I want to get people’s opinion on Linux – from a Windows user perspective.
I want to do is to establish if the “Linux is too difficult” mantra is actually true in people’s experience. My personal experience was that it was about the same amount of hassles than installing Win98 & apps. Of course, Linux does not fall over like Win98, and I can do all my work that I used to do under Windows, so I am a happy chappie 😉 Thanks! If you have been using Windows and have also installed Linux, please be so kind as to fill in the questionnaire below and post it on the board. I will collate all the responses and (hopefully) publish these in an article. Thanks Questionnaire: Installing and using Linux from a Windows perspective.
This questionnaire is intended to gather opinions on how easy or difficult it was for users to install Linux and application software, and how functional they found the Linux desktop compared to the Windows desktop environment. Your participation is appreciated. Firstly, on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 meaning “very weak” and 5 meaning “very strong”, rate your technical PC skills? Next, in the table below, indicate your choice with an X. TABLE 1: General Distribution and version of Linux: Debian Slackware Red Hat Mandrake SuSeE Other: please specify Linux GUI used: Gnome KDE Other: please specify TABLE 2: Applications used – please amend Windows applications as appropriate, and indicate the Linux equivalent you use: Word processing: MS Word Spreadsheet: Excel Presentation software: Powerpoint Database: Access Email: Outlook Calendar: Outlook File manager: Windows Explorer Internet browsing: Internet Explorer Internet firewall: ZoneAlarm Graphics editing: PaintShop Pro Graphics slide shows: ACDSee File Compression: Winzip, PDF reader: Acrobat Reader CD writer: Nero Other – please specify In the table below, indicate your choice, using: 1 = Much more difficult 2 = More difficult 3 = About the same 4 = Easier 5 = Much easier 0 = N/A TABLE 3 – Installation.
Linux Compared to Windows Setting up peripherals (such as printers, video cards etc. ) under Linux is: Setting up and configuring the GUI under Linux is: The functionality of applications running under Linux is: The stability of applications running under Linux is: Running applications (ease of use) under Linux is: Setting up Internet access under Linux is: Upgrading the OS (Linux) is: Setting up a small/home office network under Linux is: Installing patches under Linux is: TABLE 4. More advanced questions. Compared to Windows: Cost of purchasing a commercial distribution of Linux is: Vendor support for a commercially purchased version of Linux is: Third party support (including the Internet) for Linux is: Documentation for Linux is: Time taken to install Linux server is: Time taken to install Linux workstation is: Availability of application software under Linux is: Cost of application software under Linux is: Choice of application software (in 7 above) under Linux is: Availability of development software (C++, Kylix, database development….) under Linux is: Cost of development software under Linux is: Words/ Pages : 507 / 24
