Why is it so hard to use Linux?

[chiller]

Im a noob to Linux Mint 17,I chose it because it is supposed to be the easist to use!, This is after my windows 7 hard drive failed. Heres an example,I went to YouTube but it wouldnt work because my Firefox version 28 wasnt recent enough even though I had only just downloaded it from the software manager. Then I downloaded Wine to play a game on Facebook but that doesnt work either and thats after downloading another two programs I was prompted to do?
I could go on and on. No wonder not many people use it because its a mess and more trouble than its worth having to trawl through mountains of text trying to get a handle on how it works, any questions go unanswered in the Forum, its no wonder that not many people use Linux. If some care was taken to do this right then something like Mint would be great and you would see millions of people using it. Its back to windows7 for me.

[Moem]

Do you want help, or did you just want to vent?

[Cosmo.]

Im a noob to Linux Mint 17,I chose it because it is supposed to be the easist to use!

It is.

Heres an example,I went to YouTube but it wouldnt work because my Firefox version 28 wasnt recent enough even though I had only just downloaded it from the software manager.

This has not the least to do with Linux. You would have encountered the same in Windows. But you have under guarantee been offered an update for Firefox in the update manager. Of course without the really easy to execute click on the apply button this update will never get to your system.

any questions go unanswered in the Forum

On this point you get from me a fully non-understanding. You have set in the forum exactly 1 (in words: one) question, which has been answered in between of 8 minutes(!). So: what you say is simply untrue. I reword your question from the title of the topic: Why is it so hard to tell the truth?

[Lemongrass38]

Hi! How long did it take for you to learn to walk?

Learning Mint takes much less time. Still, it will take a little time. As for your statement about the forum: look at the post count of Cosmo. and Moem. They haven't asked 13000 and 2500 support questions. Instead, they answered that many.

[sarge816]

Linux Mint is just as easy to use as Windows, it's just different. In many ways, Windows is far more difficult to install and use. For example, I have two PCs with Windows 7 installed. I had to hunt down the drivers for just about everything the computers needed to run and keep them in a folder on usb for future installs. You also have to install office software, antivirus, spyware scanner, ccleaner, etc. Linux Mint on the same systems installs ALL drivers and has all software installed by default, including a full office suite. No antivirus or other bs required. An average user can just install Linux Mint, run the update manager until system is updated, and then is good to go. In addition, Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu and uses software repos that allow you to go search for software and install it with no fuss, no downloading and clicking .exe or .msi install files, easy peasy. Sometimes you have a program available only by downloading, in which case the .deb is similar to an .exe install and double click simple. You rarely have to mess with the terminal (command line) unless you want software available via PPA, and then it's just cut and paste commands. Or, terminal if you like to tinker.

I've used Windows since 3.1 and DOS before that, LInux user since maybe 2009 or so. Linux Mint is so freaking easy to use it's amazing. Even my wife, who can destroy a computer and bork electronics with merely a glance, uses and enjoys Linux.

[Pjotr]

It's a classic:


It was amusing.

[kukamuumuka]

The most common problem with some noob linux-users is to install Wine and try to use linux as windows.

Linuxes are not perfect, but I have not find any easier operating system to use.

[jimallyn]

Heres an example,I went to YouTube but it wouldnt work because my Firefox version 28 wasnt recent enough even though I had only just downloaded it from the software manager.

Wouldn't work? I just started Mint 17.0 in VirtualBox, started the Firefox browser and went to Youtube. It did not say "This won't work", it said "your browser is no longer supported." It also said "Find the latest versions of the supported browsers below." And sure enough, below there are links to the latest versions of Firefox and Chrome. But there is also a button that says "No thanks." I clicked it, and Youtube opened up. I clicked on a video, and it played. So, your statement that it "wouldn't work" is incorrect. It does work.

I'm not sure why you chose to install Mint 17.0, which was released 3 years ago, when you could have chosen to install the latest of the 17 series, 17.3. Or you could have chosen to install the latest of the 18 series, which is 18.1. But you didn't choose that, you chose to install a 3 year old version of Mint. Then you chose NOT to update it, which should be the first thing you do whenever you install any operating system. Had you done those things, you would have had the latest version of Firefox, and you wouldn't have gotten that message that your browser is no longer supported. So, to answer your question, "Why is it so hard to use Linux": it's because you chose to make it hard. You could have updated your system, like you should have done, but no, you chose not to. You could have come to the forums and asked questions, like "how do I update my browser to supported version?' but you chose not to.

Then I downloaded Wine to play a game on Facebook

I don't know why you would have to install Wine to play a game on Facebook. Facebook games run in your browser, and should play with any modern browser, which, of course, you didn't have because you chose not to update your system.

