Re: Windows vs Linux Functionality?
On Monday 27 December 2004 06:32, Steve Lamb wrote:
> Jean-Michel Hiver wrote:
> > Well, Linux is certainly less user friendly (especially if you have
> > difficulty with english as localization is quite poor)
>
> Although I cannot comment on the localization issue let's please not
> repeat this particular piece of FUD. Studies of children who have never
> used computers before do /not/ find Linux any harder to learn than Windows
> (or Mac). They are just /different/ and a great many people have a problem
> with anything that's different. They will always find the first thing they
> have learned easier than any alternative. If you do not understand that
> we'll have to review all the cases where people (normaly older, but not
> always) having problems with computers and preferring non-computer
> alternatives to do the same task because it is easier. :P
I could not agree more Steve. Computerbank Victoria gives away recycled
legacy hardware to low income earners. These computers run DebianGNULinux.
Many of the donees are migrants from Africa and Mid East and most are
learning English as adults. Others are on pensions due to intellectual
disabilities. They are all able to learn to use the system.
OTOH I do know one person who failed to learn to use a Linux distro and so
had someone install WinXP on it. 3 weeks later she gave up on that too. She
is the mother of a guy who manages 70 IP professionals, and a daughter who
worked as an in house computer consultant in a local university. The
difference? Just no willingness to learn.
Bob Parker
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