Who do newcomers give up on Linux?

[syampillai]

Based on the questions asked in this forum and the way Winod$ migrants think, what do you think the main reasons? Let's list it here so that it may give all of us some hints on what needs to be done to improve the distro.
I can think of the following:
(1) [During installation] Windows partition + Linux partition confusion.
(2) [During installation] GRUB related issues.
(3) [During installation] Which desktop to select?
(4) Internet doesn't work - mainly wireless.
(5) Windo$ partition is not accessable. (Escpecially, NTFS mounted with not enough attributes set).
(6) Sound not working.
(7) Music not playing (codec issues).
(8) Graphics card issues.
I know that openSUSE developers are aware of this and they are trying their best but a check list is always a good idea.

[Chrysantine]

#1 They don't like change from what they're used it.

In other words they're stubborn and unwilling to change their routine or learn new things.

#2 See #1.

[microchip8]

Agreed with Heidi,

Windows users, who want to try/use Linux, install it and expect it to work just like Windows does (the thing they're used to). Often, no matter how hard you bang their heads, they don't seem to get that Windows is not the only way how an operating system could work. So if one expects Linux to work, look and feel like Windows, why try/use Linux in the first place? It gets even more hilarious when newbies complain and throw stupid sentences like "... but in Windows, all I do is click this and it works.... why doesn't Linux do the same?"... Because Linux does not work like Windows, duh! If you don't want to at least learn the basics how to operate things in Linux, you might just as well go back to Windows and keep your mouth shut

[ram88]

Great question - why don't you make a poll from it?
1, 6, 7 and the most important - they didn't realize that Linux != Windows. So the confusion around the alternative applications is also a critical factor.

[caf4926]

You forgot one

(9). Now I actually have to use my brain - If I have one.

[consused]

You are both right that users trying a new operating system naturally compare it to the one they are used to. It's unfortunate when after an initial period of investigation they don't realize it takes a different approach in many ways. Not everyone will come to that in the same time. So you help them in the forum to adjust, and to get things working if possible, as you both do. With respect, the question was about the distro and what doesn't work now on the currently available version(s).

Leaving windows co-existence aside since I don't use it, I think some of the above categories suffer from being to general. From that difficulty, I would like to suggest that some of the mis-conceptions could be due to the miniscule release notes that have accompanied openSUSE 10.x through 11.x.

Hardware support issues is a difficult one for any distro, because there is so much to cover. However, sometimes the Developers know that certain h/w, e.g grapic cards won't work because they have removed Xorg drivers from the upstream release. If there are too many examples, it probably means the shorter supported list should be documented. So should any functions that are not included or supported in major software components. That should be in the distro's release notes. I won't bore you with other examples - you get the drift. It's even more important for organizations delivering suites of applications.

The problem, with that being implemented, is usually the extra resource to do it. However, it would be good to see some, even small improvement.

On the Grub related issues: Grub is a powerful, flexible, but low level interface. Yast provides the nearest thing to a "boot manager" application, but it needs some improvement e.g second level options that can be missed, and clearer Help description to remove ambiguities.

[consused]

Originally Posted by caf4926

You forgot one

(9). Now I actually have to use my brain - If I have one.

Probably more than 50% of the population would like to use free software that works(at a guess). However, you're suggesting linux is only suitable for < 2% of the population.

[Maturion]

The lack of documentation in your own language.

Acording to Alexa, the majority of the visitors of opensuse.org (35%) are from Germany (13% from the US). Though, the German wiki is incomplete and is no real information ressource.

> However, you're suggesting linux is only suitable for < 2% of the
> population.

well, i've met folks not smart enough to use Windows[tm]...i mean,
they are constantly wrecking their system to the point they have to do
a complete format and reinstall!

or, some are so unable to help themselves they have to take their
machine to a geek to do even THAT for them...

then, those same folks sometimes get "fed up" with all the problems
with Windows[tm] (and the EXPENSE of having someone FIX the
problems)...and, when fed up and hear about FREE Linux....try to
install it..

stick around here, you run into them ALL the time...questions like:
ok, so i want to dump windows...i put the Live CD in my computer and
tried to double click it but noting happened, it won't run or
nothing--this is pure %¤#&. Why is Linux so hard? What do you expect
me to do next?

--
natural_pilot

[consused]

Originally Posted by natural_pilot

stick around here, you run into them ALL the time...questions like:
ok, so i want to dump windows...i put the Live CD in my computer and
tried to double click it but noting happened, it won't run or
nothing--this is pure %¤#&. Why is Linux so hard? What do you expect
me to do next?

--
natural_pilot

People like that clearly do exist. If by here, you mean the forum that you drive by, I think you could struggle to find many like that here.