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Trivial Barriers to Personal Linux Use?

Posted by Cliff on from the identifying-how-everyday-people-use-computers dept.

saintp asks: "I'm currently multitasking: building a computer for my girlfriend, and also trying to convince her to put Linux on it, so I've been thinking a lot lately about the barriers to adoption of Linux by Normal Everyday People. One that seems to be a major problem is that Windows users are addicted to downloading every piece of crapware that comes down the tubes -- hence the popularity of Gator and subsequent popularity of Ad-Aware. While geeks the world over sigh at this behavior, it makes a lot of people really happy, and they are very chagrined to discover that they can't do this on Linux without some command line mucking about, compilation, etc. What other minor, apparently trivial barriers exist to personal Linux use? Is anything being done to address these, or do many of the major vendors seem to be focusing exclusively on the business market, possibly to the detriment of Linux in the long run?"

5 of 239 comments (clear)

  1. Newbie detector by pontifier · · Score: 5, Funny

    When I first tried linux and the bsds it took me a while to figure out how to get arround in the terminal.

    perhaps "dir" should start a linux tutorial as i'm sure i'm not the only person who's first instinct was to type "dir" when given a command prompt.

    --
    -John Fenley
    1. Re:Newbie detector by Brandybuck · · Score: 5, Funny

      Maybe Windows should have a tutorial pop up each time I type "ls" in the command shell.

      --
      Don't blame me, I didn't vote for either of them!
    2. Re:Newbie detector by bcrowell · · Score: 5, Funny

      Actually we really need an animated paperclip to pop up and say, "It looks like you're trying to do an ls. Do you want the ls wizard to help you through the process?"

      --
      Find free books.
    3. Re:Newbie detector by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      $ ls -a
      Are you sure you want to do an ls -a? That will
      show hidden files, and files are hidden for a reason.
      >y
      Okay, are you absolutely sure you meant to say yes to that last question?
      >y

  2. Re:I've got one. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny
    Choice? Screw choice! I want function! Would you drive a car if you had to put the damn wheels on every time you parked it? Would you put up with having to buy the correct grade of gas from JUST th right pump style, from the exact proper petrol chain, just to start the car in the morning?
    Would you drive a car if you had to pay to learn how to drive it first, and then pay again to take a test to show you're qualified to drive? Would you put up with having it serviced twice a year, paying an expensive mechanic if you can't do it yourself, and having to buy the correct parts that only works with your car model?