WHEN DO PEOPLE STOP MAKING THESE POINTLESS BLOG POSTS..... Seriously, these posts do not help new linux users at all. All you accomplish is spreading useless info for "new" users.

New users want info like your talking to a baby. Remember, new users arent called "new users" for no reason... Hou HAVE to learn them practicly to walk because they are simply new to linux.

Do TAKE this advise and teach those much wanted new users to get up and stay standing!! Perhaps go further and learn them to walk gently. DO NOT TRY TO LET THEM RUN because they will fall and are way more likely to crawl back to a place where they know they can walk and perhaps even run with ease.

Let this be a lession for you.

This is a fine article, full of enthusiasm and zest.

The unqualified recommendation of Ubuntu is a good one. I don't use it regularly myself and generally recommend that Linux newbies start with one of three other distros. However Ubuntu is a solid recommendation and with the book, it's a real winner.

And so I have resisted the temptation to quibble about details, gray areas, semantics, and even about an area of significant disagreement. Overall, the recommendations are good.

Carla Schroder is "right-on-target" with this article. Switching to Linux is even easier now than it was three years ago when I made the switch.

I switched to Ubuntu 6.06LTS three years ago, and now I run 9.04 on two PC's, a Laptop, and a Netbook. In the three years of using Ubuntu GNU/Linux I have learned more about computers than I ever did in the seven years that I used Microsoft Windows (Win98SE and WinXP). I have found Ubuntu to be maturing at a rapid rate and with my computers the only problem that I have now is that I can not get the floppy drives to work on the two PC's.

I have found Ubuntu to really like HP printers and HP PSC units. I have been able to use Audio Capture hardware that the manufacturer emphatically said it would NOT work with Linux, (but it did work with Audacity and therefore worked with Linux, which proved them wrong). I have been able to hook up to the TV and have my computer desktop to display on the TV screen. I can watch DVD movies, play CD music. I have been able to retrieve files from a bad Windows Hard Drive, and from a crashed iMac Hard Drive using my Linux systems.

Again it is a very good article.

A couple of years ago, I read a survey about the technical savvy of the people of North America, (Canada and the US), and the percentage of people with technical skills and or knowhow was +/- 3.5% across the board. Even if that number was flawed and say it was more like 8% it is still a very low percentage. Over the last 5 or so years I have actively promoted linux and I noticed that the tech-no friends had no problem at all to convert and most did, the non-tech ones tried it and almost all of them said yeah but... and never switched. So maybe there is some truth to these comments that linux never will be for the masses and only is going to be accepted by the general public if it comes on desktops by default just like MS or Apple.

OMG, what geek infested planetary system do you inhabit? I'm a linux user, and from what you've written, I think I'm more qualified than you to judge whether your words hold truth: "frightening things like command-lines, skills, and knowledge" and "Common-Sense Easy-Peasy Guide". Why? I made the jump from windoze a year ago. If it wasn't for screenshare online from 2 linux gurus, and for 2 linux gurus visiting my home regularly, and without my canonical contract (yes there were issues that even my guru's couldn't solve, and yes, some issues that even canonical couldn't solve), I would have made the jump back. Moving to linux has been nothing short of a NIGHTMARE! It's still a battle - every time I upgrade (not out of choice - the new versions fix problems from the previous), many new problems pop up.

I'm using XPS M1330 - a very popular linux machine. Bought in Australia, isn't not supported by Dell, and not tested by canonical. But the specs are identical to the USA machines.

Case in point of why linux isn't ready for the masses just yet: Running a training course this week, Ubuntu kept freezing. It was sudden, I'd been switching 1280 to 1024 exactly as I'd done ten times in the past since Januty's release. Result? I lost 45 minutes of the course time, delegates twiddling their thumbs, me and my company losing credibility, along with linux. One attendee said that he had considered playing with linux after all the good things he had heard about it, but after my experience, he will leave it alone. What did I say in linux's defence? Told him to give it a look in on the next LT release in October. Maybe then it'll be more stable. I can't unconscionably cause anyone else to spend as much money and time and frustration with linux as I have. Eventually the only thing left to do was to say a prayer to whichever God would answer, copy over an older backup version of xorg.conf.

