Wouldn't it be great to just get a PC with Linux already installed and ready to go? Novell thinks that's a grand idea too, and on Oct. 25 announced agreements with four white-box PC manufacturers who will globally distribute PCs preloaded with SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10. Novell's new PC vendors are European manufacturers ETegro Technologies, MAXDATA and Transtec, along with the U.S. PC OEM R Cubed Technologies. Each will sell notebooks and/or desktop PCs preloaded with SLED 10.
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Member since:2006-01-06
It seems that new Linux user expect everything to just work out of the box when they install the OS themselves, but I've never known Windows to just work when first installed.
You'll have to clarify what you mean by "just work when first installed". Windows doesn't ship with every conceivable driver, so it's therefore impossible for it to work without some kind of separate driver installation.
It's interesting that many would be new users know enough to get the OS up and running, but are then dissatisfied when they have to get drivers working. Yet, I've always had to hunt down drivers for Windows and make adjustments on the fly.
I don't think any user is happy about having to hunt for drivers; regardless of whether it's for Linux or Windows.
Once you've put in the work, you can basically go off into the computer world naked and not have to worry (though I wouldn't advise it), while in windows, a Bulet proof vest is mandatory for daily survival.
First, security is only one column in a larger decision matrix. I know plenty of users who use their machines simply for writing email and browsing the web. They simply don't care about security at all. If something happens to their machine, they insert their system CD, reboot, and reinstall the OS in 30 minutes. In terms of effort, that isn't a big deal for them. But it's certainly less effort than learning an entirely new OS. Second, have you tried Vista yet? It uses restricted user accounts, IE (the biggest vector for malware) runs with restricted permissions (something that Firefox does not do yet, by the way), it requires a default password, and the firewall is enabled by default; hence, your complaint about security carries far less weight.
Member since:
2005-07-06
It's interesting that users trying Linux have a different expectation than they did when they first tried Windows. It seems that new Linux user expect everything to just work out of the box when they install the OS themselves, but I've never known Windows to just work when first installed.
It's interesting that many would be new users know enough to get the OS up and running, but are then dissatisfied when they have to get drivers working. Yet, I've always had to hunt down drivers for Windows and make adjustments on the fly.
I think the real problem is that people forget why their installing Linux. I mean, you can surf the internet, write papers, and build software in Windows, but there is always an eminent safty threat if you aren't aware of how to best protect yourself from others and yourself. With Linux, it's a lot harder to screw yourself over. By default you get restricted user accounts. You can count the number of Linux focused virus's on one hand. Linux can be grandmother friendly if you target the right distribution, but the reality is that for most people, you're going to have to put in the same effort you overlook in Windows to have a linux desktop function like you want it to. There are no shortcuts just because the name says Linux and you feel that if your going to switch, you shouldn't have to do the Windows post install two step.
Once you've put in the work, you can basically go off into the computer world naked and not have to worry (though I wouldn't advise it), while in windows, a Bulet proof vest is mandatory for daily survival.