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Meeting Windows User Expectations With Linux
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Comments (17)
oh poo, that's easy
Want to make Windows users feel at home? Then run random cron jobs to crash and reboot periodically, and install a truckload of crapware, spyware, and nagware that you can't turn off.
I do believe you are being cynical tuxchick......oh shame.......LOL. :-)
It's so long since I have been exposed to the software muck that is routinely present in a Win system, I'd forgotten it existed.
It's so long since I have been exposed to the software muck that is routinely present in a Win system, I'd forgotten it existed.
I have to say that it was a well thought out and well written article by Ken.
The truth is that for lots of people something has to give now. You either run on an unsupported Windows XP (good luck with that) or you upgrade to something else.
Whatever you choose next is going to be different.
Nobody will upgrade to Vista because there is little point. Ironically with all the service packs installed Vista isn't all that bad. It is like the Phantom Menace without Ja Ja.
Windows 7 would be a good option but will the hardware support it?
If people go for Windows 8 then there is a learning curve anyway so why not try out Linux?
I wonder how many of the people on Windows XP (home use) could get away with just using a tablet or a Chromebook.
I find it typical that it is the banks cheaping out with ATMs running Windows XP. Those with the deepest pockets are refusing to close the proverbial stable door until the proverbial horse has bolted and accidentally ran into Tesco where it ends up as burgers.
The truth is that for lots of people something has to give now. You either run on an unsupported Windows XP (good luck with that) or you upgrade to something else.
Whatever you choose next is going to be different.
Nobody will upgrade to Vista because there is little point. Ironically with all the service packs installed Vista isn't all that bad. It is like the Phantom Menace without Ja Ja.
Windows 7 would be a good option but will the hardware support it?
If people go for Windows 8 then there is a learning curve anyway so why not try out Linux?
I wonder how many of the people on Windows XP (home use) could get away with just using a tablet or a Chromebook.
I find it typical that it is the banks cheaping out with ATMs running Windows XP. Those with the deepest pockets are refusing to close the proverbial stable door until the proverbial horse has bolted and accidentally ran into Tesco where it ends up as burgers.
> If people go for Windows 8 then there is a learning curve anyway so why not try out Linux?
That is one of the things the Microsoft marketing department has been battling each and every time there is an "upgrade" to Windows, Office, whatever.
So far, they've been successful at convincing people of the false lack of any "learning curve" with Microsoft products.
That is one of the things the Microsoft marketing department has been battling each and every time there is an "upgrade" to Windows, Office, whatever.
So far, they've been successful at convincing people of the false lack of any "learning curve" with Microsoft products.
> there is a learning curve anyway so why not try out Linux?
This has long been my lament, that ppl were never born with an innate knowledge of Windows, as Windows users themselves seem to believe. So, what's the real problem?
I think that it is the fact that the all pervasive presence of Windows has been supported by ....well, everybody! Not hard to find help when your neighbor, your kid, and everyone in an adjacent cubicle is running Windows, also. Linux help? As if! I've been running Linux for over 13 yrs and still do not have one single friend or cohort who is *nix savvy. Partly my fault, I realize, but the sad fact is, I've never had any real Linux help except the help I find on the internet. How can this be changed?
Right now, I'm researching connecting from my Slackware desktop box to my Raspberry Pi via ssh and VNC to give me the actaul desktop environment of the Pi. I think I've got it licked. How can this help?
My buddy jes called for help cuz his XP box is gonna be cast adrift by M$, shortly, and he's afraid he will be "hacked". LOL.... as if he's not already. I told him I would teach him to install and run Linux. He's been resistant to this idea for yrs. Now, the fear of M$s abandonment is so terrifying, he's beginning to relent and cozy to my offer. I told him I should be able to communicate directly with his computer and show him, on his screen, how to use Linux. I think it might jes work.
So, I'm beginning to think the solution to this fear of Linux can be ameliorated by assuring our new found FOSS friends that they have a source of help. Is VNC desktop co-operation the solution? I don't know, but I'm gonna find out and try and spread the Linux gospel that way. I'd like to think I'm a lot less intimidating than connecting to Microsoft.com. ;)
This has long been my lament, that ppl were never born with an innate knowledge of Windows, as Windows users themselves seem to believe. So, what's the real problem?
I think that it is the fact that the all pervasive presence of Windows has been supported by ....well, everybody! Not hard to find help when your neighbor, your kid, and everyone in an adjacent cubicle is running Windows, also. Linux help? As if! I've been running Linux for over 13 yrs and still do not have one single friend or cohort who is *nix savvy. Partly my fault, I realize, but the sad fact is, I've never had any real Linux help except the help I find on the internet. How can this be changed?
Right now, I'm researching connecting from my Slackware desktop box to my Raspberry Pi via ssh and VNC to give me the actaul desktop environment of the Pi. I think I've got it licked. How can this help?
My buddy jes called for help cuz his XP box is gonna be cast adrift by M$, shortly, and he's afraid he will be "hacked". LOL.... as if he's not already. I told him I would teach him to install and run Linux. He's been resistant to this idea for yrs. Now, the fear of M$s abandonment is so terrifying, he's beginning to relent and cozy to my offer. I told him I should be able to communicate directly with his computer and show him, on his screen, how to use Linux. I think it might jes work.
So, I'm beginning to think the solution to this fear of Linux can be ameliorated by assuring our new found FOSS friends that they have a source of help. Is VNC desktop co-operation the solution? I don't know, but I'm gonna find out and try and spread the Linux gospel that way. I'd like to think I'm a lot less intimidating than connecting to Microsoft.com. ;)
If you need help with the SSH and VNC stuff to the Raspberry PI then I can help with that.
Quoting:The truth is that for lots of people something has to give now. You either run on an unsupported Windows XP (good luck with that) or you upgrade to something else.
