Anitra's Journal: Linux & the general public.

Oops. I meant to include this link (usability study on seniors) in this comment (about Linux in schools).

Don't get me wrong; I like Linux. But a system is not appropriate for the general public if they can't use it without looking at the guts of it. And from what I've seen of Linux, that just doesn't happen.

I guess if the environment is similar to that of our campus Unix system, where you can only make changes to the files & directories in your home directory, THEN it might be usable to the general public. But in a home setting, where you would like to install more software, etc., it won't work. Hell, I've never installed Linux without help.. and only one or two Unix programs/applications without help.

I like Linux... and it may be ready for business use. But it's not ready for casual home use yet. For that to happen, there needs to be a greater level of abstraction between the OS and the user.

Okay

[jawtheshark]

You are right. Usability is not Linux stongest point. Windows however is not the pinnacle of usability either. My mom, who is 52 (not yet a "senior") uses our family computer for email and online banking. However, I think she has a lot of trouble understanding how it works. Confusing double-clicks, single-clicks, right-clicks, where to find programs, heck even navigating in text entry fields is a huge problem. The difference between a mouse cursor, keyboard cursor, focus of windows (and MDI trouble). That machine is running Windows 2000.

My mom is not stupid if you think that, she has gone to college studying Chemistry back in the day. If I'd be installing Linux on that machine, I don't expect her to have less or more problems: just the same amount. So it isn't necessary a usability problem, but the inherent problem of older people learning new things.

As for myself, I converted from Windows 2000 to Mac OS X as main platform beginning last year. You think I did not have any problems? Sure I did, because I knew nothing about Macs and their interface. I still learn new stuff about the interface every day.

Finally, with your low user-id, I just cannot believe you cannot install Linux without help. I do and I'm into Linux/BSD (more BSD than Linux) since beginning 2000. I *never* needed help. Of course, I use slackware and derivates which requires me to compile stuff and know what I do. That's how I like it. I installed Lycoris for a friend once, and I have to admit I had much more problems trying to figure out RPM's. As for installing stuff, nothing beats the Mac OS X way: just drag stuff in the Application folder. Installers typically confuse newbies (What directory? Typical/Custom/Mimimum? Will it work if I don't place an icon on my desktop, etc...)

Re:Okay

[Anitra]

I don't expect her to have less or more problems [on Linux than on Windows]: just the same amount. So it isn't necessary a usability problem, but the inherent problem of older people learning new things.

Just because Linux has the same amount of problems as Windows, doesn't mean it's not a usability problem. It just means BOTH of them have usability problems. ;) Personally, I do find Windows and Linux about equal in their un-intuitiveness - and I'd consider myself an average *nix user (i.e. mostly simple tasks, usually nothing more complex than using sed).

Everyone's also going to have a few issues switching to a new system - I don't deny that.

Finally, with your low user-id, I just cannot believe you cannot install Linux without help.

Believe it. Of course, I haven't tried in the past year or two - I've heard some of the distros have nicer installers now. I also haven't had the time/inclination to figure out how back up my drive and partition it since I got my first PC 1.5 years ago. All my experience prior to that was through installing (the few available) distros of Linux on my iMac (yes, it was blueberry).

A year ago, I received a new iBook with Mac OS X - it quickly became my OS of choice: the simplicity of its GUI and menus, combined with the freedom and power of the command line.

Re:Okay

[jawtheshark]

Sorry, for assuming you were a Windows user. Glad to see that some people "see the light" of Mac OS X.

Of course eveyone has problems switching. That problem is that most people are not willing to do that effort. I myself am no KDE or Gnome user. I personally prefer WindowMaker. Yes, switching from Windows to WindowMaker wasn't easy either. Of course then I like to learn new things, so I'm not really the target.

Linux isn't that hard to install, really. Nowadays it's really pop-in the CD and get an install. It's not the way I like it, but for people that don't want to learn about Linux it's ideal. Of course, I've been into PC's since 1989, so I might be a bit biased. Last Linux distro I used was Slackware 8 and I didn't have any problems. Debian on the other hand I've never managed.
As for *BSD.... Hey, OpenBSD is really easy to install. The only background knowlegde you need it partitioning, and honestly for Linux and Windows it's the same. (I don't like the "everything is C: on Windows... I partition and adapt the registry... That way if Windows screws up the C: NTFS partition my data and apps are not gone).