In my humble experience most users would not be able to install software on _any_ OS without support from a more experienced friendly user - especially if that OS is MS Windows. They would certainly not be able to install an OS from scratch.
As for Linux: I've installed Ubuntu on a dozen computers for completely non-technical users. Of those, only one switched back to MS Windows. The others are all happy running Linux and the majority say that it is much easier to use and are quite happy installing/removing software and running updates using the graphical tools in Gnome or KDE. Yes, most had to be shown how to do it and some bought manuals to help, but exactly the same can be said about Windows or OS X - hence all the novice level books in the shops. The arguments about Linux being "hard" are almost always based on the fact that it is different to the incumbent pre-installed OS (usually MS Windows), not on the actual difficulty in using it. Strange how you never hear that argument against Apple's OS X when people switch from Windows to Mac, even though those have very different interfaces. Hmm, how on Earth did anyone manage to use computers before the GUI? C. [These are just my humble mumblings on the matter] -----Original Message----- From: Alun Rowe <alun.r...@pentangle.co.uk> Reply-to: backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk To: backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk Subject: Re: [backstage] Fwd: [Autonomo.us] Skype, out? Date: Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:35:49 +0100 Ask a genuine user to install some software on it. I know it’s a LOT better than it used to be but my dad still couldn’t do it. Alun - Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. Unofficial list archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/
