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We installed Ubuntu on all the machines in the computer lab. Apart from the students who already used Linux, who just argued over which distribution, the CS st

We installed Ubuntu on all the machines in the computer lab. Apart from the students who already used Linux, who just argued over which distribution, the CS students who'd only been exposed to Windows unanimously expressed they hated Linux. I asked them why, what was wrong, and it always came back to the fact that it was unfamiliar. I'm not sure how you fix that, because in effect their gripe was that it was not "exactly like Windows". It's yet another bad effect of the Microsoft monopoly - people believe that Computer == Windows, because they don't get exposed to anything else.

dgabriel 18y ago
Frankly, when people move from Macs to Linux, or Mac to PC, or Linux to PC, they generally dislike it at first. All the shortcuts and techniques you've internalized are thrown out the window, so it feels awkward and slow. I read about this effect at one point, but I don't remember where...
- kirse 18y ago
  From personal experience I had no problem learning Mac-OS, which I stumbled around in at first but didn't experience any major problems until much further down the road (when I was capable of dealing with them). On the other hand I downloaded Ubuntu last month, and after taking several hours just to get onboard wifi working (xps m1330), I lost all desire to use it further. For me, gradual hurdles vs. massive roadblock after roadblock is the difference between enjoying the learning process instead of dreading it.
  - goofygrin 18y ago
    >> after taking several hours just to get onboard wifi working (xps m1330) I've got an xps m1330 and it's run Gutsy and now Hardy without any issues with the Wifi. I've got the Intel 3945ABG card in there. I had the N card in for a while and couldn't ever get it to work well with Gutsy.
- aoeuid 18y ago
  About those pesky shortcuts: My suggestion would be to make windows shortcuts available by default: Win+D = minimize/unminimize all windows Win+R = Terminal I also added Win+G = Gedit and Win+F = Search (which really needs some improvement) Finally, standardize some behavior! Gedit and your ctrl+alt+pgup to change tabs, I'm looking at you.

dgabriel 18y ago

Frankly, when people move from Macs to Linux, or Mac to PC, or Linux to PC, they generally dislike it at first. All the shortcuts and techniques you've internalized are thrown out the window, so it feels awkward and slow. I read about this effect at one point, but I don't remember where...

kirse 18y ago
From personal experience I had no problem learning Mac-OS, which I stumbled around in at first but didn't experience any major problems until much further down the road (when I was capable of dealing with them). On the other hand I downloaded Ubuntu last month, and after taking several hours just to get onboard wifi working (xps m1330), I lost all desire to use it further. For me, gradual hurdles vs. massive roadblock after roadblock is the difference between enjoying the learning process instead of dreading it.
- goofygrin 18y ago
  >> after taking several hours just to get onboard wifi working (xps m1330) I've got an xps m1330 and it's run Gutsy and now Hardy without any issues with the Wifi. I've got the Intel 3945ABG card in there. I had the N card in for a while and couldn't ever get it to work well with Gutsy.
aoeuid 18y ago
About those pesky shortcuts: My suggestion would be to make windows shortcuts available by default: Win+D = minimize/unminimize all windows Win+R = Terminal I also added Win+G = Gedit and Win+F = Search (which really needs some improvement) Finally, standardize some behavior! Gedit and your ctrl+alt+pgup to change tabs, I'm looking at you.