And yet another excellent option for Linux persons who absolutely must run that Windows-only program is Wine. For the few who may still not realize this:
Quoting:Wine (originally an acronym for "Wine Is Not an Emulator") is a compatibility layer capable of running Windows applications on several POSIX-compliant operating systems, such as Linux, Mac OSX, & BSD. Instead of simulating internal Windows logic like a virtual machine or emulator, Wine translates Windows API calls into POSIX calls on-the-fly, eliminating the performance and memory penalties of other methods and allowing you to cleanly integrate Windows applications into your desktop. ... ... Wine is still under active development today, and although there is more work to be done, millions of people are estimated to use Wine to run their Windows software on the OS of their choice.
Just in case "people in popular discussion forums" (here at LXer?) should poo-poo that Wine is "the last thing that Linux needs" or that it is "not important", the webpage 'Why Wine is so important' found at http://wiki.winehq.org/ImportanceOfWine may help allay such concerns.
Additionally, the webpage 'Debunking Wine Myths' found at http://wiki.winehq.org/Debunking_Wine_Myths examines some common Wine "myths" --- likely purveyed by those who may have certain vested interests in continuing to disseminate the anti-Wine FUD -- that are either completely wrong or not very correct.
Indeed, one can wish for a best-usage scenario where increased numbers of Windows XP users will migrate to installing such Linux distros such as this piece's author and its commentators mention, as well as installing Wine and necessary Wine apps alongside the Linux installation. Of course, there is also the commercial Crossover for Linux product, for some. And yet the best-usage non-commercial Wine scenario may be especially worthy of serious consideration given that "Microsoft will be pulling the life support plug on XP" in a mere two weeks time.
Thank you, Gary
Turns out it's jes a matter of researching the software. Slackware comes with rdesktop (!?), a Windows based VNC client (didn't see that coming). I think I only need install xrdp server on the Pi, both being RDP based. I'll try it later, today.
If that fails, I'll give you a shout. ;)
Turns out it's jes a matter of researching the software. Slackware comes with rdesktop (!?), a Windows based VNC client (didn't see that coming). I think I only need install xrdp server on the Pi, both being RDP based. I'll try it later, today.
If that fails, I'll give you a shout. ;)
@vainrveenr: And yet another excellent option for Linux persons who absolutely must run that Windows-only program is Wine
I second that sentiment. The progress of Wine seems to be accelerating at the moment. The last 2 or 3 years have seen *massive* improvement, particularly in the area of Windows games.
I second that sentiment. The progress of Wine seems to be accelerating at the moment. The last 2 or 3 years have seen *massive* improvement, particularly in the area of Windows games.
I saw the word "poo" in the title and knew the first comment was from TC.
(And that's about the extent of my intellectual contribution to this discussion.)
(And that's about the extent of my intellectual contribution to this discussion.)
XP users? Just install bsod for them, and they'll feel right at home: http://www.linuxcommand.org/man_pages/bsod1.html
I'm not a knowledgeable XP user, but the last iteration (SP3) had a very simple option. Go online as a user created specifically by admin to have zero permissions. All my online work is as said luser. I can't dwnld/install anything as that luser. I must change to admin. I would think no one else could install anything, also. Yes/no? Is it really that simple? Did M$ finally got a clue?
My serious thought for this entire thread is simply to take the same line as gary_newell and recommend to many of these XP users to get a Chromebook. Admittedly this won't be appropriate for the ATMs and big networks,but for many of the stand alone users, I think a Chromebook would more than satisfy their needs and offer a more or less familiar workspace.
> Is it really that simple? Did M$ finally got a clue?
Not quite, but pretty close. I think a study found that over 80% of all Windows malware was stopped simply by being a regular user without any admin rights. The problem was that if you did that, a whole bunch of software simply stopped working. Including Microsoft Office.
Microsoft has gone a lot further down that road with Vista and Windows 7, and I think a Windows system is now moderately usable as a regular user. But now you have authorization popups a dozen times a day or so, and you have no real idea what any of them mean. So people just get used to saying OK when prompted, and guess what happens.
Not quite, but pretty close. I think a study found that over 80% of all Windows malware was stopped simply by being a regular user without any admin rights. The problem was that if you did that, a whole bunch of software simply stopped working. Including Microsoft Office.
Microsoft has gone a lot further down that road with Vista and Windows 7, and I think a Windows system is now moderately usable as a regular user. But now you have authorization popups a dozen times a day or so, and you have no real idea what any of them mean. So people just get used to saying OK when prompted, and guess what happens.
> ...and recommend to many of these XP users to get a Chromebook.
Seriously, yes. It would meet the needs of at least 50% of them, quite likely more like 80%.
Seriously, yes. It would meet the needs of at least 50% of them, quite likely more like 80%.
notbob, any particular reason to choose vnc over freenx? I've use freenx in the past, partly because it seemed easier to set up than vnc.
Wine could help here
Quoting:Those of us who use Linux as our main operating system are insulated from this problem. A smaller number of us may be trying to help others wean themselves from Microsoft Windows entirely. The first thing some of us do is search for one of the more user friendly distros. A few of these distros claim to mimic one or more of the Microsoft operating systems.
Whichever distros can best "mimic one or more of the Microsoft operating systems", there will almost always be certain Windows applications that make or break any effective and complete weaning-away from Windows. As mentioned in a concurrent thread, another viable scenario to resolve this key impediment is to use Wine running under Linux for such applications.
Even though Wine may never be entirely suitable for running certain Windows apps under Linux (am thinking of some popular, non-ported Windows games here), perhaps Wine can be transparently and most effectively used under Linux by those very "keepers of our health and wealth [who] are running an operating system that will give in faster than a drunk debutante on prom night", as the author writes.
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