Why Don’t You Recommend Linux?
There’s no other major item most of us own that is as confusing, unpredictable and unreliable as our personal computers. Everybody has questions about them, and we aim to help.
Here are a few questions about computers I’ve received recently from people like you, and my answers. I have edited and restated the questions a bit, for readability. This week my mailbox contained questions about alphabetizing your favorites in Explorer, using Linux as an operating system, and whether Dell is offering Windows XP as an alternative to Vista.
I followed the instructions you printed last week for alphabetizing the Favorites in Internet Explorer, but they didn’t work for me. I am using IE 6 in Windows XP on a Dell computer.
In IE 6, it only works if you display your Favorites list using the menu command, not the icon.
You often mention the Macintosh as an alternative to Windows, why don’t you recommend the Linux operating system?
I aim my columns at mainstream users doing typical tasks who have little or no technical knowledge, no help from experts, and no appetite for becoming techies. These folks want the computer to do things for them. They don’t want to have to do much, if any, configuring of, or maintaining of, their computers. They have no patience for geeky procedures. For instance, when they buy a peripheral device, they expect to plug it in and find that it works, often without even installing the CD from the box. I don’t believe Linux is yet simple enough and automatic enough and nontechnical enough for these mainstream users. So I don’t recommend it. I firmly believe that the Macintosh does meet these criteria, and so I consider it the only practical alternative to Windows for mainstream, nontechie users.
My friend claims that Dell has now decided to resume offering Windows XP as an option on its consumer model computers, instead of only offering variations of Windows Vista. Is this true?
Yes, Dell announced last week that it is bringing back XP as an option on a handful of its consumer laptops and desktops. The models include the Inspiron 1405, 1705, 1505, and 1501; and the Dimension E520 and E521. A quick check of the Dell Web site shows at least one other consumer model available with Windows XP, the XPS 710 — Level 1.
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Because of the volume of email I receive, I can’t routinely answer individual questions by email, or consult on individual problems or purchasing decisions. I read all questions I receive and select three each week to answer in the column.
Write to Walter S. Mossberg at mossberg@wsj.com
Comments
“I don’t believe Linux is yet simple enough and automatic enough and nontechnical enough for these mainstream users. “
Posted by oliver richards at April 29th, 2007 at 9:14 pmMany Linux Ditros have made siginificant progress over the last few years. For example, i run ubuntu (7.04) as my main desktop environment. I’d take installing ubuntu over installing xp any day of the week. all of my hardware works without having to find the driver cd’s (as i must do with an xp install). And when i plug in a usb pen drive or other usb hardware, yes, it automatically loads.
I encourage everyone to simply try it out–you don’t even have to install to test it out–with a live cd. you can download and burn the cd, and run it from boot. for basic tasks, i believe it is far superior to xp.
i agree though, for more complicated tasks, ubuntu still requires some technical knowledge–but then, so does windows.
I encourage you, mr. mossberg, to try it out before you start telling people that it is too technical for the common user.
oh, and compared to vista, you can have all of the eye candy without having to have ridiculous system requirements as well. they are built-in with 7.04.
Posted by oliver richards at April 29th, 2007 at 9:27 pmI concur with the sentiment of the previous comment on Linux as a viable alternative to Windows. Of all the Linux distributions that I’ve used (and I’ve worked with many) Ubuntu is the only one accessible by the general non-tech savvy computer user. In my experience with the OS, many of the basic requirements for ease of use are present in Ubuntu, if not many other flavors of Linux. I believe that in many cases, Ubuntu is now worth some attention as a possible alternative to Windows or MacOS. It comes with quality built in software for all the basic tasks - office software, web, email, and music.
Posted by Michael Swanson at May 2nd, 2007 at 4:51 pmI as well concur with both comments about Linux being a very viable alternative to Windows. In fact, both of my parents have been running on Ubuntu Linux for over a year and a half now and the number of tech calls has nearly approached zero for help from me. They don’t worry about viruses, their computer runs faster than with XP, and their digital camera, HP all-in-one printer and USB pen drivers just work when they pop them into a port. It couldn’t be any easier. All of this on a 3 year old computer. If anything, Windows has some catching up to do to Linux in terms of ease of use.
Posted by Jim Hodapp at May 26th, 2007 at 5:37 pmI saw a news item the other day that Dell is now shipping laptops and desktops with pre-installed Linux to consumers. The XPS 410n will sell for $850 while the 520n Dimension and 1505n Inspiron will both sell for $600. I’m not a techie, but I can make my way around a computer pretty well. I’m a recent switcher to Mac, and who knows, with enough cost savings, I may end up with a Linux system in the house as well. I’m just not sure what the advantages of Linux over OSX are.
Posted by Paul Hennessy at May 28th, 2007 at 2:27 amWhile I agree with everyone the Ubuntu is a great distribution argument, I hardly think that it has made it to the main stream level of cruse control. I do run Ubuntu as my primary OS, only because after purchasing a system with vista i realized how much i don’t like the windows platform. I am a mac guy, but i like to up grade my system about every six months and apple’s price points are high. As where you can make an high end dell almost for under a grand these days. Another reason why i don’t thing most people could make the switch comfortably at this point in time is there are not enough of the main stream programs people know and love.
But if you think about it you can save big time if you go the Linux route, most of you software is free, works on just about any hardware and the OS is starting to become a strong force to be reckoned with at half the cost. Free downloads, or $10-$60 for media sounds to me a hole lot better then the alternatives; what is windows ultimate up to know like $400 or something like that, and then its not much of an improvement over XP Pro, i will take the extra time it takes to learn how to configure and maintain.)
Posted by Carl Hicks at July 4th, 2007 at 6:06 am