[opensuse-project] openSUSE suitability for new users
This was meant as answer on one post on opensuse@opensuse.org mail list, but discussion probably suits better here, or marketing list. The problem are first time users, both Linux and openSUSE. They don't have some habits we have, and even for modestly experienced openSUSE users is not common to take long look around before update or installation of new version of software. It is prudent to do so, but it takes time and people don't do that very often. Those comming from mainstream OS want to go away from problems, any kind of problems: BSOD, malware, lack of control over own computer, everlasting financial drainage, and so on. They make a step in unknown and what they see first is better to be good. When new solution appear the same as the one that they want to leave, they will stick with the old one, it saves learning. That is where Ubuntu makes numbers. According to distrowatch.com whatever they do makes difference. See: Views Diff to next 1 Ubuntu 2328> 614 2 openSUSE 1714= 156 3 Mint 1558> 197 4 Fedora 1361> 95 5 Debian 1266< 224 6 Mandriva 1042> Legend:
up = equal < down
I'm aware that Distrowatch counts clicks on links, but that tells how many people looks for information on certain distro. Those at the top will get more clicks from casual visitors, but I don't expect that there is many of them. It could be considered as view from Linux user, that wants to see what else is out there, stand point. The ranks on Alexa are windows users perspective: http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details/distrowatch.com http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details/opensuse.org http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details/ubuntu.com What do you think? -- Regards, Rajko -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse-project+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse-project+help@opensuse.org
Le lundi 02 mars 2009, à 10:08 -0600, Rajko M. a écrit :
This was meant as answer on one post on opensuse@opensuse.org mail list, but discussion probably suits better here, or marketing list.
[...]
What do you think?
I think I'm missing the background (which is likely the post on opensuse@opensuse.org) because, well, I'm not quite what feedback you'd like to have :-) Can you elaborate more on what's the issue that is being discussed? Thanks, Vincent -- Les gens heureux ne sont pas pressés. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse-project+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse-project+help@opensuse.org
Mandag 02 marts 2009 17:08:39 skrev Rajko M.:
What do you think?
I think the success of Ubuntu is maybe 80% cunning marketing and hype and 20% technical/"usability" reasons. I think openSUSE is very suitable for new users, and has good things to offer for new users like 1-click install, yast/sax2 offers much more graphical configuration than ubuntu can ever dream of, 24 month support window for all releases, a nice box set with a manual etc. On the other hand you have to give some credit to Ubuntu, they have a very clear goal - namely fixing their famous Bug #1 - and they are very focused and determined to achieve this goal and the whole community seems to pull in the same direction. Whereas openSUSE doesn't have clear goals. I've been very active in openSUSE for a few years now, and it's still unclear for me what openSUSE is actually intended to do - is it "testbed for SLE", "bleeding edge for geeks", "the world's most usable linux" or something else entirely? Surely those goals are not all compatible. I really don't know which it is. KDE 4.0 pushing, constantly changing and buggy updater applets, horribly broken x.1 releases, generally very early adoption of questionable technologies, always releasing on a set date regardless of quality, indicates that openSUSE is intended to be a toy for geeks. I also think the community is split on this. Half of users - predominantly the long time users I think - want and expect openSUSE to be sane, reliable and productive, whereas the other half wants and expects openSUSE to be exciting and experimental bleeding edge to play with. So I guess the first question should be whether openSUSE is actually _intended_ to be suitable for new (non-geeky) users. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse-project+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse-project+help@opensuse.org
participants (3)
-
Martin Schlander -
Rajko M. -
Vincent Untz