[Lvlug] Here is a Forbes story on Linux

[stuart@boreens.net]

On Fri, 31 May 2002, dann wrote

> 
> Is this the article you are referring too?

Yes

> 
>
http://biz.yahoo.com/fo/020523/linux_gets_friendlier_1.html
> 
> 
> 
> I read this article last week when it was posted on
Newsforge.  
> 
> He makes a valid point in that Linux is more
difficult for uneducated
> people.  Although, there is much refutation in the
posted comments.
>

Most people have 6 or 7 years with Win95 and later.
If they had 7 years with Red Hat or Slackware they'd be
finding it less difficult to use. Remember you have to
learn to push the "Start" button to stop your computer
in Windows
 
> I rarely read Forbes, or other business magazines. 
I'm curious, do they
> review installations of other OS's?  Unless you are
more technically
> inclined or work with computers, most people do not
install their own OS. 

100% correct!
Try to get someone to install Windows to an existing
Linux box and make it dual boot! 
Yet this is what people complain about when they say
Linux is hard to install. I find Linux is easier to
install than Windows these days. There certainly is a
lot less rebooting by the time all the security patches
are installed.

> They get a computer with it already installed.  A lot
of those who do have
> problems regardless of the OS and either seek
professional help or trudge
> their way through the mess.
> 
> I figure the target audience for Forbes would be
managerial, ceo,
> entrepeneurs (it's late so my spelling will be off),
etc.  Do these people
> really spend time installing Operating Systems or
even know how any OS
> works beyond the window dressing?  At least where I
work, those who begin
> messing with their system inevitable create a big
mess that we have to
> clean up.  So, an article like this I feel is off the
mark completely.  
> 

Someone at work messed up our Win ME installation so
bad it would only run in safe mode or VGA graphics.
Even reinstalling all drivers wouldn't work so I had to
reinstall the OS. That didn't work, so I had to wipe
the disk and do a fresh install which did work.
I can't imagine a Linux installation getting that bad!



> Furthermore, if I was running a business, I would not
want joe-shmoe
> slapping together a computer for me to use.  I'd want
a professional to do
> it right.  
> 
> I could go on about vendor support and forced support
by MS, but I won't. 
> We've already been down that road too many times.
> 
> Sit a windows users down and tell them to install a
printer on a Mac and
> they'd be lost.  Same thing vice-a-versa.  So why
should anyone expect
> Linux to be easier?  
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Daniel S. Washko
> Lehigh Valley Linux Users Group
> www.thelinuxlink.net/lvlinux
> get slack (www.slackware.com ) and get happy
> 
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