Re: [TCLUG:4288] Not-So-Rosy Linux Article in the Star/Trib (is a good thing!)

["Vince Platt" <Vince.Platt@Born.com>]

OK.. I have a counterpoint here, but I'm not trying to be flagrantly
inflammatory.

Everyone here seems to think that he should've been more tolerant, more
understanding.  What I would like to challenge the Linux community with is
the idea that we should be more understanding instead.  The problems he
addressed did not even touch on the level of a paradigm shift.  The
problems he addressed were the typical confusing problems users have when
they install Linux.

How can he possibly become more educated about Linux without actually
using it?  What's so special about Linux that it should not appeal to the
average user and should not be installable by a person not educated in its
ways?

There are no excuses here!  Windows may not be a piece of cake to install,
but most people can still do it (that is, if they read the manual that
gets shipped with it - which actually *is* useful to the novice).

If you want GNU/Linux to become the rule, rather than the exception, then
please discard the geek mindset when thinking about this stuff.  People
are what they are.  Acceptance of that and catering to it are what sends
the big bucks to companies like Microsoft and keeps trends like Linux a
second fiddle phenomenon.

Linux enjoys a lot of positive press, negative reports like the one in the
Strib should just be used as pointers for improvement.