Re: Adieu, Fedora

[Stephen Bunn <scbunn@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Mon, Jun 13, 2011 at 11:54 AM, James McKenzie <jjmckenzie51@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

On 6/12/11 7:30 PM, Stephen Bunn wrote:
> On Mon, Jun 13, 2011 at 11:22 AM, John Aldrich <jmaldrich@xxxxxxxxx

> <mailto:jmaldrich@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
>
> > Seriously? You aren't really trying to argue the point that windows
> has better documentation than GNU/Linux.
>
> That and the *goal* shouldn't be who has the most users. ÂThe *goal*
> should be a desktop that does what the user base needs it to do.

So, we should deliberately make the system hard to use so that people
like you can 'rub their noses in it'. ÂNo. ÂSorry, but the user base
needs to grow. ÂPeople are tired of using poor quality software written
to a broken OS. ÂHowever, Linux is appropriately though of as being a
'genius' operating system. ÂUntil we move it from that position, people
will 'stay away'. ÂUbuntu was an attempt to move Linux to the masses.
Given the current state of the UI, this became harder and harder. ÂWith
a new UI, this may become easier. ÂAnd for those of us 'power users' the
bells and whistles are still there. You just have to change the way you
do things. ÂAnd on a Mac, root still exists, it just takes six steps to
enable it.

If Ubuntu or Mac tickles your fancy, use them. The point is that, I believe, that most users are not using GNU/Linux because of anything to do with MS or Mac. I started using GNU/Linux because it provided features that I *could not* get on other operating systems AND it was Free (as in Freedom). If you want to keep attracting users, stop trying to mimic other operating systems and keep working to provide unique features. The idea that a user isn't presented with a GUI hold-my-hand tutorial is FUD. GNU/Linux has some of the best documentation out there. If you want to be proficient with UNIX skills you will read that documentation, much as I would assume Windows guru's have spent alot of time reading through Microsoft KB articles. I presented my wife with a fresh F15 installation and she was able to figure out how to get to the web, send email, and setup her web games in about two hours -- without my assistance. It took almost a half of a day when I tried to setup a Windows 7 machine for her.Â

I'm assuming when you say 'poor quality software written [for] a broken OS." You are referring to Windows. I disagree. If this is the case go pester MS to fix whats broken on your OS.

> The GNU/Linux user communities need to stop this nonsense of trying to
> compete with Windows and/or OS X.

Then what should they do? ÂStand around the coffee machine saying "I
have this wonderful Operating System, but no one will use it because the
UI sucks?" ÂNo. ÂThey need to move forward and develop a UI that
EVERYONE can understand and use.

No such thing exists. Again, you are assuming that the large majority of GNU/Linux users are at home right now frustrated because they can't figure out how to use their UI? Of course new users will have to learn something new -- its the nature of the beast. I had to learn something new when I went from an automatic to standard. What I *did not* do is call up the dealership and whine about not having any guided instructions on how to change gears.

> Instead we should be focusing on building an operating system that
> works for the existing user base. If its good other people *will*
> learn it.

If that were true, everyone would be using OS/2 today. ÂFor its time, it
was the best operating system. ÂIt was bullet-proof and was used in both
the banking and nuclear industries. ÂTell me of one bank today that is
using it on their teller machines? ÂBank of America was the last major
bank that received an exception from the U.S. Federal Reserve to put
WindowsXP on their teller machines. ÂYou can build the best mousetrap,
but I'll still go to the local hardware store and buy a mousetrap that
was patented in the 1800s and is made by the Victory Trap company.
Why? ÂBecause the damn thing works. ÂAnd that is what a majority of the
Desktop users want. Â

Well I guess that is were the divide is. I don't really care about selling anything. I use it because it works for me. I also was not one of those people who whined about Gnome3 for months. Why? Because I don't play with it all day. I don't care about customizing my desktop top, I don't want to spin any cubes around. I want a UNIXesque OS that is free-as-in-freedom and allows me to open a terminal and run the applications that I use. Gnome3 (and just about every other WM) allows me to do that.

James McKenzie

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