Linux on the desktop?

[Deven Phillips]

George,

	You learn things like the <ALT>-<F2> the same way that you would under
Windows, by using the online help. It is all quite well documented
there. If you're using KDE, the "Kandalf's Tips" is a great way to learn
the features of the K Desktop Environment.

Deven

Cyberclops wrote:
> 
> I couldn't agree more.  Character based computing has always been faster
> and more powerful.  Frankly I wish in many ways that the computer
> industry would have continued on with DOS.  I prefer the way it
> crashes.  Instability is not user friendly.  The solution you offered to
> me was both simple and user friendly in the context to a password,
> permissions protected, multi-user system.  My point is that for a new
> user, some feature might already be there, but the new user just doesn't
> know it, or know how to use it.  In this case, what new user would know
> the "xhost +" command? Or to hit <Alt> + <F2> for that matter?
> 
> Deven Phillips wrote:
> >
> > George,
> >
> >         Userfriendliness IS important, but I don't feel it should be at the
> > forefront. That is the reason that Windows and Mac have become the way
> > that they are (Unstable and virus proned). Userfriendliness, in some
> > cases, leads to user stupidity and unstable systems. There will never be
> > a GUI that can do everything that a CLI can do. All that we can hope for
> > is enough GUI for the computer illiterate users, and still a CLI for the
> > people who actually know how to use it. A prime example is the Microsoft
> > paperclip. They wanted to make their product "more user friendly", and
> > instead drove millions of people insane with that damned little demon.
> > So, I guess my point is that there has to be a balance - easy of use vs.
> > stability and power.
> >
> > Deven Phillips, CISSP
> > NEtwork Architect
> > Viata Online, Inc.
> >
> > Cyberclops wrote:
> > >
> > > Very well said, but there are other social and political reasons for
> > > switching to Linux.  I used to be an extreme Mac fan until Apple came
> > > out with a line of computers that dropped the scsi ports and the ADB
> > > port which made my good keyboard and mouse unusable on their machines.
> > > Not only that, but their new machines did not even include an internal
> > > diskette drive.  As for M$, they seem to be constantly changing their O$
> > > and in my opinion it has never been all that great.  To me it's always
> > > been amazing that the industry as a whole so whole heartedly endorsed
> > > M$. Open source provides freedom of choice.  There are at least 50
> > > different distributions and this competition is great.  It forces better
> > > and better product all the time.  Open source provides freedom from the
> > > tyranny of large corporations, plus freedom from their ups ad downs and
> > > failures.  One of the most encouraging things is recent news that come
> > > governments have decided to officially adopt it as their operating
> > > system of choice.  I feel Linux is close to being ready for the desktop,
> > > but it does need improvement.  There are things the clubs can do to
> > > help.  For example we need to maintain some sort of list of video cards,
> > > network cards, modem cards, and wheel mice that are currently on sale
> > > and which are know to work easily with most al Linux distributions.
> > > Secondly, we need to work on a few pass out sheets with really good
> > > clear simple instructions on how to accomplish things.  That's one of
> > > the reasons I like Libranet.  Their entire guide is just 9 pages long.
> > > Clubs need to adopt a mode of thinking where the CLI is not God.  It may
> > > be good, but it's very scary to start typing in things and you have no
> > > idea of the function or syntax.  Clubs need to pressure the developers
> > > of KDE and Gnome and even the Linux kernel developers to put user
> > > friendliness at the forefront.
> > >
> > > Warren Togami wrote:
> > > >
> > > > IMHO, Linux is not yet ready for mainstream desktop use.  Recent advances
> > > > with GNOME, KDE and Linux office suites have made great strides toward this
> > > > goal, but Linux still has too many software installation and configuration
> > > > issues that are simply NOT intuitive enough for the average desktop user.
> > > > The average desktop user doesn't want to do ANYTHING with a command line
> > > > interface.  While "power users" love the myriad of options available in
> > > > Linux, this confuses normal users.
> > > >
> > > > I recently showed GNOME and KDE to a Mac power user.  She was not the
> > > > average luser needing a good beating with a cluestick.  She understood it,
> > > > but she saw no reason to use it because she already has MacOS and all the
> > > > software she needs.  This is the same reason why the average Windows user
> > > > will not be swayed.  They already paid for Windows and Office (or they can
> > > > get it for "free"...).  You have to step back and think, aside from the
> > > > curiosity of power users, how do you convince these peoples of the virtues
> > > > of "Free Software" when they already have software that reasonably does the
> > > > job (albeit problems that they accept as normal)?
> > > >
> > > > Even with powerful tools like Red Carpet and APT, Linux does not have a
> > > > unified uninstall system like "Add/Remove Programs".  Yeah, it sucks, but it
> > > > works.  Linux also needs something like Microsoft's Management Console: an
> > > > abstracted, template based GUI system for administration of arbitrary
> > > > programs locally or over a network.  There are several attempts at this in
> > > > Linuxconf, Webmin, and K and GNOME conf, each has their differing
> > > > capabilities, with no compatibility between each other.  Linuxconf has
> > > > abstracted modules with a reasonable amount of flexibility, but the
> > > > interface sucks.  Webmin has similar capabilities, but web only, though with
> > > > a slightly better interface.  K and G conf have much better interfaces, but
> > > > they lack an easy abstracted module type of thing present in MMC, Linuxconf
> > > > or Webmin, and they have no remote capability beyond X.
> > > >
> > > > About Linux software - I don't need to explain this so much.  There is
> > > > plenty... but not enough, especially for specialized business needs like
> > > > groupware or financials.  This problem is steadily resolving, with more and
> > > > more companies making software for Linux.  I am not concerned about current
> > > > and future availability.  I am concerned that too much Linux software
> > > > requires CLI knowledge, and is not as simple as Point-and-Click.  Until all
> > > > software installation works like this, Linux is not ready for the average
> > > > user.
> > > >
> > > > HOWEVER, WE CAN MAKE IT READY
> > > > It will be a few years before unification of standards in these areas will
> > > > make Linux friendly and useful enough for the average user.  In the mean
> > > > time, we as the more technical savvy users can configure Linux deskstops,
> > > > workstations and thin clients for others.  If we go through the installation
> > > > and configuration steps for them, the software itself is powerful and easy
> > > > enough for them to figure it its use quickly.  Unfortunately, this takes a
> > > > lot of work, so this really is only viable in two situations.
> > > > 1) Pre-loaded on computers.
> > > > 2) Businesses and schools.
> > > >
> > > > (I don't include helping a friend configure Linux on their home computer,
> > > > because the only people who would want this are power users themselves.)
> > > >
> > > > Ok.... this rant is getting too long.  I'll cut it off here.  Not like
> > > > anybody actually reads these things.
> > > > I think I wrote the same thing a few months ago in that "Unnecessary Windoze
> > > > usage" thread...
> > > >
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