A Couple of Interesting Blog Posts

[raymac46]

Presented without comment, for your review.

https://drewdevault.com/2021/12/05/What-desktop-Linux-needs.html

https://drewdevault.com/2021/12/05/How-new-Linux-users-succeed.html

[wa4chq]

Linux is not accessible to the average user today, and I didn't need to watch these videos to understand that. I do not think that it is reasonable today to expect a non-expert user to successfully install and use Linux for their daily needs without a "Linux friend" holding their hand every step of the way.

Say what???  When I started, I downloaded BasicLinux https://distro.ibiblio.org/baslinux/ (floppy) There was a small forum just for BL which was helpful getting me to understand what the heck I was doing.  Later, I thought I was ready to try the real deal and I found Red Hat 7 something at Comp USA.  BasicLinux I installed but could not install RH....They provided a number for help but it really didn't help.  It was mind boggling to say the least.  Now, you can download live versions with persistence and never have to install and you have a working Linux desktop.  There are more places online to get help now then there were 20 years ago....at least that's how I see it.

[raymac46]

I would think that "available" and "accessible" are two different things. In my work around the neighborhood, I have installed Linux for some folks on older machines but I have never yet found anyone who would undertake it on their own without handholding. Mind you this is in a seniors heavy community.
It's easier than it used to be, but I still don't think getting Linux running is easy. Once it is set up, then most users can cope. I had a 92-year-old lady who used it exclusively, and my grandkids make use of all the Google suite of tools at school on a Linux desktop.

[wa4chq]

Agree, but you could say the same about installing and running Windows.  As mentioned before, with all of the Live versions available you boot and your in.  But I understand that there are folks that don't like to just randomly press and click like I do...lol....my 90 some year old mom for one....she will accidentally hit a button and cause the desktop to be so large that the borders are lost and she has not idea how to fix it, so I get a phone call...lol.  And then I'm sitting in front of a pc with windows and I am lost....so I point, click and pray.

[raymac46]

Agree, but you could say the same about installing and running Windows.

Sure, but not many folks in my 'hood actually install or upgrade Windows. I have gotten a few calls to help configure a new Windows machine, but the OEM did the installation.
My real bugbear is Mac O/S. I simply tell anyone with Mac problems that I do not support them, aside from networking issues.

[wa4chq]

My fathers vision is just about gone so he doesn't spend much time on the computer like he used to.  Some things he could sort out but there were many times he needed some help.  I used to joke with him about letting me install a real OS, Linux....  now, when I go over to do sort out an issue on their pc, he says..."I should have installed Linux".

[securitybreach]

My fathers vision is just about gone so he doesn't spend much time on the computer like he used to.  Some things he could sort out but there were many times he needed some help.  I used to joke with him about letting me install a real OS, Linux....  now, when I go over to do sort out an issue on their pc, he says..."I should have installed Linux".

Nice