Windows or Chromebook

[rijndael]

You sound like a clicker.

Nope. I spend about 1/3rd of my job doing DevOps. I use Linux as part of my job.

 

[Steve Blair]

Nope. I spend about 1/3rd of my job doing DevOps.

Then how can you make such a misleading statement? What is it that you think is difficult for a unskilled Linux user?

 

[rijndael]

I don't think it's misleading at all.

For someone who's looking for "caveman simple", do you really expect them to download an ISO, burn it to a DVD or USB, change his boot sequence in the BIOS/UEFI (or hit whatever function key is needed to use a different path) and then install linux? What if the distro he picks doesn't work with secureboot enabled? Do you think it's "caveman simple" to disable it? It's not always easy to find that setting. That's just getting it installed, there are a million ways he may get stumped once it's actually booted. What about when, next year, his /boot is full and he doesn't understand why upgrades aren't working. Think he wants to figure out what old ones can be deleted?

 

[Steve Blair]

I don't think it's misleading at all.

For someone who's looking for "caveman simple", do you really expect them to download an ISO, burn it to a DVD or USB, change his boot sequence in the BIOS/UEFI (or hit whatever function key is needed to use a different path) and then install linux? What if the distro he picks doesn't work with secureboot enabled? Do you think it's "caveman simple" to disable it? It's not always easy to find that setting. That's just getting it installed, there are a million ways he may get stumped once it's actually booted. What about when, next year, his /boot is full and he doesn't understand why upgrades aren't working. Think he wants to figure out what old ones can be deleted?

You are engaging in a straw man argument. There are quite a few vendors (like Dell) that offer new PCs and laptops with Linux installed. If users want to install on an older PC (a typical use case), they can order a USB drive with mainstream distributions for ~$10. The case you cite, a user wanting to install Linux exclusively or dual boot on a newer PC or laptop with Secure Boot enabled, is uncommon. It would likely already have Windows installed.
I don't know what a part time DevOps guy does, but it is apparently not formulating coherent arguments.

 

[rijndael]

You are engaging in a straw man argument.

You specifically asked about what I thought was difficult about Linux for an unskilled user. I gave you specific issue he may run in to converting his existing setup to Linux, even if he choose to pay $10 for the media. None of the prior comments were about buying a new system with Linux pre-installed.

Regardless, I think there's little/no debating that a Chromebook is more "caveman simple" than (a new) Linux machine.

I don't know what a part time DevOps guy does, but it is apparently not formulating coherent arguments.

Personal attacks, really? It means that I'm not doing devops stuff all day long. I have other primary duties that I'm more focused on.

 

[Steve Blair]

Personal attacks, really? I didn't say I was part time. It means that I'm not doing devops stuff all day long. I have other primary duties that I'm more focused on.

No, you would know it if I attacked you personally.
It may be a long time since you installed Linux or you are just repeating what you've heard, but it is not difficult when accepting the defaults. No more difficult than installing Windows. Using a modern distribution is, from a user viewpoint, very similar to using Windows or a Mac. My two daughters use Windows and a Chromebook, respectively. They had extensive exposure to Solaris and Linux as children but went other routes from personal choice. I really do not care what people use, that's driven by their needs. But saying that contemporary Linux is difficult to use is simply wrong.

 

[rijndael]

It may be a long time since you installed Linux or you are just repeating what you've heard, but it is not difficult when accepting the defaults.

Again, nope. Debian, last week, twice.

But saying that contemporary Linux is difficult to use is simply wrong.

I would say it's more difficult than a Chromebook and Windows. It's an opinion. My opinion is not uninformed or dated. Our opinions can differ.

 

[wkdickinson]

I have been a Windows user since the beginning. I have an Android tablet, an iPhone and have had iPads. I am still a Windows man. About 6 months ago I bought a new Lenovo laptop from COSTCO. It was a national Lenovo sale and I paid about $550, normally $800. It has an i7 processor, 16GB, 256 GB solid state hard drive. It came with Win 11, which I was very apprehensive about, being a Win 10 user. It is GREAT, money we spent and Win 11 is easy! Buy a subscription to Microsoft 365 and you are set.