Re: How to start using a free OS (was: Why Debian)
On Tue, 2013-11-12 at 10:19 +1100, Zenaan Harkness wrote:
> On 11/12/13, David F <debian@meta-dynamic.com> wrote:
> > On 11/10/2013 10:17 AM, thomas aylward wrote:
> >> how does a novice begin with debian? Tom
>
> > The reason why I bring this up is that when a user tries to switch from a
> > proprietary OS to a free OS, the switching of the core operating system is
> > likely nearly invisible to them; but they often are also switching many of
> > the applications that they use every day, and this is where it becomes such
> > a difficult transition and a steep learning curve.
> >
> > But, some (many?) of these free software applications can also run on
> > proprietary OSs (2). So, my advice to a novice who is using a proprietary
> > OS and wants to begin with Debian, or any other free OS, is to start by
> > using free software on their proprietary OS.
>
> ACK
>
> Double ACK
>
> Very good suggestion here. I've made the same suggestion more times
> than I can count, and re specific software in most cases (adding "the
> more free/libre software you are using, the easier it is to jump away
> from PROPRIETARY_OS), eg audacity, firefox, thunderbird, libreoffice,
> gimp, truecrypt and a long list more of course.
It's complete nonsense. The listed software is software a Windows user
should use for those tasks, but it doesn't help to migrate from Linux to
Windows.
The essential difference is what's under that GUI layer, so maybe Cygwin
is what a Windows user should install, assumed it will run on the users
Windows, when I tested it on a Windows install it didn't work. Another
alternative would be to install a virtual machine, e.g. Virtual Box to
Windows and to run Linux as guest on Windows.
Regarding to the GUIs, if friends visit you and want to show you
something in the Internet, they have no problems to use the mouse and
web browser of your Linux install. They are not aware that they are
using something that is very strange to them.
If you install a Linux to somebodies machine, IOW if they are aware that
they use Linux, than thy will call you, I opened Iceweasel, it does look
completely different to my Window's Firefox, I can't find the thingy,
where I can type the websites I want to visit.
Everybody who belongs to that user group should make a psycho therapy,
that's what they are for, little problems with intellectual agility. I'm
serious, really not kidding, nobody with a serious disorder will get
help by a psycho therapy, but people who have intellectual barriers can
auto-learn how to get rid of that barriers by a psycho therapy.
Install a Linux and call it Windows 2014 - super professional special
admin edition and this kind of user will have no issue, call it Linux
and they will ask you to remove it and reinstall Windows again.
Regards,
Ralf
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