Dumber people can run Linux (Inquirer) [LWN.net]

Dumber people can run Linux (Inquirer)

Posted Oct 17, 2005 11:37 UTC (Mon) by hensema (guest, #980)
Parent article: Dumber people can run Linux (Inquirer)

Doesn't anybody think it's weird ubuntu is hyped as the user friendly Linux, while other distributions have been at least as friendly for some years now?

Maybe compared to vanilla debian ubuntu is very user friendly, but I don't think many fedora/suse/mandriva users will be impressed.

The only explanation I can think of is the large devoted fanbase debian has (but debian is too nerd-friendly and therefore not usable for normal users).

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Dumber people can run Linux (Inquirer)

Posted Oct 17, 2005 12:30 UTC (Mon) by nathan (subscriber, #3559) [Link]

I have used several linux distros, and ubuntu has turned out to be the simplest and easiest to use. I used to use Redhat. I tried installing SuSE but things were weird. I used Fedora. I tried debian, but it failed to install. I switched to Ubuntu when I (a) heard good things about it and (b) Fedora totally scrogged a system upgrade. I used to fine tune and configure installs to be just right, now I'm lazier and want something that works.

I just dist-upgraded from hoary to breezy, and It Just Worked.

Dumber people can run Linux (Inquirer)

Posted Oct 17, 2005 12:50 UTC (Mon) by jjstwerff (subscriber, #4082) [Link]

passwd root

Dumber people can run Linux (Inquirer)

Posted Oct 17, 2005 16:22 UTC (Mon) by seyman (subscriber, #1172) [Link]

> passwd root

I've had to explain this to several people (all experienced Unix/Linux users) who were all quite surprised not to be prompted to for the root password. It doesn't help that the answer to this question is buried at the bottom of a very long FAQ which isn't that easy to find on the ubuntu.com website.

Dumber people can run Linux (Inquirer)

Posted Oct 17, 2005 13:55 UTC (Mon) by mohaine (guest, #6101) [Link]

The only gripe I had with ubuntu is that the install does not have a prominent notice saying 'experienced user warning:ubuntu uses sudo for everything. You will not have a root account unless you do $MAGIC_THING' :)

I wouldn't really call giving root a password a $MAGIC_THING. When you get right down to it, Ubuntu just delays the root password setup until you need access to root. While I hated this at first, it makes since. Most users don't know what 'root' is and have no idea why a root would need a password.

Dumber people can run Linux (Inquirer)

Posted Oct 17, 2005 15:48 UTC (Mon) by nathan (subscriber, #3559) [Link]

You miss my point. An experienced user expects a root account. It doesn't matter what $MAGIC_THING expands to. It just needs to be flagged. Otherwise, you get to the end of the install and (a) wonder if you missed a step, (b) wonder how to unwedge yourself. Yes, you _are_ wedged, you have a system _you_ don't know how to effectively operate. Call it $MAGIC_THING, $RANDOM_THING, $WHY_IS_THIS_DIFFERENT_THING, I don't care.

Dumber people can run Linux (Inquirer)

Posted Oct 17, 2005 21:54 UTC (Mon) by sjj (guest, #2020) [Link]

Well, I have used sudo almost exclusively for root access for years (except at work...) so I didn't even notice for weeks.

Dumber people can run Linux (Inquirer)

Posted Oct 17, 2005 13:03 UTC (Mon) by smitty_one_each (subscriber, #28989) [Link]

Don't confuse the technical discussion with questions of usability.
Ubuntu, apparently, has figured out how to market itself.
Whether or not Ubuntu really is any easier is less important than its success in convincing the market of this 'truth'.
-Chris

Business model is important too

Posted Oct 17, 2005 13:16 UTC (Mon) by man_ls (subscriber, #15091) [Link]

The focus of a distribution is also important. I had real trouble keeping my old Mandrake 9.1 up to date, as sources were changing all the time; I am sure that if I had subscribed to Mandrake Club it would have worked flawlessly. This does not happen with Debian which is a voluntary effort; updates are usually painless.

Similarly for corporate users, Mandriva, Red Hat or Novell surely work well for them. Ubuntu is focused on common users; and it does not require you to pay or subscribe anywhere for things to work as they should. That alone is a big advantage for regular users.

Focus on PEOPLE!

Posted Oct 17, 2005 15:24 UTC (Mon) by AnswerGuy (subscriber, #1256) [Link]

Ubuntu is not just marketing hype. The difference is their focus on humanity . It helps quite a bit that they have a clue. But, technically, lots of people in the Linux community have had a clue. Having someone really build on all the clue and make human factors their priority is exactly what's making Ubuntu such a forced for the community.

JimD

Focus on PEOPLE!

Posted Oct 17, 2005 15:55 UTC (Mon) by cventers (subscriber, #31465) [Link]

Absolutely. Name another Linux distribution that lets you (and encourages
you to) order stacks of free professionally mastered CDs for absolutely
no charge whatsoever.

Dumber people can run Linux (Inquirer)

Posted Oct 17, 2005 15:12 UTC (Mon) by Arker (guest, #14205) [Link]

I can't agree with your premise at all. Fedora/SuSE/Mandriva never impressed me as particularly user-friendly, even in comparison to stock debian.

Dumber people can run Linux (Inquirer)

Posted Oct 17, 2005 21:36 UTC (Mon) by penguinroar (guest, #14460) [Link]

Well the reason its called userfriendly is because it quite frankly is. I previously ran RedHat Fedora at home and they are very similar. Ubuntu does take the user a notch up and goes out of their way of getting things to "Just Work" out of the box. Fedora is a kickass distribution and i run it at work on my Terminal Servers but for my home and laptop computer Ubuntu is just very nice to me. I dont thrive in installing drivers etc (i hate it in Windows too) and a dist that does everything for me gets a thumbs up. On a production machine its a whole other story and i mostly put RedHat on those.