Re: Linux is getting easier to install?
- From: RonB <ronb02@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2006 20:42:47 +0000 (UTC)
On Thu 10 Aug 2006 01:18:58p, ulugeyik@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Turgut
Durduran), wrote:
A student that I am supervising who is very against using linux (I
tell all newcomers that to be a good researchers in our field, they
need to use linux, the benefits are worth the so called "pains" to
learn a new OS) ended up with an accidental exercise recently. Her
claim was that windows made everything a lot easier and it was very
easy to install (after she failed to play DVDs on her work computer).
She had to install Windows 2000 (and later Windows XP) on a computer
without those CDs from the hardware vendors or the OEM CDs from the
distributor of the computer (it was an IBM desktop). Ofcourse, she
needed million drivers that she had to hunt for on the internet
endlessly. USB, ethernet card, the display drivers were amongst the
many things that did not work from the installation CD's. Plus she
had to endure many layers of service packs and what not and while
downloading them, she had some worms infecting the computer. Oh well.
I think the deal is, what you're familiar with "seems" easier. I've
installed DOS, Windows 3.1, Windows 98 SE and (now) XP on many
computers (I even worked as a computer tech for a while). Yes, you used
to have to collect drivers, rebuild preferences and all sorts of
things. But it kind of became "rote" after doing it a few times. My
latest round of Windows' installations was putting Windows XP on Dell
computers, using a Dell XP rebuild disk. No brainwork at all there. And
high speed Internet connections have made both Windows and Linux
installations easier -- even when drivers are needed.
But it does get frustrating when you've followed the manual and it
still doesn't work -- and I've experienced this with some Linux
installations, most notably trying to get my nVidia video card to work
with Debian.
This is something that has never been an issue with Windows'
installations for me. On a new Windows installation, if I've got the
right drivers, it works -- again, little brainwork required. And I
don't want to argue for the superiority of Windows -- I *know* Linux is
a better OS -- but Linux still requires a deeper knowledge and an
ability to "tweak" that newbies don't always possess (obviously I
don't). I will eventually go to Linux -- but right now there are still
too many programs that I'll miss on the Windows platform.
And it's all part of the deal. Since there is not one Linux
distribution -- not all distributions are going to install the same.
I'm not trying to bitch, I'm just pointing out why Linux installations
can be frustrating and it's not necessarily the "lack of thinking" that
makes it so.
--
RonB
"There's a story there...somewhere"
.
- References:
- Linux is getting easier to install?
- From: John Slimick
- Re: Linux is getting easier to install?
- From: RonB
- Re: Linux is getting easier to install?
- From: Turgut Durduran
- Linux is getting easier to install?
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