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Re: Linux advocacy and Linux Mint

Quoting J C Nash <profjcnash [ at ] gmail [ dot ] com>:

Thanks Tom, for giving Marlene a hand.

I assume this was meant for the mailing list.  Marlene if you're
reading this don't be concerned, I'm using your help request as a
jumping off point for trying to help everyone with a PC.

I too want to see non-tech folk use linux

Exactly.  I want to change the topic of this message from technical
support to one of Linux advocacy.  My basic question is, is Linux
better than Windows or Mac for non-technical users who have no free
technical support?  I'd hope so, but Windows and Mac are much
improved since Linux first got big, so it seems.

I think Windows is problematic and privacy destroying and maybe even
abusive if it still seems to blame its problems on new users, but I
haven't adminned or run Windows newer than XP on any of my computers.
Maybe one of you can give me comments on how Windows has improved and
how much competition Linux is for it or not.

I also think Macs are exploitative because they cost so much money
and are really not better than Linux in terms of power or reliability
or speed, or having the option of having good hardware to run the OS on.

When I use Linux I get a sense of peace, power, and pleasure.  Peace
because of its security and reliability, power because of its well-
engineered UNIX implementation and distribution-provided tools, and
pleasure just from using something that works so well and has a good
design and works so fast, letting you have fun using a PC.

But ordinary people might not care about these things.  I love
computers and Linux gets the most out of them for me, but what do
ordinary people want?  Just to have a safe, reliable, easy to use
computer that runs the applications they want right?

I still think Linux Mint is great advice to run on a computer if you
are non technical and want to run Linux.  It has the easiest to use
options and is still reliable (well, at least as reliable as Ubuntu is).
It was the one I was going to recommend for someone to run on a computer
if they are non-technical, so when I noticed it was hard for Marlene to
run it gave me something to think about.  Maybe Linux Mint can't quite
cut it as an end-user operating system for the non-technical and not
technically supported, maybe Linux is only an option for the technical
and technically supported (except for Chrome OS).

I could admit defeat at this point, but I feel like the freedom you
get with Linux is critical for society to have, to help keep the free
world free, and that Windows, Mac and Chrome OS don't provide that.  So
I still want to advocate Linux, but I am stopped from doing that because
I don't actually know of Linux is better than Windows as far as keeping
running for a non-technical user.

What I would like is stories from you fellow LUG members on how Linux
has been working for non-technical people.

What I would also like is to test Linux Mint as an operating system for
non-technical people by helping someone have it on their computer, and
then supporting him or her every step of the way and see how often help
or fixing is needed, and then go and patch and correct those problems
upstream until we have a better operating system for non-technical end
users, and eventually make Linux the clear, absolute winner in the OS
wars and help the world be free.

I'm sorry if this was a rambly message, but I feel strongly about Linux
advocacy and freedom and I hope this interests a few of you.

Thanks,
Tom

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