Good points, but those Windows users have to spend a lot of money on new software every year or they own pirated versions of the software and MS is starting to crack down on that.  It is very expensive to keep up with the latest crap MS puts out.  Espicially when I can get the same from Linux for free or a donation.

It will be nice when Linux is more point and click (but keeps CLI) easy for all admin.

Dusty

--------------------------------------------------
> 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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