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Elementary OS – Fast, open, privacy-respecting replacement for Windows and macOS

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Re: Elementary OS – Fast, open, privacy-respecting replacement for Windows and macOS

#191

Post by tathougies »

tdsamardzhiev wrote: post #185
tathougies wrote: post #126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah same experience here. Installed gentoo on our home computer for my mom and dad and once i showed them how to open Firefox, they were happy as clams. The only issue was when my dad wanted to install tax software

Basically, they'll be okay as long as they only use the browser. When they need to edit a MS Excel file, or use their digital signature (mandatory for companies in my country), or use some accounting software... or anything like this, you understand that Linux isn't as ready for the mainstream desktop as we think it is.

My dad was happy with OpenOffice.org Calc (now LibreOffice), and he loved excel. But, yeah, obviously Linux doesn't run accounting or signature software that is not built for it. That's not a technical issue with Linux of course (see Android), but a lack of proprietary software that runs on GNU/Linux.

Re: Elementary OS – Fast, open, privacy-respecting replacement for Windows and macOS

#192

Post by lytedev »

debt wrote: post #157

All I want is an OS with a lightning fast UI and ‘08 thumb drive sized footprint, idc about privacy. Gimme ultra lightning fast Casino-electronic-craps-game-level fast UI and shouldn’t weigh too much like I said Who cares about privacy? If they’re based in the US/EMEIA you can sue the pants off anyone that disrespects your privacy and win in court

Build your own! Arch Linux is a great base to start with. Check out /r/unixporn for examples!

Re: Elementary OS – Fast, open, privacy-respecting replacement for Windows and macOS

#193

Post by Ar-Curunir »

zwaps wrote: post #81

Some of the comments here feel weird. Elementary OS has picked a specific niche, and its arguably the best distribution in it. It has a really well designed and consistent UI experience, and you can't break it. I think most of you just don't realize how difficult linux is for people who barely understand how to use a Mac or Windows machine. Furthermore, linux is a world where mainstream distributions still release wi…

I've gotten around this by minimizing my usage of graphical applications; I use Firefox, a PDF reader, (recently) Zotero to manage papers, and finally a tiling window manager to reduce graphical elements. Everything else happens in the terminal. Linux just isn't ready for GUI apps :(

Re: Elementary OS – Fast, open, privacy-respecting replacement for Windows and macOS

#194

Post by quantummkv »

zwaps wrote: post #81

Some of the comments here feel weird. Elementary OS has picked a specific niche, and its arguably the best distribution in it. It has a really well designed and consistent UI experience, and you can't break it. I think most of you just don't realize how difficult linux is for people who barely understand how to use a Mac or Windows machine. Furthermore, linux is a world where mainstream distributions still release wi…

I've been using the Kde desktop (Kubuntu) for about 6 months now after switching from Windows 10 for Ruby development.

The UI is damn good. Way more polished and consistent than what passes for the three way mess that the Windows 10 UI is these days. Straight out of the box you get a polished, Windows 7 type layout, complete with a start menu better than Windows, consistent fonts and smooth animations. And unlike every other desktop, the dark theme actually works as advertised.

The only time I go back to windows is when is need Corel Draw for my graphics design work. And I immediately feel the difference in polish and consistency. If I could get without Corel Draw, I would definitely banish Windows from my laptop.

That being said, GNOME is a clusterfk. It's what we all accused Windows 8 of beign. A wannabe tablet desktop in a world without any actual tablets. What is possessing them to remove functionality available in ALL other desktops? When this is pointed out they point to extensions written in a leaky javascript implementation, which can be broken the next gnome update because why not?

If you want a modern desktop on Linux, Kde is what you want these days.

Re: Elementary OS – Fast, open, privacy-respecting replacement for Windows and macOS

#196

Post by mikestew »

vel0city wrote: post #125
lazzlazzlazz wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are part of the vocal, online minority that doesn't look at Mint and cringe because it looks so amateur and dated. Most people intuitively have a sense of whether the software they're using is elegant, polished, and user-friendly without necessarily being able to articulate that the "font heights", etc. are the problem. By a common user's standards, Mint looks amateur and janky compared to Windows 10 and Mac OS.

FWIW, the screenshot above was Linux Mint 17, there has been a lot of improvement with Cinnamon since then. Current version is 19. https://www.linuxmint.com/pictures/screenshots/tara/cinnamon...

I’m not a UI snob by any stretch, but I’d use Windows 10 before I’d stare all day at that hodge-podge of misalignment in the bottom bar.

Re: Elementary OS – Fast, open, privacy-respecting replacement for Windows and macOS

#197

Post by otto2 »

andy_ppp wrote: post #176
dnautics wrote: post #174

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have run exclusively Linux and mostly on laptops for 15 years and it's been about 10 years since I have had problems with packages clashing, except for python pip. (I don't use python though)

Can you give us details of laptop and distribution used? Seems hardware is still difficult i.e. trackpads, WiFi, screen resolution, external displays, etc.

Lenovo Thinkpads are in general well supported and have hardware that works out of the box. I run Mint on Thinkpad 450s and have no issues at all.

Re: Elementary OS – Fast, open, privacy-respecting replacement for Windows and macOS

#198

Post by andrepd »

zwaps wrote: post #81

Some of the comments here feel weird. Elementary OS has picked a specific niche, and its arguably the best distribution in it. It has a really well designed and consistent UI experience, and you can't break it. I think most of you just don't realize how difficult linux is for people who barely understand how to use a Mac or Windows machine. Furthermore, linux is a world where mainstream distributions still release wi…

Why are you comparing Elementary OS with a version of Linux Mint that's at least 5 years old? Especially when they had such a big design shift in the last year or two.

Up-to-date screenshot (still with the "old" theme Mint-X, but actually Mint-Y (based on arc) is the default as of the latest version): https://linuxmint.com/pictures/screenshots/serena/gallery/5....

The choice isn't between ugly and Elementary. It's a false dillema. E.g. Cinnamon, which is pretty and functional.

Re: Elementary OS – Fast, open, privacy-respecting replacement for Windows and macOS

#199

Post by jammygit »

andy_ppp wrote: post #176
dnautics wrote: post #174

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have run exclusively Linux and mostly on laptops for 15 years and it's been about 10 years since I have had problems with packages clashing, except for python pip. (I don't use python though)

Can you give us details of laptop and distribution used? Seems hardware is still difficult i.e. trackpads, WiFi, screen resolution, external displays, etc.

I find my xps 13 is almost problem free, and runs better than windows. But then again, maybe I'm just used to it. Its hard to say after a year

Re: Elementary OS – Fast, open, privacy-respecting replacement for Windows and macOS

#200

Post by jammygit »

quantummkv wrote: post #194
zwaps wrote: post #81

Some of the comments here feel weird. Elementary OS has picked a specific niche, and its arguably the best distribution in it. It has a really well designed and consistent UI experience, and you can't break it. I think most of you just don't realize how difficult linux is for people who barely understand how to use a Mac or Windows machine. Furthermore, linux is a world where mainstream distributions still release wi…

I've been using the Kde desktop (Kubuntu) for about 6 months now after switching from Windows 10 for Ruby development. The UI is damn good. Way more polished and consistent than what passes for the three way mess that the Windows 10 UI is these days. Straight out of the box you get a polished, Windows 7 type layout, complete with a start menu better than Windows, consistent fonts and smooth animations. And unlike eve…

Imho, gnome is quite nice. I think I'm in the minority maybe but I would be pretty sad if gnome went away one day (or had another memory leak/slowdown issue)
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