Linux 'desktop' still too geeky for mainstream users?

[Caleb_IX]

Linux 'desktop' still too geeky for mainstream users? | The Open Road - CNET News

"But for a project/distro/movement that wants to preach not to the choir but instead to the unwashed, Windows-using masses, either let 'em play MP3s out of the box, make it easy to add that functionality (i.e. don't make 'em Google it, for heaven's sake) while at the same time educate them as to why MP3s, MOVs, Flash and all that other royalty-carrying, proprietary **** is bad, or just say right out front: "If you're geeky enough to figure out how to play multimedia, go ahead. But otherwise, re-install Windows and everything will be fine."..."

Is Linux still to geeky for mainstream users?

I think about openSUSE so:

not geeky: KDE, GNOME, YAST, automatic configuration is a blessing after the installation, the 1-click-installation is ingenious, the support in the forum is good

geeky: finding and installation of drivers is still a problem (too complicated), configuration sometimes

[john_hudson]

The bog standard KDE4.2.3 desktop is clean and uncluttered. I always get a shock at how muddled and untidy MS Windows is when I see someone else's screen.

[Caleb_IX]

Originally Posted by john_hudson

The bog standard KDE4.2.3 desktop is clean and uncluttered. I always get a shock at how muddled and untidy MS Windows is when I see someone else's screen.

The only thing in Windows is, that has the "installation-wizzard"...we have the 1-click installation, thats on the first look more easy for newbis, but not everithing works on this way...some installations and configurations you need to do in the terminal and this is the best way to affright new user...then most of mainstream user ran back to windows xp and don't give linux a chance...

[Chrysantine]

Currently in my eyes the biggest issues with Linux are the lack of unified desktop standards, lack of standards in general and the various distribution needs to push out untested, unready software on people - including Beagle, PulseAudio and so forth - things well discussed and documented already.

Get rid of the hog programs that are forced upon people and you'll have a cleaner and a leaner faster desktop. Let people choose what they want to enable, don't force it on them.

[microchip8]

Heidi,

Beagle will be disabled by default in 11.2 (or at least have a disable option in the installer). As for pulseaudio, I couldn't agree more. The concept of pulse is nice but at present time, it's a load of ****

[growbag]

Originally Posted by Caleb_IX

Linux 'desktop' still too geeky for mainstream users? | The Open Road - CNET News

"But for a project/distro/movement that wants to preach not to the choir but instead to the unwashed, Windows-using masses, either let 'em play MP3s out of the box, make it easy to add that functionality (i.e. don't make 'em Google it, for heaven's sake) while at the same time educate them as to why MP3s, MOVs, Flash and all that other royalty-carrying, proprietary **** is bad, or just say right out front: "If you're geeky enough to figure out how to play multimedia, go ahead. But otherwise, re-install Windows and everything will be fine."..."

Is Linux still to geeky for mainstream users?

I think about openSUSE so:

not geeky: KDE, GNOME, YAST, automatic configuration is a blessing after the installation, the 1-click-installation is ingenious, the support in the forum is good

geeky: finding and installation of drivers is still a problem (too complicated), configuration sometimes

+50,000 to this one .

[syampillai]

Originally Posted by microchip8

Heidi,

Beagle will be disabled by default in 11.2 (or at least have a disable option in the installer). As for pulseaudio, I couldn't agree more. The concept of pulse is nice but at present time, it's a load of ****

11.2 =>
beagle -
pulseaudio -
Good news

[TaraIkeda]

They enjoy blaming the whole thing on linux, if they included codecs on the distros we would get sued....

[syampillai]

Originally Posted by TaraIkeda

They enjoy blaming the whole thing on linux, if they included codecs on the distros we would get sued....

May be, that is what they want

[TaraIkeda]

Originally Posted by Chrysantine

Currently in my eyes the biggest issues with Linux are the lack of unified desktop standards, lack of standards in general and the various distribution needs to push out untested, unready software on people - including Beagle, PulseAudio and so forth - things well discussed and documented already.

Now this is what I have issue with, people want to "standardize" things with linux when standardization is what I feel will kill linux.
What we force users to use the same UI, the same DE, the same package manager, the same packages, etc?
Linux cannot force anything, standardization is what makes OSX and Windows limited in customization compared to linux.
What to get themes we need linuxblinds or some **** like that to get the themes we want?
I rather not have that happen, I rather linux have choice.