Windows OS $200+, Mac OS < $200, GNU/Linux free.
customer service? Ohhh now we see where the real profit is made. I suppose it the mentality "work with it" comes from that. In a way, from an average computer user perspective, you could say that all OS's are priced equally to what you get. I'll stick to the dough that isn't baked yet so that I can work with it and add some extras to make it really good rather than the baked bread that you can really only add butter too.

phantom cyph,
If you care to read XavierP's post again you will appreciate that he is merely being ironic. His words are not meant to be taken literally.

The essential defect of the rant that heads this thread is the same defect that all similar rants have, and that is a basic misunderstanding of what Linux is.

Linux is not a product competing in the marketplace. It just isn't. Linux is the product of a lot of people around the world doing what they like to do, and solving problems that they want to solve just because they want to solve them.

That the resulting suite of products can be a competitor to Windows is incidental.

That could be the best description of linux I have ever read. Would you mind if I use this?

@ Phantom_Cyph: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe1a1wHxTyo to get what I'm on about. Every year it gets easier and this draws more people to Linux and this is a good thing.

And I can't agree with it. You got new OS, you'll have to learn how to use it. "To use" also means "how to deal with existing problem". Normally "to learn how to use it" simply means "learn how to use google". Once you learned how to use google, there will be no problems. Learning how to google takes month. After that there will be only 5% of problems you won't be able to solve yourself.

So, why don't you buy yourself a MAC then? Or even Windows? It is always either time or money, and in both cases you'll get problems.

So, what is exactly the problem with that?

Assuming you are refusing to work with OS you'll have to either search for another OS (which will take your time, money or both), or use "non-configured" system with the problem that'll annoy you forever, or pay someone to solve your problems for you. Choice is yours.

OS is not a chair. And computers aren't simple to use. Imagine you bought yourself a helicopter. Unless you are a pilot, it'll take time to learn how to control this thing, otherwise you'll be probably unable to simply take off (and even if you'll manage take off you'll probably crash). Computers (and operating systems) are (a bit) easier than helicopters, but still they take time to learn.

Suggestion: start your own distribution, make it the one where "you won't have to work with it", start selling it and earn tons of cash. Why not?

Dude, I never understood one thing. People who write posts like yours always spend huge amount of time writing those posts, while they complain how valuable their time is. Typing your post might take up to 30 minutes. So, what is the point? Why didn't you spend that time fixing your problem instead?

People can't learn anything unless they will feel stupid at one moment. You'll have to live with that. Either learn or be afraid of feeling stupid. No other way. Feeling stupid is normal. When you feel stupid it means you are learning something (so you should be happy about it).

So, you are comfortable with a thought of having computer mechanic. Normally you pay your mechanic. Did you try to hire someone to configure your system? If not - this means you are your own mechanic. And in this case you'll have to learn.

Please, do not use "we" for every occasion. It is "you"(alone), not "we". If you think that required changes are small, please, do them yourself, and release them to public. People like you will be grateful.

Well said.

It's also worth pointing out that Microsoft and Apple have to do a huge number of deals and, in a lot of cases, pay out money to licence various bits of the technology they use to enable things to "just work". Linux is still very much a volunteer effort and the fact that any of the apps and peripherals do what they do at all is down to the dedication of people who work very hard for little or no money - and yes, I am aware that now a lot of these people are employed by larger companies, but the point still stands.

BTW, OP has been member since 4/07, has 4 post, all today. Content of said post are dissatisfaction.

Let this thread die............

My sincere apologies.

At least people can be referred to this thread if they want to see what not to say.

Some people like to buy model aircraft. Other people buy model aircraft kits. The people who fall into the second group buy the kits not for the finished article, but because they enjoy the process of assembling it.
It would be completely ridiculous for someone to buy a model aircraft kit and then complain that it hadn't been assembled, yet this is exactly what you're doing with your complaints about aspects of Linux taking effort.

If you want a fully polished, no additional effort required computer system, then I'm quite sure Apple will be very happy to sell you one. Linux is written by and for people who want to tinker with it. It's not intended to be a fully finished consumer product. You need to keep this in mind when you set your expectations.

Actually larkquit's intention to linux is not bad. He just wants more hardware will work out of the box. But in windows we need to install drivers for the hardware to work and that is not working out of the box whereas in ubuntu or Linux Mint Many(I am not saying all, If all then that is a God OS, because even Windows is having problem with some hardware they even support) hardware just work out of the box. I tried to fix an old hardware but like an old car I had a hard time tuning the pc to work. But I can never complain because Linux is never owned (but it has benevolent Dictator) and dont have cash to deal with huge company like lexmark or cannon to have their hardware to work. The fact that Linux's market share is little than 1%(Please correct me if im wrong, Ive just read that in a magazine. Let us exclude the Server Market because Linux here is a clear winner), Many Manufacturers just dont care wit Linux and its users.

I just wish that a distribution will stand out and will become mainstream(Actually i have my bias to Ubuntu or LinuxMint) and will gain at least 3% of Linux Market Share when it comes to Desktops. When that time comes many customers can complain about the hardware they bought is not working in it, therefore companies will be forced to support linux users.

