Why don't more people use linux?

[Apolva]

Just wondering why so many people don't switch to/use linux.

It's a lot easier to use now than it used to be, and there's stuff like open office, gimp, etc.

Also, the only large OEM i've seen ship it installed is Dell. Why don't hardware manufacturers charge less and offer it?

Slightly puzzled. Sure not all the programs are there, but like anything, they will once it gets enough attention.

[Moh]

As much as I do love linux, it's going to take a long time to switch from windows. However, theres a lot more businesses and schools that are moving from windows to linux since it's a much cheaper alternative.

If there were more software packages that worked on linux then I would have switched to it. But a lot of the programs I use dont :(

[N!ck]

Linux is user friendly, its just very selective about it's friends.

I couldn't use Linux as my everyday OS, but in a server environment it's fantastic :).

[Stephen!]

I like to play games.

[HotelUser]

I like to play games.

Haha. Yes, if it wasn't for this then I would get mad at people for NOT using Linux :P


Anyways I did use Linux until I switched to OS X!

[Apolva]

I like to play games.

But if by some miracle, it achieved say 40% of the home use market, there'd be loads :(

[Stephen!]

The only other thing I have against Linux is the amount of CLI involved. I don't want to type any code to get something to work. I want to be able to click my way through it. For example, I have tried many times to simply install a graphics card driver in Ubuntu. I had to go through a long process of typing things in the terminal to get it to work. I want to just be able to double click it and the rest is done for you. If there is a distro that will do these, please tell me.

[MrPinkPanther]

I generally want an operating system to run stuff.

[Barmi]

But if by some miracle, it achieved say 40% of the home use market, there'd be loads :(
It will need much less. Macs have ~7-10% marketshare but now have Steam with a growing catalogue (on top of the games they already had).

Quite frankly, people are enamoured by pretty things which are easy to use and/or they've heard about from their friends or advertising (Mac OS X and Windows 7). Even the latest Ubuntu (Lucid Lynx) isn't as pretty as OS X or Windows 7, and it's completely unfamiliar territory with no marketing behind it.

[danzooo]

I reckon people are too scared to wander off from their traditional Windows/Mac OS's that they're so familiar with, either that or they can't be bothered learning how to use Linux.

[Recursion]

I use it on dualboot on my work netbook, Ubuntu 10.04. It's fairly nice nowadays but it's just not as polished as Windows or Mac, just like OpenOffice is, in my opinion, horrible to use in comparison to MS Office.

[Apolva]

I reckon people are too scared to wander off from their traditional Windows/Mac OS's that they're so familiar with, either that or they can't be bothered learning how to use Linux.

Interestingly, while playing around with the desktop effects, I noticed they'd added lots of features, very similar to Mac's exposé, spaces and Vista's aero (+ some stupid ones as well :))


I have tried many times to simply install a graphics card driver in Ubuntu. I had to go through a long process of typing things in the terminal to get it to work.

Yeah, I think this is probably one of the big things holding it back. Although if more shipped with a distro pre-installed, they'd probably come with them :P

[GommeInc]

Yeah, I think this is probably one of the big things holding it back. Although if more shipped with a distro pre-installed, they'd probably come with them :P
Indeed, just makes it a problem if you plan to install anything afterwards, which quite alot of people do. Linux is more of an internet and server sort of OS :/ Only time I've seen the OS used for anything else was for a Media PC, where it had some sort of Media Center program installed, and that's about it :P

[Apolva]

On an interesting note, Mac's "Network Utilities" appear strikingly similar to Network Tools in gnome, perhaps Apple "borrowed" it ;)

[HotelUser]

On an interesting note, Mac's "Network Utilities" appear strikingly similar to Network Tools in gnome, perhaps Apple "borrowed" it ;)

The graphical user interface Microsoft and Apple use in their operating systems looks strikingly similar to Xerox's. Perhaps they "borrowed" it as well ;)

[Apolva]

Guess the ubuntu people condone piracy then...

With Windows when you want to try a new program you usually have to either pay a lot for it or else use a pirated version, a "cracked copy". With pirated programs you can never be sure of what extra stuff has been added and may often end up getting malware or viruses. Even if you do get a legit copy then you will be often be expected to search around the internet to download it from a site you have probably never seen before.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Antivirus

[Markeh]

I like to play games.

