Linked by Charles Williams on Wed 16th Apr 2003 04:11 UTC
In the previous article, our computer newbie family, Mike, Diane, Mary and Carla, had decided they wanted GNU/Linux installed on the new family/business computer. Debian, via Libranet 2.0, was installed on the system, with appropriate business/office software, as well as the Gnome desktop environment. The next steps involved getting the system configured for easy use and adding various minor tweaks. Mike, Diane and the kids were not involved during the configuration phase of the system. 
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Ok, several people have suggested that there is something unusual about a newbie relying on a neighbor for tech support or configuration. This is total crap.
There is nothing unusual about it all -- it is very common, if not typical. Personally, I am tech support for half a dozen or so friends and relatives. One of these people also relies heavily on her next-door neighbor. Most of these people aren't newbies at all, they just don't want to learn any more about computers than they absolutely have to.
Most aren't even comfortable installing their own application, as easy as running Windows setup usually is. Debian actually has an advantage over Windows in this area, because there are generally fewer, if any, prompts during install.
But Linux is still more challenging for a newbie than Windows. Though, as many of us are well aware, it has improved by leaps and bounds in a short time span. Windows hegemony is very much at risk, regardless of how incredulous many people are on this point.
Linux will really take off when it becomes every bit as intuitive as Windows. When I talk about Linux with newbies, the first thing they generally ask is "what's the advantage"? Since most of them use pirated copies of Windows, the cheap/free aspect is only marginally attractive. And their interest is immediatly dashed once I fess up that it isn't as user-friendly. But when I can honestly say it's every bit as user friendly, many of these conversations will end very differently.
Calvin