Why Windows users dont like opensource

[HibbeeBoy]

I think the biggest fear is the M$ Office compatability. I encounter that a fair bit. "Will my Word/Excel files still work ?"
If the PC manufacturers started to offer Linux installs and maybe if Frys and Comp Usa trained their staff to be a bit more savvy, then Linux could  maybe just get into the mainstream. With Dell and Gateway being Pentium and M$ bitch, what can you expect ?

[suselinux]

quote:Originally posted by HibbeeBoy:
I think the biggest fear is the M$ Office compatability. I encounter that a fair bit. "Will my Word/Excel files still work ?"
If the PC manufacturers started to offer Linux installs and maybe if Frys and Comp Usa trained their staff to be a bit more savvy, then Linux could  maybe just get into the mainstream. With Dell and Gateway being Pentium and M$ bitch, what can you expect ?

Its kinda funny of all the retailers

WALMART offers Linux OEM PC's.  Its funny because they are so big we see them as the steriotypical BIG BUSINESS.

Wanna start a revelution call the smaller "mom and pop" computer retailers, your local guys, and ask if they can give you Linux pre installed, or atleast sell you a box set with your computer.

If they say no ask why, then ask other people to ask the same question (ask the same establishment)
if they see enough of an intrest they'll bite.

The only ones who won't, are the ones who think that they will be risking there MS OEM licensce.

[HibbeeBoy]

quote:Originally posted by suselinux:


Its kinda funny of all the retailers

WALMART offers Linux OEM PC's.  Its funny because they are so big we see them as the steriotypical BIG BUSINESS.

Wanna start a revelution call the smaller "mom and pop" computer retailers, your local guys, and ask if they can give you Linux pre installed, or atleast sell you a box set with your computer.

If they say no ask why, then ask other people to ask the same question (ask the same establishment)
if they see enough of an intrest they'll bite.

The only ones who won't, are the ones who think that they will be risking there MS OEM licensce.

Unfortunately, I view Wal-Mart as another evil entity. So, in the meantime, my enemy's enemy is my friend.
Oh, and goodluck discussing Linux with the goons that work in Wal-Mart (Asda). If you ever want to feel better about yourself, go to a Wal-Mart after 10:00pm. Jeez, it's like the Riverside County Fare !

[ May 06, 2003: Message edited by: HibbeeBoy ]

[Siplus]

quote: What I have seen in Windows XP in less than 6 months:

(i don't feel like quoteing the whole thing, scroll up if you want to see what i'm talking about)

i don't know what ur problem is dude, but something is seriously wrong with ur pc. i have Win2k and WinXP (along with 4 distros of linux), and i don't have near the problems you listed. i will gladly admit that i don't really use winXP that often, it's more like i'm using it to test stuff out with it, but i haven't had any major problems with it (although i did have to reinstall it simply because i installed win2k--winXP doesn't like co-existing with another version of windows). i do have more problems with it then i do with win2k though.

I do agree with AmarokShadow, and if you are having that many problems with windows, then either you are screwing around with it too much (which shouldn't cause problems...i WANT to be able to screw around with my computer) or your computer is a POS (by microsoft's standards). the average computer user will NOT be able to install Linux--not even redhat with it's extremely easy installer. most people have trouble running MS Word, and you are expecting these people to be able to run a linux system?! BE REALISTIC!!! it will be a long time before the average computer user will have the skill to use linux, even though the level of skill needed is constantly being lowered.

now, don't flame me because i'm 'supporting windows' because i'm not. i an only saying that the majority of people use windows because it does everything they want it to. they are not concerned with computer security, and are bearly worried about stability. in my programming 3 class, people were practically cheering when a classmate  had a BSOD while logging in (win98 with Novell). They didn't get frustrated, they didn't care, they thought it was "cool" that he got windows to lockup while doing something so simple as logging in. these people are not ready to use a REAL operating system. they have the minds of children and would not be able to comprend linux.

sorry for the long post...and i kinda got off topic...i hope more people will convert to linux, but as suselinux said, they see Free and Linux together and think Free+anything=crap

edit: oh, and walmart doesn't have anything to do with linux, or at least the walmart around me. i was hoping they would sell boxed sets of linux oses, but they didn't even know what linux was!!

[ May 06, 2003: Message edited by: Siplus: *Capitalist* ]

[mobrien_12]

Walmarts in my city have been selling boxed sets of 'Drake for a while.

[NM]

Its funny you would post this under the name suselinux, as it one of the few distos tahts a pain in the a$$ to get free. . . .
(I actually like Suse though, just because I've used it since 6.0)

[suselinux]

quote:Originally posted by NM:
Its funny you would post this under the name suselinux, as it one of the few distos tahts a pain in the a$$ to get free. . . .
(I actually like Suse though, just because I've used it since 6.0)

I Know, I know.  SuSE can be a pain to get free but that is because they bundle some commercial stuff.  And I don't think YAST is GPL.  but if you look hard  enough you can find sites that carry it.  I don't know of any right now.

 SuSE may not be free but it is MOSTLY opensource.
and that is what counts.  I am willing to buy SuSE
because I want to see them survive and if you like a distro buy the next version or it just might die.

