On Friday 29 April 2005 02:06, Marc Chamberlin wrote:
Colin Carter wrote:
On Thursday 28 April 2005 15:43, JD. Brown wrote:
An interesting article about v9.3 to be found at www.theinquirer.net. The article is titled, "SuSE 9.3 fails home-use test".
Yeah, The author to that story is a complete Windows spud. :) He gives no good hard facts, It's just matter of opinion.
JD
Well now, it appears to me that most replies/comment from the Linux gurus have been along the above lines: that is, comments without substance. How about the following "fact" which the author quotes. It appears to me, from my experience with Linux, that the following paragraph is true: Quote: And don't bother trying to look at the installation read-me notes either. They are just advertisements for the idiots who designed the software and tend to go into great details about the licence agreement, which, as most users tell you, isn't as important as getting the software going. End quote. I don't agree with the 'idiots' dig, but it is true that most ReadMe files contain about what he says.
Let us hear some technical criticism about what the author said. Remember, he did not say it was difficult for a Linux guru; he said it was not for the average user who is used to an easy to install system. Colin
Hmmm this ought to provoke an interesting discussion, though I do NOT want to engage in any flame wars. Speaking as another software engineer with over 35 years of experience I have to come down categorically on the side of the author of this article as well. Now before the Linux zealots get ruffled too much, let me state that I am one of your most fervent Microcrud haters as well and despise much of theirs and their venders software. About 80% of the time I use Linux (mostly SuSE Linux at that) and 20% of the time I use Microsoft Windows. I LIKE Linux because it allows me to adapt and configure my computer to meet my needs, whereas Windows will often prevent me from doing so. BUT I am also qualifying myself AS a computer geek as described by the author of this article, so I have a LOT of technical expertist which IS required if one wants to change/configure a Linux OS and its tool set to meet ones needs.
Even though there are some flaws in the article (not sure what Beagle is for example, is this really SuSE's flagship product? if so I don't have a clue!!!) his article goes straight to the heart of what is at issue with the Linux OS's, SuSE's version included. Time and again I hear Linux proponets argue that Linux can compete against Microsoft Windows IF it is initually set up for Aunt Bessie correctly, with all the tools she will ever need. And yes IF that is the case, then Linux OS's can be relatively easy to use. However, this argument misses the point and Aunt Bessie represents only a small subset of the world of real userst! The most essential quality of a computer is it's ability to be changed and rapidly adapted to meet new and changing user requirements. And this is what the writer is essentially saying and where Linux is failing and Microsoft is slowly succeeding! Users want an environment where he/she can go out and get the latest video card and install it and the drivers with no requirement as to understand the technical aspects of how to do so, so they can play their games. Or to install the latest application such as Firefox, or OpenOffice tools so they can have the latest features. OR to even install the latest OS in a reliable and easily understandable way. They want an OS environment that is robust enought to handle such an upgrade AND they want it to be duck soup simple to do!
The Linux world is a quagmire of difficult installation procedures and it often requires a user to learn all kinds of geek speak and obtain advance technical knowledge in order to adapt the OS, its tool sets, and third party applications to meet a particular need. It is time that the Linux world comes to grips with this user need, the users are GOING to want to install new programs, hardware etc, and NOT want to wait until the Linux gurus/geeks/gods deem a new OS is ready for them. Time does not stand still for users, and they demand an OS environment that can easily handle upgrades and other changes. How many times do I hear Linux gurus telling a neophyte that he has to untar this or gunzip that or make such an such, or use YAST or rpm -i something? It is only a matter of minutes sometime before talk degenerates into ln's and rm's and grep's and sometimes even sed's etc etc All of which is advance geek speak far far beyond the capabilities or interest of your average user.
Simply stated, as this author is trying to point out, Linux/SuSE is flatly NOT ready for the general consumer market. It remains far to difficult to understand and easily model so a user can grasp how to control, adapt and understand it. There are many flavours of Linux out there adding to the confusion, non-standard directory organizations, and non-standardized installation/removal procedures. Go take a look at your average Linux application installation site and see if you really think the average user can actually understand and install something. He has to figure out what flavor of Linux he has (and for SuSE this is a hugh hurdle because even in the Linux circles it is NOT well known or even comes close to being recognized like say Redhat), and he has to understand in incredible detail what and how to do the installation.
As much as we like to bash Microsoft for its poor quality of software, I will argue that THEY ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK! Their goal is to make it as easy as possible for users to adapt their computer to meet their needs. While it is rough, they are striving to provide an environment in which all a user has to do, to install a new program, or a new piece of hardware, will be to simply stick a CD disk in the drive, or download an application and have it automagically self install WITH NO HASSELS and be ready for the user to use in a somewhat standardized fashion. I am not arguing that Microsoft and their vendors have achieved this goal yet, but THAT IS THIER GOAL and it is the right one!
Instead of being offended by this article, and name calling the author as some Microsoft moron, listen carefully to the critism! ITS VALID! Until SuSE/Linux can provide an enviroment in which the common user can readily understand, models which are intuitive and easy to grasp, standardized user interfaces for all applications that allow users to easily communicate with their computer and comprehend and use these same models repeatably so a paridgm is reinforced consistantly - Linux will remain strictly an irrelevant OS and a toy of a small subset of computer users/geeks. It cannot become a mainstream OS and WILL lose out to Microsft in the end. And THAT prospect scares me because I firmly believe computers can be wonderful tools for everyone and not a fustrating experience as it has almost universally become. Microsoft has taken the cheap/quick engineering road using a lot of flash and very simple models to sell their OS. Linux has the robustness be be a great OS, but lacks the appeal of simplicity in its user interfaces. I personally am betting on Linux but as long as its supporters and developers continue to ignore such critism, as what this author tried to say, Microsoft will continue to win the hearts and souls of all those vast hoards of computer users because they DO offer the illusion, at least, that their solution is simple and easy to understand....
Apologies in advance if I have seriously offended anyone...
Marc...
Boy, did you let it out! I wanted to say as much, but bit my tongue because those with lesser experience haven't seen the same range of machines and the years of development/progress. I have a mate who has a similar number of years of experience, with many machines and O.S.s: he still mostly uses M$ Windows because he has too many hassles when he uses Linux and he says he doesn't have the time to waste trying to be a Linux guru. He has decided that it is less time consuming to fight with M$ than to fight Linux. I am finding the same situation, but keep hoping that SuSE will get it right. Regards, Colin