Question about linux... Seems obvious but maybe no one ever asked this.

isolated1

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For beginners in Linux, I think the issue is that it is too hard to set up and use. Why don't they make a new distro of Linux that's as easy to install, use, and download programs as Windows? This seems to be obvious. If there were an easy-to-configure, use, and install programs version of Linux that didn't require typing at a command line and you didn't have to search google or youtube to know how to do simple things, I think a lot more people would want to install it. I am running Windows 11, but to be honest, I kind of hate Microsoft and hate using their products.
 


For beginners in Linux, I think the issue is that it is too hard to set up and use. Why don't they make a new distro of Linux that's as easy to install, use, and download programs as Windows?
@isolated1 When I first started using Linux a few years back, Ubuntu was my first choice. Ubuntu and Linux Mint are in my humble opinion the easiest to install. You have to answer 1 or 2 questions and the install is done for you. Now if you want to multi-boot that is a whole different set of know-how. I'm sure a few of the really good Linux pro's will be along to tell you something similar.
 
Download and try Ubuntu, Mint or Fedora, and they'll be very easy to install.

If a person is new to Windows or Mac, they'll need help getting started. Modern Linux is just as easy to install and use as the others. A qualification is that the newcomer chooses a distro that is designed for user friendliness, and not a "hacker" distro, or one that is actually designed to get nitty-gritty.
 
Greetings @isolated1 and welcome to the Linux forum.
Have you looked at Linux Mint?
I 87 years old and find it difficult to understand why people think that Linux is not easy to download and install. I have found that Linux Mint is easy to install and ready to go out of the box.
With Linux, a person does not have to use the command line to install and use many of the different distributions of Linux available.
Is there a learning curve when switching to Linux? Of course there is.
Is there a learning curve when setting up Windows 11 the first time? Of course there is.
You mentioned - "Why don't they make a new distro of Linux that's as easy to install, use, and download programs as Windows?" My opinion is that the 'illusion' that it is easy to install, use, and download programs as Windows is just that - an 'illusion'. People have been fed the idea that Linux is difficult and Windows is easy. That idea is false. {I have been using Windows since 1995 and did not know of Linux until about 5 years ago. Since that time I have been using Linux Mint on all my computers - 4 desktops, 1 Apple laptop, 2 Win. laptops and an Asus notebook.}
I bought a refurbished Dell desktop a few weeks ago that came with Windows 11 installed on it. In order to use it I had to go online and find some 'helpful' instructions.
Installing programs on Linux is much easier than with Win 11. Open 'Software Manager', click on the install button, and start the program. I don't know how it could be any easier.
Please notice the absence of any reference to the 'command line' to install a program.
So if you have not done so, please grab a copy of Linux Mint, install it, and use it til your heart's content. Remember, it is free for you to use or give away to anyone else.

My usual rant when I hear someone talk about how difficult it is to learn how to use Linux.
Just an old geezer
Tango Charlie
 
Thumbs up to @Bartman's comment above

Linux is NOT Windows

The attitude that you display in your opening post, will have you defeated before you start.

Spend a little time watching some of the posts here on Linux.org

You are NOT looking for a "how to do it" tutorial....rather wrap your head around the mindsets which prevail

Consider this: If you were just now starting out on windows, you would be every bit as lost.
 
GNU-Linux can be as easy as mac or windows to install, or it can be one of the hardest task you're ever likely to encounter. Mint,Debian stable,MX to name a few are easy to install and unlike windows come with 90% of the drivers you will ever need included, Or if you know nothing of Linux and try to install one of the more specialist distributions, well then you may as well bang your head against the wall, By far the most complaints of why is Linux hard to install, come from people with no experience of how Linux works and the use of the terminal, trying to install a specialist distribution which has been so designed that you need the knowledge, and if you don't have, then you are considered not ready to install and use.
now which distributions have you tried to install, and why was it so difficult?
 
