What would it take to make Linux Mint more successfull?

[Biker]

You volunteered? What ever were you thinking?!!!

[Hjess]

LinuxMint is 'already' listed in the Top Ten Linux Distributions in the World.

http://distrowatch.com/dwres.php?resource=major

How much 'more successful' do you want?


Sheeesh ... give people something great for 'nothing' ... and they complain about it.

Well .. - At my point of view mint is the best distribution, no doubt about that.

I just wanted to see what ideas would be to make it even better? - even compared to Ubuntu.

[Hjess]

Sorry to break in ..

But could people please stay on the subject?

i don't want to flame anything - I was just curious about what would make mint even better in the future?

/~ HJess

[Murdock]

Make it work , out of the box, with a headset and Skype.
Lenny/ stable comes to thought.

[Fred]

Aging Technogeek,

You volunteered? lol Shame Shame, never volunteer to be spit upon and cursed for your efforts. Don't feel bad though, we all make mistakes.

Fred

[MALsPa]

I was just curious about what would make mint even better in the future?

Make it so that no matter what the hardware, no matter what the configuration, no matter which applications/programs, no matter what the user's level of expertise, Linux Mint works perfectly out of the box.

[Biker]

Even Windows doesn't do that. Pass some of that over here!

[MALsPa]

Even Windows doesn't do that.

Heresy!

[FedoraRefugee]

I don't know about Mint, but I think Linux needs another 500 distros and twice the number of packages. Maybe a few new desktop environments too. Then we may eventually get somewhere...

[Fred]

Ok Hjess, I'll get back on topic.

What would it take to make Linux Mint more successfull?

Well actually Mint needs more users that are committed to learning Linux and willing to contribute back to the community. See, there is no advantage to Mint just having lots of users. Mint doesn't make a profit from every download or install. Uncommitted users that fail and consume more resources than they contribute are a drag on the community, not an asset.

But really, Mint is growing every day. There are a lot more committed users/contributors in this community now than there was just a few months ago. It is happening even without all the grand plans some have for changing the world to their image.

Fred

[Chasester]

Chasester, It has nothing to do with searching the forums! It has everything to do with the fact that every single noob that tries Mint seems to have to start a thread on how we need to do all these things to improve it, to make it be more like their vision of what an OS should be, or else Mint will never be successful and will never beat Windows...It is just silly.

So what? Who cares? Like I said - how is this a bad thing? Heck, push for a new forum section for suggestions to improve mint if it bothers you so.

you will also not be taken seriously by the serious Linux users - Those users who you now call elitist a-holes because they seem to know and understand something that you do not.

Did I say that some are? Nope I didn't. And while some certainly are and while most are misunderstood - how that looks to a noob is completely one directional. And if you want to partake in forums for a distro that's geared towards being really really easy and not deal with noobs - you're in the wrong distro.

Like it or not, the more Mint (or any distro) grows as more and more acceptance of *nix happens, the more and more folks new to it will appear. it's gonna happen. How does your method of responding towards those new folks help Mint?

[mick55]

Like it or not, the more Mint (or any distro) grows as more and more acceptance of *nix happens, the more and more folks new to it will appear.

Like it or not, when something makes sense, you have to agree with it.

[randomizer]

So what? Who cares? Like I said - how is this a bad thing? Heck, push for a new forum section for suggestions to improve mint if it bothers you so.

But the question remains: what is an improvement? Is it a change that benefits one or a few users, or is it a change that benefits most users? I would hope (and I expect) that Clem makes changes based on the latter definition. Everyone has their preferred set of software, and it is simply impossible for one distribution to cater for everyone. That is why there are distributions around with no changes beyond the bundled software and the logo, to cater for another person, but again not everyone. There is no possible way for any OS to cater for everyone. Even if it included every piece of software known to man and worked perfectly out of the box, it would be the Arch Linux "we want a lean machine" users who would be unhappy. Then you'd get a new distro to cater for them.

In short: most (but not all) people who think they have "improvements" for a distribution actually have preferences. People need to think about the importance of their suggestion to the majority of the distro's target user base before making suggestions.

[FedoraRefugee]

So what? Who cares? Like I said - how is this a bad thing? Heck, push for a new forum section for suggestions to improve mint if it bothers you so.

Who said it bothers me? If it did I would just quit wasting my time trying to show people that they are on the wrong track! I enjoy expounding on the philosophical side of Linux, and who knows, maybe someone will actually benefit from something I say.

