Linux MInt gave me flashbacks of installing Gentoo as my first distro in my young days

[starplayer]

HI guys. This is a bit of a rant, so feel free to pass on.
I've been using computers for 27 years. I'm quite familiar with Windows shenanigans, and had my fair bit of rage when I was younger, when Windows sucked balls.

I recently got a new computer, and installed windows 10 (was still on 8.1, as I hate upgrading and having to mess with crap that stops working). Setup was straightforward, the only unfortunate thing was disabling all the Spyware crap.

However, the doubt always stays in the back of your head (is it really ALL disabled? Won't it turn itself on again by default again?)

So, I decided to, yet again (I've had my frustrations in the past), give Linux a shot. After looking for what's the friendliest to new user distro, I stumbled on the apparent consensus of Linux Mint.

OK, let's install it.

Boot drive didn't boot, apparently because of secure boot crap (windows fault) on motherboard, managed to get it to boot.

Read a bit on partitions, ok, ok, it's now installed on my hard drive.

Ok, we have a new OS fresh install, let's install the graphics drivers. The default ones seemed to worked, but surely Nvidia's will be better.
First issue, drivers stopped loading and resolution was not set correctly. Weird. After digging on the internet, managed to add a few lines somewhere to force drivers to load in the first place. Weird. But ok, it's the weekend, I have a bit of time on my hands.

Oh, refresh rate is not correct. Let's get it back up. Apparently it's in Nvidia X Server settings. Changed refresh rate and monitor orientation. After logging out and in, it's back at the beginning. I even saved the settings file as people on the internet said. After half an hour, apparently you have to open the cinamon monitor settings after nvidia's, and save the settings there. Quite weird that settings wouldn't be set only after Nvidia. But ok, I'm patient today.

Booted up firefox. Yahoo? Is this 2000? Where the hell is google? I hate google as much as everyone else, but for searching for obtuse problems with linux or other OS for that matter, there's nothing better. Sould be in the browser settings. It's not here? What?

Oh, so apparently it's hidden as they don't donate to Linux Mint or whatever and are bad persons.

The end of the rope was with the mouse. The freaking mouse, which settings have been working on windows for over 20 years. I have to go to the linux mint search engines page, press the ridiculous small google icon, and add it here. Of course, this method doesn't work with chrome for some reason, so you have to add the search engine manually.

To a new user this feels like the OS is forcing you to use Yahoo, which honestly seems like it's some sort of Spyware, or crappy browser bar. I get the idea, but nevertheless it leaves a very bad impression. At least duckduckgo as a duck, and I like ducks.

Also, no preview pane for images in file explorer? The spacebar method is no substitute unfortunately!

Seems to almost set up, I can get to work. Wait, the mouse. It's too fast still (I had tried prior to change it's speed in the mouse panel, but had no luck).
It felt weird, and stupidly fast. So I'm guessing mouse acceleration was still on. I went to change the settings in the mouse panel. No setting for mouse acceleration, or "pointer precision", or whatever similar. Custom sensitivity did nothing. So I was stuck with a stupidly fast mouse with acceleration on.

Ok, apparently this is a huge issue since at least more than 7 years ago. After understanding that old methods for doing this don't work anymore, I tried the new method, editing the xorg file for libinput, addding a flat accelprofile. But it never sticks when I log out and back in (as stated using xinput list-props). Spent hours on this, with no luck. I'm sure there's some way to make it work, but honestly I've given up after all this.

As much as I wanted to start using linux for real, I have lots of responsabilities in my life, and work to do. The impression that I get after this is that, even if setting up your freaking mouse is so hard, obtuse, and simply doesn't work as it should, what else will stop working, or present difficult issues down the road? If I want a OS that stops working, I have Windows with windows update turned on for that! I can't afford to spend 6 hours trying to set up my mouse, I'm not 15 anymore.

I'm not really asking for help for these issues, as I've decided to move back to windows, to my dismay, as I realize that even if I fix these issues, more similar crap will probably pop up. Just wanted to give you guys some feedback. I know this is all a work of love and donations, but this mouse stuff really needs to be fixed up, in a distro that is supposed to be easy for beginners. User input should be first priority. It's like if setting your keyboard region took 5 hours to set up, no regular user will stick to that.


TL DR:
So, in a supposedly easy for beginners distro: usb drive didn't boot at first because of secure boot crap (windows fault, but still), Nvidia Drivers weren't loading so crappy resolution, setting google as a search engine was weirdly confusing and yahoo smells like crapware, Nvidia Monitor display settings didn't stick after logging out, and setting up a simple USB mouse with acceleration off and correct speed is hell on earth, and makes you want to become an Amish.

Best of luck, and thank you for your work.

[rene]

Indeed Linux has not ever been, is not and at this point very likely will never be for those for whom balance between "convenience" and "control" in a computer context leans not pretty far towards latter. Best of luck...

[tenfoot]

I scent a troll However, before passing judgement I must ask. Why did you not make use of the Forum by asking for help, giving details of your system, and the issues you were experiencing.

I came to Linux Mint at the age of 76 when I installed v3.0 Cassandra, and have used every version since then without any of the problems you write. Initially, not knowing anything about Linux, I joined the Forum and have found its members very friendly and helpful. The only gripe, from them, is if I have failed to provide details of my system, and they even give me the terminal command to get the information and how to use it when composing my request.

So, why the rant when hep is freely available?