running virtualized along with resource-intensive Vista. Oh...

Dan,

You are less than the average user, my mistake. As i said you can download seamonkey and install it manually just like you would do in Windows, but i guess you missed that part. Download and install the file is the same in any OS.

that is the same I'm glad I'm not an average user. But I know what is easier doing and what is not, being I have both OS's on my computer which I happened to install myself(wow-I got lucky there I guess ) and do not have any of the problems that average users (according to launchpad forums) have. Dan

Form millions of users thousands encounter real problems and almost all those problems are related to few, evil hardware manufacturers. They hide important information from Linux developers so Linux developers can not make drivers for that hardware and hardware manufacturers themselves make drivers only for win.

Here is how it goes...

In the Windows world you pop a CD/DVD and will prompt with some kind of guidance and off you go. Or just fetch some EXE file from the web (hoping is not tainted!) download and double click and off you go.

On Linux there are 2 major way...
The Hard Way
and
The Easy Way.

People chooses the Hard Way since all MS users uses the same concept that is, fetch some on the web, download and install or be handed down on a disk.

The Easy Way is the way of Repositories. All you need is a good Network Connection and a good set of Repositories.

For Example, on the iPhone you have an Application Store (Apps Store) that you download and/or buy all sorts of goodies.

Linux is the same way...

Lets use Mandriva as an Example...

It has some called the MCC (Mandriva Control Center)that has a tab for Add and Remove software. By default is the Installation DVD. You can edit that by just choosing Remove (I will get to that later).

The system, will prompt you to set the Repositories once is up and running, or... Choose the one that you wish.

The one that I use is a web site called Easy URPMI ( http://easyurpmi.zarb.org/ ) It has a wizard for you to follow. At the end, will spit out a paragraph with some for you to type. You can do a copy and paste, open the console, run it as " su " (admin mode) and past it, hit enter and off you go and is a done deal, never seen it again.

Now, how do you Add/Remove Software, CODECs, Updates and so on?

Is like an iPhone Apps Store, go to the MCC and choose Add/Remove Software. In the search button you choose what you want to search for. Can not find it? Click on the Binoculars and choose descriptions, names or whatever you think you know what is. Search again, place a Green Check Mark and click Apply (you can choose more than one) and off you go!

Now, How cool is that?

On Linspire (formerly know as Lindows) it had and App store called Click-N-Run same concept.