No wonder not many people use it because its a mess

In fact, Linux is the most commonly used operating system in the world. Your router uses it. A very large percentage of the servers and routers on the internet use it. Your smart TV uses it. Your Android phone uses it. Your car's infotainment system uses it. All branches of the U.S. military use it. NASA uses it. Major corporations use it. Facebook, Youtube, and Google all use it. Why? Because it is reliable and dependable.

Its back to windows7 for me.

Just like that, huh? You're not going to update your system first, you're just going to run back to Windows with your tail between your legs? Tell me, did you use computers at all before you started using Windows 7? If you did, no doubt you found things in Win7 that were different from whatever you used before. Did you go running back to XP or whatever it was you used before? No, you updated your system to get the latest versions of everything. If you had any question, you asked your friends to help you solve them, or perhaps you called Microsoft support, or maybe you took your computer in to a local computer repair shop. Whatever you did, you did manage to get it working, didn't you?

Now, if you want to use the most reliable operating system in the world, you've found it. Ask a few questions, you will get answers, and you will be very glad that you are using Linux. You'll tell your friends how great it is, and you'll tell them that you are glad you dumped Windows and started using Linux. You'll say, "I should have done this years ago!" How do I know you will do these things? Because that's what I did 15 years ago when I started using Linux. And because newcomers to Linux post on the forums every day that they are glad they finally dumped Windows and switched to Linux. I have been collecting Linux Success Stories for a while, and now have a 24 page text document full of them. Let me quote from a few of them:

Code: Select all

"So far, after using both Windows and Linux Mint for a few months, there about 2 things that I prefer about Windows,and dozens of things I prefer about Linux. Yes, Linux wins! I am glad to be here.”

"I appreciate the help rendered here and the more I learn about Mint and other Linux OS, the more I love it. My husband really is enjoying his new OS, too, and is so glad to no longer be tied to Windows."

"Just installed Mint 18 on a 9 year old compaq presario F700. I haven't used this laptop in 6 years. It had Windows Vista still installed on it. After cleaning the dust off of it the Mint installation was effortless. This laptop is performing better than it did out of the box back in 2007."

“I make my living fixing people computer problems. Windows 10 has been the final straw for a lot of people. People are afraid of change and why its never usually been an option to use Linux. This year has been first year people are asking for something different. So its a win win to me I get to convert people over and I get paid changing em over and helping them out. Example I recently built a lady in her 80s a new computer with Linux Mint 17.3 . In last 6 months she has called me because someone some how set the printer offline. The other time was she did not know how to load up the ink on the new printer.
A Windows 10 computer I built a month ago. Not even a month in and Windows 10 in an update corrupted its own boot partition.”

"I'm a newcomer to Mint and Linux. After some distro hopping I started using 17.2 Rafaela late last year. I was dual booting with Win10 but it didn't take long for me to quit using Windows alltogether. Mint became my main OS and the only regret I have is that I didn't make the switch sooner."

"After spending most of a day mucking about with Wince trying to figure out what had gone wrong and fix it, Mint reported that nothing was wrong, it found all my drives, so in exasperation I told it to install itself over Wince, and I've never looked back. 

Shoulda done that years ago, it's a much better OS."

"I'm a newcomer to Mint and Linux. After some distro hopping I started using 17.2 Rafaela late last year. I was dual booting with Win10 but it didn't take long for me to quit using Windows alltogether. Mint became my main OS and the only regret I have is that I didn't make the switch sooner."

"After using Mint for around a year now, I'm not seeing Windows as part of my computer future going forward, that future is now Linux and Mint. It's been that convincing an experience."

Like I said, I've got 24 pages of this stuff, so I could post a lot more happy experiences with Linux if you'd like. But I think this should be enough. If you decide to come back to the Mint forums, we will be happy to help you solve the problems you've had. Then you too will wish you'd made the switch years ago, and can start telling your friends how great it is, too.

[chiller]

Why are these replies all defensive and negative? Im giving you fellas some feedback so think of it as constructive criticism FFS! Another thing is why isnt there an index of all the acronyms? Ive got no idea what any of the tutorials are on about because they are so chock full of obscure acronyms with no explanation! I wouldnt know where to go from there? Im starting to think you are psuedo elitist snobs and its a pathetic inside joke. Honestly,millions of people should be using Linux all around the world and they would, if they could make head or tail of it. Some clear,concise tutorials with an index for the various acronyms would help no end. Imagine yourself as a noob to Linux with no one to help you except for this Forum. You are not going to get far because it may as well be written in Chinese.So instead of picking this apart and shootitng the messenger how about getting off your collective ***** and cleaning up your act.




<Moderator on>Edited to remove language considered unacceptable on the forums.<Moderator off>

[Pilosopong Tasyo]

"Pot, meet kettle."

With the kind of hostile and negative attitude you are showing towards other members who don't get paid to help you, you are not going to get far in this forum, or any discussion group for that matter (Facebook Mint users, Mint subreddit, et al.)

