Linux Ready for Prime Time?

Nancy Harrison vulpia at sonic.net
Wed Jun 21 08:39:49 PDT 2000


Thanks, Eric (I think!) although I have met some grandmas on line
that liked the challenge of Linux and were sick unto death of
Windows!
   The thing I find still daunting about Linux is not the install,
I mean of the OS, but adding new software. I'm using a Mac mostly
now, and I really like the ease of installation of all sorts of
freeware gizmos as well as big apps. I'm actually *afraid* of this
aspect of Linux.
   Not ready for prime time yet in this regard. - Grandma Geekly

>I got this call from a reporter at the Press Democrat, and he's doing a
>story about Linux.  He's going to call me back tomorrow (Wednesday), and he
>wants to know if I consider Linux ready for the average computer user.
>
>What do you think?
>
>He got my number because I teach Unix using Linux at SRJC.  We've used
>Linux from the beginning, although always in command-line mode via telnet
>to a single host.
>
>The Linux GUI has improved enormously.  But fellow instructor Sean
>Kirkpatrick has always asked:  Would you turn Linux loose on your typical
>white-haired grandma?  Could she use it as easily as a Windows or Mac
>machine?  Or are we still a year or two away (or more)?
>
>(Now, Nancy, I know you qualify as a grandma, but I would hardly call you
>typical!)
>
>Key usability issues for me:
>- Installing the OS
>- Installing software
>- UNinstalling software
>- Hardware compatibility (modems, for example)
>
>Any other issues?  Comments?  Act now!  That guy is calling me back
>tomorrow morning, Wednesday, June 21.
>
>Thanks!
>Eric S.


-Nancy Harrison, Life Sciences Dept, Santa Rosa Jr. College
http://www.sonic.net/~vulpia/index.html
Milo Baker Chapter California Native Plant Society
http://www.sonic.net/~vulpia/cnps/mbaker.html





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