Is Ubuntu Linux ready for the average Mom/Pop home User?

[Choppie]

Speaking of Office,

Using LebreOffice Base, I created a small table with a few fields for reporting issues with Linux Mint. We're talking about my CrashDummy test here. I then created a form for easier input and had the great idea of trying to drag the object to the desktop to create a launcher for CDB (CrashDummyBarbara).....the little hand went into a fist and that was all she wrote. System locked up, but still could move the fist around the desktop...nothing could unfreeze it, had to hit the power button, and it booted up just fine with no issues like nothing happened. If this nonsense happened a few years ago with say Mandrake or what ever....it's a good chance I would be reaching for the dvd and getting ready to "Nuke&Pave"......just saying...

...C

 

[trevm999]

The difference between switching someone over to Linux and switching them over to Mac is that the Mac user will come back for help in 6 months because they still can't figure out how to install flash player but they will still tell you they love their Mac.

That is to say, most people don't have a clue how to use their OS, the key to an OS ready for the general public is that users still manage to get around somehow anyway.

 

[gunslinger]

The difference between switching someone over to Linux and switching them over to Mac is that the Mac user will come back for help in 6 months because they still can't figure out how to install flash player but they will still tell you they love their Mac.

That is to say, most people don't have a clue how to use their OS, the key to an OS ready for the general public is that users still manage to get around somehow anyway.

Not really. As soon as flash is needed You will get a prompt to install it on the Mac. Click the nice little link and within 5 seconds you are running the latest version of flash. They will tell you how much they love their Mac because they aren't having to fiddle around in the terminal for hours to get their graphics drivers installed the way they would on a Linux box or getting infected every other week like on the Windows machine.

 

[trevm999]

Not really. As soon as flash is needed You will get a prompt to install it on the Mac. Click the nice little link and within 5 seconds you are running the latest version of flash. They will tell you how much they love their Mac because they aren't having to fiddle around in the terminal for hours to get their graphics drivers installed the way they would on a Linux box or getting infected every other week like on the Windows machine.

The customer clicks the button, gets sent to the Adobe website, downloads the file, then clicks on it and mounts the dmg then tries to watch youtube thinking they've just installed flash. I see it all the time, maybe the people are smarter where you are.

I think the fact that the topic of this thread keeps coming up shows that it is at least getting close. We are now seeing systems coming preloaded from the manufacturer with Ubuntu, which should give people a more pleasant experience because all the components will be compatible. The problem is the compatibility of accessories and programs, which we still see with Macs.

 

[nlinecomputers]

We are now seeing systems coming preloaded from the manufacturer with Ubuntu

That is hardly new. Dell has had Proloaded systems from RedHat, Mandrake, and Ubuntu over the years. They sell for a few months and then drop them. It's just a ploy to get better rates from Microsoft for Windows Licenses.

 

[trevm999]

That is hardly new. Dell has had Proloaded systems from RedHat, Mandrake, and Ubuntu over the years. They sell for a few months and then drop them. It's just a ploy to get better rates from Microsoft for Windows Licenses.

And that's why Dell doesn't count. You could be right though, maybe that's why other manufacturers are doing it. But there are systems out there that you can buy with Ubuntu and not have to worry about tweaking graphics settings, etc (cross fingers, personally I would trust System76 more than HP)

 

[nlinecomputers]

And that's why Dell doesn't count. You could be right though, maybe that's why other manufacturers are doing it. But there are systems out there that you can buy with Ubuntu and not have to worry about tweaking graphics settings, etc (cross fingers, personally I would trust System76 more than HP)

You might, but Joe Six Pack's never heard of them nor this Oohbuntube stuff either.

 

[gunslinger]

I think the fact that the topic of this thread keeps coming up shows that it is at least getting close. We are now seeing systems coming preloaded from the manufacturer with Ubuntu, which should give people a more pleasant experience because all the components will be compatible. The problem is the compatibility of accessories and programs, which we still see with Macs.

Many of the ones I have seen come from the manufacturer with Ubuntu get sent back because the customer can't figure out how to use it. As for this being an issue with Mac, I may have agreed with you 10-15 years ago but not today. Almost everything I see these days says for Mac or PC on the box. I havent seen anything that said Ubuntu on the box.

 

[Ccomp5950]

I love how these discussions always devolve into this.

Same usual suspects too.

 

[ohio_grad_06]

I don't know that Linux is yet ready for average folks. I will say last version of Linux mint I tried was nice though, but just felt like I could not do much but get online. With Microsoft pushing windows 8 so hard though I don't like the direction they are taking, so hopefully Linux does get to be a viable replacement.

 

[trevm999]

As for this being an issue with Mac, I may have agreed with you 10-15 years ago but not today. Almost everything I see these days says for Mac or PC on the box. I havent seen anything that said Ubuntu on the box.

