Linux Questions

[shirokado]

I'm not familiar with Linux or any of the other linux builds, so I'm wondering if its simple enough for non-techy people to use? When I build people systems, I think its a waste of money to pay for windows if you don't game. So is Linux simple enough to use? Just for web browsing and stuff.

[zinton]

I would say from my experience that ubuntu is probably the most user friendly. The only major problem I see for the average consumer is that you are unable to watch netflix. Now then there are some workarounds but I'm not really sure how to do them.

[lutzee]

I'm not familiar with Linux or any of the other linux builds, so I'm wondering if its simple enough for non-techy people to use? When I build people systems, I think its a waste of money to pay for windows if you don't game. So is Linux simple enough to use? Just for web browsing and stuff.

Yes, very simple if you get the right distro. Ubuntu is one of the best for this, as is Mint.

I put mint on my housemates desktop PC, showed her where the internet, office programs and music player was and shes been using it for a couple of months without any problems. Not even a peep about "how do I do X?"

[bac06]

No, ubuntu sucks, it's highly unstable and comes with amazon spyware.

 

I recommend Opensuse, it's stable compared to ubuntu, gives more freedom of choice, more bleeding edge, updates that doesn't affect stability, and the Yast control center is the most user friendly control panel existing on a linux OS.

Ubuntu was good before 2012, now it's heavy, unstable, comes with spyware, and every security updates make the system highly unstable.

 

http://en.opensuse.org/Main_Page

 

Better than Ubuntu.

 

Edit: Btw there is a unofficial silverlight plugin for browser that allow you to watch netflix on linux based distros

[IdeaStormer]

If you're selling these systems with Linux (of whichever flavor) you better know how to use it or you'll have some angry customers coming back or not coming back.

[lutzee]

No, ubuntu sucks, it's highly unstable and comes with amazon spyware.

 

I recommend Opensuse, it's stable compared to ubuntu, gives more freedom of choice, more bleeding edge, updates that doesn't affect stability, and the Yast control center is the most user friendly control panel existing on a linux OS.

Ubuntu was good before 2012, now it's heavy, unstable, comes with spyware, and every security updates make the system highly unstable.

 

http://en.opensuse.org/Main_Page

 

Better than Ubuntu.

 

Edit: Btw there is a unofficial silverlight plugin for browser that allow you to watch netflix on linux based distros

First thing first http://fixubuntu.com

Second, ubuntu is perfectly 'stable' in fact it is one the distros that has the highest level of quality testing before releases, canonical makes a product, where as other distros are systems.

And third you provided no points on why OpenSUSE happens to be better than Ubuntu, just that it was.

Opinionated responses to these sorts of things is why new users to linux are so ignorant.

@shirokado I seriously recommend you go with Mint 16 Cinnamon, Its layout is very similar to windows, its very customisable and stable.

[bac06]

First thing first http://fixubuntu.com

Second, ubuntu is perfectly 'stable' in fact it is one the distros that has the highest level of quality testing before releases, canonical makes a product, where as other distros are systems.

And third you provided no points on why OpenSUSE happens to be better than Ubuntu, just that it was.

Opinionated responses to these sorts of things is why new users to linux are so ignorant.

@shirokado I seriously recommend you go with Mint 16 Cinnamon, Its layout is very similar to windows, its very customisable and stable.

Ubuntu perfectly stable?  So the frequent internal errors are perfectly normal? The randomly closing apps are normal?

Maybe you haven't tried Ubuntu for a very long time, since 12.04 Ubuntu is shit.

 

Btw I've listed the reasons :

I recommend Opensuse, it's stable compared to ubuntu, gives more freedom of choice, more bleeding edge, updates that doesn't affect stability, and the Yast control center is the most user friendly control panel existing on a linux OS.

Ubuntu was good before 2012, now it's heavy, unstable, comes with spyware, and every security updates make the system highly unstable.

 

It's by staying on Ubuntu, the distro that hides the problems under the carpet, that the new linux users are ignorant.

Canonical isn't bothering anymore on stabilty.

That's why for newcomers you'd want to recommend a quality user-friendly distro, a distro unstable as Ubuntu isn't to consider.

