linux in the news

[infiniphunk]

Originally posted by StarTiger


When you can run Halo, KoTOR2 or Doom 3 under linux, then we will be getting somewhere.

Your thoughts?

Actually, when you can run sobig, netsky, mydoom and blaster under linux, then you'll get there.

[Parcival]

And you can run SuperTux which is better than any of the games you listed.

[StarTiger]

Originally posted by infiniphunk
Actually, when you can run sobig, netsky, mydoom and blaster under linux, then you'll get there.

Yes, you can, but back to my original coment, these methods are not something an adverage person can reliably use. they are way over thier heads. If you can't just put the cd in the drive (the standard wal-mart copy) and have it take it from there with the only major imput being what driectory to put it in.

For the adverage person, Linux still requires a rather steep learning curve. Something that must be overcome if you want it to become widespread.

[jacobb]

2. Compatibility. This is the same proble that Mac's have. the VAST majority of software that people want to use on their computer, expecially for gamers, is written for the windows platform. Now it wouldn't take much for most program writers to port over their software, but they don't. And going back to point 1, setting up emulators to run those programs under linux is not an easy thing to do.

I have to disagree on the amount of effort required to port software. More often than not its going to require an almost complete rewrite. This is especially true for games.

Yes, you can, but back to my original coment, these methods are not something an adverage person can reliably use. they are way over thier heads.

I think the average *nix user will figure it out...

If you can't just put the cd in the drive (the standard wal-mart copy) and have it take it from there with the only major imput being what driectory to put it in.

Every NATIVE game for linux IS that easy to install.

[plattypus1]

Unfortunately I have to agree with the Wal-Mart reference. My mother can barely install software under Windows. If something pops up that doesn't have a "Next" box she usually calls me on the phone (a little over 50 miles away). A linux desktop is quite likely to make inroads in the corporate environment, where people aren't supposed to fsck with it anyway, but home users who expect a drop-in Winblows replacement will come away unhappy, and unfortunately that's precisely what they expect.
Now, if you can catch somebody who's out buying their first computer, educate them a bit, and give them a shiny pressed Ubuntu CD... there's a convert.

[davholla]

Originally posted by Icarus
Companies really don't like 'free'

That usually means it has no support, is non-certified and is their problem if something goes wrong...if they can't point their fingers at someone, they can't work properly

Isn't that the same as normal software ? A lot of included support is not that good. For linux you have a choice of supplier (ie you can sack the rubbish one) for windows you don't/

[StarTiger]

Originally posted by jacobb
I think the average *nix user will figure it out...

I wasn't talking a about the adverage *nix user. Sure some one familure with the unix system can figure it out, but how about the majority of computer users that have had little to no experance with any form of unix? To them it's a complete forien language. And all but a few of them (i.e. us here.) they have neither the will or incentive to learn it.

[jacobb]

Originally posted by StarTiger
I wasn't talking a about the adverage *nix user. Sure some one familure with the unix system can figure it out, but how about the majority of computer users that have had little to no experance with any form of unix? To them it's a complete forien language. And all but a few of them (i.e. us here.) they have neither the will or incentive to learn it.

If they have no will or desire to learn unix, then why are they using it? I for one LIKE how *nix does things, otherwise I would not be using it. Linux is what it is, and if you decide to use it, then its your responsabliity to learn how.

In short, the user needs to learn *nix, not *nix needs to change so they don't have to.

Do you want a clone of MS? Remember a copy is never as good as the original, which would then make Linux the worst os in history!

[jacobb]

Originally posted by plattypus1
Unfortunately I have to agree with the Wal-Mart reference. My mother can barely install software under Windows. If something pops up that doesn't have a "Next" box she usually calls me on the phone (a little over 50 miles away). A linux desktop is quite likely to make inroads in the corporate environment, where people aren't supposed to fsck with it anyway, but home users who expect a drop-in Winblows replacement will come away unhappy, and unfortunately that's precisely what they expect.
Now, if you can catch somebody who's out buying their first computer, educate them a bit, and give them a shiny pressed Ubuntu CD... there's a convert.

Linux is not a drop in replacement for Windows. It never will be, nor was it ever intended to be.

If a person is just stupid, or unwilling to learn, or whatever, then they are going to have trouble using ANY os.

[Parcival]

Originally posted by jacobb
If a person is just stupid, or unwilling to learn, or whatever, then they are going to have trouble using ANY os. [/B]

Not from a usability point of view. As Don Norman purs it, the number of people NOT having your product is always bigger than the one that does. Once you filled the specialist users' market, getting simpler is the only way to grow.

[StarTiger]

Originally posted by jacobb
If a person is just stupid, or unwilling to learn, or whatever, then they are going to have trouble using ANY os.

So you want Linux to remain a fringe group on the edge of mainstream computing?

So instead of showing people that there is a better way to do stuff you want to keep it only for the "Smart" people.

You might want to remember that the origional name of this forum was LinuxNewbie.org

You really should read some of the stuff Orson Scott Card has written about the elitist artest mentality. You're showing the same mindset.

[jacobb]

You might want to remember that the origional name of this forum was LinuxNewbie.org

Yeah, and now its called justlinux, yet has subforums for other *nix's, and has Microsoft adds a plenty. Whats your point?

All I'm saying is Linux just needs to be itself, not some cheap knockoff. Linux should be encouraged to be differant, to find new and better ways of doings things. People who boot into Linux expecting a Windows clone SHOULD dissapointed. It's ok to have a learning curve...

I'm not trying to be an elitist, but when its all said and done I could really care less which operating system you use. Its just an os, and it might not be the right one for you, and thats ok.

[Icarus]

Linux is not Windows, newbies to Linux can't grasp that concept very well after using Windows for 10 years.

Most people that think they know Windows really don't have a clue of how it works, most people after using Linux for a while begin to understand how Linux works.

That's the difference, Windows hides everything in the 'registry' to 'protect the users from themselves' and Linux encourages people to learn how it works

There is a lot of things you can do with Windows to customize, but most people are afraid to open it up and play around (so they are happy to pay $40 for an app that changes a simple behaviour of Windows even though it is already there, but hidden, and comes with a GUI)

[Parcival]

Originally posted by Icarus
Linux is not Windows, newbies to Linux can't grasp that concept very well after using Windows for 10 years.

True, but for me one of the beauties of Linux is how it can be like Windows if one really wants to (at least in the GUI) - Linux' adaptability is amazing. Windows jus doesn't have that.

[Frown]

Originally posted by Icarus
Linux is not Windows, newbies to Linux can't grasp that concept very well after using windows for 10 years.

I don't quite agree with that. I used windows for a long time, practically since 95 version, and I don't think I would learn linux (or rather adapt to linux) any easier if I only used windows only for, say, three years. Even using windows gives you some computer knoweledge, surely by far not as much as Linux, but if you used some program in windows, you probably won't have problems using a Linux equivalent, and you will learn to use it faster than if you seen it for the first time. And for most people, using programs to do certain specialised things is the only thing they need to know about the computer. And for the ones that want to know more, surely windows gives some bad habits (from the Linux point of view), but for anyone with the will to learn, they are not that hard to break and adapt to the Linux way of doing things, and that is about all what you need to do.