Same here, but I love the simplicity of Linux, and plan to run it on my old rig.

[Swastika]

To be honest i think most people use Windows because its what everybody has been taught how to use.
I personally have better things to do, like having a life, going to work and being generally busy rather than learning how to use a different computer operating system.
I'm quite happy using Windows.

[Soy]

Because windows sells,

People seriously over-rate Linux, it has many faults and disadvantages (gaming etc)

[Apolva]

Because windows sells,

People seriously over-rate Linux, it has many faults and disadvantages (gaming etc)

Don't really get you there... people use it because they have to pay for it?

But anyway, I find linux is generally better designed than windows, just that its tiny consumer market share is hindering its use (less programs etc.)

[Soy]

Don't really get you there... people use it because they have to pay for it?

But anyway, I find linux is generally better designed than windows, just that its tiny consumer market share is hindering its use (less programs etc.)

Windows sells..

Look how PC World advertise Windows 7 on their over-priced computers, it's one of the first things they bloat about.

Also I imagine linux wouldn't release their software for free to companies without some sort of income.

[Agnostic Bear]

Because I don't want a useless piece of FOSS garbage that's unusable, unsupported and incompatible with my hardware.

[HotelUser]

Because I don't want a useless piece of FOSS garbage that's unusable, unsupported and incompatible with my hardware.

Ubuntu just aced all my netbooks drivers. Windows 7 was seriously hurting on that.

[Blinger$]

I have it installed on my main computer, dual booting with windows 7.

I just dont know what i should do with it, i mean, there are no decent programs tbh. And its so difficult to find anything interesting to install =/
(on a side note, it took maybe 40 minutes to install completely, drivers installed by themselves)

[Apolva]

I have it installed on my main computer, dual booting with windows 7.

I just dont know what i should do with it, i mean, there are no decent programs tbh. And its so difficult to find anything interesting to install =/
(on a side note, it took maybe 40 minutes to install completely, drivers installed by themselves)

Tried the "synaptics package manager"? :P But yeah I agree without cheating and using Wine there's not really many programs (and they all seem quite basic imo).

[Blinger$]

Tried the "synaptics package manager"? :P But yeah I agree without cheating and using Wine there's not really many programs (and they all seem quite basic imo).
yep, downloaded a few.. but there really is nothing interesting. I mean, on windows i can install a program WITH a decent gui (lets take dreamweaver for example) and it gives me help (there is the part down the bottom where you select a language and then the element and stuff) in the same window.. can you do that on linux :l?

Programs for Windows just seem... more advanced!?

[Apolva]

yep, downloaded a few.. but there really is nothing interesting. I mean, on windows i can install a program WITH a decent gui (lets take dreamweaver for example) and it gives me help (there is the part down the bottom where you select a language and then the element and stuff) in the same window.. can you do that on linux :l?

Programs for Windows just seem... more advanced!?

Haha yeah, everything seems like it's out the flintstones (even had to reduce the system font size accordingly :P)
On a note: there are some (http://webdesign.about.com/od/htmleditors/tp/aatpwyslinux.htm) but like you say without emulating dreamweaver on wine you're kinda in the dark.

[Agnostic Bear]

Here's a list:

drivers for anything recent
graphics drivers that actually work as intended
unity in the community (1000 forks? no thanks.)
no true industry standard applications for nigh on everything
pulse audio (NO)
themes are all ugly or copying another os
font rendering is absolutely terrible, no matter what setting you use
no decent media player
cmd line needed for normal day to day operation in most cases (avg. user should NEVER see a cmd line)
horrible ui design
go to a linux forum, ask a question, get no answer that solves the problem
graphics drivers
graphics drivers
graphics drivers
graphics drivers
graphics drivers
graphics drivers
graphics drivers
graphics drivers
graphics drivers

[GommeInc]

Here's a list:

drivers for anything recent
graphics drivers that actually work as intended
unity in the community (1000 forks? no thanks.)
no true industry standard applications for nigh on everything
pulse audio (NO)
themes are all ugly or copying another os
font rendering is absolutely terrible, no matter what setting you use
no decent media player
cmd line needed for normal day to day operation in most cases (avg. user should NEVER see a cmd line)
horrible ui design
go to a linux forum, ask a question, get no answer that solves the problem
graphics drivers
graphics drivers
graphics drivers
graphics drivers
graphics drivers
graphics drivers
graphics drivers
graphics drivers
graphics drivers

The extra desktop space is pretty cool. I think it's Ubuntu that uses a cube. It's just a matter of finding programs and things to do to fill up that space :P

[Black_Apalachi]

I pretty much don't have a clue what it is and have never seen it. But I hate Open Office so that's my reason right there.

