Great article. However, in this line:

That actual study and learning are required, and that whining and wailing in despair don't accomplish much.

I believe that what you meant to write was:

That actual study and learning are _NOT_ required, and that whining and wailing in despair don't accomplish much.

Thanks again for a great article.

Thanks, that was an awkward sentence. I have fixed it. Or at least changed it :)

Very good article. I think the biggest problem is what people are introduced to when they are young. Now that those tikes that grew up with Windows are trying to move to linux (for various reasons) but they have to learn a new operating system and do nothing but complain. They think that all OSes should be uniform so it makes their transition easier.

Again, kudos on your very good article.

I think the problem is that Operating Systems are not yet mature enough.
The future/perfect operating system will be completely transparent and will run any/all software. (Hardware+OS will be one entity).
No-one will need to "learn" anything.
(Obviously the two big boys are not keen on making their products transparent any time soon).

Poetic, and true. I'm very optmistic: Kids that grew up with Windows are coming in to Linux just like they're leaving their toy bikes to get in the driver's seat in a real car. Now the toy OS is Windows! And as they take over linux, the Graybeards are gonna have to take up jogging!!

I have been programming various types of computers and operating systems since 1980, and my golden rule of user interfaces is simple: I put the instruction manual in a drawer and still expect to use at least fifty percent of a program's major functionality. I don't care whether it's a word processor or an entire operating system. Rather than say an operating system or program is "intuitive", it would be better to say "obvious". Said another way, it's the "KISS" principle ("Keep It Simple, Stupid").

I've been using a mixture of Linux and Windows for some time now, and use whichever one I feel is appropriate (and easy) for the task at hand. The main reason I hate Windows Vista is that, in my opinion, much of its functionality is no longer obvious, unlike 2000 and XP. Linux, on the other hand, does meet that criteria. Many people have a knee jerk reaction to dealing with a command line -- it wasn't so very long ago that most everyone was using MS-DOS, and didn't complain. Once you get past that initial reaction, though, a lot of tasks are simple and obvious using the command line. Oh, I don't mean something like VI or Emacs, but certainly editing a file with Nano is pretty clear. Another example is using a video capture card. In Windows, I need to fire up a GUI program, and somehow figure out which on-screen controls to use. In Linux, I type in a single command line (for the curious: cat /dev/video > filename.avi). You tell me which one is more "intuitive".

In moving from Windows (or Mac) to Linux, the user must first recognize that there will be differences (otherwise, why bother to move in the first place?). Those differences require a certain amount of study. Hey, life is hard (and then you die). When teaching the Unwashed Windows Masses who pass through the golden gates of Linux, I make the following suggestions (in no particular order):

1. Don't panic (and no, the answer isn't always 42)

2. Don't give up Windows entirely, use a mix of Windows and Linux to serve your needs. If you need/want to play Windows games, learn how to partition your machine and dual boot (use the right tools, follow the right steps, and it's easy). If you just want to run Windows programs that aren't games (e.g., Word), obtain and use Virtual Box OSE (it's free and Free) with an old windows install disk. You can use Windows 98 or 2000 as long as you keep it away from the Internet. For example, MS Office runs better for me in Virtual Box than in Wine. YMMV.

3. Be willing to experiment. Be careful, but be willing to try new and scary things. The command line is easier than you think.

4. Get comfortable with the dreaded "B" word ("Backup"). Sooner or later you *will* do something stupid during the learning process. Count on it, and plan accordingly.

5. Text Editors are your friend and lifeline. Find one you like and get to know it well. Linux doesn't have a Registry. All your settings are in plain text files, easy to edit, easy to copy, and easy to backup. Don't let anyone talk you into using a particular text editor (Vi /Emacs) just because they said so. Warning: Learn how to use the basic commands of at least *one* command-line based text editor (the aforementioned Nano is an easy one). The first time you screw up the config file for something important while mucking about you'll need it. It will come at the worst possible time, and the GUI will either not start at all, or it will start but be in a useless resolution.

6. When asking for help on the Internet, be prepared to give details of what you want, what hardware/software you have, and what you have tried. Be specific. Oh, and while there are no stupid questions, remember that most of them have been already asked -- and answered -- before. Google is your friend.

