I thought MATE desktop environment was cool. Until I tried it too and discarded the cd and destroyed the iso. Ps any pun in the mail unintended Sent from mobile Dennis Kioko <dmbuvi@gmail.com> wrote:
This seems to be an unpopular discussion, however to wrap it up, I booted up a live distro of Linux Mint 12 , and to my disappointment, found it wanting and less smooth than my current distribution. In fact , there wasn't much difference and I felt what I was using was neater.
Again, the issue of Linux usability eludes me
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Happy New Year!! The question "to be or not to be" with reference to linux and its usability is relative to who you ask. Every OS has its pro's and cons and IMHO its a question of what is of interest and what you want to achieve if not learn.
Ubuntu 11.0 64bit on HP 6730s Laptop. (4GB RAM, Core2Duo) My experiences so far: 1. If i need to install an app, i have to have internet, coz of dependencies. 2. My graphics card (Intel-based) STILL is not recognized. 3. My mount points have broken (Twice), so every time i boot, i have to skip some drives 4. Because of 3. above, My VirtualBox instance has broken (Twice) 5. Sometimes the display freezes on me, especially when i need to present to clients. (Probably coz of 2. above) All in all, I am a satisfied user, coz the rest just works. I chucked windows 7 coz of resource hogging and backup issues. Now i have a clean Windows 7 VDI that i copy to removable disk. My thoughts: Linux as a desktop O/S has made strides to usability. ./Sam On Sun, Dec 25, 2011 at 7:40 PM, Arthur Buliva <arthurbuliva@hotmail.com>wrote:
I thought MATE desktop environment was cool. Until I tried it too and discarded the cd and destroyed the iso.
Ps any pun in the mail unintended
Sent from mobile
Dennis Kioko <dmbuvi@gmail.com> wrote:
This seems to be an unpopular discussion, however to wrap it up, I booted up a live distro of Linux Mint 12 , and to my disappointment, found it wanting and less smooth than my current distribution. In fact , there wasn't much difference and I felt what I was using was neater.
Again, the issue of Linux usability eludes me
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Whats the deal with the new mint 12. I think it lacks vital features thus making it hard to use. How do i add applets to the task bar or that's a gnome feature? On Jan 3, 2012 9:06 AM, "Samuel Wachira" <wachirasam@gmail.com> wrote:
Ubuntu 11.0 64bit on HP 6730s Laptop. (4GB RAM, Core2Duo) My experiences so far: 1. If i need to install an app, i have to have internet, coz of dependencies. 2. My graphics card (Intel-based) STILL is not recognized. 3. My mount points have broken (Twice), so every time i boot, i have to skip some drives 4. Because of 3. above, My VirtualBox instance has broken (Twice) 5. Sometimes the display freezes on me, especially when i need to present to clients. (Probably coz of 2. above)
All in all, I am a satisfied user, coz the rest just works.
I chucked windows 7 coz of resource hogging and backup issues.
Now i have a clean Windows 7 VDI that i copy to removable disk.
My thoughts:
Linux as a desktop O/S has made strides to usability.
./Sam
On Sun, Dec 25, 2011 at 7:40 PM, Arthur Buliva <arthurbuliva@hotmail.com>wrote:
I thought MATE desktop environment was cool. Until I tried it too and discarded the cd and destroyed the iso.
Ps any pun in the mail unintended
Sent from mobile
Dennis Kioko <dmbuvi@gmail.com> wrote:
This seems to be an unpopular discussion, however to wrap it up, I booted up a live distro of Linux Mint 12 , and to my disappointment, found it wanting and less smooth than my current distribution. In fact , there wasn't much difference and I felt what I was using was neater.
Again, the issue of Linux usability eludes me
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Until Ubuntu come up with something better than 10.04, i'm not moving else im going fedora 11.x is already a pain in the neck...
Figured nothing much, still in Fedora. O all linux distros, you can make Gnome 3 more usable through Gnome-shell-extensions which can add tabs at the top and add a menu link .
Am also a die-hard 10.04.* LTS guy na sitoki haraka..! On Tue, Jan 3, 2012 at 9:21 PM, Dennis Kioko <dmbuvi@gmail.com> wrote:
Figured nothing much, still in Fedora.
O all linux distros, you can make Gnome 3 more usable through Gnome-shell-extensions which can add tabs at the top and add a menu link .
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-- David Maina. P. O. Box 8310-00200, NAIROBI, KENYA.. Cell:+254-721-950073. Registered Linux User #407239. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- "By golly, I'm beginning to think Linux really *is* the best thing since sliced bread."
Linux usability depends on your exposure just like with any other OS. When moving to linux or Mac, be prepared to see a different OS not a look alike of windows. That's the main problem with most guys who are Switching operating systems. Also be prepared to learn. I guess most of you went to a class where you were taught the basics like holding a mouse and how to install and uninstall programs. If you are a confortable linux user, then you will love fedora 11 or 14. However I still have issues with Gnome3 but I have the option of other desktops. The newest versions of fedora has most of the drivers included hence very rare to get system crash. And for all those having issues with firefox browser freezing, just noticed that it is caused by add-ons especially youtube downloaders. /Bonz On Wed, Jan 4, 2012 at 6:27 AM, maina <dmaishe@gmail.com> wrote:
Am also a die-hard 10.04.* LTS guy na sitoki haraka..!
On Tue, Jan 3, 2012 at 9:21 PM, Dennis Kioko <dmbuvi@gmail.com> wrote:
Figured nothing much, still in Fedora.
O all linux distros, you can make Gnome 3 more usable through Gnome-shell-extensions which can add tabs at the top and add a menu link .