If you need help with a Linux issue in general and/or Mint in particular, then be nice and ask politely sans all the drama. If you do not understand an acronym or terminology being thrown at you, then ask politely to clarify. It doesn't hurt to practice some initiative on your end as well by using your preferred search engine to find these things out.

Is that so hard to do?

Food for thought.

[Pjotr]

Why are these replies all defensive and negative?

Maybe because your message was (and still is) aggressive and negative? Just a thought.

If you ask for help here in a normal, polite fashion, you'll get speedy and friendly assistance. But if you start spouting angry invective on your high horse of dumb ignorance, you can expect the kind of answers that you've got.

[Moem]

I wouldnt know where to go from there?

I'll ask again, and this is neither negative nor defensive, just a simple request for factual information:
Do you want help, or did you just want to vent?

We're very willing to help, as you can easily see by looking at these forums. But we can only help if people want to be helped. Do you?

[marsh20]

I can only imagine the sort of response the Debian forum would have given.

[MintyO]

I don't understand why Mint is hard to use for many people. Many of which migrate with having used Xp and win7 in the past. When I first started (Ubuntu and then almost immediately Mint) using linux, I just continued clicking away in the "same" places that I had with win7. It took years before I started taking advantage of the different bits and capabilities and still don't in any serious "guru" level. Sure it is different (under the hood and cosmetically) but if you know how to use a computer I just don't see why it isn't obvious.

When win8 came out the cries for it being difficult and different were really mild. A case where it really was convoluted and different logic wise and the complaint would have made more sense. But seems like people have this prejudice "it's windows, it's easy" and they just adapted and continued to click away - now in slightly different places.

OP, if you have used Windows 7 (a great operating system in my opinion) and found it easy to use but find Mint (let's say Cinnamon) difficult, then I think it's an attitude problem. Unfortunately there's no inxi -attitude that I'm aware of and can't help with that. Happy trails where ever they lead you.

[Richardj]

I cam from windows 10 about 8 months ago and with the help of the other members I was up and running in no time. I started with cinnamon but found it to be a resource hog so did a bit of research and decided to give mate ago and I've been with it ever since.
Ask the right questions in the right manner and way and people will offer there help and remember it's FREE.

[Cosmo.]

Why are these replies all defensive and negative?

They are not! They are responses to an aggressive and negative starting post.

Im giving you fellas some feedback

You did not! You asserted things (e.g. getting no answers), what is is simply untrue. Telling lies is no feedback, they cannot be a feedback from principle. Feedback does only exist, if it is based on facts.

so think of it as constructive criticism

And consequently there is nothing constructive. Lies (also known as alternative facts) are always destructive, by will of the author.

Another thing is why isnt there an index of all the acronyms?

Usually I would ask, which acronyms you mean. In your case

how about getting off your collective arses

I will not (aggressiveness brought with this wording to the top). I am astonished, that a moderator did not remove this part of your post.

[kc1di]

Its back to windows7 for me.

If nothing else Mint forced you back to where you belong But windows 7 has only a short time of support left also. What you going to do then, sooner or later you'll have to bite the bullet and do some learning.. If you really desire to learn Linux Mint start here : https://www.linuxmint.com/documentation ... h_18.0.pdf oh by the way 17 is getting long in the tooth you may want to try 18.1

Wine is a hard one to get going with some programs - not all windows programs will run in Wine -- you need to check wineHQ they have a list with tips on how to get them going if they work at all. You may wish to give playonlinux a try it's a front end for wine that makes some of the tasks easier.

In any event hope you find your computer heaven -- But I doubt you will.

[Mark Phelps]

I never cease to be amazed by the folks who jump into Linux -- and then install Wine to run Windows apps!

If you want to run Window stuff, then STAY in Windows!

[FreedomTruth]

I never cease to be amazed by the folks who jump into Linux -- and then install Wine to run Windows apps!

If you want to run Window stuff, then STAY in Windows!

I made the switch to linux last year, and still run some windows applications. Mostly in a vm now, but a couple wine-compatible ones I run from wine, it's more convenient than starting up the vm. And I have looked for, and use some, linux alternatives but they don't always meet my expectations. Of course, I didn't just jump to linux and try to run everything windows, but there are still a few windows applications I regularly use.

[Flemur]

I don't know why you would have to install Wine to play a game on Facebook. Facebook games run in your browser, and should play with any modern browser, which, of course, you didn't have because you chose not to update your system.

That's what I thought, but they also have some other stuff (dunno anything else since I don't use facebook):
https://www.facebook.com/gameroom/download/

From shooters to strategy, builders to bingo, find your game in Gameroom, designed for PC gaming.
Available for Windows 7 and above

So, your statement that it "wouldn't work" is incorrect. It does work.

Giving up immediately can save time.