I just finished reading this item written by Jack Wallen. I get the ZDNet newsletter and this item was linked from it. He has a theory about why GNU/Linux has not been more widely adopted. He also has a potential solution. he thinks there should be an ‘Official Linux’ distribution targeted at users new to Linux. I think his idea has merit, and that such a project should be undertaken with the Linux Foundation as the primary Open Source Community organization, working in concert with a consortium of hardware manufacturers et-al, steering the development of this new Official Linux distribution. Please read Mr. Wallen’s article, and make up your own mind about what he has to say:
I think Ubuntu is about as close as anything to an official distro. For me it’s mainly because it just works and supports more hardware than most others. In the old days that was always a sticking point, especially display and wi-fi adapters.
I read the same item, to some extent I agree with his thoughts, in the past he has been a strong advocate for Linux.
Although Ubuntu has a large following and is backed by a well known company I personally feel the direction they are following is not for me and not my preferred option or taste.
Given a choice and excluding red hat (again well known company) my first choice would be Linux mint.
So many users of phones and tablets are down the android road so perhaps that with chrome OS but that just moves from Microsoft to Google so not sure it’s a great choice.
Admittedly, Ubuntu is currently perhaps the most popular distribution in the GNU/Linux ecosystem. My only issue with choosing it as the ‘Official Linux’ distribution is the fact that Canonical (Ubuntu’s ‘owner’) is a commercial business. So is RedHat and look at the shenanigans they have recently perpetrated. I switched from Fedora to Solus because of their (Fedora’s) strong affiliation with RedHat. Personally, I’d much prefer an Official GNU/Linux distribution to be driven by a non-commercial Open Source entity such as the Linux Foundation, one whose sole purpose is the advancement of GNU/Linux and the Open Source Community et-al.
@Daniel_Phillips, please tell us more. I’d be interested in learning what you know. . I’d also like to learn whether you have a solution to suggest and if so, what is it?
I think the primary issue is most people don’t care. They don’t care that Windows doesnt run well, or that Microsoft/Amazon/Google/ect are spying on you. They just want something that’s easy and works.
Most people also don’t know how to install an OS, and don’t care to find out. So they would never go to Linux. Assuming they even know what Linux is.
That said, there has definitely been a push in recent years to have more privacy on digital devices, so I think Linux as will get more and more popular as a desktop OS. That said, there will always be those that don’t care.
I’m not so sure that the issue is entirely that ‘most’ people don’t care as much as it’s that so many people don’t care enough to go to the effort to learn what they can do about it. Couple that with the illusion that GNU/Linux involves a steep learning curve and I think we have a major part of the reason so many people don’t switch. According to Mr. Wallen’s article (linked in my original post), a major road block is the vast number of ‘Newbie’ friendly distributions that are available and how that fact can overwhelm those who consider making the switch. I think he’s right about that for the most part. I like the idea of an ‘Official’ GNU/Linux distribution designed with the sole purpose of being the best possible starting point for new users and I’d prefer it not be dependent on any single organization/entity for its continuing existence.
I do agree with this. There can also be other newbie distros but one like this that everyone can point to is a good idea to solve this problem. As long as you combine it with good documentation / community support.
I do think though that the majority of people simply dont know how to install Linux and they don’t care to do so.
Linux is easy to learn if you are good with computers and/or are a programmer OR are willing to put the time in. In some ways its easier than Windows or MacOS. But for the people I am thinking of, the learning curve is not an illusion.
Let’s take my mother in law. Shes a very nice person, but she doesnt understand anything about computers other than using youtube, netflix and email. She thought that if she logged into her Khol’s account at our house she would need a different password then she uses at home. We asked her once if she knows what “loading” means and she said “Not really”. People like this dont understand computers, they just know the set of steps to get what they want, but to them there is no logic to it other than that.
I dont think we should focus on these people, so I wouldnt say they’re an “issue”, but if you ask why more people don’t use Linux, you do need to consider these people because they are a significant part of the population. We should focus on the people who do understand computers or who do want something better, more secure and with less spying and are willing to put the work in. It will always be work to learn something new, but ideally we would make it as easy for them as possible.
Read it. Interesting.
I think one distromaker has to do it.
Something like a Debian New User Edition would solve it.
I only used Debian as an example… any reasonably stable distro maker could do it.
I hope it leads to something… it is still a real issue.
Cheers
Neville
@ernie
OK, I read the article and to me, he is missing the whole point. Most users just want a machine that works, and the era of the Desktop PC is coming to a close along with a lot of Laptops. Most people just want a phone to use or some gadget, that might be called a PC. AS for all the Linux Distros, you can throw them in a bag, shake em up, and ever which one falls out, use it, not a heck of a lot difference in any of them. and the Achilles heel with Linux is the same that it has been since W95 is hardware support.
That might be fixed by a hardware/Linux bundle.
A bundle would also remove hardware support issues.
Most Linux users are DIY hobbyists… and they are self sufficient.
If a new user wants to become Linux proficient, they have to be prepared to learn.
If a new user just wants a lazy solution… get an android tablet… ie a bundle.
There’s PinePhone. However, right now its really just for hobbyists. As for me, I have some health problems that require me to use Android or iOS. (I guess I could try to get the Android apps working on some kind of Linux phone, but it is kind of risky so I haven’t done it).
Done.
Yes there is a whole spectrum of users from competent down to new.
It is hard to provide suitable distros for all of them.
There is also the server world… they mostly dont use gui’s at all and they flog containers…Linux there is winner.
My problem with LF (Linux Foundation) is that they don’t even seem to care about desktop Linux, there’ve been several anecdotes about their boss/CEO, and other staff of LF running Apple hardware and Apple O/S - publically, unashamedly, unappreciative of the sheer irony! Now I particularly am a bit of a fanboi of Apple and MacOS - but if your job is to market Linux out there - shouldn’t you be practising what you preach?
I kinda agree - but would need EVERYONE at the LF to dump other O/S and practice what they preach… and those opinions, are like a-holes, i.e. everyone has one…
I’m just about to wipe Ubuntu 23.04 off my AMD Thinkpad and re-install Pop!_OS… So - I’d recommend Pop!_OS - but why? Actually no - I wouldn’t recommend it. Not sure what I’d recommend, but for a new user, Ubuntu, it’s just the “default” setting, has the widest support, and easiest to find answers for - but I’d agree with the sentiment here - this maybe needs a non-commercial driver? Don’t the GNOME foundation have their own “distro”? Hmmm - no… I thought I read somewhere they were looking at creating their own distro…
Anyone remember “United Linux” - that was some kinda thing put together by Oracle, and SUSE and Caldera / Corel - it was an okay distro (I tried it - circa 2002/2003), RPM based, desktop and server - but it didn’t last very long - and was anything but “united” - SCO bought Caldera and UNIX from Novell - and proceeded to patent troll anyone they could think of…
. I’d also like to learn whether you have a solution to suggest and if so, what is it?