[HotelUser]

Here's a list:

drivers for anything recent
graphics drivers that actually work as intended
unity in the community (1000 forks? no thanks.)
no true industry standard applications for nigh on everything
pulse audio (NO)
themes are all ugly or copying another os
font rendering is absolutely terrible, no matter what setting you use
no decent media player
cmd line needed for normal day to day operation in most cases (avg. user should NEVER see a cmd line)
horrible ui design
go to a linux forum, ask a question, get no answer that solves the problem
graphics drivers
graphics drivers
graphics drivers
graphics drivers
graphics drivers
graphics drivers
graphics drivers
graphics drivers
graphics drivers


- Linux should not be used to play any games
- There's a lot of applications for Linux, considering how few people who use it?
- Themes ugly? It's sure as heck more customizable than its windows counterparts
- A good media player is Banshee.
- I completely disagree about font rendering being terrible. Infact I prefer it to Windows font rendering.
- You're right about having to use the terminal too often, though if you're not an average user this is hardly big deal.
- You simply cannot say it's a bad UI design, because there are many distributions of linux and many windows managers which offer many different UIs.
- Support for Linux does suck, but as average users shouldn't use Linux anyway!

[Blinger$]

- Support for Linux does suck, but as average users shouldn't use Linux anyway!
thats why many people dont use it

[HotelUser]

thats why many people dont use it

And in the 8 last words of my post which you quoted I said the average user should not use it.

[Blinger$]

And in the 8 last words of my post which you quoted I said the average user should not use it.
yes and that is why many people don't use it, we aren't all technologically advanced

(hows that for a big word (H))

[Markeh]

I'd slightly disagree on the Graphics Drivers issue. I found fully working drivers for my ATI HD 4670 on Ubuntu.

[peteyt]

If Linux wants to take over from Windows they obviously need to make it more user friendly.

I've never used Linux but apparently the people who use it prefer the non user friendly element of it. Which shows Linux is meant for more advanced users, not your average users and for this reason it will probably never take over Windows.

Apparently its great for servers though, most hosting sites over Linux servers over Windows. Crap for gaming though, just like Macs really, although as mentioned, with Steam now offering Mac games this could change.

For the people who use Linux? Why do you use it? Is it due to the fact it isn't as user friendly as Windows? I ask this because most people in this post seem to want to make it more user friendly. Would this cause problems for its users?

[Recursion]

If Linux wants to take over from Windows they obviously need to make it more user friendly.

I've never used Linux but apparently the people who use it prefer the non user friendly element of it. Which shows Linux is meant for more advanced users, not your average users and for this reason it will probably never take over Windows.

Apparently its great for servers though, most hosting sites over Linux servers over Windows. Crap for gaming though, just like Macs really, although as mentioned, with Steam now offering Mac games this could change.

For the people who use Linux? Why do you use it? Is it due to the fact it isn't as user friendly as Windows? I ask this because most people in this post seem to want to make it more user friendly. Would this cause problems for its users?

Macs don't perform anywhere near as well as Windows does playing the same games on the same hardware, it won't take off IMO.

Also I dual boot Ubuntu Linux on my netbook with Windows 7, there are just some things it's good to use for, I like it to learn from, experiment with and for other things that are a bit harder to do than on Windows (i.e. aircrack-ng)

[Agnostic Bear]

- Linux should not be used to play any games
Why not?


- There's a lot of applications for Linux, considering how few people who use it?
Few if any industry standard applications.


- Themes ugly? It's sure as heck more customizable than its windows counterparts
Doesn't mean it's not ugly, I have never found a theme that isn't ugly.


