I’m thinking more about Linux again: how it’s becoming more usable, and a more essential option now that Windows is becoming more and more adware, and Mac OS is losing some of its magic (but none of its expense).
I’m a tinkerer by heart, and so Linux has always been attractive to the likes of me, but I’ve occasionally seen it ‘in the wild’ in the homes of people less like me. Usually, they’re parents of kids who are like me, and have recommended it, or at least the trying of it. In every case, those users are very happy.
But I’m looking for a way to help more people try Linux (which remains mostly in the realms of tinkerers, or friends and family of tinkerers), and also a way to help the Linux community make Linux more attractive and accessible to non-tinkerers.
Categories of use
Linux is generally good at the most basic of tasks. But a default install of Ubuntu in front of a curious General UserTM, and they will be able to find their way to the usual things: email, web browsing… er, that’s generally it for most people. If a Chromebook or an iPad can satisfy a user, then a default Ubuntu can too.
But that’s an iPad, or a Chromebook. Desktop computers are more powerful, and I think that’s why they’re losing popularity: most people don’t need them any more. But some people will still benefit from them, if only for the ergonomics of having a proper keyboard / mouse / desk setup.
So for my imagined Guide to Linux, I want to divide computer use into a hierarchy of difficulty, and see if I can look into how major distributions deal with those things. Here’s what I’ve come up with off the top of my head:
Beginner basics
Everyday tasks that everyone wants to do. Failing to manage them would be a major hurdle to continued use:
- Open a web browser and carry out a search
- Check your emails (either via the web browser or a dedicated program)
- Use online tools like Spotify
- Play their own music
Medium tasks
Things that a person might need if they want to use Linux in a sort of admin or office context, or to expand the initial offerings of a default install:
- Sharing files on the network
- Use a printer
- Install new software
- Play a locally installed game
- Edit photos
- Minor system administration (breaking the bonds with their Linux-recommending family member!) such as adding a user, changing a user password
- Dealing with roadblocks
Advanced tasks
Things that aren’t quite admin or pro level, but might be interesting to someone who’s pushing the boat out a bit
- Running Windows software
- Playing with virtual machines (though not an exclusively Linux thing, so perhaps doesn’t sit well here)
- Installing Linux on an existing or new PC
- Trying a different distribution (i.e. installing a distribution yourself)
Approach to a Linux Guide
The kind of thing I imagine is a guide that understands the potential pitfalls, uses language an average user can understand, and appreciates what the target user might want to do. For example, too many Linux guides still talk about the command line, but in a way which ‘markets’ the command line as a powerful tool. I think my target users would see it in a different way: they would come across it in answers to troubleshooting questions, but they might be wanting to avoid it. We need a guide which appreciates how they might feel about it, and gets around the daunting feeling that it’s dabbling in something a user would rather not.
We don’t want nor need to change average users into something they don’t want to be.