Why the Linux Desktop Just Won't Work! and why Linux depresses me.

From: Charles LeGrand (lin_o_nut_at_yahoo.com)
Date: 05/26/05 

Date: 26 May 2005 11:52:51 -0700

Why having Linux on the desktop of Aunt Tille is a myth.

I've had a few trials running over last year, set up at family members.
New computer? Let's install Morphix on them (I had used both Gnome and
Light installs) and see how far you get. The users weren't very
technical, on the contrary even. I regularly went around to their
places, updated their boxes and sometimes switched applications
(Mozilla for Firebird/Firefox for example). They all gave it their best
shot, however at the end they prefered to have Windows back. I didn't
drag them into this, and they gave Debian a fair shot. In the end, it
just didn't work out.

- the pro's
They were thrilled at the start of the trials that they didn't have to
worry about virusses. Mostly being threats that they were only
half-aware about, it gave them a peace of mind. Spam still was an
issue, however this was just a minor annoyance that everyone deals
with.

My users were able to quickly get used to their new interface. Gnome or
XFCE, it didn't really matter. I did set up the systems that they only
had to click a single icon for the most-used programs, but they quickly
were able to navigate the menus and enjoyed trying out various other
applications (especially the Gnome games).

Email and instant messaging was a no-brainer. My users easily got used
to Gaim (although setting up new accounts was rather complicated for
them), and Evolution and Thunderbird proved to be good substitutes for
Outlook Express.

Both OpenOffice and Abiword were useful enough. Although there were
problems importing and exporting Word documents, all in all word
processing wasn't a hurdle for them.

- the con's
What was the main issue haunting my users? It came from an unexpected
direction: incompatible websites. All users noted this as the main
reason why they wanted to switch back. Even though Firefox usage has
been increasing quite a lot lately, there are zillions of websites that
are still being made strictly IE-only.

Why was I surprised? Well, because I don't use these sites. Being a
geek, you traverse only the websites that work for you. You don't
depend on IE-only websites. Other people do, however. Banking, Dating,
community and chat sites, MSN. Sites that geeks like me don't depend
on, however for my users this was totally different. They were part of
their social lives, and even the slightest annoyances are still
annoying, and can become unacceptable.

Banking websites are even more critical. In this case the Rabobank's
site has been the biggest a turn-off. Thanks to a collection of weird
Javascript and ActiveX, my users were continuously annoyed at not being
able to depend on their internet banking service. It did work...
sometimes. When it comes to finances, 'sometimes' is not good enough.
I've personally contacted the Rabobank a number of times to ask them
about their support for Firefox and Opera, and ask (no, beg!) them to
adhere to web standards, however this hasn't lead anywhere.
VerizonWireless is yet another site that will not work with Linux and
firefox or konqueror. You can browse the site but you can't pay your
bills online. It lets you in but when you submit it you are bounced
back to the original screen and you don't even know if your payment has
been accepted (it hasn't).

Where there more con's? Sure, there have been issues with photo
cameras, burning CD's and even a filesystem corruption. But these were
all fixable. I came around every 3/4 weeks, fixed a few small issues,
and they were content again but only until the next problem which
didn't take long to surface.

Yet, in an age were everything is done via the web, people depend on
web services. People depend on being able to book their holiday via the
net. People depend on being able to upload their photos or read web
mail. And people depend on IE-only websites. This is reality, and
there's not much to be done about it.

For this reason, and for this reason only, is it important for Firefox
to gain marketshare. Only after webdevelopers take their Firefox- and
Opera-using visitors seriously can Linux really take over the desktop.
Everything else is fixable locally, except for the dependancy on ye ol'
Internet Explorer. For this reason, and for this reason only, does
Microsoft want to remain in control of the web browser. And for this
reason only will John Doe not accept Linux on his desktop at home.
Depressing, but true.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Why the Linux Desktop Just Wont Work! and why Linux depresses me.
    ... > direction: incompatible websites. ... All users noted this as the main reason ... > another site that will not work with Linux and firefox or konqueror. ...
    (comp.os.linux.misc)
  • Re: Why the Linux Desktop Just Wont Work! and why Linux depresses me.
    ... > Why having Linux on the desktop of Aunt Tille is a myth. ... > direction: incompatible websites. ... Even though Firefox usage has ... > For this reason, and for this reason only, is it important for Firefox ...
    (comp.os.linux.misc)
  • Re: Getting Fox News to work with Firefox
    ... >> Firefox is a cross-platform app. ... >> relates to Linux vs. Windows? ... not recently) had any problems with websites not working correctly. ... Hebrew internet is, as we say in Hebrew, on it's face. ...
    (Fedora)
  • Re: OT: Hey roff techsters......
    ... I'm happy with Firefox. ... Any reason to think of switching? ... There is not a Linux version yet. ...
    (rec.outdoors.fishing.fly)
  • Re: M$ attack on Common Sense
    ... That would work in Linux without the user knowing it was working? ... Try reading the *numerous* websites that advocate Linux.... ... They're all vulnerabilities and/or flaws in the OS due to bad ... I know how to maintain my computers and the OS'es I choose to run on ...
    (comp.os.linux.misc)