Still a way to go for Linux

Thoughts & Feedback
#1

Continuing the discussion from ACER aspire F5-571 & Qualcomm Atheros wireless not working: I now have a working system; but through having to purchase additional hardware.

There is still a way to go for Linux [discuss] I think, if more users are to be attracted to it. I’m an experienced user (I mean user not coder/hacker/expert) and have installed many versions of distro’s over many years, again as a user. My recent experience of installing on a new laptop, either alongside or instead of Windows10 was challenging, and then the issue (which persists) of the hardware not being fully supported in the kernel (despite it being a recognised problem for at least 2 years - and supposedly solved) have really brought it home to me that we have come such a long way to make things just work; but there is still a long way to go to make it easy for people to access the great opportunity Linux (for me Ubuntu-Mate is ideal) brings.

I know UEFI for example is not a linux issue and vendors make it difficult, but when even the official guides, followed accurately, don’t work, or supported hardware isn’t, or fixes to problems make no difference; new people are rightly going to turn back to Windows. I had to blow away all of the HDD on my new laptop as “install alongside windows” didn’t work and screwed things up, I ended having to rebuild an MBR and go deep into the advanced settings of the bios just to get the system to boot. Not a newbie task. I spent last night compiling drivers, installing backports, fiddling with modprobe blacklists (again not newbie tasks)…none of which made a jot of difference.

You could say " research the hardware before purchase", I would say that too - I did, it is supposed to be supported. I bought this morning a TP-Link nano wifi adapter, and wonderfully it worked out of the box - which restores one’s faith in the skill and foresight of those kernel developers who do this. Sometimes things go perfectly, my previous hardware was one of those and I only broke that install by finger trouble on my side. :slight_smile:

So this post is more of a discussion piece and request to those excellent and respected developers who work on (often for free) the OS we love. Please continue the good work but addressing the issues thinking as users may help with the perception that linux is for geeks! :slight_smile:

Sorry for the mild rant, had to do it.
Andy

5 Likes
#2

I wouldn’t call it a rant Andy, you make some valid points!. :smiley:

1 Like
#3

Discuss…
How many people buy a computer and install Windoze or OSX themselves?
This is the point.
To get more desktop users people need to be able to buy a computer with Linux pre-installed just like they’d do for Windoze or OSX. Through “wimpy” this has happened for Ubuntu-Mate (Entroware etc.). Other Linux builders do likewise. I’ve just bought a Tuxedo Core with Ubuntu-Mate pre-installed. It’s wonderfull.

You have chosen to walk down a particularly difficult path, that of dual-booting linux and…
I’ve been there too. I won’t be going back in a hurry. I now virtualise Linux on Windoze at work (the base OS must be Windoze there).

On another tack, I have heard that Acer and Dell hardware often struggles to run Linux due to the very large variety of hardware these firms build into their offerings. HP seems to have a much better track record and many people state that Lenovo is usually quite Linux friendly.

For mass uptake we need to get Linux pre-installed computers into the highstreet stores. We’re not there yet (although in China I believe this is already reality).

It’s not a perfect world, we still have much to do. In Europe there are more and more Government Departments and schools turning to open standards and often Linux. We are much further that we were ten years ago.

Never give up.

1 Like
#4

Discuss…
How many people buy a computer and install Windoze or OSX themselves?

This is a valid point! Some folks actually don’t purchase computers, but rather individual components and bulid their computer from scratch - often installing some Linux distro.

Another point to consider is using an up-to-date operating system [especially Windows] on older hardware is many times painfully slow. I’ve had very good luck keeping older hardware completely functional by installing Ubuntu.

Regarding ‘mass uptake’ Linux is on of the most deployed OSes on internet servers.

Respectfully,
Pete

2 Likes
#5

Great points, when looking at my laptop I looked at a number of supplied with linux or supplied with no OS systems, but price wise there was around £200 difference for similar systems…a windows system v others…and £200 is a lot of money in anyone’s books so the effort I put in was worth it.

For your point about windows, I’ve installed every version from 3.1 (yes I’m that old) to 7…not had the pleasure of 8.1 or 10 - but your point is valid most people do not want to install an OS…goes for iinux too, until there are more vendors doing this we are going to struggle when compared to the competition.

2 Likes
#6

Whilst true, I have owned linux supplied laptops for a premium price from system 76 and knowing for sure that it will work out of the box and that they contribute to Ubuntu financially and with code, i feel as though I am helping the community. Without these vendors surely the compatibility we have now would not be as good and i believe they deserve the extra cost for their contribution. Surely they could just sell windows machines and make more? Proud owner of a Lemur from system 76 and could not be happier.

3 Likes