🚀 go-pugleaf

"Rick" <none@nomail.com> wrote in message 
news:13hbqqpq50pen00@news.supernews.com...
> On Wed, 17 Oct 2007 09:14:46 +0100, dennis@home wrote:
>
>> "caver1" <caver@inthemud.com> wrote in message
>> news:eClxAUGEIHA.2004@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>>> Stephan Rose wrote:
>>>> On Tue, 16 Oct 2007 11:04:28 -0700, rodolfo.garcia44 wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> On Oct 16, 6:03 am, Summercool <Summercooln...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>> After installing Ubuntu, it seemed that everything on my Drive C:
>>>>>> was lost.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> After hours of trying, it really turned out I lost EVERYTHING on my
>>>>>> C: drive.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> So I had to reformat the whole C: drive, and reinstall Vista on it.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I lost all my bookmarks, in both IE and Firefox.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I needed to reinstall every single application.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I needed to reinstall all security update for Vista all over again.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I wasted at least 5, 6 hours.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> How can "Ubuntu - Humanity towards others" erases people's whole
>>>>>> hard drive without a single warning?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Think about it, some people may lose tens or hundreds of hours of
>>>>>> work, or 4, 5 years of photos and memories, just because Ubuntu
>>>>>> erases whole hard drive without warning.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The following is the install option snapshot: IT NEVER warns you the
>>>>>> content in drive C: will be totally erased. What's more, it is set
>>>>>> as the DEFAULT ACTION. And it says it is "GUIDED":
>>>>>>
>>>>>>  http://aycu03.webshots.com/image/32522/2001738602340396146_rs.jpg
>>>>
>>>> It says "Guided - Use entire disk".
>>>>
>>>> Now what particular part about "Use Entire Disk" is beyond your
>>>> comprehension?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> There's also an option to use free space. caver1
>>
>> This issue is down to what the target market for Linux is. If it is to
>> take over the desktop then it has to be targeted at the level of a moron
>> so that almost anyone can install it without getting unfixable problems.
>> This means you can't assume the user understands what a disk is.. after
>> all a lot of people think the case is a CPU.
>
> Then why does Windows ask about partitioning and formatting when doing an
> install?

It has to but it does warn the user in plain English that they will lose 
data if thats what they do.
Linux does not warn the user in plain English in any distro I have 
installed.
It may be fine for someone like me that would probably have clicked on 
expert mode and done it manually anyway but its not much use for newbies.

>
>
>>
>> This is Linux's biggest problem.. too many developers and users over
>> estimate the knowledge of their target users. Until the developers sort
>> out the installation routines Linux will not be mass market as it still
>> relies on someone being able to download it and install it.
>
> Hopefully more vendors, especially visible ones like Dell, will start
> shipping Linux pre-installed.

It may make a difference but until they do Linux needs to be made more 
suitable for idiots to install or it will not take off as some hope.
It has always been the nerdy installation that stops the majority from 
installing Linux and even though it is easier it still uses terms most 
people do not understand and does things that people don't understand 
(probably for no good reason other than to save a few lines of code).


>> Making it so that only ~5% of users can install it without problems
>> stops the ~95% from using it.
>
> How many people can properly install Windows?

More than Linux IME.
Also there tends to be quite a few upgrades from windows which aren't 
succesful if the OS deletes the users data like Linux tends to.
If, while doing an upgrade/install the user loses data then you have lost 
that user and anyone they talk to.

>> Linux developers haven't even worked out that users don't read manuals
>> by the sound of it.
>
> People don't read manuals when running any software, for the most part.
> They don't read them when setting up stereos and VCRs, either.

So you have to make software as idiot proof as possible if you expect those 
people to use it.

Do you really think the user will get the blame if an OS upgrade kills the 
users data?
No it will be the OS and probably rightly so if the warnings are not written 
in plain English that computer illiterates can understand.

I am of the opinion that software should not be able to do harm even if the 
user hasn't read the manuals without warning them in language they should 
understand i.e. not computer speak as most people don't understand it.
If a user needs to read the manuals its pretty poor software and limits its 
potential users to a minority.

>> Having worked in the telecoms industry I can assure you that you can
>> *never* underestimate how dumb users are (well at least a lot of them).
>
>
> -- 
> Rick