How did you find out about Linux? SURVEY

[fleeced]

Hello Everyone,

I am developing a Linux tutorial site aimed at newbies to Linux and really want to make it as user friendly as possible so really need to get to the nitty gritty of what people want and need from Linux. Can you help me by answering the questions below?

How did you find out about Linux(or the fact there was another operating system available)?
Example: Article in PCPro magazine, A friend uses it, mentioned in computer forums.

What made you want to try Linux?
Example: Sick of viruses, Curious about what it was, License fees, My computer is old and slow

Did you use Open Source Software In Windows before trying Linux?
Example: Firefox, Thunderbird, Gimp, Openoffice

What has been the biggest stumbling block in adopting Linux?
Example: Lack of documentation, Program installation, Wireless issues

What would you improve about Linux?
Example: More Windows compatibility, less distributions

What is the best thing about Linux?
Example: Live CDs, No licenses, choice of software


You answers will help us target other users experiencing the same problems that brought you to the world of Linux.

Thanks in advance
Lee

[Thrillhouse]

How did you find out about Linux(or the fact there was another operating system available)?
As a freshman Computer Science major, our department had us begin programming in C++ in the computer lab which were all RHEL machines.

What made you want to try Linux?
I liked the inherent simplicity and elegence Linux showcased with regard to writing programs that interact with the system. I would much rather program on a Linux platform than Windows.

Did you use Open Source Software In Windows before trying Linux?
Pretty much just Firefox but I did use a lot of "Freeware".

What has been the biggest stumbling block in adopting Linux?
Package Management. File System structure.

What would you improve about Linux?
I, personally, would like to see more things integrated into Linux by default (i.e. proprietary formats) but I realize there are legal issues involved with this that are out of my league and that some people like to build their systems from scratch but I think we can have the best of both worlds. We're starting to move towards that I think: Ubuntu and the like for those who want things to just work and Gentoo et al for those who want to know exactly what is going on with their system.

What is the best thing about Linux?
Free!

[Gps]

How did you find out about Linux(or the fact there was another operating system available)?

I am 43 now, and know for some time, that there are different operating systems. I was aways intrested in computers in general, and my first experience was at school. It was a Tandy with DOS and Basic. (before 386 and 486, and windows.

Then I got an Atari St computer, it has: T O S, The Operating System, and Gem, thats the windows menager.

At that time I worked at an airplane manufactuer, and they used Unix Ibm mainframe computers. My cad station was a so called workstation.

Then the company started to buy pc's too. ( Not for cad but for word and so on)

So windows was never to me the only operating system.

What made you want to try Linux?
Curiosity, but DRM and vista, made me actual install suse.

Did you use Open Source Software In Windows before trying Linux?
Not that I know of.

What has been the biggest stumbling block in adopting Linux?
File System structure, after all those years of C:\, program files and so on.
Also the fear of getting a hard to install OS. (I was positivly surpriced, about yast, only the hard disk names confused me, and the fact they are listed twice.)

I am a gamer. Most games are made for windows. I do not see myself loose windows anytime soon.

What would you improve about Linux?
Manuals. for a Linux n00b, the instruction: download the file and install it, is not very helpfull.

What is the best thing about Linux?
Stability, and its not Microsoft.

[Roxoff]

How did you find out about Linux(or the fact there was another operating system available)?
It was on the servers at the software company I worked at. Actually, it was brought in with the new server.

What made you want to try Linux?
I needed an operating system. The alternative was Windows 3.1 or 3.11 - so no alternative really. I had a 32-bit PC and the choice of a 32-bit or 16-bit operating system...

Did you use Open Source Software In Windows before trying Linux?
I cant remember.

What has been the biggest stumbling block in adopting Linux?
User fear, coupled with Microsoft FUD tactics. People are told to be scared of what they dont know.

What would you improve about Linux?
Hmmm, I don't like the brown desktop that comes with Ubuntu. And I dont like Yast that comes with SuSE. Oh, and OpenOffice wont embed the game maps from my DnD game into a OO document, I'd improve that. And more games, that would be an improvement.

What is the best thing about Linux?
Package management. And stability, due largely to peer review. And the overall quality, again due to peer review. And breadth of support across PPC, intel 32/64 bit, and embedded systems. And the huge choice of audio/video formats that it supports, all free of charge. And the configurability, the choice of desktop environment and look/feel of the system. Did I mention package management? How about peer review?

[techieMoe]

How did you find out about Linux(or the fact there was another operating system available)?

