letian
Sat Sep 08, 2012 1:28:29 pm
I didn't want to post any feedback at first, that pains me a lot to do so, but it feels like I should.
I'm a linux user and tend to stay so. I've decided to replace windows with linux on a hp pavilion dm1 netbook of one of my relatives. I chose ZorinOS because it is ubuntu based and has nice windows like look out-of-the-box. Everything was ok and I was happy to announce to myself that linux has made great progress so far in terms of configurability, ease of use and user-friendliness (last time I used "click-and-install" distro was long ago, so I didn't know what to expect from an out-of-the-box Zorin) There were couple of small interface bugs, but nobody seemed to notice that.
The problems began right after the person started to work on it. He had to translate some documents for a company this weekend. There was much work to do and it should be done fast. As soon as he started using the internet connection started to get disconnected every half an hour or so. I was not by his side so I could only help via the phone, which is not that great at all. The connection type was a dsl one, pppoe over the ethernet via modem. After the person created a dsl connection with my help (he is not a pc guy). The connection name could be chosen from a menu in the bottom right corner of the traybar. But what became a complete mystery to me is why did it start to disconnecet at random times? When I told him to open the menu from the bottom right traybar and choose "my dsl connection" to reestablish it, he said there was none! It just disappeared. Ok, I said, just go and try log off or restart if that does not help. After restart it appeared again, but disappeared once again right after the connection was lost. I will not tell how much stress has this small issue caused and how much time has been lost between like 20 reboots.
We can always write it off to the inexperienced user or just "your connecton/modem is bugged" issue. But it is certainly not. Now this person begs me to install windows back and I'm forced to admit that my good intentions to be an open-source enthusiast for my friends and relatives have been smashed by a nonsense bug. How many words have I used to convince that person that linux is better.
I know that this kind of post does not help much to improve Zorin experience, I wanted to express my feelings about linux on the desktop for a long time. When several years ago a linux guy told me, "you know, windows is a piece of unstable, malwared s***" and I believed him. Now, after some time I came to the conclusion that it is eventually a very good system, that simply does not need your watchful eye. I've been very proud that linux helped me to take control over my machine. I've been telling everyone that "linux makes you a real user of your PC", now I think I was wrong. Not because of this small occasion) of course not, it is something that I accumulated for the years of using, configuring, tickling with the system. It is not that forces us to learn how the system works makes us real users, it is something that does not interfere with our work.
That surely does not mean I shall abandon linux, I love it nevertheless, but truth to be told, it is far from being that ideal system I was once believed)
I think many of you have already understood that, so sorry that my post may become a sad reminder or just a waste of time. There is still a lot of work to be done before linux can be compared to windows. Thank you for your patience.
I'm a linux user and tend to stay so. I've decided to replace windows with linux on a hp pavilion dm1 netbook of one of my relatives. I chose ZorinOS because it is ubuntu based and has nice windows like look out-of-the-box. Everything was ok and I was happy to announce to myself that linux has made great progress so far in terms of configurability, ease of use and user-friendliness (last time I used "click-and-install" distro was long ago, so I didn't know what to expect from an out-of-the-box Zorin) There were couple of small interface bugs, but nobody seemed to notice that.
The problems began right after the person started to work on it. He had to translate some documents for a company this weekend. There was much work to do and it should be done fast. As soon as he started using the internet connection started to get disconnected every half an hour or so. I was not by his side so I could only help via the phone, which is not that great at all. The connection type was a dsl one, pppoe over the ethernet via modem. After the person created a dsl connection with my help (he is not a pc guy). The connection name could be chosen from a menu in the bottom right corner of the traybar. But what became a complete mystery to me is why did it start to disconnecet at random times? When I told him to open the menu from the bottom right traybar and choose "my dsl connection" to reestablish it, he said there was none! It just disappeared. Ok, I said, just go and try log off or restart if that does not help. After restart it appeared again, but disappeared once again right after the connection was lost. I will not tell how much stress has this small issue caused and how much time has been lost between like 20 reboots.
We can always write it off to the inexperienced user or just "your connecton/modem is bugged" issue. But it is certainly not. Now this person begs me to install windows back and I'm forced to admit that my good intentions to be an open-source enthusiast for my friends and relatives have been smashed by a nonsense bug. How many words have I used to convince that person that linux is better.
I know that this kind of post does not help much to improve Zorin experience, I wanted to express my feelings about linux on the desktop for a long time. When several years ago a linux guy told me, "you know, windows is a piece of unstable, malwared s***" and I believed him. Now, after some time I came to the conclusion that it is eventually a very good system, that simply does not need your watchful eye. I've been very proud that linux helped me to take control over my machine. I've been telling everyone that "linux makes you a real user of your PC", now I think I was wrong. Not because of this small occasion) of course not, it is something that I accumulated for the years of using, configuring, tickling with the system. It is not that forces us to learn how the system works makes us real users, it is something that does not interfere with our work.
That surely does not mean I shall abandon linux, I love it nevertheless, but truth to be told, it is far from being that ideal system I was once believed)
I think many of you have already understood that, so sorry that my post may become a sad reminder or just a waste of time. There is still a lot of work to be done before linux can be compared to windows. Thank you for your patience.