- A good media player is Banshee.
Banshee sucks hard. Terrible UI, even though it is my media player of choice when I'm on LUNACKS UNBTONOM.


- I completely disagree about font rendering being terrible. Infact I prefer it to Windows font rendering.
Windows ClearType is the DE-FACTO best font rendering in existence. 12 years of development makes sure of that.


- You simply cannot say it's a bad UI design, because there are many distributions of linux and many windows managers which offer many different UIs.
And all of them suck. Seriously, name one that doesn't (KDE and Gnome excluded, they already suck so hard it's unreal)
awesome and *box are all stupid too.

[Jordy]

Some of you are just outlining how Linux is just as good as Windows or nearly as good as Windows.

Why would I use an OS which is just as good as Windows? I'm only going to use it if it's better than Windows and so far I'm yet to see any area where it's better than Windows (or even just as good).

[HotelUser]

Why not?
You asked why not and below said there's few industry standard applications. It looks like you answered your own question!


Few if any industry standard applications.
Meh. This isn't as much of a problem as it used to be, because of how computing has moved to the internet!


Doesn't mean it's not ugly, I have never found a theme that isn't ugly.
Then you haven't looked at all the themes?


Banshee sucks hard. Terrible UI, even though it is my media player of choice when I'm on LUNACKS UNBTONOM.
I could have said anything and you would have insulted it.


Windows ClearType is the DE-FACTO best font rendering in existence. 12 years of development makes sure of that.
I disagree.


And all of them suck. Seriously, name one that doesn't (KDE and Gnome excluded, they already suck so hard it's unreal)
awesome and *box are all stupid too.

KDE is ehhh. I'm going to glaring at you with narrow eyes followed by a mild-toned sarcastic laugh for saying Gnome sucks, because it quite obviously doesn't.

[N!ck]

Font rendering - I just took these screenshots.

Windows
http://i46.tinypic.com/2m78cgo.png

Linux
http://i45.tinypic.com/erzalz.png

Mac
http://i46.tinypic.com/1phy7d.png

Looks good on Windows and Linux, but horrible on OS X.

[Apolva]

Looks good on Windows and Linux, but horrible on OS X.

The bold on Linux looks quite poor :/

But I think it's using a different font to the other two - "sans-serif" rather than arial.

[Rapidshare]

Linux is the best OS for hacking..

Enough said.

[Recursion]

Linux is the best OS for hacking..

Enough said.

LOL. Enough said.

[Latour]

I actually really like Linux, mainly Ubuntu. I dual boot is on my mac book pro and use it for general browsing. I don't really find it better then OS X or 7, but it's a nice change. That being said, installing it on my Macbook was much more work then it was to install it on a PC... that nearly turned me away from doing it.

&&, it doesn't seem to support my HP desktop's wifi driver, which is quite annoying because I'd use it quite a lot on that computer if I could get it running. ._.

[HotelUser]

Honestly I don't mind any of those font rendering techniques. Probably because I am a frequent user of all three OSes and are quite used to them.


Font rendering - I just took these screenshots.

Windows
http://i46.tinypic.com/2m78cgo.png

Linux
http://i45.tinypic.com/erzalz.png

Mac
http://i46.tinypic.com/1phy7d.png

Looks good on Windows and Linux, but horrible on OS X.

[Recursion]

I actually really like Linux, mainly Ubuntu. I dual boot is on my mac book pro and use it for general browsing. I don't really find it better then OS X or 7, but it's a nice change. That being said, installing it on my Macbook was much more work then it was to install it on a PC... that nearly turned me away from doing it.

&&, it doesn't seem to support my HP desktop's wifi driver, which is quite annoying because I'd use it quite a lot on that computer if I could get it running. ._.

I tried to get it working on my MacBook and failed miserably.

[Boonzeet]

Linux just doesn't really cut it for some people. I know a lot of people who tried to get into Linux found simple things like font rendering, installing programs etc too difficult. I mean, they couldn't even read the screen the AA on the font was so bad.

Macs, you drag an application to the applications folder and it's installed. Windows, you run a quick installer, and it's installed.

God help me I've never been able to install anything on Linux easily.

[alv4]

I think because the compability of programs...