Popular myth – those tidbits of received wisdom that use the typical phrase, “Of course it’s true, everyone says so!” – is as evident in the technology community as it is in any other society.
The only difference is that this particular community isn’t divided by geographical location but by language – namely, the language that their favorite computer speaks.
For example, you can wander into any place where Linux enthusiasts hang out and you’ll find out that Windows systems are constantly crashing or crawling with a multitude of viruses while they are run by suit-wearing company drones whose thoughts are controlled by an evil corporate entity operating out of Redmond, Washington.
Sit down with a roomful of dedicated Windows users and you’ll discover that Linux advocates are a bunch of wide-eyes screaming radicals living in their parents’ basements who spend all their time writing blog entries fiercely defending applications that only a programmer could possibly comprehend.
Recognize yourself there? Even only a little? No? Funny, neither do I but it’s really not that far from the kind of things you’ll hear when technology advocates become passionate about their chosen operating systems.
One of the things that Windows advocates have used to beat Linux fans over the head with for the last few years was the inability for open-source developers to come up with a distribution that the majority of users who think of computers as tools rather than toys could operate without having to deal with obscure coding or a multitude of complicated utilities.
While the problem may have been overstated, there was no denying that, until recently, Linux could be an effective corporate tool but wasn’t quite slick enough for home and small business users to be able to handle on their own.
So what about now? Especially when companies like Dell are preparing to add Linux to their repertoire of notebooks and PCs?
What do you think? If you’re a Windows user, are you considering Linux or is Vista still in your future?
If you’re a Linux user, do you think more individual users would be comfortable switching to an open-source operating system?
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I’ve tried Vista and Linux – not impressed. I’m using WinXP – good solid OS. Seldom crashes, runs all my software and works with all my peripherals. I can’t say the same about Linux or Vista. JB
I use Windows at work, along with other OSs, like Netware, Linux, Unix, etc.
I find that for a very typical user, at first glance most distributions may seem challenging. Then there is UBUNTU. Out of the box it works very well, and in my opinion, it is not any more difficult that windows XP. You need to be wizard to customize your computer exactly they way you want it, regardless what operating system. I use UBUNTU at home, as an alternative to XP. My wife, who is about as technical as I am eternal uses it as well. Granted, she asks questions at times, and I help, but I must note that the same was true when she used XP. A few more years, and I think it will be prime-time for Linux, possibly UBUNTU.
I also believe Linux will be a contender with windows . . . just give it some time. I installed Ubuntu on my girlfriend’s computer as dual boot with XP in the beginning, and now she prefers Ubuntu and has made a complete transition from XP. I might also mention that she isn’t a technical user . . . just your average home computer user.
I’ve worked primarly with Windows as a support person for the last ten years and now as an IT Manager / Network Administrator, I have recently started using linux as well as tinkering with its various features and apps!
I have been so involved with dealing with 95/98/ME/2000 and XP along with server versions that making the change from an XP box to linux (ubuntu 8.04) in this case took me a little while to get to grips with and i’m tech-savy so I don’t think the average home or business user would be ready nor comfortable with a linux desktop OS.
Compatibility with “mainstream commercial packages” aside it’s still not similar enought to provoke people to change, now before anyone says linux is not supposed to be similar I know but just look at VIsta, it’s so far removed from XP that everyone’s hating it and rightfully so!
Microsofts best operating system to date has been XP they have gone and screwed it right up by submitting users to change that was complicated and uneccessary.
I think the linux community developers need to re-think what they are trying to do and push that extra mile to get some kind of similarity and continuity to the OS’s that will break that “boundary” for users! It doesn’t have to be an easy operating system as such but a more manageable one for the average user. anyway just a few thoughts thanks.
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