How can Linux be improved for newbie support?

[ExpertBeginner]

I figured it might help some developers of Linux distro's to improve their products, if we list which aspects need improving in distros.

Although this isn't intended to be be distro specific, there may be certain things inherited from certain distros that plague other clones.

I am initially thinking about this from a newbie point of view, for example how could the transition from Windows to Linux be improved, and made easier?

For those about to suggest I’m starting a flame/bash, I certainly don’t intend for that to happen, hopefully we can have a civilised discussion about improving Linux so that it is more accessible to more people. Hopefully someone will lock the thread if it starts to get silly…

[chopin1810]

This is something that I believe distros like SUSE already have accomplished. To achieve what you are suggesting here will absolutely require that hardware companies release Linux drivers for their hardware that actually work and have all the features the Windows drivers do, something like the NVIDIA drivers. Once that happens then Linux will be as easy to use as Windows. There are some petitioners who are working on making this happen. I hope it will happen soon. One way it might happen is if a corporations like Novell or RedHat get big enough to pay off the hardware companies to write Linux drivers. Once the drivers are out then the open source community can start making more user-friendly distros. This will probably require corporate intervention as the open source community can't do this itself in a capitalist world.

[techieMoe]

I am initially thinking about this from a newbie point of view, for example how could the transition from Windows to Linux be improved, and made easier?

I appreciate the respectful way you've presented this. It stands to *possibly* avoid the flaming/locking/binning cycle that threads like this tend to follow.

My personal opinion is that a lot of the "newbie improvements" put forth when this question is asked tend to revolve around the contraversial idea that Linux should somehow emulate the way MS Windows does things, since that's what the "newbies" are familiar with. I do not agree with this.

There are certain improvements I think that could be made to some distributions in order to attract more new users without sacrificing the appeal to the veterans. One is a graphical installer for Debian or Gentoo. It doesn't have to be the *default* installer, and it certainly shouldn't replace the existing text installers, but the inclusion of something like this would help those "in transition" and those veterans who just like GUI installers.

[carlosponti]

as long as newbies cant buy a pc preloaded with windows like from sources like Dell, Gateway, HP, Sony, etc.. you will never see newbies wanting to use it. just my opinion. you have to be a computer geek willing to venture from windows to really want to try linux. even when linux is so talked about on the news people still dont have a clue what it is. they understand two things windows and mac, that is it. i dont see that changing anytime soon. but its easy enough for me to use and i am a newbie so if that does change then people will most likely want a choice.

[chopin1810]

That too, agreed. One thing RedHat or Novell could start doing is getting Dell etc to preload some pcs with linux. I just can't believe some people, who only use windows

[carlosponti]

i am sure that they have tried, though its in vein because last i heard microsoft has aggreements with those companies that states to get a discount they have to sell windows only. and money being the bottom line Dell and others wont deviate. now there are servers that sometimes come preloaded from hp. also redhat is out they have stated they will not have a desktop linux. i think suse would be a good viable choice for a linux distro to use on preloaded desktops.

i can believe some people only want to use windows for the fact that they dont know they have a choice. when dell builds a computer and only gives them the option of XP home or XP pro they think that is thier choice. the majority of computer users do not even know what linux is. i can use this for an example i have the linux penguin tattooed on my calf and when i am out in shorts every now and then i get someone who will say awe how cute a penguin or cool tattoo even and when i explain what its from i get blank stares. or from time to time i have to tell someone i cant look at something on a web page or something and i tell them that i cant see it because i use linux and that web site only supports Microsoft windows (for activeX or ie only site) and they ask what is linux. or if i say i dont use windows they ask what i do use then. when most people dont even know what an operating system is how do you expect them to know what linux is. and why should they? i mean if my grandmother surfs the web and checks her email why should she have to know what an OS is.

[techieMoe]

OEM support is a big selling point for the less technologically savvy user, I agree. Many folks just use MS Windows because it's what came with their PC, and they're not interested in changing that for whatever reason.

However again, I'm of the opinion that Linux is just fine where it's at. It's an alternative for those willing to put forth the time and effort for something we here enjoy very much. If Dell's customers aren't willing to do that, their loss. I'm still going to use Linux.

[carlosponti]

the only thing i would like to see is for the same software support for linux that there is for windows. ie games movies etc. which is mostly there its just getting the software companies to allow me to buy thier software for linux. I am pretty happy with maybe only 9 or 10 percent of all computers being linux. for one thing then the focus of virii are few and far between. i do think that it is easy if you know your hardware to install and use linux. hell my wife uses it and she is very computer unsavvy. but she surfs the web checks her email and plays certain online games. aside from a few of those games she can do everything in linux that she did in windows.

[techieMoe]

the only thing i would like to see is for the same software support for linux that there is for windows. ie games movies etc.

I wasn't aware movies were platform-specific.

[carlosponti]

some are based on the codec. i was mainly thinking of difficulty of certain movie files like wmv's to get them to work. also i cannot get the embedded video to work gxine starts up but doesnt load the video. i should have been more specific on what i mean by that, sorry