To give you a bit of context: I'm no technophobe. I was the type of windoze user others turned to to setup their modems, screensharing, network configs, advise on the best apps, cracks, solve slugging system issues. So for someone like me to need to pay thousands of dollars (yes, many times the value of my pc, and mostly at $17 USD per hour too!) and invest many days getting my Dell laptop to work is a VERY sad enditement of linux.

The ONLY reason I stuck with linux and continue to battle on (9.04 brought with it a fresh raft of issues, not all of which can be solved by devoting hours to scouring forums) is that the same reasons I left windows are still there. So if windoze ever sorts itself out - watch out linux, the part will be over.

As for wanting users to change - get into the real world! Do some research and get to understand that there is a VERY slim minority who are prepared to learn commands. There's a reason Windows moved from M$DOS to windows - you seem to have completely missed this. The overwhelming majority want to use a pc, they don't want to have their preciously short time sucked up learning command lines. And they are right, a computer is there to work for us, not the other way around. If windows can work without the user typing commands, then the proof for linux is already made. Shuttleworth's question of: "Can Grandma use it?" is a great reality check. I'm not speaking for myself, I like the power and flexibility of command lines - I'm not the average user though and you look to have lost touch with the average user Carla.

Carla - you want to support the linux camp - as do I. Unfortunately writing 'ra-ra-ra it's easy' quick columns is doing your team more damage than good. You've written very briefly - suggest you check out the heavyweight articles and offer reference to them. e.g. http://resources.zdnet.co.uk/articles/comment/0,1000002985,39631286,00.htm

Thanks John, your experiences are like so many others. I'm curious why your floppy drives don't work, since they are controlled by your system BIOS. Is it that Ubuntu doesn't see them? That would be an interesting bug!

Thank you Sammy for not quibbling :) There are other distros that I think are easier for noobs than Ubuntu, such as Mint and Mandriva, but having a great howto book like "Ubuntu For Non-Geeks" outweighs distro differences. It should be helpful for any Gnome user anyway.

Harry, I would love to see more good OEM Linuxes, and despite considerable opposition and a skewed marketplace, we're getting there.

Calum, you're full of prunes. Or maybe you need more prunes.

Mark, what on earth are you whining about? You pretty much restated what I said, only in a crabby whiny way.

I am glad that so many people are showing that they are willing to support a transition. I moved from Windows to Linux about 2 years ago and could never be happier. The friend of mine that assisted with the transition first installed Gentoo for me, which was a little deeper than I was willing to go, but it helped to break my fear of the command line. After that, I formatted and started over with Kubuntu since I really like the KDE interface and ever since have been stuck on Kubuntu.

If it wasn't for the assistance of my friend I would never have stuck with the change. Having (local) help is always nice. I installed Kubuntu on a buddy's laptop and gave him a crash course and he couldn't be happier with it, and knowing that I am always around to help gives him comfort when he is having issues. I'm sure that if it wasn't for the fact that I am here to help he would have switched back to Windows. Just like if I didn't have my friend to help me when I switched, I would have gone back to Windows.

It is a scary and learning experience, but if you want to stop whining and use something better, then give it a shot. If you whine about Windows all the time, you had better have a good reason to keep using it. Otherwise I will call you lazy and tell you to get your butt in gear and try something else.

Calum, I don't know why you have that many issues, but my upgrades have been smooth and flawless. Maybe your hardware needs work. If it's not tested by Canonical how can it be "Ubuntu compatible?"