Did I say that some are? Nope I didn't. And while some certainly are and while most are misunderstood - how that looks to a noob is completely one directional. And if you want to partake in forums for a distro that's geared towards being really really easy and not deal with noobs - you're in the wrong distro.

Or...Maybe I am in the right distro!!! Maybe I can take some of these silly "Linux will take over the world" noobs and instill the true spirit of FOSS in them. Then maybe they can go on to help others and can actually grow Linux.

Like it or not, the more Mint (or any distro) grows as more and more acceptance of *nix happens, the more and more folks new to it will appear. it's gonna happen. How does your method of responding towards those new folks help Mint?

It shows them that what they believe about Linux is backwards. It is not about beating out Windows, it has nothing to do with Windows. It is not about one distro being better than another, Linux is Linux. It is not about trying to force a distro to fit YOUR personal idea about what you need, it is the realization that you can mold the distro to do what you want. It is not about crying and begging others to turn Linux into your personal dream for an OS, it is about developing the skills so that you can do it yourself. It is not about, "If this will not work I am going back to Windows!" So? Go on then! Goodbye! Who needs you? It is not about demanding service on forums because you are too lazy to use the search function (I think you actually covered that one yourself! ).

Why do you feel I am in a fight? Do you not understand that it is actually you who is attacking me here? Simply because you disagree with me! You are trying to put me on the "wrong" side. It will not work though. I am not fighting you, I am responding to you. I am simply trying to set things straight. You are trying to make it an issue of me scaring the noobs. I have played this game for years now! I enjoy it. I am not going anywhere and I predict we will have some good conversations in times to come.

Listen, you, and Waldo, and anyone else are more than welcome to post your ideas! I enjoy reading them! Believe it or not I actually even consider what you are saying, and many times y'all are right! I understand that Linux is subjective, that there is no "true" answer. Linux is what anyone makes of it. It represents something different to everyone. For many it IS simply a free Windows. For many it is not ready for the desktop, and probably never will be. Heck, that is cool with me! I am not the one trying to evangelize the world!!! I understand that most people will not WANT to use Linux and I will be the first to tell them that they are probably better off using Windows.

I am simply trying to show people that Linux can be something else. It is not about market share or catering to the masses. If you feel that it is then I can almost guarantee that you will not be around in a month or two. At best you will stick it out for a year being miserable that Linux does not do everything you want because you are too scared, stubborn, or lazy to learn how to make it work!

I remember way back in 2001, when I was just tinkering with Linux, and I found a forum to try and help myself. I remember posting a mile long dissertation, in my typical long winded fashion, about how Linux was NOT ready for the desktop yet!!! (edit: And thank you Arcane, wherever you are today, for playing the character that I am today! For bluntly telling me that I had my head up my butt, that Linux was not Windows, that I would have to ditch half my hardware, and to get over myself or just go back to Windows! That was the best advice I ever received though it sure pissed me off at the time. I believe I called him an a-hole elitist!). Linux is not ready for the desktop; that question has been asked all along, believe it or not. Boy, was I wrong back then! I enjoy going back to that post quite often to remind myself that I just did not get it back then. I did not understand! Linux was ready! I was not!

[MALsPa]

It is not about beating out Windows, it has nothing to do with Windows. It is not about one distro being better than another, Linux is Linux. It is not about trying to force a distro to fit YOUR personal idea about what you need, it is the realization that you can mold the distro to do what you want. It is not about crying and begging others to turn Linux into your personal dream for an OS, it is about developing the skills so that you can do it yourself. It is not about, "If this will not work I am going back to Windows!"

Well put.

One of the things that this reminded me of is how some folks constantly complain about Ubuntu and its flaws. I know that Ubuntu is not perfect. But I've always said to myself, "It's a free OS! It doesn't have to be perfect. I can work with it!"

But, yes, while I'd say it can't hurt to look at ways to make Linux better, perhaps the more important thing is to ask, "How can I make myself a successful Linux user?"

[mintnoob]

I think what Linux distros need in general to be more successful is FEWER distro (we don't need over 500 of them) and better apps. Linuxers seem to focus more on distros than on apps. Windows basically has only a handful of "distros" if you will (XP, Vista, 7, etc) which leaves most of the focus on software programs.

[FedoraRefugee]

I think we need more distros! We need more choice. If we had a distro for everyone then everyone would have a distro!

[MALsPa]

I think we need at least four distros for each person!

[Biker]

4? I'm running 5 and I need another external hard drive!

[MALsPa]

4? I'm running 5 and I need another external hard drive!

People like you are what's wrong with Linux these days!!!!