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-- David Maina. P. O. Box 8310-00200, NAIROBI, KENYA.. Cell:+254-721-950073. Registered Linux User #407239. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- "By golly, I'm beginning to think Linux really *is* the best thing since sliced bread." _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke ------------ List info, subscribe/unsubscribe http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks ------------
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Hmmmm........ In my opinion, if ur going the Linux way, then be prepared to learn. Learning is good and Linux allows u control. Both Mac and Windows, in my opinion, offer better UX and do what software is meant to do, make our lives easier without knowing the nity grity stuff. Linux, to me, is like a manual car. Mac and Win, an Automatic car. In the end, its your preference On Wed, Jan 4, 2012 at 9:36 AM, Boniface <mboteb@gmail.com> wrote:
Linux usability depends on your exposure just like with any other OS. When moving to linux or Mac, be prepared to see a different OS not a look alike of windows. That's the main problem with most guys who are Switching operating systems. Also be prepared to learn. I guess most of you went to a class where you were taught the basics like holding a mouse and how to install and uninstall programs. If you are a confortable linux user, then you will love fedora 11 or 14. However I still have issues with Gnome3 but I have the option of other desktops. The newest versions of fedora has most of the drivers included hence very rare to get system crash. And for all those having issues with firefox browser freezing, just noticed that it is caused by add-ons especially youtube downloaders.
/Bonz
On Wed, Jan 4, 2012 at 6:27 AM, maina <dmaishe@gmail.com> wrote:
Am also a die-hard 10.04.* LTS guy na sitoki haraka..!
On Tue, Jan 3, 2012 at 9:21 PM, Dennis Kioko <dmbuvi@gmail.com> wrote:
Figured nothing much, still in Fedora.
O all linux distros, you can make Gnome 3 more usable through Gnome-shell-extensions which can add tabs at the top and add a menu link .
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-- David Maina. P. O. Box 8310-00200, NAIROBI, KENYA.. Cell:+254-721-950073. Registered Linux User #407239. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- "By golly, I'm beginning to think Linux really *is* the best thing since sliced bread." _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke ------------ List info, subscribe/unsubscribe http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks ------------
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10.04 IMO is the Ubuntu distro ever. Still on it since the month it was released...
I think sometimes people confuse 'Usability' with 'a-Windows-like-gui'. Because it doesnt look and act like Windows then its not 'usable'. It is true though that a majority of computer users are more familiar with the windows way of doing things and therefore most Linux/UNIX DE's have borrowed heavily from it - but they have also added a whole lot more. Heck, I personally find Linux more usable and feature-rich than windows. If you are on Mint 12 or Ubuntu and Gnome 3 is giving you a hard time, consider trying XFCE, LXDE (my preference) - you just might like them. -- Ndungi Kyalo neno.co.ke ~ Your word O Lord, lights my path. On 4 January 2012 09:44, Haggai Nyang <haggai.nyang@gmail.com> wrote:
10.04 IMO is the Ubuntu distro ever. Still on it since the month it was released... _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke ------------ List info, subscribe/unsubscribe http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks ------------
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I definitely agree that Linux has come a long way in Linux support, with my monitor now been plug and play, not plug -> terminal -> configure a few settings -> restart X -> play The usability issues come when you plug in something, expecting it to work, only to find that you need to fire up the manuals, for example function keys in LXDE. Gnome had come a long way, until they went to Gnome 3 , but Gnome Shell Extensions are getting us back, problem is that a new user should have an idea of what Gnome shell Extensions offer without having to read up. In a perfect usable systems, users should not have to read the manual
Usability is never about windowing since KDE & Gnome have very great looks compared to M$. I think we need to talk about 'ease of use' and not 'usability' since anything on earth might be usable, but not easy to use. I have been a Linux diehard and crusader for over 10 years but I would rather have my Mac on my desktop anytime. ./Ok3ch On Wed, Jan 4, 2012 at 1:03 PM, Dennis Kioko <dmbuvi@gmail.com> wrote:
I definitely agree that Linux has come a long way in Linux support, with my monitor now been plug and play, not plug -> terminal -> configure a few settings -> restart X -> play
The usability issues come when you plug in something, expecting it to work, only to find that you need to fire up the manuals, for example function keys in LXDE. Gnome had come a long way, until they went to Gnome 3 , but Gnome Shell Extensions are getting us back, problem is that a new user should have an idea of what Gnome shell Extensions offer without having to read up.
In a perfect usable systems, users should not have to read the manual
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I agree with @Okech. The problem seems to be that guys are comparing User-friendliness with pretty graphics and all. People forget that in the times of "DOS screens" the systems were perfectly useable and probably more efficient. I doubt if any proficient Linux / UNIX system administrator or power user ever has a need to switch to the GUI for whatever reason including listening to audio files, videos, browsing and reading pdfs and they work pretty comfortably. Some studies done revealed that usability mostly and to some extent entirely depends on what you get accustomed to first. If someone was introduced to computers first from a box running Gnome or KDE or even fluxbox, the time you move them over to Windows 7 / 8 or Mac they will most likely complain and take some time to acclimatize. The reverse is true. The current problems being faced by the desktop environments and window managers in the UNIX world is that they seem to be copying the Macintosh (and Windows) user interfaces but they leave out the most sensible defaults (present in Macs). Gnome 3 users can tell you more. Martin.
participants (12)
-
Arthur Buliva -
Boniface -
Dennis Kioko -
Haggai Nyang -
Job Muriuki -
maina -
Martin Chiteri -
Nd'wex Common -
Ndungi Kyalo -
Okechukwu -
Paul Kevin -
Samuel Wachira