Schools just need to start teaching linux instead of windows (probably cheaper for the school in the long run too). When I was growing up, they only thing I had access to was various form of UNIX since my dad hated PCs. When I started going to school, I got stuck on a reliance on PCs since all the assignments given to me were microsoft program oriented (like powerpoint, adobe, MSDos, or visual basic). Since then I've fallen out of the flow and it feels like I'm having to relearn everthing. This sollution would also prevent people from becoming computer morons who know how to use word, IE, and AIM, but can't figure out how to run their virus software or update drivers.


worldwiderob I agree with you, I got out of windows as soon as I could, cause I just got fed up with all my programs crashing (especially Roxio), for some reason Word kept disappearing off my machine, I'd always have to restart after program or driver installs, and since I was use to UNIX, I'd let windows run for weeks and well....it didn't like that :-P

linux in schools is BAD.

having a bunch of idiots messsing up the computers and then when someone goes on it they get a bad impression. im not sure how much you can mess up a linux box, but we have novell crap at our school that dosent let you do anything at all. there are ways around it, obviously but i think that it is tighter than linux is and harder to mess the computers up with.

some computers have kazaa among other things installed and i could install firefox without a hiccup. (i needed ffox cause IE wasnt working right with gmail. but i guess on the other hand in linux no programs could be installed without a root password.

also, teachers are pretty stupid when it comes to computers and they have a hard enough time using windows. with all the software on the computers like classroomxp and office 2003, i just dont think its possible to switch to linux.

i would love the stability and hte speed, but i dont think its possible.

Linux will not appeal to the masses any more than it does now simply because there are more or less options. The key is that computers rarely come with Linux pre-installed. It's getting Linux running and configured (without wiping out the system already on the computer) that gets most people stuck. If machines had Linux pre-loaded, with all included devices and peripherals working from the start (and working optimally), there would be far less of a pain for the average consumer.

This is starting to become a reality, with companies like HP offering a notebook (only one ) with SuSE 9.1 professional preloaded, with everything configured--even wireless internet and bluetooth. TerraSoft also sells Macs with Mac OS X, Yellow Dog Linux, or both--with customized dual-boot systems for a nominal fee. This is a step in the right direction. No matter how easy an installation can be with a particular Linux distro, it will never be as easy and painless as plugging the computer in and turning it on.

My best advice to those who are trying Linux for the first time on a machine which already runs Windows is this: pick a distribution that is widely used and known for easy installation (i.e. SuSE or Mandrake, NOT Debian or Gentoo), backup everything (and I mean everything) before the installation, and PLEASE read the user manual--at least the parts on installation and hard drive partitioning--BEFORE you begin the install process.

Good luck to all, and keep talking it up.

Linux Can Be all the GUIished it wants to be, But I'l never use half them evil tools :^). Personaly, I switched away from Windows For Security and General Use. I was Being limted by Windows and Securing a default install of windows can take hours. A default install of Slackware is pretty secure, all i do is update the packages from the slack mirrors and i'm set.

I would tell 'em to keep it even simpler and run Knoppix. The average person will be pretty suprised when they boot that up and see that free != crap. With Knoppix, you don't have to risk trashing your old data, or bother with backups, so there's a low barrier to entry.

I think the whole interview-based install sounds interesting, and I think it would be a great idea. I don't need it, but as a personal computer tech, I run into lots of people who would.

So sure, excellent idea. I'd even run it once to see how it ended up. Linux does however, meet my expectations. It's JUST hard enough

programs cannot be installed GLOBALLY without root passowrd... no reason why you couldnt install to your home directory.

this is the corect way to do things !
if any user could install somthing globally then one user could accidently install a program which might then edit other files that it shouldnt and ohh wait...i forgot, they already exist, and there called Windows Virii... nuff said.

is this thread ever going to die????

$200 to anyone who can find an original comment in the last 100 pages....

You have the ultimate power of life and death over this thread, acid_kewpie.

You can close it if you feel that the topic has outlived its utility!

this is good, right ?
soo many people want to talk about how easy / hard linux is.
any forum you go to has loads of linux is too hard topics.
every single comparason has a linux is too hard comment.

i think its great that all such comments are beeing kept neat and tidy in a single thread.

close it down, and after its gone off page one of the thread list.. anouther will pop up.

Does anybody have a timeline of when autopackage 1.0 is going to come out.
Once it is out and the developers begin releasing .package files Linux will become much more novice friendly as programs we be much simpler to run.

I'd say that red hat with gnome would be great for pretty much everyone.
Look here....

Gnome is pretty powerful without being too difficult to learn, maintain, or customize.

Red Hat comes with many, many features, and the newest version is available for free.

In the way of the pretty W!ndows installer, anaconda is a dream.

Compatibility? Dual boot with win. 98.

IE, outlook? Ximian Evolution and Mozilla Firefox/Konqueror.

Word? Powerpoint?Excel? Openoffice. Photoshop? GIMP 2. Publisher? KWord.

Games? Don't even get me started.

'nuff said.

>$200 to anyone who can find an original comment in the last >100 pages....
How about the next hundred? You know with puters being so cheap I use a KVM switch to go between 2 boxes running Win2k and Mandrake.

hi there, Chasman

i just found yours, and it's original.
so, how about the $200....

egag

if you want a working package management program that can install anything, try Gentoo's Portage.