7. Remember the three P's: Planning, Patience, and Perseverence.

good article as usual!
I am not sure it is right to say that Linux is the easiest OS to use, that is all about taste.
What makes Linux really easy is that you don't have to be looking for drivers, at least not in beginner distro's. Installing stuff is easy as well. You can install most of your software needs through the repositories, when, in OSX and Windows must find the .dmg or .exe file needed on the web and then install it, and there also is a lot of good apps in Linux after the install (this counts for most beginner distros at very least). In windows you get... well... Internet Exploder and Windows Medieval Player... enough bashing on windows on my side... for now :P

I must agree with Sassinak, going from Windows to Linux is like going from toy bike to driving a real car. You go from having something you might think is very good, to something which is really really, good but might be a bit hard, since you suddenly get so much power, and don't know what to do with it, and it might even see it as scary, and unfamiliar. That's why some people run crying back to Windows.
Then they start to complain about the CLI without probably even have tried to touch it...

The World is slowly beginning to emerge from its Microsoft-induced stupor. An odd place it is. Up is down, down is up. Security equals 35,000 Microsoft-node Botnets and a multi-billion dollar a year security industry (by the way, that money came from our wallets). "Intuitive" means whatever Microsoft says it is. People who give free, quality software, with the rights of ownership, to the World are vilified. Privacy violations are "features". Computer users don't need to be gurus (they just need pay gurus a few times a year to "clean" their Microsoft computer). Installing 15 different applications/drivers requiring 15 different installation wizards, 15 different updates and 15 different blinking update notices that require 15 separate reboots is easier than 3 mouse clicks with Synaptic.

When my grand children take Internet History 101 in college, they will not believe people could be so foolish. I hope I'm still alive to help them understand that people were indeed that foolish.

The first time I used a computer was in college learning how to program in FORTRAN. We had terminals which was better than cards. Used some text editor, forgot which one, and compiled the programs on the universities main frame. later I got a Commodore 64 and used it. I did not have the money to buy an IBM compatible computer. All of this was done through various command line shells. When you first used computers you had to do your own programming to usefully use your computer. Eventually all there was for regular folks were Windows as Microsoft destroyed all competition.. Microsoft’s object was to keep the end user dependent and ignorant. That was to sop up all the cash possible from the host. With the rise of GNU/Linux I could come back home to the operating environment I first used.Been a GNU/Linux user for the last five years and never looked back. If GNU/Linux had risen ten years earlier, Microsoft would never have gotten it’s foot hold.

Instead of Intuitive, the right word should be Deductible.

When something is called intuitive, most of the time we mean 'easily deductible because you already saw this type of icon, interface, menu, layout or whatever, and you can deduce easily it would mean the same thing' .
The "intuitive" way that is shouted by every means, is in fact a way to tell, "this is the same that before the new system, except for the new things (who will not be 'intuitives'). "

Except if you are a good candidate for ESP, nothing will be intuitive in computer science.

What Microsoft has done, is to lower the bar, to lower people's expectations of computers. Hype never passes the reality test. Like in the case of an olympic athlete, the bar can be raised, requiring extra efforts to clear it, rewarding the athlete who can muster the effort with a possible medal. Or the bar can be lowered, so more athletes can win medals, making the value of effort useless.

I believe you are right with respect to the abuse of "intuitive". However, transistions are always difficult. I do feel exactly what you said at the moment but a few year a go when I tried to move to Linux I did have difficulties. It just likes learning a new language. Although using internet/email and creating documents are quite similar between Windows and Linux, however we need more help to know how to do more complex tasks specific to Linux like installing/troubleshooting new software, familiarizing to a whole new set of software and terminologies, not mentioning the knowhows to exploit Linux tools/strength. Many times it was very hard to understand instructions on linux forums. At the moment I am still learning and in fact enjoy doing this. I can say I have passed the transistion as I can do most of my jobs on Linux, and my genuine belief in the benefits of using Linux in the long run largely contributed to this success.

Good article as always Carla. One thing I learned when I tried to convince my partner to try Linux was the FHS directory layout was a big turn-off for her. I hadn't really thought of it much before as I'd been brought up with it for so long but comparing it to Mac and Windows I can see it seems a little last century. I'm sure there were good reasons for it - in 1978. But in 2009 where the majority of home users dual-boot Linux and Windows, and only use 1 partition for each, it does seem to be quirky, coupled with less than complete adherence by the various distro's: usr/bin or /usr/local/bin, or /opt. The names make little sense to English-speaking users, and none to other languages. It would be nice to see another distro other than Gobo finally breaking the curse of the FHS - Ubuntu, are you listening? This is not meant to be a flame-target, last I checked there were several hundred distro's out there, all using the FHS, so go choose any one of those if my suggestion bothers anyone. It would be nice to be given another alternative however. It would mean tweaking the Kernel a little and each of the packages and a package management system. Seems surprising this still hasn't been fixed.

