Linux Portal

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Linux for old computers




Linux Questions Answered is my attempt to solve the huge problem with Linux: many issues that are not addressed nor are properly documented. For Linux to have a chance of new users, and inexperienced users transferring from Windows, several issues must be addressed:


1) The critical number one issue is the insane number of distributions available. Linux will never get any meaningful share of computers without significantly consolidating the number of distributions available into distributions grouped by installation target, and not "political" or cosmetic decisions. Furthermore:


  • Any new convert from Windows must be able to easily find an answer that stumbles most people today: What SINGLE distribution to I need?
  • Will it run "out of CD"? (For various reasons, I am really tired of burning a dozen discs and not being to install most of them)
  • Why doesn't this disc/distro run on my computer? (If Linux hopes to attract converts from Windows, don't expect them to search for and apply installation parameters if installation fails)
  • What is different in Linux from Windows?
  • And many others. Read on.


2) The number two issue is the mind boggling admission for acceptability of lack of NTFS support. If you think that this is a non-issue, then you will be surprised that many people who got to the point of trying, give up on Linux and move back to Windows. This is a definitely a must-be-noted issue. I would also like to gripe about the very confusing (to a beginner or convert) issue of partitions needed for an installation. Don't tell me that they are automatically taken care of with most installers. Because everyone that I have tried either failed in its task (did not free enough space for itself), missed partitions (swap, boot, etc), or tried to "take over" the hard drive. And don't expect users to know what a Logical Volume is, and do not ask them to choose between ext3 and reiserfs


3) If a user installs Linux on his laptop, then based on whether the wireless card will be automatically detected that user will either dump Linux, or continue to evaluate it.


4) Books that introduce people to Linux should stop their stupidity of teaching the basics like pressing the power button, and what a file is. Most users either remember or figure out their way around Windows, don't treat them like idiots. Present only information that differs in Linux from Windows.


5) Built-in help in Linux doesn't know what it is supposed to do: either eliminate it in favor of online-only help, or include all information a beginner needs to answer questions when he switches from Windows.


6) For beginners and converts, if GRUB fails after installation, then installation is considered to have failed. This is frankly a problem that should not exist anymore.


And below are links to my pages where answers to the problems outlined above are discussed