Hi Richard,
I am using Linux RedHat 5.2 since January this year and i found out that
it is possible to use it as a consumer OS at home, especially combined with
grafical user interfaces like KDE, which i guess is the easiest to use for
some who starts new with computers or comes from a Windows-World.
The only, but major disadvantage there is with Linux, that one has to
carry the cross when additional software should be installed. Besides an
mp3-player i had always any kind of problem installing a piece of software
on my system, some lib is missing here, some header file is missing there,
then the installer didn't like my c-compiler and so on. If one can deal
with figuring out solutions to those problems then there is no argument
against using Linux as home OS.
With such great software packages like StarOffice, kvirc, netscape, licq,
TKftp, gimp and so on i use my Linux as well for writing, painting,
websurfing, chatting, down- and uploading as i am used from W95 - and in
many points even faster and better and especially less expensive. But Linux
requires imho a deeper knowledge of what the computer and the system does
and how, so it would be a help to be not afraid of a command line, user
rights, config files and so on. If there is just the question of using a
non-windows system, then take a look at BeOS (www.be.com), it is easy to
use and has a great performance, just that there isn't so much software
available yet.
To cut it short, best thing is to find someone who may give a hand during
installation and setup of the linux system until it runs with a grafical
user interface. Probably there is a local Linux user group in your homearea
where one of the members likes to help you out. During the use of Linux
then this list may be a great source for support. So there is basically
nothing to say against using Linux as home system.
My very personal recommendation is to use a RedHat distribution, i found
it easy to install and working well compared to a SuSE distribution.
I hope my personal statement helped a bit,
Greez
Dave
>Someone said to me that, in his opinion, Linux was not yet ready for home
>consumer use. It is intended, he believes, more for corporate use and for
>those who have extensive computer experience than for home use because of
>the steep learning curve that peoople like myself are encountering when
>trying to use it.
>
>What does the membership of this list think of this viewpoint? Are there
>any list members besides myself who are endeavoring to use this op system
>at home?
>
>I am interested in what the list subscribers think of this statement. Do
>you think Linux, like Red Hat 6.0 is more of a system to be more used at
>the office or can consumers get in on using Linux, too?
>
>
>Richard
>
