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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

#81

Post by pippy »

For about last five years most linux flavours have been more usable than windows. Ubuntu and Debian have superb out of the box experiences, even more so given the disaster that was Windows 8. For example ElementaryOS is by far one of the best UI out there right now, and Gnome 3.1 finally pulled finger and created everything I'd been wanting in a desktop shell.

But the real "year of the Linux desktop" will only ever happen when manufactures get behind it. Like it or not, ChromeOS was a major step in the right direction. The complicated relationship that Microsoft has with their OEM partners and their Surface fiasco might be the bump that will cause the Wintel tower of cards to start falling. I'm interested in why OEM partners even still use Windows given it's a major cost and their profit margins are so thin. It's been a renaissance in instruction set architectures in the last decade with ARM taking over many market segments, and this is something that costs less and Linux has a huge advantage in. Windows will take years to catch up in terms of ARM compatibility and even then it's likely that it will be extremely limited.

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

#82

Post by nandhp »

skittles wrote: post #76
codys wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, hassle Brother to release some Free printer drivers. They are one of the last major holdouts.

Brother has deb and rpm packages for that printer.

And source code for the scanner driver and CUPS-FAX wrapper.

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

#83

Post by ewzimm »

ivanbrussik wrote: post #75

I've been using Linux since Redhat 4.0, whatever kernal version that was. I've always been a "desktop" user but very much know my way around bash and can throw together pipes and scripts. Last week I setup a fresh Ubuntu box in our office, on a fairly new Dell PC in order to view a webinar. I wanted to show off Linux (ended up looking like a moron.) Flash issues on Firefox rightaway, no matter what I did it would not…

I feel the same way about Windows. Endless issues with printers and drivers especially. But somehow it has managed to hold on to market share with fractured hardware support.

If hardware vendors had better Linux support, there would be no problems. Mac OS can only work well as it does because Apple optimizes the OS for the hardware. Fortunately, we are starting to see some good hardware support from vendors like System76, but their ultrabooks still don't result from close collaboration between software and hardware engineers, and they get 5 hours battery life for the Macbook Air's 15.

I hope hardware vendors continue to hire more Linux specialists and we see a reversal of this trend.

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

#84

Post by solnyshok »

Morgawr wrote: post #45

I had been trying to get my parents to move to Linux for a long time and now, after a few months of struggles, it seems they are actually liking it (xubuntu). It all started years ago when my dad got a virus on the windows laptop, then I told him to use Linux (all they do is watch movies and browse the web) and installed Ubuntu for them. My mother got angry at me because she couldn't use Internet Explorer (ugh) and i…

friend of a friend kept bringing me old xp laptop with that 'cyber police, transfer money to us' extortion-virus. when it happened third time in half a year, I installed mint in dual boot for him and haven't heard from him ever again.

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

#85

Post by javajosh »

ams6110 wrote: post #47
javajosh wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is an interesting phenomena, but it's pretty easy to explain: the barrier for an older person is "using a computer". The barrier for a younger person is "using linux". The older person doesn't know or care about the operating system - they are going to use the computer (or not) for very specific things. The younger person, who is probably more of a power user, is going to be more "enmeshed" with the details of the…

In OSX you tab between apps with Command-Tab, you tab between windows (within an app) with Command-`

I'm aware of this, thanks. But it's a distinction that isn't in windows.

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

#86

Post by Gnarl »

I'm gonna set my 70+ neighbor up with Linux because the Vista that the computer shop sold her a few years ago as "the future" is dying miserably (all by itself, she doesn't install tons o' stuff) and she also feels it's a slow pain to use.

I'm a freelance consultant so she asked me how to get rid of all the "problems" (meaning BSODs, malware, viruses etc.) because she needs to get real work done. When I mentioned I use Linux and never have a BSOD or virus, she asked me if I could "upgrade her computer to Linux" - her words :)

So, Linux Mint is going on my ol' neighbor's PC.

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

#87

Post by hnriot »

I think this, and the rest of the comments have missed the point, It's not linux or windows really that's going on, but that "computing" for the masses has shrunk down to the browser and Office (or it's clones) - the operating system these days has become marginalized for most people. the File Open dialog is about as far as they interact with it, along with CTRL P and the dock. Linux is perfectly capable of this.

I run linux on my laptop, I run hadoop, a virtualbox for some VM's, a dozen terminal windows spread over two monitors and python. When I go home I have a similar setup on a MBP and most of the time I can't tell one from the other. The operating system, even for development has become quite irrelevant. I havnen't tried windows in decades... have they fixed the C: nonsense yet, or (stupidly) using the wrong slash in file paths!

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

#88

Post by carl-platt »

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…

My Dad has been begging me to install Ubuntu on his MacBook Air. I think it's time I did.

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

#89

Post by mukundmr »

SylonZero wrote: post #53

The time for MS and Windows is passing. I guarantee it.

Microsoft India sent me an email announcing a 15% hike in cost of their software in 2014. They wanted me to renew some of the subscriptions early. I do hope they wake up to reality.

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

#90

Post by bkamapantula »

javajosh wrote: post #35
pwnna wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

It is an interesting phenomena, but it's pretty easy to explain: the barrier for an older person is "using a computer". The barrier for a younger person is "using linux". The older person doesn't know or care about the operating system - they are going to use the computer (or not) for very specific things. The younger person, who is probably more of a power user, is going to be more "enmeshed" with the details of the…

-> the barrier for an older person is "using a computer". The barrier for a younger person is "using linux".

Interesting, I never thought this way.

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