Quote:
Originally posted by boardtc
For an experienced windows user like myself, I do not find Linux getting any easier. WebAdmin has been a big help.
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Usually because newbies are "fighting" Mandrake's way of doing things.
In turn this often happens to newbies not because they are doing anything wrong, but rather when they are stumped, the more experience users tend to give them somewhat generic (read far more complicated) advice than what is required.
The typical "compile your kernel" types of responses are rarely applicable and tend to make Mandrake tough work for someone new to Linux.
With the exception of errant hardware, Mandrake 10.1 does indeed make things FAR easier, and in many cases trivially so.
However hardware support in the kernel is always problematic due to vendors not cooperating.
The typical newbie rant when this happens is that Mandrake/Linux is not easy to use...
Eh, if your modem is not working, then it's usually the modem vendors fault for refusing to open up their specs. Heck the Linux developers are willing to do all the work for them in writing drivers... yet they still clam up.
With windows drivers the OEM's usually have to provide their own programmers...
sigh... when will they learn...
Anyway this leads to the problems people have with "it's a pain to get my modem/wifi/video/card reader/ethernet/sound" to work.
Where the specs are available, Linux quickly supports things, and makes it easy for the novice, as witnessed by the huge improvement in AC'97 support in the last release(s).
If you want to make Linux easier to use, the best thing you can do is to fire off a message to vendors such as
Broadcom (Horrible!)
Adaptec (bad)
Conexant (bad)
ATI (bad)
etc.
(and even Nvidia)
About both opening their specs & documentation, and supporting Linux.
If they hear from enough people they usually change their thinking....
