• ssillyssadass@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    10
    arrow-down
    4
    ·
    14 hours ago

    I think that if Linux is to be more widely adopted a more easily used distro needs to become mainstream. Let’s face it, the average computer user barely knows how to use Windows, just because you find Linux easy doesn’t mean they will.

    Do you think you could teach Linux to your grandmother?

    • Johannes Jacobs@lemmy.jhjacobs.nl
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      3 hours ago

      Actually, my mother knew how to use Debian before she could use Windows. Her first pc came with Windows XP, switched that for Debian as its been my main OS since 2000.

      Yes, you can teach your grandmother to use Linux.

    • 18107@aussie.zone
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      5
      ·
      4 hours ago

      Do you think you could teach Linux to your grandmother?

      My 50+ yo mother uses Linux Mint daily with fewer problems that when she used Windows. Her crowning achievement in IT is learning how to use email.

      I helped my 93 yo friend switch from Windows 10 to Linux 2 years ago. He called me 3 times in the first 2 weeks to ask how to do something, but hasn’t had a single problem since that’s related to the OS.

      Linux Mint, Bazzite, Fedora, and several other Linux distros are already easier to use than Windows. The only thing holding most people back is fear of change.

      There are some people who have specific setups in Windows or a large number of “Windows only” apps, but these people are in the minority. The average person can’t even tell you which operating system they’re currently using, and wouldn’t notice the difference if you swapped the OS but kept the same web browser.

    • fading_person@lemmy.zip
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      6
      ·
      5 hours ago

      Teaching people without computing skills to use linux is actually easier than teaching windows. Most trouble people have with linux comes from being used to windows and having difficulty to adapt.

    • Saleh@feddit.org
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      25
      ·
      edit-2
      14 hours ago

      Do you think you could teach Linux to your grandmother?

      Yes. Set automatic package updates, Install firefox with ublock and put it on the taskbar, and bookmark Facebook and Youtube for her. It is the same thing as under Windows.

      I would argue that for the most “tech illiterate” users the Linux experience can be made even easier than the windows experience, because you have to set up everything for them anyways.

      • squaresinger@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        5
        ·
        10 hours ago

        Completely “tech illiterate” broser-only users are fine. It gets difficult once they happen to actually want to do something.

        I have an older relative in that boat, and she was doing fine until she wanted to install some VPN to access foreign Netflix libraries. That was more difficult. Especially because she already paid for the service and that service didn’t support her distro, thus there was no guide on how to use it.

    • Captain Aggravated@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      10
      ·
      14 hours ago

      Both of my grandmothers are dead, but I did teach my aunt to use Linux. She had a laptop that “ran” Windows 10. It would take 30 seconds to open the Start menu. One SSD, one RAM upgrade and one install of Mint later it’s a whole new machine. She can Firefox and Mahjongg just fine.