I'm a full-time bike commuter who switched to GNU/Linux almost fulltime about a year ago, having dual booted since 2006 (Ubuntu Daper Drake Debian GNU/Linux Distro).
GNU/Linux was definitely a learning experience, but it was like going from a car that I HAD to take to the shop because of its specialized proprietary tools to a commuter bike I can work on by myself with simple tools if I choose or take to a shop if I chose.

I have a choice. And it's a grand one.

My approach is a bit simpler. When I am requested to provide computer support, I immediately tell the requester that I provide Linux, NOT Windoze, as part of my long-term stress-management policy. If they want ME to care for their computer, they use Linux. If they insist on the Rubbish from Redmond then they find someone else to provide support.

So far, I have made very few exceptions to this policy, and those who continue to make use of my talents for their computer support seem reasonably content. I will also point out that so far there has been very little difficulty in teaching the users involved here how to accomplish what they want with a "different" desktop environment.

I wonder how many articles you will write, shaking your fist at all those mean people who don't want to learn your beloved OS. If you took the time to think about you write, you would realize that many people are leaving Windows and learning a new OS. But they're migrating to Mac OS X not Linux.

And since they're doing it despite the fact that Mac OS X has a very different GUI from Windows, it basically shows that people are willing to learn new ways. Only, they're ready to invest time when they see some benefits. And I don't think Linux has any concrete benefits to the casual user. Sure, there are no security problems but that's a not an immediate advantage. Linux GUIs like KDE and GNOME are essentially Windows GUI clones with all the same bad design decisions (menubar in the window, 1 window=1application paradigm...). They don't provide any benefits to users.

Another point is that learning to use the command line is a total waste of time for many use cases. What are the benefits of bash when you want to manage photos ? Or when you want to surf the web ? You may find the CLI efficient for that kind of tasks as you already learnt how to use it but learning it just for this is a complete non-sense.

@robert: i wonder how much of that willingness comes from apple, and their evangelists, hammering the "intuitive" message vs windows in ad after ad after ad...

how long as that pc vs mac been going now? with the brown suited, glasses wearing "pc" and the turtle neck and jeans "hip mac"?

it may also help that apple have long worked to maintain a image of "the creative peoples" computer, with their macbook next to the SLR camera, or hammering out the latest bestseller at a starbucks table?

linux on the other hand is the unsung hero that makes the net operate, powering all kinds of server farms around the globe so that people can get their news, products and social networking fix.

@ robert
SOmehow I doubt that any normal pc user even considers linux when deciding to not use windows. Why? Most people don't even know it exists and if they dothey have an outdated opinion. You have to actively search out info on linux, most people only get there info crammed down their throat from TV. Wouldn't it be great if someone was willing to foot the bill to advertise linux on tv, in newspapers, in magazines....but it's not gonna happen. Also people are moving to mac for the same reason they should be switching to linux, no/less viruses and stability.

It's a good article tho, it took me years to get completely comfortable with linux, but it was a fun journey. And it is honestly so easy now that I KNOW my grandma could use it (so long it came pre-installed on supported hardware, but I can do that for her).

@William Ross
The file system hierachy is not a problem to be "fixed". Its a core characteristic even feature of Linux. Most Linux users with more than minimal knowledge of the system are quite comfortable with it. Newbies ought to realise that Linux is not Windows and they have to work at learning something new. Thats the whole point of Carla's post.

Actually after using Linux and windows for years, I find the Linux file system hierachy to be absolutely superior to windows. I hope no more distro's tamper with it.

@Robert
Most people I know who switched from Windows to Macs did so because of the cool factor, same reason they go iPhones. Apple marketing does a great job (and that's good for Linux). Still in the broad scheme of things very few people are switching to Macs it is at most 7-9% of PC users over the last decade. Thats great but its not exactly a stampede. Linux numbers are smaller still. But the point is that the small numbers switching to Apple probably indicates nothing about the relative merits of Linux and Apple. As somebody pointed out above many of those folks may be ignorant or misinformed regarding Linux.

emk