Seriously I thought the article had some good points. I dislike windows users just about as much as I dislike windows products. If you are unwilling to learn then be prepared to struggle throughout life. If you really think about it even window users who stick to windows must re-learn things. Think 2000 to xp to vista to win7. Trust me like it or not xp will not be supported forever.
Overall I think Ubuntu is the biggest mistake anyone could make. I am not knocking Ubuntu, but the sheer fact that it has a forced 6-month release cycle lends to the whole idea of instability. You cannot change the codebase slightly ever six months and the package everything else up around it and hope its going to be stable. I really hate to say it but, IMO to Linux users who know what Linux is capable of; Ubuntu gives Linux a bad name. I know I know, your thinking wait a minute, Ubuntu is the most popular distro on the planet how could that be? well because it is the most popular, you get these type of articles and Linux users who encourage possible converts to give it a try as it is a possible replacement for windows and its so popular so it must be the clear choice right? Wrong, all you do is give people a bad taste of Linux and make those who are curious turned off in a flash, because you can’t replace instability with instability.
Another poster already mentioned it but it is important to highlight, when Ubuntu releases a version they fix problems that the previous version had but introduce a whole new list of issues. That’s because the codebase changes slightly between releases. I sometimes wonder if Ubuntu users know that every release is based on a snapshot of Debian's unstable branch....
As an avid Linux user it is frustrating when every “writer” suggests Ubuntu. Not only does it do the potential user a disservice, but the Linux community at large. I agree with a lot of sentiments that the writer has expressed, but if I were to suggest a newbie friendly distro based on Debian unstable, I would def. recommend sidux. Talk about stability and hardware detection out of this world……I know its not mainstream, but I would challenge anyone that sidux is more stable than Ubuntu without a doubt.
I read Calum Coburn comment above and couldn’t help but get upset because those are some common things I have always seen in Ubuntu, especially the random freezes. Calum for your own piece of mind, give sidux a spin, I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.
Am I trying to push sidux? Not really, I only use it to draw contrast to Ubuntu as it uses Debian Unstable as its base too. But judging the too side-by-side you would never be able to tell. I just want people to understand that there are so many better performing distro’s out there. Don’t let Ubuntu discourage you from using Linux. That’s one of the great things about Linux. There is so much choice that there is arguably a distro out there for everyone.

And no I do not agree with the author that the book outweighs distro differences. I think that is a silly thought. Most new Linux users are not reading books to learn. If you are talking about someone truly interested in learning Linux and not just using it then maybe. But hell if they were up to that task, they wouldn’t need to install Ubuntu when there is Debian. I guess it’s a matter of what defines a new user because a non-tech savvy user rarely reads any technical docs. (Read: window users) They just want things, as Canonical says, to just work. So I would easily suggest Mint, Dreamlinux, Mandriva, or Opensuse before Ubuntu and the “Ubuntu For Non-Geeks”.

Calum a quick lesson for you, not your class. When you stuff up the video by switching monitors repeatedly just start Ubuntu in recover mode. Drop to a root terminal and type "dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg" This will work with any new Debian based Distro.

Secondly, I have had Windows refuse to change resolutions when switching monitors back and forth, and projectors failing to connect. It is always sensible to ensure your equipment is functioning before class starts.

Finally Carla is correct. Installing a fresh Ubuntu 9.04 is easy and a great place to start, and for 95% of people will work without any tinkering. Her suggestion to start with Linux in addition to Windows is excellent advice - Baby Steps.

Houms Newbies use Sidux, are you serious? Nobody should use Debian SID as their main desktop. It is not called "unstable" for nothing. If you have reasonably standard hardware you might suggest "Squeeze".

Your suggestion of using Mint does have some merit, it is Ubuntu with all the codecs and a pretty face.

While Ubuntu is based on a snapshot of Debian SID with some Debian Experimental, it does not end up that way. That is the point of Ubuntu, it is an up to date Debian, and stable. I have several Ubuntu machines and they all hum along without glitch. My Debian SID box gets trashed by dodgy updates regularly. Sidux helps setup a SID system but still suffers from the SID repositories, where the Debian devs do their stuff with new software. No newbie should ever go anywhere near SID or Sidux. It is great to experiment in SID, when you know what you are doing.

The finished Ubuntu is quite different to SID, it uses AppArmor not SELinux, Pulseaudio is configured by default, it allows easy use of third party non-free drivers and most importantly firmware. As an example, plug in a TV stick and in Ubuntu it mostly just works, in SID you have to seek out the correct firmware from the internet and copy it into /lib/firmware then try again. There are numerous other differences where the Ubuntu devs make life a whole lot easier.

And, with your anti-Ubuntu stance, you make statements like "I sometimes wonder if Ubuntu users know that every release is based on a snapshot of Debian's unstable branch.... ". Of course most Ubuntu users know where it comes from, only the newbies would not know. We also know that the releases are a long way from their origins. It may surprise you to know that many Ubuntu users are former and concurrent Debian users, and that many of the developers work in both camps. And to suggest Sidux is more stable than Ubuntu is just laughable.

Anybody can have hardware difficulties whether they are Debain, Ubuntu, name your distro, XP, Vista or Windows 7. Sometimes you have to roll up your sleeves and dig under the hood to fix it.

