Five reasons why Windows 8 has failed

[whs]

Ubuntu is not the alternative. They screwed it up just as much with their Unity UI. As one of the guys on the ubuntu forum said:" Unity is for Masochists".

My alternative is Mint Mate Nadia. As a Windows user you feel right at home and after some of the basic settings (screen resolution, Fonts, etc.), I had no trouble using it. If you want to try it, here is a tutorial how to set it up in virtual. View the tutorial in a PDF enabled browser (e.g. Chrome) or download.

https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=475a...cid=475A0A48CA6D4035&id=475A0A48CA6D4035!1847

 

[SIW2]

Honestly I don't think they could meake Ubuntu any more user friendly

I am sure you do think that. But that is likely because you have been using it for a while.

It is only recently I had my first look at Linux as a desktop os. I am a complete Linux Noob. That is a good thing. It helps me to see the dealbreakers.

The first hurdle is the whole thing about getting hold of it and installing. Not for the average Joe.

If it comes pre installed - that is fixed.

Then you have several alarming features. E.G. What is thing - omg what does it mean mount The only mount Joe has ever heard of is to do with horses. That is alarming - Joe has no idea what it means and is worried he might break something.

What is all that gekiki, gekoko, gekuku, gekaka .

Anything Joe sees. if he doesn't know what it means - and /or it is written in hobgoblin - it is very disconcerting.

Windows has those thing sorted. Even the idea of drive letters - Joe sees something called C and D - he doesn't really know what a partition/volume is - but he vaguely gets it. C and D are easy to understand and remember, they are comforting.

What if Joe sees dev/sda/2 ? That is totally meaningless to Joe. I mean totally - to him it is gobbledygook. Again he is alarmed.

And so on....

 

[whs]

SIW, you are complicating your life. Try my approach, you'll love it.

https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=475a...cid=475A0A48CA6D4035&id=475A0A48CA6D4035!1847

 

[SIW2]

I already have Nadia - and pinguy. Those guys have made an effort - all credit to them. But it is not enough - they can't do it on their own.

I am trying to look at it from the point of view of the average Joe.

If the Linux crowd want this thing to be more popular - they have to look at it that way.

Android is popular - there is nothing confusing or scary about it.

 

[whs]

Nadia never scared me. It is straight forward and as a Windows user you are really not alienated. Yes you have to learn a little bit, but not more than going from Win7 to Win8. The biggest difference are the applications. But there are about 60.000 in the library (some are probably junk), so you really have a choice.

 

[Preacher]

I love windows 8. They have made some massive improvements and you don't need a start menu as much if you use the dock or just type what program you want.

 

[SIW2]

Wolfie

Nadia never scared me

You are not Joe public. These things are not quite ready for the mass market yet.

 

[whs]

Wolfie

Nadia never scared me

You are not Joe public. These things are not quite ready for the mass market yet.

I think in many repects Mint is easier than Windows. When I get my new mic (the old one is defunct), I'll make you a nice video showing how easy and flexible Mint Nadia is. It took me about a week to find all the major srews I needed to turn to set it up to my liking (on 1 item I got the help from the Linux forum). But when I started with Windows, it took me a LOT longer. And that was after 35 years as a professional operating system development programmer. So I guess I was not Joe public then either.

All these Mint people need is a good and strong marketing organization. But right now they are doing quasi nothing to get the message across. I would even get it if they charged a reasonable fee - e.g. $50.

 

[SIW2]

About time the enlightened oems decided to kick in to the Foundation more than the $500k they do now.