Just felt like sharing/venting about my first Linux experience…
Downloaded ubuntu ISO
Ubuntu failed both booting from USB and CD
Tried Linux Mandriva, at least it installed with a painless GUI
W/O console skillz, can’t install practically any Linux stuff that prefers Ubuntu/Debian/Fedora if you want a non-code install interface. (Dropbox, z-zip, Blender builds archived in .7z, etc)
(interlude: most googlings of “how to install 7-zip, etc. on Mandriva” result in “type blahblahblah/code/blah into console.” Typing this into console usually gets “not found,” so I die at step 1)
Frustrated with this, I decide to try again at Ubuntu, and maybe Fedora or Debian.
For some reason, Firefox on Mandriva sends Downloads to the temp folder…and deletes them like every 15 minutes, including 30 minute downloads.
Try to install via USB…but you can’t just reformat a USB to FAT32 without ubootnetin and that says go do fdisk in code which say notfound and all I’ve been doing is ferrying downloads from my mac to my netbook (because DL’s on Mac/Windows don’t delete files)
Because I’ve been ferrying this crap back and forth, the drive’s not FAT32. Blargh.
What’s that? ubootnetin doesn’t work because I have to console that crap instead of a GUI and I have no freakin’ clue how to get to step 2 when fdisk gives not found errors?
Sorry. Just felt like venting. And I want to applaud Blender devs, because users don’t realize what a stellar job they do at listening to feedback and understanding the importance of UI and early adopters.
Hi Ogbog. I personally am a happy Ubuntu user even thought i still have Win XP in dual boot. Going to the console never bothered me so it’s an advantage but newer Ubuntu builds can (nearly) go completely without any console use. If you don’t want to try again, that’s fine, but if you want to give it another chance, maybe try using an LTS edition rather than the newest one (latest LTS was 10.04). LTS tends to be more polished and stable and are supported for longer (Long Term Support). They do release one every couple years rather than every 6 month.
What error did you get? I remember having to pass an option at boot with 10.04 on an older computer because of GPU issues.
yes, while it is a fantastic OS, it is seriously in need of being ACTUALLY user friendly…the idea that ubuntu is supposed to be user friendly is false if you come from windows or mac…what is wrong with a next> next> nex>t installer package??? I also fought with asking questions and getting “type this into the console” answers…what kind of nonsense is that…I really like the stability and speed of ubuntu, and the UI in 11 looks to be…fun? I guess…(IDC)…but they really are not user friendly…if you have a truly user friendly os state of mind…the communities are generally friendly though.
I have been having a lot of trouble getting various linux distros to work on my new netbook (asus eee pc 1215N) The main issues being that my network doesn’t work or only wired for a small period of time so I couldn’t connect, update or install anything.
I got fed up and just created an ubuntu 10.10 desktop edition 32 bit, and fortunately, network worked long enough to get the new driver for wireless. (by default, Ubuntu pops up a menu asking if you would like to install propriety drivers for your hardware like graphics card, and in this case, network)
Netbook is now on wireless connection, updating everything. A reboot away for the graphics driver, and then I’ll start pulling those apps in again:
blender, mypaint, inkscape, the gimp, chromium, media codecs(gstreamer)… Let’s hope it all runs smoothly…
EDIT:
ps. Windows 7 was on this thing, and it annoyed the hell out of me with all it’s annoying pop up messages and notifications which just wouldn’t shut up. Notification: you should update>download>Notification: are you sure you want to download>yes>notification: appX is trying to acces the internet. Allow?>yes>notification: download complete. Do you want to install now?>yes>notification>appX is trying to perform an operation. Allow?>yes…
And this repeats over and over again, even if you check the box to DISABLE the bloody notifications… for every step of the update process!!!
Installed starcraft2 on it before putting linux on it to see how it would run, and it would throw me back to the desktop for another B******T notification.
I can argue that I find Ubuntu a lot more use friendly nowadays. Yes it pays to know a bit of terminal slang, but all your updates and software are soo much easier to manage imo…
Which is also it’s weak point. If you have no internet connection after a clean install, it becomes a lot harder to figure out the correct drivers/debs and install everything.
But on most computers you won’t have that problem and it just works out of the box.
You have synaptic and the software centre, there are deb files, and .run files can often be run though doubleclicking>open in terminal.
There is nothing wrong with that sort of installer, it’s just not suited to a system that has its own collection of binary packages. Most of the applications made for Ubuntu, Debian, etc., are free and open source, and are packaged specifically for that distribution, so it’s logical that there would be some central way to obtain and manage all that software. Rather than handling updates/uninstalls according to what each piece of software wants, it’s all done with the package manager.
Second part, every distro has its bits of uniqueness (is that a word? it sounds funny to me…uniquity…uniquitude…). One distro might have a central control panel that uses a particular set of tools to do certain things, and another uses its own written-specifically-for-this-distro tools, and another might have no central control panel. But all of these distros have certain things in common, and those are the core utilities and typically a bourne-like shell (also available in OSX). When giving a possible solution to a given problem, many people will opt to tell you how to do it for all/most Linux systems, and the surest way to give a universal answer is often to rely on those basic utilities and the shell. Personally I find it annoying when developers assume every Linux user is on Ubuntu, and all of their Linux documentation is specific to Ubuntu.
I’m of the opinion that “user friendly” is in the eye of the user…what one person considers friendly may be that every action has a big bright button associated with it, and what another person considers friendly may be the fact that an interface stays out of your way while the app provides extensive documentation on how to use said interface (or commands, as the case may be).