I'm pretty sure I've discussed this before, so here's the short version: I was a Computer Science major in college and some of my professors required we use a very expensive C++ suite from Microsoft. I found out Linux had one built-in with the OS (and was free to boot) and the rest was history.

What made you want to try Linux?
Again, it had a built-in C/C++ compiler. That was just geeky cool to me.

Did you use Open Source Software In Windows before trying Linux?

Yes, I used Mozilla and Firefox for a while before Linux.

What has been the biggest stumbling block in adopting Linux?

Device drivers, particularly WiFi. 3D cards are doing okay these days but it still takes an act of congress to get my Linux desktop hooked up to a wireless network with proper (WPA) encryption.

What would you improve about Linux?
See my response to the question above.

What is the best thing about Linux?
Oh, too many things to list.

[ImNeat]

How did you find out about Linux(or the fact there was another operating system available)?
Word of mouth.

What made you want to try Linux?
Curiosity.

Did you use Open Source Software In Windows before trying Linux?
Yes: Firefox, Gimp, Openoffice (but I didn't know what "OSS" was).

What has been the biggest stumbling block in adopting Linux?
Printer drivers (for Canon & Lexmark), flash.

What would you improve about Linux?
Nothing. I would like to see other software/hardware companies improve their Linux support.

What is the best thing about Linux?
There are so many great things... but my favorite is that it's free as in speech.

[Cabhan]

How did you find out about Linux(or the fact there was another operating system available)?

I really don't know. I somehow knew the word "Linux", but I had probably just heard it because I was interested in computers.

What made you want to try Linux?

Curiosity, mostly. I knew nothing about Linux before first trying it.

Did you use Open Source Software In Windows before trying Linux?

Firefox, but that's about it.

What has been the biggest stumbling block in adopting Linux?

Hardware drivers 100%. Wireless drivers have been the most noticeable to me, but this is just the general category.

What would you improve about Linux?

I really can't think of much. Not so much a Linux thing, but a truly user-friendly distro that taught Linux practices while doing much of the setup work would probably contribute a great deal towards the new-user experience. Ubuntu comes close to this goal, but it will be interesting to see Freespire's impact.

What is the best thing about Linux?

Customability and control. The ability to get close to the computer and make it do what YOU want.

[burntfuse]

How did you find out about Linux(or the fact there was another operating system available)?

Various places (from programming forums and websites I visited where other people used it, an occasional magazine article, etc.).

What made you want to try Linux?

I liked the idea of it being free (as in no money) and open-source, good for hacking at the internals. Besides, I just thought it would be fun to try something different. In fact, when I booted SuSE 9.2 for the first time, I was sort of disappointed how much it looked like Windows.

Did you use Open Source Software In Windows before trying Linux?

Yes. Firefox, Thunderbird, the GIMP.

What has been the biggest stumbling block in adopting Linux?

Compatibility with proprietary hardware, I guess, although that hasn't been much of a problem for me.

What would you improve about Linux?

The base system is great, but the thing I'd like to see is a better desktop setup (faster better-designed X server, single desktop API, better desktop environments).

What is the best thing about Linux?

It's hard to pick, but I think the part I like the best is how anyone can contribute. I'm only 17, but if I had good ideas and good coding skills even I could be on the "cutting edge" of development.

[darkrose0510]

How did you find out about Linux(or the fact there was another operating system available)?
Someone in a forum was saying how bad it was, so I googled Linux and started reading about it.

What made you want to try Linux?
Got sick of XP crashing and loosing all my work.

Did you use Open Source Software In Windows before trying Linux?
Yep, Firefox, Thunderbird, and Open Office.

What has been the biggest stumbling block in adopting Linux?
Choosing a distibution, it was confusing at first... so I just got a hep of them and kept trying them till I found one I liked.

What would you improve about Linux?
Implementing a common library base, such as combining and expanding QT and GTK.

What is the best thing about Linux?
Freedom, and having complete control of my computer.

[a12ctic]

How did you find out about Linux(or the fact there was another operating system available)?
needed a relaible server os for my cs clan (ts and counter strike), googled around and found linux

What made you want to try Linux?
above

Did you use Open Source Software In Windows before trying Linux?
Yes, firefox, openoffice, and several other programs

What has been the biggest stumbling block in adopting Linux?
nothing, its been a dream come true, although gaming is a little rough sometimes

What would you improve about Linux?
nothing, i love it how it is

What is the best thing about Linux?
the massive amount of good free software