I am above average user but my knowledge in Linux is not that deep. When something does not work or goes awry, It gives me frustration first but I will try to fix it myself because every problem I solve gives me knowledge. But I am just afraid of recommending Linux to Non-technical users because they will be easily stucked up when something is not right and they are very hesitant to work and learn.

Please we should not be too selfish that we want the OS just for ourselves(I am not pointing to anyone, It applies to all including me). Since the beauty of Open Source is sharing without much restrictions, why not share them stuff that we love? Although there are some stuff that definitely they will not like, nevertheless we showed them that we have more freedom and when the time come that they will be needing that freedom, they will come back and ask for our help for them to work for their freedom, but of course freedom also needs some compromises.

This thread is really a flame starter. But I do hope that each one of us will be more open to each others suggestion because we may contribute and help each other one way or another. Being open-minded means more possibilities to us. And if we can, why not help? since this OS is community driven, each of us can help even not in technical terms(Documenting, Translating your favorite OS to other language).

I can say in the end we have these kind of suggestion because Linux is getting attention and we should be proud of it.

What's wrong Linux running on more systems? What's wrong with M$ losing market share, and consumers having more choice? As far as rolling my own distro, call it Total Chaos Linux! Junior high kids would do a better job than I could. I know my limits. I don't want to do it myself because I know I'd do a horrible job of it. "I'm a doctor, not a mechanic!" I'm a musician, not a sysadmin or programmer.
I want Linux to advance, and I'm simply trying to my part by making the community aware that not everybody wants to go deep into the nuts an bolts of it. I don't want to pilot the helicopter, I just want to ride it to where i want to go. (Which partly explains why I don't own one. That, and the fact I can't afford one.)
"Linux is written by and for people who want to tinker with it. It's not intended to be a fully finished consumer product. You need to keep this in mind when you set your expectations." So Linux is the ham radio of operating systems? Tinkerers only? Is the world to be sucked dry by closed operating systems so a small handful can have their fun? Guess what! Linux is getting to the point where more people will be using it in spite of DIYers, You'll simply have to accept the fact that more linux users won't be looking under the hood as much as you are used to, and instead of fighting it, help.
Sorry, but it's being adopted by those who don't want to tinker with it, (like me), and that ain't gonna change. The best OS is gathering momentum,
and and the pointy-haired-boss is gonna be using it.
I'm not saying "weld the hood shut", I'm saying why should I have to spend hours under it? I can load a fully functioning printer driver installed in five minutes under Windows, but I can't can't even get a working driver for Linux, and it's partly the DIY attitude that's to blame. Why should they write a Linux driver when the linux geeks would rather write their own? It's almost blasphemy that I have a Samsung driver on my Ubuntu system.

Linux is about freedom. Freedom is something you have to manage. Not everyone can actually deal responsibly with freedom. Freedom means choice. You can choose to use Linux, accepting the responsibilities of its freedom, or you can choose not to.

If you want something which works out of the box in all cases, look at Apple computers. Why do they just work, like your chair does? Because they don't offer choice. Apple is not about freedom at all. That's the price you pay for it just working.

But the IBM PC is a much less organized platform. Both Windows and Linux have to deal with that fact. While Apple keeps a tight control over their platform, pretty much just anyone can come up with hardware to connect to an IBM PC. Said anyone had better provide a Windows driver in order to be commercially viable, no matter how. We all know the problems that creates: Windows by itself can't deal with most of the hardware there is, it needs third party drivers, most of which follow their own installation procedures rather than the Microsoft-approved one, and there is great potential for conflicts of all kinds.

Windows projects the image of being as easy as the Apple to use but it lives on a platform which cannot live up to that expectation. Linux doesn't pretend that the platform (which in its case is only one of very many supported) can be controlled completely. Third party vendor support is relatively sparse, so you should be glad that so much actually gets supported - far more than Windows supports by itself without resorting to third-party drivers.

But really, if you make the mistake of buying a printer without first checking whether it works in Linux, why blame Linux? If you put the wrong kind of gasoline into your car, do you blame the car manufacturer?

I personally am not terribly interested in everyone adopting Linux. I gladly offer it to people I know (I'm sure I'm not the only one here who is considered the local computer authority by friends and family), along with my help, but the choice is theirs.

Robin

Bad excuse.
Being musician doesn't prevent you from learning system. I have musician's diploma and this didn't prevent me from learning how to use Linux.

Then buy commercial operating system, or pay for commercial Linux support.

As I said - pay for commercial support.

If you know such project, post a link to it, maybe people will spend their time and help it.

Why do you keep thinking about "hours"? Solution for most problems can be found with google within minutes. Just learn how to search, and stop being afraid of feeling stupid. That is all you need to do.

Any proof for "DIY attitude part"?

Illogical. Why "they" don't write the driver is unknown, and making assumptions about "their" motives is unlikely to produce correct answer. Anyway, you are always free not to use Linux. Complaining won't get you printer driver.

Again I say some one did not do their homework. You should know what you are getting into before just leaping in. Besides Linux is not the same as windows. It follows it's own philosophy. Besides, have you yet complained to samsung that your printer does not work with linux?

This kind of reminds me when some congress member in Australia Said you chose to come here, we did not ask you to come. We will not change x y and z just for you. So you can either live with it or exercise another one of our freedoms which is to leave.