Can a Windows user learn to love Linux? We'll see (ZDNet) [LWN.net]

ZDNet editor David Coursey installs Linux for the first time. "The reason I'm doing this is to put to rest some of the complaints that I'm a Microsoft stooge and don't like desktop Linux because I haven't been fully exposed to its wonders. So I asked the Red Hat people to send me a copy of their latest with the idea of doing an extended test, much like I did recently with Macintosh OS X."

to post comments

Can a Windows user learn to love Linux? We'll see (ZDNet)

Posted Jun 15, 2002 22:49 UTC (Sat) by Strike (guest, #861) [Link] (1 responses)

Call me a naysayer, but I think that unless you have a want or need to try Linux that most people will just generally get frustrated that it isn't what they are used to and move on. Any case other than that is what I consider the exception rather than the rule.

Can a Windows user learn to love Linux? We'll see (ZDNet)

Posted Jun 17, 2002 14:46 UTC (Mon) by Baylink (guest, #755) [Link]

You're a naysayer.

:-)

I've been using KDE2 over RedHat 6.2, and now 7.1, for at least a year now. I haven't myself thought that *using* it was any more complicated than Windows -- indeed, not having things crash makes it quite a bit simpler to live with.

Admittedly, it can occasionally be difficult to find things in the start menu tree... but that's sometimes true of Windows, too.

As for the install -- kindly leggo that red herring; Windows ain't always easy to install, neither. Few people actually *do* that first, though, and when Linux hits the big time, that will be true of it, as well -- and, in practice, I've installed RH and Mandrake 7, and I liked RH's install better (particularly the 7.x, though there were only a few holes in the 6.x install, and most people wouldn't notice them...).

But who knows; maybe it's just me.

So many things are just me.

Can a Windows user learn to love Linux? We'll see (ZDNet)

Posted Jun 15, 2002 22:58 UTC (Sat) by lordsutch (guest, #53) [Link] (3 responses)

Out of curiosity, has any distro come up with an easy way to configure XF86Config files on a regular basis; i.e., something like the Windows Display control panel? Most of the configurators I'm aware of are OK for first-time setup, but you can't tweak them as needed very easily.

Can a Windows user learn to love Linux? We'll see (ZDNet)

Posted Jun 16, 2002 2:37 UTC (Sun) by ninjaz (guest, #2083) [Link]

Linux Mandrake has a very simple/obvious way to do this from the desktop.

In Mandrake Control Center, select the hardware tab, then the Display icon.

There are two dropdown boxes, one for resolution, and one for choosing color depth.

A button marked [More] gets you to other options such as changing Monitor and Graphic card.

Can a Windows user learn to love Linux? We'll see (ZDNet)

Posted Jun 16, 2002 8:57 UTC (Sun) by DeletedUser936 ((unknown), #936) [Link]

I don't know about an easy way to control your colour depth ("startx -- -depth DEPTHNUMBER" is the best I can think of), but controlling resolution is easy. You just load up all the resolutions in advance in your XF86Config (any decent configuration tool allows this) and select a default resolution to start with. Switching resolutions can then be done through either ctrl+alt+ "+" or "-", or through one of the many available resolution switchers out there. No X restart necessary. (Try this search for a listing of some resolution changers: http://freshmeat.net/search/?q=resolution+change&section=projects )

Can a Windows user learn to love Linux? We'll see (ZDNet)

Posted Jun 16, 2002 15:23 UTC (Sun) by DeletedUser2092 ((unknown), #2092) [Link]

SuSE linux 7.0 - 8.0 has sax2 for x configuration. also very simple. I use KDE most of the time so i hit Alt+F2 and type sax 2 in the run box and follow the instructions.

RedHat is a bad choice for such tests

Posted Jun 16, 2002 2:47 UTC (Sun) by proski (guest, #104) [Link] (3 responses)

RedHat is a bad choice for such tests - I'm pretty sure that RedHat hasn't done much (if any) useability testing on first-time Linux users. Specifically talking about the installer, not every user is supposed to be able install an OS, be it Windows, RedHat Linux or even MacOS. Minimal technical knowlegde is required for installation, and if you don't know how many keys you have on your keyboard, perhaps you should ask somebody else to install your OS.

It would be really interesting to see if a Windows user without technical knowledge could work with an already installed and configured Linux distribution that aims at the desktop market, such as Mandrake or Lycoris.

RedHat is a bad choice for such tests

Posted Jun 16, 2002 15:25 UTC (Sun) by DeletedUser2092 ((unknown), #2092) [Link]

I agree, mandrake or even SuSE would be much better options. The installation of redhat has changed quite a lot, but it still isn't as simple as windows.

I agree

Posted Jun 16, 2002 21:33 UTC (Sun) by origz (guest, #1985) [Link]

Definitely. I'm not sure why anyone would use redhat other than in a server environment where sysadmins use it. It's not a desktop distro. He should have tried Mandrake or Suse (I prefer Mandrake though - easier install, fewer glitches, more user-friendly for windows types). I do think that asking the user how many keys are on the keyboard is 100% stupid. Use a frigging default (standard keyboard) and don't let the user change it during install unless it's in expert mode or something. That's one thing that distros like Lindows are finally getting right.

RedHat is a bad choice for such tests

Posted Jun 17, 2002 6:48 UTC (Mon) by kdart (guest, #486) [Link]

Yes, I immediatly thought the same thing. "Please no! Don't use Red Hat for changing the opinion of a Windows stooge!" Mandrake or Suse would be a much better choice. I recently tried Suse 8.0. I was very impressed with it. Except for me, a long-time Linux and Gnome user, it was not so good (where are the Gnome devel libraries?). So I went back to Mandrake. Ah... sweet Mandrake. the only distro I have tried that gets most things right. But, for a Windows user getting their feet wet with Linux.. I think Suse would be the better choice. Ah.. choice! such a wonderful thing in itself. The real shame is all the Windows users that can't deal with too many choices.

Have fun!
Keith

A soon as their web site works on KDE :)

Posted Jun 16, 2002 14:33 UTC (Sun) by DeletedUser2091 ((unknown), #2091) [Link]

Znet? not test their web sites on kde, ups!