Top 7 Reasons People Quit Linux

Discussion in 'all things UNIX' started by tgell, May 1, 2009.

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  1. tgell

    tgell Registered Member

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  2. steve161

    steve161 Registered Member

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    I'd say no. 1 is the reason people do not try linux in the first place. I've also heard a few horror stories about hardware support but I have to laugh when that is mentioned because, at least on this computer made for windows. I would regularly lose my sound with xp, whereas I have had zero hardware issues with my distros (honestly, zero).
    Oh, and the command line. I've copied and pasted a few commands with Ubuntu and have not yet opened a terminal with PCLinuxOS. But it's cool that people assume I'm a power user. I'm running with it.
     
  3. wj32

    wj32 Developer

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    It's funny how every time I install Ubuntu on a machine all the hardware just works, while Windows with its supposed better support for more hardware requires me to find the OEM drivers CD. It's just absurd.
     
  4. Arup

    Arup Guest

    Windows took a different path for hardware, most drivers in Linux are built into the kernel whereas drivers for Windows needs to be procured from the manufacturer and installed, both have their advantages. The Lin model makes it easy for first time users, the Win model lets you add support for hardware faster and sometimes you get better performance due to the hardware incorporating cutting edge stuff. Of course that can also lead to quite a lot of instabilities. Years back installing Creative drivers for my Win PC taught me a huge lesson. In Linux you can update drivers via the manufacturers as well, both nvidia and ATI make drivers for Linux. The kernel mode drivers also mean that they are tested thoroughly before being put there so no chance of instability.

    Number one reason people quit Linux is impatience. I should know, I run a NGO where one of our jobs is to implement Linux for those who come from lower income groups or senior citizens. Most quit either because Linux has no games, this goes for the youngsters, others quit because for years, MS has dumbed them down to zombies who think that unless they see and hear MS logo and music while booting, it ain't worth it.
     
  5. Eice

    Eice Registered Member

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    For me, it was the hardware issues; no USB automount on boot, no sound on speakers (even though headphones worked fine), and an inability to play videos without crashing the GNOME display manager if I wanted 3D acceleration for my video card.

    There were minor compromises here and there as well: Microsoft Office 2007 > OpenOffice, no Google Chrome and IE8, I couldn't get the correct Japanese fonts to show, the stepped release upgrade model, etc. But those were less dealbreaking.
     
  6. Mrkvonic

    Mrkvonic Linux Systems Expert

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    Take into consideration that those that try Linux are considered super geeks by most Windows standard. Half the people I know have a hard time turning their pcs on the first go.

    People who move over to Linux are usually experienced Windows users, with attitude and preconception how things ought to be, and then you yank the little mat of confidence beneath their legs and they're left confused and angry in a new world of software they're not familiar with.

    Pretty much like taking Linux geeks and throwing them into Solaris or BSD water. They start bitching within minutes. I know I have.

    It's about what you know vs. what you think you know.

    Mrk
     
  7. incursari

    incursari Registered Member

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    What Mark says is true. I started using Windows from version 3.1 until Vista. During that period whenever I switch to Linux, i don't feel any problem at all. If things don't work, Google is my friend and I able to troubleshoot the problem. What I believed, if you have a learning mindset, you will not whine about things not working.
     
  8. Mrkvonic

    Mrkvonic Linux Systems Expert

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    Who is Mark? :)
    Mrk
     
  9. wj32

    wj32 Developer

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    Even though I said that Ubuntu has better OOB support for older hardware, I think that most users find GNU/Linux just a tiny bit harder to use than Windows and then switch back to Windows simply because of the extra effort required. Most users just want to get work done, and for simple tasks they don't see any difference between Windows and GNU/Linux.
     
  10. incursari

    incursari Registered Member

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    ooh my typo :argh:
     
  11. lewmur

    lewmur Registered Member

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    The number one reason people quit using Linux is because they are too dumb to install and setup an OS on their own.:D
     
  12. Arup

    Arup Guest


    :D :D :D :D

    Actually dumbed down, I notice if you catch them young as I am doing, then its a non issue.
     
  13. Arup

    Arup Guest


    Actually for first timers I never recommend Ubuntu due to their strict FOSS policies of non free stuff. PCLOS, Super Ubuntu and for Eye Candy lovers good old Sabayon. Then they don't have to tinker finding codecs, flash, java etc.
     
  14. lewmur

    lewmur Registered Member

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    Actually, I'm also having good results with my elderly contemporaries, so long as I install and set it up for them.
     
  15. Arup

    Arup Guest


    Same here, actually in my neighborhood the seniors thank me for liberating them from the world of Windows, they are quite happy, I loaded Xubuntu for all of them, no effects, just plain simple Linux that works day in day out.
     
  16. FastGame

    FastGame Registered Member

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    I don't know if Linux users quit, its those trying out Linux that do. IMO they quit Linux because they never really had a reason to quit M$ Windows.
     
  17. Eice

    Eice Registered Member

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    Not sure if I count, but I've used Intrepid for ~5 months before Jaunty pushed me back towards Vista.

    Though, as many have pointed out, the Linux world isn't limited to Ubuntu. I'm waiting for Fedora 11 to see if it's more useable than Jaunty.
     
  18. Arup

    Arup Guest


    If Januty pushed you back, Fedora will not do any better, its more hardcore, I have installed Ubuntu and Fedora on range of PCs form old to new and all run fine without any issues so if you already feel that Vista serves your needs, I would suggest you wait for Windows 7 which is what Vista should have been initially. Linux is not for you.
     
  19. Kerodo

    Kerodo Registered Member

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    Yeah, I agree with Arup, Fedora will be no easier than Jaunty, and most likely will need more manual tweaking if anything. It really doesn't get much easier than Ubuntu, or perhaps PCLOS x32, even Sabayon is pretty nice nowadays. My experience with Fedora tells me it's a bit more demanding than some of the others.. SuSE is not bad either, another one of my favorites, but again, not as easy out of the box as Ubuntu, PCLOS or Sabayon. Sabayon probably has the closest to Win look of them all, lots of eye candy.
     
  20. lodore

    lodore Registered Member

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    For now i am not using fedora because wireless broke in the last network ,manager update. it didnt work all the time with the older version.
    had the same problem with ubuntu 8.10. wireless works fine on vista with wpa2. im hoping network manager will work properly with wireless and wpa2 soon. network manager works fine with wired but is useless with wireless.
     
  21. Arup

    Arup Guest


    Have you tried Jaunty, on my eeepc, wireless works anywhere I go around the world.
     
  22. lodore

    lodore Registered Member

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    I will try it as a live cd and find out when i have some free time.
    the network manager in fedora 11 beta worked fine for the short amount of time i tryed it. i may upgrade to fedora 11 when it comes out and see how it goes.
    In terms of kernel,network manager,KDE,Gnome etc versions to be the same for fedora and ubuntu.
    i did try debian Lenny live but it doesnt include network manager.
     
  23. Arup

    Arup Guest


    You have quite a few choices, the new network manager works quite good in Jaunty and in case that don't work, there is the excellent wicd.
     
  24. Eice

    Eice Registered Member

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    Hardcore isn't the concern at this point, as long as it works. In Jaunty I spent almost 3 days trying to fix problems before being told that no matter what I did, the situation was basically beyond my control, and all I could do was to wait until some indeterminate future date for Ubuntu and/or third-party vendors to fix the problem.

    I don't really care if Fedora makes me install more packages or type more lines at the Terminal or edit more config files to get things running. But that remains to be seen, I guess.
     
  25. lodore

    lodore Registered Member

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    what version of network manager does it use?
     
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