Hello, I WAS a very enthusiastic Linux/Ubuntu fan until I discovered how easy it is for hacks and government/rogue law enforcement agencies to clone a linux drive and hack all the filesystem and logs. Linux even provides all the necessary tools in the distros...dd etc. I used to think WindowsXp was bad because it keeps track of all a users activities and logging stuff in "secret" files, ie; .dat files. But with full disk encryption, and many file wiping and security tools available I am happily an XP guy from now on. And by the way, the linux crypto tools and filesystems are a complicated joke. Until Linux provides full disk encryption most security concious individuals will never use it for serious security purposes. And, that old argument that "if I am not doing anything wrong what do I have to worry about" is whacked. There are plenty of people sitting in jail cells based on flimsy or planted "evidence".Not to mention stolen private information. Privacy is a right for ALL Americans and linux serves ours up on a silver platter. Stay safe and may God help you. P.S. I tried to put this on the front page but for some curious reason it kept saying Hack Attempt? I even tried to allow it with NoScript and still kept kicking me back to the preview box. Hmm.

@A. Schimke:

Tools for decrypting are always available for any OS. The only thing that protects you is the encryption algorithm used, the implementation of the algorithm, and the key. On Linux the standard is LUKS/dm-crypt which is implemented at the partition level. I agree it could be better integrated. For example, Ubuntu requires you to use the "Alternate" installer" and due to a bug the encrypted swap has to created manually after installation.

TrueCrypt is also available for Linux, Windows, and OS X. It also supports full disk encryption but I've never tried it.

I hope you were smart enough not to boot XP from the hard drive and then use it to enter the key to unlock the volume. The easiest attack vector against an encrypted OS is to modify the boot block/key authentication mechanism as it is can't be encrypted (else the processor can't read the boot manager executable to start it). On Linux this can be done by booting from a USB key and then loading the rest of the OS from the hard drive after unlocking. Theoretically this can be done with XP by using a WinPE environment but I haven't tried it myself.

Don't forget to secure your BIOS as that is another attack vector since it starts before the boot loader.

If your booting from the OS boot loader on the hard drive and then entering the key then you are not paranoid enough to bother with encryption.

GregE,
your response lets me know that you have never tried sidux seriously. Anyone who has would tell you that sidux with smxi is far more stable than ubuntu. And no sidux does not suffer from the same issues sid does. Smxi takes care of that. Thanks to H2. you really should check it out before you make a rash judgment. Plus I would say Mint has done a pretty good job at user-friendliness for the newb.

Market share is all well and good if you’re selling something. If we start believing the %1 hype you’ll never get past the fact that GNU/Linux has a much higher percentage of installed user base than proprietary software. GNU/Linux dominates Super computing, dominates web servers. If Microsoft didn’t step in with OEM blackmailing and software dumping xp home ed; it would’ve dominated the Netbook.

The %1 comes from Microsoft funded “independent studies” conducted by similarly funded orgs such as Gartner, IDG/IDC, Ziff/Gates, NPD, Net Applications, Federated Media, Waggener Edstrom, etc.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer admitted:
- "Linux is their number one threat" http://news.cnet.com/Feeling-the-heat-at-Microsoft---page-2/2008-1012_3-6232458-2.html?tag=mncol
- "Linux is a serious competitor"
- “Forty percent of servers run Windows, 60 percent run Linux…”(Sept 2008)
- "I would love to see all open source innovation happen on top of Windows."
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13505_3-9793052-16.html

Also we can't forget and be apathetic to microsoft's disingenuous information “technical evangelism (James Plamondon)”, shills, astroturfers ()

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween_documents
http://antitrust.slated.org/www.iowaconsumercase.org/
http://boycottnovell.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/comes-3096.pdf

I am no computer Geek. I own a small Tax business. Thus I must use Windows. But. . . about two years ago, during the off season, I loaded Ubuntu on two "toasted" laptops. Up to that point they were bricks. Low and behold the laptops became usable. As for codes, I cut and past them into the terminal. I find it very easy to do a Web search for Ubuntu solutions. As for hacks, come on, Window users not Linux users must worry about that. During the off season I have tried various different distro's. I come back to Ubuntu. I do agree with the comment about the "six month" thing.