Hello @isolated1,
Welcome to the Linux.org forums.
I vote for Mint as it's very straight forward to install and works 90% of the time out of the box. And should you run into problems It has a great forum of helpers ready to assist you. Windows is windows and I haven't used it in 22 years or so to any length of Time. It's easy to setup if you have the money $$$ Just buy a machine with it already install at any big box store. Linux is free So I'm not sure exactly what your complaint is all about. Is it not worth a little time learning the Linux system for a free and open system that you don't have to pay for everything. If you have a specific question about something linux related this is a good forum to come to. Here you will find knowledgeable people from all aspects of Linux to guide you if needed.

The only problem with installing Linux is when there is a hardware issue with a machine that was originally design by it's makers to run windows. But most often with a little help even that can be overcome. So take the plunge give Linux real try. If you do you will not likely return to windows.
Bye the way if you really need a plug and play linux and have the $$$ you can buy a machine with Linux preinstalled and guaranteed to work.
 
For beginners in Linux, I think the issue is that it is too hard to set up and use. Why don't they make a new distro of Linux that's as easy to install, use, and download programs as Windows? This seems to be obvious. If there were an easy-to-configure, use, and install programs version of Linux that didn't require typing at a command line and you didn't have to search google or youtube to know how to do simple things, I think a lot more people would want to install it. I am running Windows 11, but to be honest, I kind of hate Microsoft and hate using their products.
That is called linux mint running playonlinux. Also what programs do you need help running malware? (Thats why no download exe and install automatically)
 
Personally I am lazy so I always install Synaptic and Gnome-Software or KDE-Discover.
Once installed no need to use APT/cli unless you choose to do so.

Take a look at my post of package managers for Debian:
 
@isolated1
If you're willing to do a little pre-Linux how to learning.

How to to download and create bootable installation media.
How to update and configure your new Linux install.

All of this can be found here which is why I posted this link.

 
Why don't they make a new distro of Linux that's as easy to install, use, and download programs as Windows?
They've already made them, lots of them! Ready to use out of the box! Do you really enjoy going hunting on some obscures, dubious websites in order to get a piece of software? Only to find your system's got infected with some kind of virus? Having to run an antivirus scan every now and then just "in case"? Being stuck with the same UI forever(unless you want to browse some obscures, dubious websites in order to get an obscure, dubious ·"theme pack")? Oh, did I mention most of these "theme packs" are easy to install but really, really hard to remove?

1652154792048.png

Isn't that nice? Windows isn't easy, at all! It's just that being a close thing, you can't really tinker as much, but when you do ... surprise, surprise! And just so you know, the MS' OS has a few commands of its own https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/windows-commands some of them pretty powerful, but also more difficult to learn than those available on Linux.
 
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For beginners in Linux, I think the issue is that it is too hard to set up and use. Why don't they make a new distro of Linux that's as easy to install, use, and download programs as Windows?
The "maybe" in your thread title is actually the absolute opposite: most of the new users ask this.

The reality is that most of the distributions, nowadays, allow you to use the system without touching the command line, and also allow you to download and run or install programs by clicking icons, preferably AppImages / Flatpaks / Snaps, if you're so inclined and if you trust the publisher.

The fact is that, no matter how easy the new distributions are, you will always have to search things on the web to do some stuff, as Linux is neither Windows nor macOS. Look, even when you move to mac from Windows you'll have to ask and search stuff because the differences are non-trivial, despite how strong the mac users chant their "its -oh- so easy it just -oh- works!"

If you want to use Windows, use Windows. If you don't, then do not look for a Windows-like implementation, as the system under the hood is fundamentally different.
 
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Anything is hard if you've never done it before eg learning to drive.
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Users of windwoes always say Linux is too hard because they only know two things...how to play games and surf the net. :D The best way to learn Linux, is to install a Distro in Virtualbox and play with it...or download the ISO and burn it to a Flash Drive...then boot to it.

When you have the Linux ISO on your Flash Drive and boot to it, you'll see it's a live session which you can do many wonderful things...see how the Distro works...surf the net...mount other Drives on other computers including windwoes and of cause run Timeshift snapshots and install the Distro.
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Linux Mint Cinnamon is a very user friendly Distro, another is Linux Lite. Beginners should always install the Distro to the whole Drive...don't play around with partitions.
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Look here...