Unless the Op wants to install Gentoo or Arch right now.

[Albatross]

Ubuntu 12.04 is pretty unstable, at least for non-tech savvy people it is, so I agree with bac06.  Though I never encountered anything too serious or any of that Amazon spyware. I prefer Linux Mint, Manjaro, and Arch. Never did try Opensuse though.

 

To answer the OP,  yes, it is simple enough. I started using it as a child. There are guide books out there that are very easy to understand and it is especially so if it is only for web surfing.

[Crabtr]

Incredibly simple to use if you're just browsing the internet and maybe listening to music, looking at pictures, or watching a movie. If you use a distro like Linux Mint or Elementary OS you'll likely never even see the "guts."

[James.]

Personally, I find that any Distro that comes with a dock of some kind would be easy enough for the average person to use, seeing as the average person would only use the computer for web browsing, and maybe word processing. Just add the icons to the dock, and I've found people run into very few problems.

[ohJey]

Linux Mint will have a lot of support and is great for new users.  It comes packed with great programs, and if I didn't like Ubuntu so much I would use it.

[IdeaStormer]

Ubuntu 12.04 is pretty unstable, at least for non-tech savvy people it is, so I agree with bac06.  Though I never encountered anything too serious or any of that Amazon spyware. I prefer Linux Mint, Manjaro, and Arch. Never did try Opensuse though.

 

To answer the OP,  yes, it is simple enough. I started using it as a child. There are guide books out there that are very easy to understand and it is especially so if it is only for web surfing.

 

Ubuntu v12.04 (you left out the LTS, Long Term Support) unstable? Dude you trolling.

[Albatross]

Ubuntu v12.04 (you left out the LTS, Long Term Support) unstable? Dude you trolling.

 

Ubuntu 12.04LTS. For the last four updates it has left my OS an unstable mess. Update errors, program errors, constant freezing, crashing and the like. I have been using these OS systems since I was a child and until recently, I was never disappointed with the performance of Ubuntu.

 

But sure, I'm a troll, whatever makes you feel better. Doesn't change the fact that Ubuntu 12.04 LTS has become far more unstable than usual.

 

 

Linux Mint will have a lot of support and is great for new users.  It comes packed with great programs, and if I didn't like Ubuntu so much I would use it.

 

I agree. Linux Mint has great support and a great community and comes loaded with good programs. It is also very easy to use, navigate through and give to a new user. I have actually managed to get a few people using Linux Mint after having a bad experience with Ubuntu or one of the harder systems like Arch.

[IdeaStormer]

Ubuntu 12.04LTS. For the last four updates it has left my OS an unstable mess. Update errors, program errors, constant freezing, crashing and the like. I have been using these OS systems since I was a child and until recently, I was never disappointed with the performance of Ubuntu.

 

But sure, I'm a troll, whatever makes you feel better. Doesn't change the fact that Ubuntu 12.04 LTS has become far more unstable than usual.

 

Been running it since it came out on a 24/7 workstation and two servers, still rolling with no crashes only security update reboots, not to mention a few VM's here and there for testing.

[Albatross]

Been running it since it came out on a 24/7 workstation and two servers, still rolling with no crashes only security update reboots, not to mention a few VM's here and there for testing.

 

Lucky you then.

 

Check out the Ubuntu forums and see all the users posting about their crashes, and other problems that stem even from a fresh install. It isn't imaginary.

[shirokado]

Not to interupt your little argument, but stuff like ubuntu and other stuff, is it different from stock linux?

[IdeaStormer]

Not to interupt your little argument, but stuff like ubuntu and other stuff, is it different from stock linux?

 

There is no stock Linux, its all a plethora of flavors, although there are common families of Linux, like Ubuntu, Debian, Mint, (I forget the others), then RedHat, CentOS, etc.

[lutzee]

Not to interupt your little argument, but stuff like ubuntu and other stuff, is it different from stock linux?

To add on from IdeaStormer, Linux is just the very core of the Linux based OS's, called the kernel. You need a lot more than the kernel to have an operating system. Some people like to be pedantic and insist that people refer to the full distros as 'GNU/Linux' as a lot of the programs used as part of linux based distros are produced by the GNU foundation.