Re: When Will GNU/Linux Be Ready for Joe User?

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From: Paul Bramscher (brams006_nospam_at_tc.umn.edu)
Date: 05/19/04 

Date: Wed, 19 May 2004 12:37:36 -0500

Simon wrote:

> I'm doing a survey.
>
> When do you think GNU/Linux will be ready for the average Joe? What
> obstacles must it overcome first?

It's already far easier (and far, far more powerful) to work with than
DOS or Win3.1, both of which were supposedly "ready for the average Joe"
in their time. So if linux isn't ready today, then we might begin to
ask whether Average Joe has dumbed down in the past 10-20 years.

Linux faces challenges that other OS's don't because it doesn't cripple
the hardware or server daemons to the extent that M$ does. If all you
want to do is word process and browse the web, then Red Hat, SuSE and
other distros are already ready for the average Joe. A point-and-click
installation and you're done.

But if you want to set up a load-balanced web server, database server,
SSL certificate, ssh or sftp services, etc. then there are additional
considerations and skillsets -- regardless of OS -- that need to be
considered. WindowsXP is easier in this regard because it simply
cripples a lot of that out.

The other problem with linux is that, as an open source OS, it can be
custom compiled and there's a lot of technical -- and totally
unintuitive -- jargon surrounding it. This is a good thing for expert
users and people concerned about security, development, openness, etc.
-- but presents a big worry to the neophyte who thinks he'll need to
learn perl/c/bash in order to send an e-mail. Just not true, but it's
possible if you want -- and that's a strength not a weakness. The linux
community just needs to make it known that setting up a box equivalent
in functionality to an XP installation is basically point-and-click with
more than one distro.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Desktop Linux? Where is it hiding? Is this group a joke or something?
    ... "Users" are the average Joe in this country. ... The average doctor, mechanic, mom, pilot, cop, etc DOES want the ... I'd estimate that over 95% of computer users ... If the selling point of Linux to these people is - "With Linux you'll ...
    (comp.os.linux.misc)
  • Re: Desktop Linux? Where is it hiding? Is this group a joke or something?
    ... "Users" are the average Joe in this country. ... The average doctor, mechanic, mom, pilot, cop, etc DOES want the ... I'd estimate that over 95% of computer users ... If the selling point of Linux to these people is - "With Linux you'll ...
    (alt.os.linux.suse)
  • Re: Desktop Linux? Where is it hiding? Is this group a joke or something?
    ... "Users" are the average Joe in this country. ... The average doctor, mechanic, mom, pilot, cop, etc DOES want the ... I'd estimate that over 95% of computer users ... If the selling point of Linux to these people is - "With Linux you'll ...
    (alt.os.linux)
  • Re: When Will GNU/Linux Be Ready for Joe User?
    ... both of which were supposedly "ready for the average Joe" ... Linux faces challenges that other OS's don't because it doesn't cripple ... But if you want to set up a load-balanced web server, database server, ... considerations and skillsets -- regardless of OS -- that need to be ...
    (alt.os.linux)
  • Re: OT: security
    ... such things in a secure manner! ... It's still a difference if you have to hack into a server or if can just ... does the average joe have. ... If Joe doesn't know how to write secure scripts or how to run a server, ...
    (comp.lang.php)