exactly the reason I swapped my parents pc to linux, its just stable and simple for them to use. they dont do much other than open the browser and go to youtube or just plug their phone in and copy over their photos to the pc
This mirrors my experience as a dumb person desperately trying to seem to cool to nerds. I’d alwys try Linux and something wouldn’t work, I’d spend hours trying to fix it, then I’d just stop booting into it.
Been mono-booting Linux Mint with almost no problems for a year, the same time that Windows is the worst its ever been.
Did your 7 year old setup their own Linux environment?
Because anyone can run a fully configured computer. Doesn’t matter if it is Linux or Windows.
And the problem with Linux is the setup. Too many incompatible or badly written drivers. The first step is already finding hardware that is supported.
Also, did you use the out-of-the-box experience for Windows? Or try to put in too many workarounds because you didn’t like how Microsoft handles things? I bet your 7 year old would have zero issues with a regular Windows setup.
It would be great if Mint or Zorin had an atomic version so a failed update can be switched back in seconds and it is essentially impossible for the user to break anything outside of the home folder.
“Press the sources button, the one with a arrow pointing into a box”
presses the home button
(That was after it turned out said person just… didnt plug it the hdmi cable, ofcource its not going to work both devices arent fucking on nor connected to each other)
The average Linux evangelist on Lemmy vastly overestimates the tech-saviness of the average person.
I know, the average person probably only knows 2, maybe 3 distros Max
And Mint
Yes, of course Mint
Then you find the average windows user doesn’t even know what Windows is.
There truly is an xkcd for everything.
You’re the relevant XKCD for that!
“What’s a Linux?”
hey, i was just about to make Mint Tea. it’s the time of day i think about installing mint, change my mind, and gossip about it
over a cup of peppermint tea. it’s wonderful.
One of my fav xkcds, nice adaptation. (here for those uninitiated)
I work on the IT side of a non tech company. I don’t think vastly even comes close to covering how un-savvy the average person is
And it’s getting worse, not better.
It is a miracle if the average users ever learns a new program with a GUI. And will curse the gods when even a single button is moved.
And if anyone thinks they would be fine running any command on anything ever, they are deluding themselves.
A black box with a single line of text? = they are being hacked and will pull the plug just to get rid of it.
Oh, absolutely. They’ve never had to do family tech support, and it shows.
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Whenever you try to explain anything the conveesation is totally uninteresting
Note to self: they dont care. They dont care that they dont care
exactly the reason I swapped my parents pc to linux, its just stable and simple for them to use. they dont do much other than open the browser and go to youtube or just plug their phone in and copy over their photos to the pc
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This mirrors my experience as a dumb person desperately trying to seem to cool to nerds. I’d alwys try Linux and something wouldn’t work, I’d spend hours trying to fix it, then I’d just stop booting into it.
Been mono-booting Linux Mint with almost no problems for a year, the same time that Windows is the worst its ever been.
Did your 7 year old setup their own Linux environment?
Because anyone can run a fully configured computer. Doesn’t matter if it is Linux or Windows.
And the problem with Linux is the setup. Too many incompatible or badly written drivers. The first step is already finding hardware that is supported.
Also, did you use the out-of-the-box experience for Windows? Or try to put in too many workarounds because you didn’t like how Microsoft handles things? I bet your 7 year old would have zero issues with a regular Windows setup.
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I tried to upvote you twice but was not allowed. So here is my second upvote: You hit the problem spot on!
Shit’s better now. That’s not to say that your average person could handle everything.
If I have a normal person linux on a usb on a computer set to boot from usb, they could totally install it.
If an update fucks over a driver or a package, they’re completely fucked.
If they need to make their own boot usb, they’re completely fucked.
If they need to configure their computer to boot from the usb if it’s not setup that way … completely fucked.
If they’re good with generic drivers, generic browsers and probably steam, they’ll be fine.
Grandma is probably fine with Linux now.
Of course, a decent number of gen-x grandmas might have actually fucked around with linux years ago :)
It would be great if Mint or Zorin had an atomic version so a failed update can be switched back in seconds and it is essentially impossible for the user to break anything outside of the home folder.
NixOS does that. But it’s WAY too complicated for general use :)
That’s also a lot more work than I’m willing to put into using my computer when Win10 still works well enough.
Or their ability to recognize shapes
“Press the sources button, the one with a arrow pointing into a box”
presses the home button
(That was after it turned out said person just… didnt plug it the hdmi cable, ofcource its not going to work both devices arent fucking on nor connected to each other)