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My dad unexpectedly uses my Linux laptop to get real work done

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Re: My dad unexpectedly uses my Linux laptop to get real work done

#21

Post by wting »

Both my parents are 60+.

My mom is perfectly fine using Ubuntu on my old x61 for email, browsing, and YouTube. To be fair she could probably replace it with a tablet if it weren't for the fact that she visits a lot of flash sites (Chinese TV streaming sites).

Likewise my dad is on another Ubuntu machine at home. His work needs access to some software / printers that can't be run via Wine so he's stuck with Windows there.

I tried to convert my 25 year old brother as well, but he switched back to Windows after a month. Despite being the youngest, he hated learning a new system and preferred Windows.

Re: My dad unexpectedly uses my Linux laptop to get real work done

#22

Post by yuhong »

lespea wrote: post #12
asveikau wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Windows installation is breeze, just pop-in the disk and it will install everything for you. Actually, in the majority of cases your OEM or your IT department does this. It's not uncommon to have missing drivers when doing a clean install from the stock image on the retail DVD. (Disclaimer: I have some history with this as I used to work in the team that created Windows Setup.)

That was true back in the xp days but I haven't had to manually hunt down drivers in years . Although I still manually install my graphics drivers since the ones you get through windows update aren't near as current.

I think that is also partly because XP lasted a very long time.

Re: My dad unexpectedly uses my Linux laptop to get real work done

#23

Post by stormbrew »

lespea wrote: post #12
asveikau wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Windows installation is breeze, just pop-in the disk and it will install everything for you. Actually, in the majority of cases your OEM or your IT department does this. It's not uncommon to have missing drivers when doing a clean install from the stock image on the retail DVD. (Disclaimer: I have some history with this as I used to work in the team that created Windows Setup.)

That was true back in the xp days but I haven't had to manually hunt down drivers in years . Although I still manually install my graphics drivers since the ones you get through windows update aren't near as current.

It's definitely still true. Every windows install from a non-OEM copy in the last few years has required me to sneakernet my network drivers before I could do anything (including get other drivers). Linux has actually been much better for this since the release cycles are shorter and the barrier to getting a driver officially included seems lower (requires WHQL certification on windows, which presumably is not only work but costs money).

It's actually been quite a while since I've had to do the driver hunt for Linux, but it's been routine with windows (unless you use the default oem install, obviously).

Re: My dad unexpectedly uses my Linux laptop to get real work done

#24

Post by pwnna »

wting wrote: post #21

Both my parents are 60+. My mom is perfectly fine using Ubuntu on my old x61 for email, browsing, and YouTube. To be fair she could probably replace it with a tablet if it weren't for the fact that she visits a lot of flash sites (Chinese TV streaming sites). Likewise my dad is on another Ubuntu machine at home. His work needs access to some software / printers that can't be run via Wine so he's stuck with Windows th…

This is really interesting. I would love to see if there is anything about this generation of people not liking technology changes.

Re: My dad unexpectedly uses my Linux laptop to get real work done

#25

Post by DSMan195276 »

nmridul wrote: post #3

The same experience here. My parents also use Ubuntu now (firefox, Libre office). The main issue with Linux is, some one needs to install and setup everything for them. Finding and installing that missing wifi driver is not something that they can do. Windows installation is breeze, just pop-in the disk and it will install everything for you. Hope pre-installed ubuntu systems get common.

Honestly, I've had better luck installing Ubuntu or Mint then I ever have with Windows. Assuming that a Linux driver exists, the only case I've ever seen a driver not get used automatically is with proprietary drivers. Even then, it's usually just one more click on a GUI that tells you which ones were not used.

For Windows, at best everything is working except for graphics. Even then though, the drivers are usually not the same one's the OEM used, and you have to go Googling to find the correct stuff and current versions.

I don't disagree with you though, installing an OS is not something a normal user should be doing, even if the install dead easy. But as far as installing goes, I've always found Ubuntu and similar Linux's to be miles ahead of Windows at this point when considering ease of install and usability after install.

Re: My dad unexpectedly uses my Linux laptop to get real work done

#27

Post by danielrhodes »

I think that over time everybody gets to a certain level of proficiency where such interfaces and concepts are not as daunting to them as before. Back in the 90s and even 00s, people were so uncomfortable with GUIs and then the internet that getting them to try a Windows alternative was not worth the effort.

Re: My dad unexpectedly uses my Linux laptop to get real work done

#28

Post by itsboring »

DSMan195276 wrote: post #25
nmridul wrote: post #3

The same experience here. My parents also use Ubuntu now (firefox, Libre office). The main issue with Linux is, some one needs to install and setup everything for them. Finding and installing that missing wifi driver is not something that they can do. Windows installation is breeze, just pop-in the disk and it will install everything for you. Hope pre-installed ubuntu systems get common.

Honestly, I've had better luck installing Ubuntu or Mint then I ever have with Windows. Assuming that a Linux driver exists, the only case I've ever seen a driver not get used automatically is with proprietary drivers. Even then, it's usually just one more click on a GUI that tells you which ones were not used. For Windows, at best everything is working except for graphics. Even then though, the drivers are usually n…

At the very least, you don't have to fucking activate it. I hate Microsoft activation with a passion.

Re: My dad unexpectedly uses my Linux laptop to get real work done

#29

Post by Nursie »

barbs wrote: post #14

I find this is especially true when comparing to the mess that is Windows 8. Just finding the power button in that OS is a nightmare. It's also interesting to see that it was Ubuntu, presumably with the new Unity interface. It's not something I personally like or even find intuitive, but it looks like it's fairly easy to pick up even for non-technical people. Along with the push by Valve to support Linux, I really ho…

I went to my Dad's place a few months back. He had a new win 8 laptop and asked me how to get going with it, he's not an idiot and has been using windows since the 3.x days. As a linux guy I had trouble too but we got there.

I went back two weeks later and he had a Mac.

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