Subj : Re: Computers
To   : Mhansel739
From : Arelor
Date : Wed Aug 14 2024 17:50:53

  Re: Re: Computers
  By: Mhansel739 to MIKE POWELL on Tue Aug 13 2024 07:42 am

 > That is fair. But are we the execptions to the "rule" - as we are more
 > technical than others? I have a Linux distro on one of my laptops, but do
 > not use it. The majority of the things I do are MS based. I know you can
 > do almost everything with some alternate software on Linux.
 > Lost my train of thought. I suppose, is it that many of the consumers are
 > unwilling to take the chance or lack the discipline to learn something
 > "different"? Or has Linux gotten a reputation for being "overly
 > technical"?
 > --Matt

I think the public does not know what Linux is at all. It does not have really a reputation.

Desktop Linux does great in two scenarios. The first one is when you set it up for some IT illiterate who knows nothing about computers and only wants to watch foal videos online. This is the sort of person who would buy an old Windows computer and ask the store guy to set office for her. Usually you can set Linux for these people and they won't notice the difference since they never attempt any administrative task on their own, regardless of OS.

The second one is when power users set it up for themselves. Power users will do lots of horrible things to their computer trying to achieve weird results, but since they are the sort who loves reading documentation and fixing and tweaking things, the fact an OS can get more technical than others is a non-issue. In fact, it is a bonus.

Heck, my videogaming group uses an old Linux graming rig. The owner squarely falls in the power user category. He hates Linux (because he hates everything and everybody, actually) but when asked why doesn't he migrate, he answers "This crap allows me to run modern stuff without buying new hardware."

The people who really get burned by Linux are the ones in the middle of the road: people who manages "ok" with computers but can't bother doing their own research for solving problems. This is the sort of people who expects to be able to administrate their own computers but don't want to put any work on it. They will run into an issue sooner or later, do a quick web search for it, realize the issue involves a terminal emulator, and switch back to Windows.


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