I came to Linux from Windows 10 years ago, including a couple of years of a “messing around and breaking things” stage before switching exclusively to Linux. I agree it’s not a simple transition, and harder still when you don’t have the time available to do the work necessary to adjust, but this is quickly changing…just in the last few years, Linux distros have made great leaps in progressing toward a desktop solution that is as easy as Windows/Mac. There are people picking up Ubuntu today who aren’t even particularly proficient with computer usage. If you can take some time now and again to spend with a Linux system, I highly recommend it…go at your own pace and try not to let initial differences between the OSs get to you. It makes sense once you’re brainwa^H^H^H^H^H^H^H accustomed to its differences.
I’m somewhat of a Linux idiot, but I’ve been able to install as a Dual-Boot using Wubi. I know some people will probably say that’s not the best method. But damn it was easy. The hardest part was getting the wireless drivers to work (i’ve now installed it on three different machines). Lifehacker has a great night school series, while pretty basic. It’s helpful if you know nothing: http://lifehacker.com/#!5778882/getting-started-with-linux-the-complete-guide
Also, the command line was pretty intimidating for me at first. But now I miss having the console when I’m in Windows. To be perfectly honest, if Adobe started making Linux versions of their software I would move completely to the Linux OS. It’s all that’s keeping me back (Need Adobe for the work I do, WINE not an option). Once you get it setup, it’s a really amazing and powerful system.
But it can be extremely painful though working through some of the more beginner unfriendly aspects of it though.
Lastly, it sure is easy to build/patch new versions of Blender. Sure you can do it for the others, but it’s so EASY in Linux!
yes, while it is a fantastic OS, it is seriously in need of being ACTUALLY user friendly…the idea that ubuntu is supposed to be user friendly is false if you come from windows or mac…
Been using Macs since 8.6, and I have to say Ubuntu 10.10 is getting close, and in some cases better than mac user wise. I like Ubuntu more than OSX because there is a nicer “feel” to it, less bloat, updates aren’t in the GB download range, and I imagine Ubuntu will support my macbook longer than apple does. The big struggle is just getting beyond the methods of what you first learned. If you’ve ever been to the Mac discussion forum, you’ll see that even user friendly OSs have their share of unfriendliness.
To the OP, not sure what to say, except, what hardware are you trying to run Ubuntu on, and which version did you try?
I agree here with Jay. Ubuntu has a fine windows manager which lol Win7 copied.
Exposee is in need of some serious update here - I never used it at all way to complicated.
Ubuntus concept of window management is faster and more logical.
Well Lion will as far as I know fix it - lets see.
Did you check the file to make sure that it was not corrupted before you burnt the CD or loaded it onto USB, if not this link is a good howto for windows users. https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BurningIsoHowto
As a side note it’s always best to run a Live version first, this will load a full linux operating system onto your PC’s RAM and doesn’t touch your hard drive until you decide to permanently install it.
I pointed that out to my wife yesterday…that windows 7 copied the Ubuntu windows manager…she thinks I am a liar…pffftttt. I hate to send the false message…I Love linux, but I too am bound to windows through software…the file system is still “out there” to me…mount what??? huh?..but I manage.
I like Windows 7 (Have it on my laptop and I think is way better than XP), but Ubuntu fills my needs on work-flow better (multiple desktop, cutting-edge windows management, very fast, I love docks). So, I have some mixed up feelings about the “non user friendly” statement, because my usual problems with Ubuntu are (until now) always related to the lack of proper drivers from the hardware manufacturers.
I’ve bought a few days ago, an ASUS 1215p, and most of the critical stuff worked out of the box with Ubuntu 10.10 BUT now I’m fighting with secondary things like bluetooth and multitouch gestures to name the most annoying ones.
Le@ndro I agree with you, I’m using linux since '93, at the time it really was difficult to install and use. Today is a piece of cake but you have to be careful at the hardware you buy. Mac os runs on few different hardwares, Windows get the drivers form the producer and most of the times comes preinstalled that’s why they SEEM easier to install.
About the software installation you can get most of the software you want downloaded and installed automatically from “the ubuntu software center” try to type 7zip in the search widget, click a button and you have it!
About the console I know it can be scary but being a blender user I’m sure ogbog knows that something not so easy to understand at first glace can hide a great power! And that’s the case of the console too, it has nothing to do with the old dos, it’s a great tool and it pays to learn how to use it.
*as a side note I think Apple also emulated Ubuntu’s workspace switching via “spaces.” I think Ubuntu 11 will be really solid, 12 will be hitting the nail on the head, all things progressing as they are. The issue with Ubuntu is not the OS, but the apps running on it keeping up.
Edit: @Justin, like me on Windows: Ok I put a CD in where is it, D drive? What are all these drives? Where’s A and B? heh I have no idea how to use Windows, people think I’m good with computers, I say “yeah, just not YOURS.”
Have you actually ever tried to install Windows? Like in fresh, when there are no driver discs for the motherboard or the standard array of the peripherals (Windows users almost never keep anything that came in the box) in under 45 minutes. I recycle PCs for older folks who need to keep in contact with their kids. Linux does, except binary blobs for proprietary drivers <cough>nvidia/ati<cough>, and includes a raft of software usable out of the box in addition to the OS, making your PC actually usable after a single reboot. My first PC was a Sinclair ZX80 and my favourite PC/OS ever was my Amiga 500 which has affected how I perceive any OS. User-friendliness is often/usually confused with familarity and motor memory drives familiarity in a GUI. Ubuntu users moaned like crazy when the window gadgets were moved from the right to the left. Looking at this objectively, does this actually make any real difference except inconviencing your motor memory?
