Monday, June 14, 2010

Lazy Computer Users??

I was reading the Blog of Helios the other day and found an article about the use of the word restricted in Linux.  What he seemed to be talking about, was the fact that the use of the word bothered new Linux users to the point that they might not install the restricted drivers or codecs.  The article seemed to be saying  that it was a little daunting to new users that when the word restricted was used it conveyed a meaning of illegal.  


It was an interesting article, but what really caught my attention were the comments about the post.  It seemed that a lot of the comments were from Linux users saying that Linux was only for people willing to learn the operating system so that they could make repairs and learn how to get different things working such as hardware.  Some went so far as to call Microsoft users lazy.  And that lazy users don't  deserve or shouldn't use Linux.

I remember when I first started building systems back in the days of DOS.  Back then very few people that I knew even wanted a computer.  The main reason was that the computer didn't do anything that they wanted it to unless they bought programs that were fully functional or learn DOS.  After Apple and Microsoft came out with a point and click desktop, people started buying computers even though they were expensive.

When I first started using Linux I used to read in the forums that more people would try Linux if only hardware manufactures would make Linux drivers so that the hardware would be more functional.

Most people use Windows, in my opinion, because it just works.  You get an install CD every time you buy a new piece of hardware and load the drivers and the hardware works great.  People don't buy computers because they can't learn how to build there own, they do it because they can't be bothered they just want to buy a computer bring it home and start using it.   That is where Windows OS excels over Linux.  Even though Linux is a much better OS it will never be mainstream until all the Linux geeks out there stop trying to keep it so secretive and geeky.  They will counter by saying that they want an OS where they have complete freedom to do whatever they want with it.  If that is the case then why argue with people who are trying to make Linux more user friendly?  All the people who say that Windows users are to lazy to be allowed to use Linux might just be to lazy to build there own Linux from scratch.  Instead they download a version like Debian or Ubuntu.

If Linux is ever going to go mainstream it needs to be useful to the average user, not just the enthusiasts.

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