Some people will tell you to create a partition for Root and Swap but it's no longer necessary, I install Mint to the whole Drive and have never had problems.
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(Wizard appears in a puff of smoke, immediately takes a seat and picks troll jam out from between his toes)

...but to be honest, I kind of hate Microsoft and hate using their products.

Most people who happen along and say that are just wasting our time, lacking in self respect and looking to troll.

If you are an exception to that trend, by all means tell us what Linux Distros/s you have used so far, and what operations could only be used via the command line.

Chris Turner
wizardfromoz
 
Most people who happen along and say that are just wasting our time, lacking in self respect and looking to troll.
Just checked! Didn't notice before, but he registered the same day he made the post. I've to pay more attention to those details in the future ;)
 
I've to pay more attention to those details in the future

@Tolkem - friend, in an ideal world we would not need to and could take everyone at face value.
:)
 
For beginners in Linux, I think the issue is that it is too hard to set up and use. Why don't they make a new distro of Linux that's as easy to install, use, and download programs as Windows? This seems to be obvious. If there were an easy-to-configure, use, and install programs version of Linux that didn't require typing at a command line and you didn't have to search google or youtube to know how to do simple things, I think a lot more people would want to install it. I am running Windows 11, but to be honest, I kind of hate Microsoft and hate using their products.
The majority of people I know who work in offices, could not install Windows,
so its not just Linux is difficult for some people, very little office workers have
anything to do with computer OS installs, they just use the programs installed on them.

There are easy to use Linux distros out there, but its narrowing down these distros
that is the problem, if people do not do their research they could install a lot of distros
before they find one they like, the easy solution, buy a Linux based computer instead
of one with Windows installed, then you will have a complete working system and all
you have to do is familiarize yourself with it, that's how Windows got a foot hold, pre
installed so the user only had to learn how to use it.
 
The "maybe" in your thread title is actually the absolute opposite: most of the new users ask this.

The reality is that most of the distributions, nowadays, allow you to use the system without touching the command line, and also allow you to download and run or install programs by clicking icons, preferably AppImages / Flatpaks / Snaps, if you're so inclined and if you trust the publisher.

The fact is that, no matter how easy the new distributions are, you will always have to search things on the web to do some stuff, as Linux is neither Windows nor macOS. Look, even when you move to mac from Windows you'll have to ask and search stuff because the differences are non-trivial, despite how strong the mac users chant their "its -oh- so easy it just -oh- works!"

If you want to use Windows, use Windows. If you don't, then do not look for a Windows-like implementation, as the system under the hood is fundamentally different.
I dont get all these hard to use comments, if the same people had to install Windows, could they do this any
easier than installing Linux, Windows comes pre installed, so why don't people just buy a computer with Linux
pre installed. like they would do a Mac or Pc with Windows, then they could comment from an even stand point, all they would have to do is learn to use the installed programs, which they had to do on windows or mac if they used them, learning Linux makes no sense to me, people are learning to use a computer and the associated programs they require, call it what they want as it simply does not matter.
 
I dont get all these hard to use comments, if the same people had to install Windows, could they do this any
easier than installing Linux, Windows comes pre installed, so why don't people just buy a computer with Linux
pre installed. like they would do a Mac or Pc with Windows, then they could comment from an even stand point, all they would have to do is learn to use the installed programs, which they had to do on windows or mac if they used them, learning Linux makes no sense to me, people are learning to use a computer and the associated programs they require, call it what they want as it simply does not matter.
I haven't mentioned, produced or echoed any "hard-to-use" comment.

I just reflected on the fact that Linux, Windows and macOS are different systems, their differences are non-trivial, and it's part of the journey to have to search how to do certain things, or ask someone with more experience.

I put my hands on a Mac after 18 years using Linux, and I had to ask how to do certain things.

Not because one is harder than the other, or because one side is wrong and other isn't... Just because they are just different.
 

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