I heard Mandrake was applying  for FRENCH bankruptcy protection.

Remember I said that idiots, I mean Win losers, I mean users don't like opensource, and for the MOST part OPEN SOURCE is coincidentally free not necesarily free (need spell check in these message boxes)  I say free in a monitary context.

Xandros (I've heard) is terrible for what you talk about.   I don't think you can get a copy off a website, and I have read that it is very hard to get source code from them.  But that could have been someone who bought a bargain version and read the specs wrong.

Call me a hipocrit if you like. It would not be the first time.

[suselinux]

siplus said:


do agree with AmarokShadow, and if you are having that many problems with windows, then either you are screwing around with it too much (which shouldn't cause problems...i WANT to be able to screw around with my computer) or your computer is a POS (by microsoft's standards). the average computer user will NOT be able to install Linux--not even redhat with it's extremely easy installer. most people have trouble running MS Word, and you are expecting these people to be able to run a linux system?! BE REALISTIC!!! it will be a long time before the average computer user will have the skill to use linux, even though the level of skill needed is constantly being lowered.

now, don't flame me because i'm 'supporting windows' because i'm not.

I wont flame you, but I use SuSE because it has a GUI for everything.  I have been usng SuSE for arond year and a bit.  I have NEVER installed a TAR in the shell.  I have done RPM in and out of the shell but thats just too simple.

and that dosent mean that I only use the packages SuSE came with.  I use Mozzila 1.4 and OOo 1.1
both developer beta.  and I mention those two because they were compressed in the most ingenious way a working .bin (or something) file in the tar that opens a graphic installer. No shell needed just extract to the desktop and run all graphicaly.

That IS easy If you can Use MAC OS you canfigure out Linux.

I really feel sorry for windows losers who are locked in because figuring out linux for yourself is where all the fun is.

Dont tell me that we all here now that were better than most people because I (you) figured out Linux
and with no help.

Windows might be easy, but Linux is logical thats why anyone canfigure out Linux.

[Calum]

quote:I wont flame you, but I use SuSE because it has a GUI for everything. I have been usng SuSE for arond year and a bit. I have NEVER installed a TAR in the shell. I have done RPM in and out of the shell but thats just too simple.

in my opinion using a Unix like system purely from the GUI is a bit of a waste, but i am sure that most MacOSX users would disagree with me (and MacOSX is probably the most popular *ix at the moment). The fact that you (and red hat users, mandrake users et cetera) can use the GUI for anything (almost) that you want to do is great, and shows the flexibility that linux (and other open source systems, like *BSD) can give you. closed systems like MacOSX do have the flexibility and power of unix, but in my opinion cannot compete with linux et al, many MacOSX users are aware that there is any other way to do things than the GUI, and many GNU/BSD tools that linux users take for granted do not (or so i hear) come with MacOSX.

This is not intended as a MacOSX flame, i just use it as an example of a modern proprietary *ix, my real point is that with linux and it's ilk, you get a lot of choice.

[Faust]

quote:i don't know what ur problem is dude, but something is seriously wrong with ur pc.

OEM supplied, nothing over a year old, all Microsoft  certified hardware.  And I'm not noobie enough to not know the difference between "my fault" and "it's fault."  The win2K problem I had was on one of those locked down tight public computers, so there was nothing at all wrong with it (apart from windows.)  Yes, I expect my computer to be able to "go throught the paces" and perform at its best, but I do not overclock it, it sits on less than 30 degrees temp inside the case (<35 CPU temp) and I do regular cleans/defrags/virus scans.  The problem is NOT me nor my hardware, the problem is windows not being able to cope with the workload that should be expected of a modern OS.

[suselinux]

You bring up a point that I find hard to explain to other people cause im "ignint".  Windows has a tendancy to save everything in these temp files and they cluter your HD, not to mention all of the spyware that is almost unavoidable using Windows.  I find that Linux Handles this much better and therfore is not bogged down.  I find that the longer you have windows on your computer the slower it gradually gets because so much memory becomes devoted to spyware and space is wasted by all these temp files.

what is MAC OS like in this context

[HPC GUY]

quote:Originally posted by suselinux:


Its kinda funny of all the retailers

[
Wanna start a revelution call the smaller "mom and pop" computer retailers, your local guys, and ask if they can give you Linux pre installed, or atleast sell you a box set with your computer.

If they say no ask why, then ask other people to ask the same question (ask the same establishment)
if they see enough of an intrest they'll bite.

The only ones who won't, are the ones who think that they will be risking there MS OEM licensce.

HAHAHA!! FUCK an OEM License!
my shop will build PC's with or without an OS. we will also happily install any Flavor of linux!!

[HibbeeBoy]

quote:Originally posted by HPC GUY:
my shop will build PC's with or without an OS. we will also happily install any Flavor of linux!!

What's that ? You will provide the customer with *gasp* what he wants ??

Nay, lad nay, that business plan is flawed and doomed to failure.

 

[lazygamer]

Windows XP works pretty good for me. So I think this is an example of XP being cursed on Faust's particular hardware configuration.

[suselinux]

Im gonna come out of the closet I use XP at work. when Im on my breaks I surf on XP.  

But I didn't inhale!