True, the closest thing you see on a box is "linux compatible" and that means you'll have to compile the driver, not a task for an end user. Compatibilty with Mac is pretty good these days, but you still have to be careful. About a month ago we sold an HP printer that said it was compatible up to 10.7. So, naturally the box was just too old for it to say 10.8 too, and HP has been good with Mac compatibility so we never even thought about looking it up. Turns out that the printer installed fine, but the scanner did not work. We contacted HP and they still haven't put together a driver 100% compatible with 10.8 yet. And as for programs, when I took Apple Sales training, all their solutions for business included installing Windows on the Mac in some fashion except for a point of sales system. It is simpler just to have Windows in a business environment, yet people are switching to Mac anyways.

It is an uphill battle for Linux, it is not up there with Mac, the day I see a device say Ubuntu compatible is probably the day I will quit my job. Ubuntu does need people using the OS in order for it to happen, though I would not typically recommend installing it on your clients machines.

 

[bertie40]

Sigh.
I just loaded mint using virtual-box.

Screen resolution is crap.

Can I get Nvidia installed ?

Nah.

I think that says it all.

 

[coffee]

Sigh.
I just loaded mint using virtual-box.

Screen resolution is crap.

Can I get Nvidia installed ?

Nah.

I think that says it all.

VB uses its own driver - Check your settings. If your only getting 640xwhatever then you have to install the guest services.

Try it.

 

[nlinecomputers]

VB uses its own driver - Check your settings. If your only getting 640xwhatever then you have to install the guest services.

Try it.

What he said. ANY VirtualBox guest. Windows or Linux is going to be crap until you load the guest services app. It installs special drivers to run in the Virtual Machine.

 

[coffee]

What he said. ANY VirtualBox guest. Windows or Linux is going to be crap until you load the guest services app. It installs special drivers to run in the Virtual Machine.

I think he is bitching just to bitch. I cannot understand running even windows without guest services. But I will check on this and see if I have an issue. Installing a quick copy of mint 14 right now and then guest services.

#bertie40 - Install guest additions, Reboot your virtual mint, When rebooted drag your lower right corner to the size you want. If your still having issues PM me or post back or do something. Dont just give up - as I think you might

 

[codegreen]

Somebody needs to read the documentation for his virtualization software...

 

[coffee]

Somebody needs to read the documentation for his virtualization software...

I agree.

Seems he has some issue with linux. I think he just owns M$ stock or something like that. If he does, I would be scared!

 

[bertie40]

I have half a dozen virtual machines, so I'm reasonably familiar with the guest additions.

As far as I'm aware, virtualbox recognises the installing Linux OS, and adds them automatically. Unlike Microsoft virtuals, whereas you install them via the menubar at the top of the screen.

Nevertheless, just to make sure, I added them anyway, which required me running a root prompt, and navigate to the mounted ISO (media/VboxAdditions..... Etc) and run the file manually.

Running an apt-get update-distro appeared to find references to the virtual box addins, so I assume they are running. I can access shared microsoft folders which appears to confirm this

I can only get 1024x768, so I tried installing the Nvidia drivers. I have an Nvidia 210 card. I installed it via the update center package (the "current" driver plus the config program Nvidia-xconfig.

Trying to get the Nvidia set, it keeps telling me to run Nvidia-xconfig as root, and restart the xserver, which does not make a scrap of difference.

I remember it helps to remove, disable or blacklist the generic nouveau driver, so I tried that. Thank you mr. google.

I'm just replying to the topic at hand. Both major OS's have strengths and weaknesses.

I admit, I'm not fond of Linux as I've encountered these hurdles for years, nevertheless it has strengths and applications above that which Microsoft offer.
And I try to keep an open mind.

This is why I keep trying.

Reading my efforts above, and (perhaps) dismissing the virtualbox references, do you still maintain the general public capable or even willing to go through all this hassle ?

Im not going to waste any more time on this, I'll just live with the lower res.

At least I managed to install oracle java easily this time

Regards.

 

[coffee]

Reading my efforts above, and (perhaps) dismissing the virtualbox references, do you still maintain the general public capable or even willing to go through all this hassle ?

If you click and drag the lower right of your mint screen it will auto ajust the resolution of mint.

Yes, I still do. The type of audience I am referring to does not run VMs.

Boot up mint and go to menu/preferences/monitor and see if the driver says "monitor: vbx". This tells you that you are indeed running the guest extensions driver. If that is the case then drag your screen to the resolution you want.

 

[codegreen]

I can only get 1024x768, so I tried installing the Nvidia drivers. I have an Nvidia 210 card. I installed it via the update center package (the "current" driver plus the config program Nvidia-xconfig.

Trying to get the Nvidia set, it keeps telling me to run Nvidia-xconfig as root, and restart the xserver, which does not make a scrap of difference.

Your computer may have an Nvidia card, but your virtual machine certainly doesn't. It has a "VirtualBox Graphics Adapter". Trying to install an Nvidia driver on a VirtualBox guest OS is as useful as installing a Voodoo3 driver.

This is why I'm suggesting you crack open the VirtualBox documentation.