Here is one surefire way to make Linux accessible for everyone (even your Grandmother)!
Can I tell you what’s wrong with Linux? The number of Linux distributions. Here are the top 100 distributions. Ubuntu, Fedora, Mint, openSUSE, Mandriva, Debian, Puppy, Sabayon, PCLinuxOS, Arch, Slackware, CentOS, FreeBSD, Tiny Core, MEPIS, Gentoo, Zenwalk, Kubuntu, Damn Small, CrunchBang, Vector, Elive, gOS, Ultimate, PC-BSD, sidux, KNOPPIX, Dreamlinux, OpenSolaris, Moblin, Ubuntu Studio, Xubuntu, Red Hat, BackTrack, Slax, Easy Peasy, Pardus, Parted Magic, SystemRescue, PC/OS, Absolute, Frugalware, OpenBSD, GoblinX, Calculate, Hymera, Clonezilla, Mythbuntu, TinyMe, linuX-gamers, DragonFly, ClearOS, nUbuntu, iMagic, Xandros, Scientific, moonOS, Yellow Dog, Macpup, ZevenOS, PUD, PureOS, LFS, Wolvix, Fluxbuntu, Studio, wattOS, Parsix, OpenGEU, SliTaz, Nexenta, Foresight, Chakra, Linpus, SAM, Ubuntu Christian, U-lite, blackPanther, NetBSD, GeeXboX, LinuxConsole, CRUX, AUSTRUMI, Novell SLE, gNewSense, BSDanywhere, GParted, Solaris, FreeNAS, Untangle, Musix, RIPLinuX, Linux XP, DARKSTAR, ArtistX, Kiwi, Freespire, Turbolinux, IPCop, SME Server.
You can research the top 300 on Distrowatch. Perhaps if the Linux community pooled together its resources in the top 297 and came out with three amazing Linux products (complete with grandmother-easy-to-install installations – even easier to install than Microsoft), the community might not keep bemoaning the behemoths Microsoft or Apple. Currently, it’s easy to install but not that easy.
Make it the Top Three Distributions instead of 300, then Microsoft and Apple will both have a problem on their hands. Until then, they’ll laugh all the way to the bank.
6 Responses
It proves a point though that if you have the source kernel you can create your own Linux. I know of a software that allows and guides you to do exactly that… heck, -*I* could get the source code and create “Stickman LINUX” and give it my own themes, tools etc and it is still Linux… but sanctioned and approved by me.
You fail to understand that the weakness you point out is the true power of linux. The power to choose! With soo many distros out there, you can find a distro tailor-made for you. If you like to get your hands dirty, you can use Gentoo. If you don’t wanna look under the hood of your car, then Ubuntu is the perfect choice. If none of the Distro’s fit you, you can create your own distro like thestickman suggests. That is the power of Linux. Giving you the user the choice, rather than showing down something your throat like Microsoft.
Then the Grandmother-easy-to-install installations. The biggest accusation against linux distro’s. The truth is have your grandmothers actually bothered to install Microsoft? No! It comes pre-installed. If you actually compare the installation process step to step it’s pretty much the same. Even if you aren’t sure of partitions sizes there is guided partitioning. Ubunti has taken it one step further by introducing Wubi, for those looking to migrate from Windows. So if your next PC came pre-installed with Linux, it too could be called “Grandmother-easy-to-install”.
I agree with both of you 100%, if M$uX didn’t have the monopoly, there would be a MUCH greater base for linux to set off from, rather than a load of developers and the few thousand desktop users that use it atm.
Umm, you obviously did this article for the money, because there’s just about no substance and no good argument. You copied and pasted a bunch of distros, and then declared a statement that you didn’t attempt to defend.
One, as someone has already said, the power of Linux is the choices it gives. There’s complete freedom in what we do. If you don’t like an app, uninstall it and choose from the thousands of choices. Or you don’t like how a certain app works? Look at the source code and modify it then. Doing that to most software on Windows is ILLEGAL.
Second, installation is much better than Windows. Does Windows allow you to try it out before you install it? Linux kills Windows in that already. And if you took the time to install any distros such as Ubuntu and OpenSuse, you’ll see the installers are easy to use. Besides, the distro I’m using took up 1.90gb after installation… That’s with every application I’ll ever need (Firefox, IM client, word processor, spreadsheet, bittorrent client, image editor) and more that I don’t even need. Windows 7 requires a ridiculous 15gb of HDD space, and Vista takes even more.
There’s nothing wrong with Linux. It’s just that most people haven’t experienced the true power of it yet.
I don’t think everyone wants to use it, its mainly for developers, servers, Pro stuff… Your Grandma won’t want or need to use it. Why can’t she just use OSX or Windows?
Heck yes, It’s about dang time. I run Ubuntu and it has so many darn bugs. I wonder if another distro might be better, but there’s no way to pick! They need to focus and get their act together! Just ignore Chaar and Gary.