How Linux Might Look in 2012

[Dr. kitteny berk]

In some ways it can be. But I bet you a million pounds that you've spent hours and hours fettling with Windows. You can fettle ( but you shouldn't have to as long as your hardware works)

Absolutely, because I'm a fettler, but I've fettled Linux a fair bit too when I've been in the mood (as I mentioned, to the point of gentoo stage 1) then, if I'm bored i'll fettle damn near anything.

Complicated? To you? I reckon that's just laziness! If it was something about restricted drivers you just needed to click a checkbox saying you understand the drivers have been made by the manufacturer and are not open, and that Unbutu doesn't know what the hell is inside.

It said something about modules, I poked about in the obvious places to no avail.

Another point is, without any windows experience, do you think someone with a fresh Windows XP install that didn't detect the sound properly would be able to install the drivers without a manufacturers CD right next to them? (and quite often, in my experience of support, WITH the manufacturers CD right next to them)

Well yeah, it IS different, and I don't think Windows is Mac user friendly either. As someone said above, apples and oranges.
"Made for real people" is completely subjective. You stick anyone in front of a Windows, Mac or Linux machine as their first experience and they'll get used to it. Put them in front of something else after a period of time and they'll fall over themselves telling you how unintuitive the new system is.

This is true. But if Linux really wants to compete with windows, they need to make stuff, if nothing else. a bit clearer.

The soundcard thing was a perfect example, it told me stuff I didn't understand and only then after I poked about trying to find out if i had sound.

Windows, install new hardware, it tells you it found it, it tells you to insert the CD, then it does its shit. now I'm not saying that's perfect, but it's what a consumer OS needs to do.

Yes I can install drivers using a command prompt if pushed, but I shouldn't have to.

[Fear]

A quick reply from me:

I run both, a Ubuntu Desktop and a Windows XP (separate machines, but both modern)

I think if games worked on Ubuntu I would have done away with Windows XP along time ago. Ubuntu just feels clean and fast. XP can at times feel bogged down and for no reason.

Also, what Toast said about laptop drivers is strange, as I experienced the exact opposite. I installed Ubuntu on a laptop and it found every single driver on the first boot. Windows XP needs a good 30 mins/1 hour of fettling. It did all the power management much better than XP once they were both sorted.

Indecently it was + that popped my unix cherry back when we played CS:S and BF2 together. Took a good few years to finally get comfortable with it mind you.

[spoodie]

I think if games worked on Ubuntu I would have done away with Windows XP along time ago.

Although there would still be the odd non-gaming app that isn't available for Linux that I'd like to be able to use. Photoshop is much nicer than GIMP for instance. But there's always WINE or whatever for the few times I'd want to use them.

Saying that though it is harder work but there are also plenty of benefits, especially if you're a UNIX/Linux sysadmin like I am.

[Dr. kitteny berk]

Certainly, If games worked I'd be much more inclined to try it in depth, as that's the only thing I really need windows for.

Until then, I'll stay here on my nice, reliable windows installation

[Joose]

Windows, install new hardware, it tells you it found it, it tells you to insert the CD, then it does its shit. now I'm not saying that's perfect, but it's what a consumer OS needs to do.

Ah, what wonderful irony. You see what you said about your soundcard in linux? I had a strangely similar experience with Fista. Installed it, and no sound happened. Checked it out, and windows insisted that it had installed the soundcard and everything was fine, but still no sound happened.

I eventually got it working after extensive googling, an unofficial third party driver and far too much fucking about.

Although Linux is, generally, more of a fettlers OS, I'm with the people here who would switch to Linux in a second if only it were for the games support.

[cheeseandham]

Joose basically outlines the point I'm trying to make Of course hardware installation should be easy, but there is no magic bullet (except perhaps with Apples approach of Apple software+Apple hardware=happy)
and it's mainly your (and mine - don't forget I'm very much a Linux n00b) Windows expertise that makes Windows 'easy'.

Linux on the desktop ain't perfect, far from it. But it's getting pretty close for some uses (ignoring hardware, most people don't even install their Windows installation anyway and if they did it's a several hour job at best, so expecting Linux to pull off something Windows doesn't do is a little unfair) and hopefully with companies like Canonical, RedHat and SuSe it'll become another option or choice that consumers may choose.

Shall we put this one to bed now?