14 DAY TRIAL // The life of Windows XP is coming to an end and there is an expectation, at the level of the Linux community, that a number of users might choose the open source platform instead of an upgrade to another supported version of Windows. The question now is quite simple: is Linux ready to become a viable alternative for Windows users? The short answer is no.
I wrote a while ago about the reasons Windows users should take the leap to a Linux system, but we also have to look at this issue from the other direction. Is Linux capable of providing a similar experience that won't scare people away?
Let’s imagine for a bit that someone decides to take Ubuntu for a spin. What would his challenges be, as a Windows XP user?
The Linux usability for regular users has improved greatly over the years, but it’s still not quite there yet. In Ubuntu, for example, the installer has a simple enough interface for normal installations, with options like Erase disc and install Ubuntu.
If I were a Windows XP user, the other options would probably be a mystery, and I don't want to even think about partitioning, choosing a mount point, a different file system, and so on.
Assuming you get over this step and you reach the desktop, you will be confronted with the Unity interface, which is intuitive. Anyone could make use of the Ubuntu Software Center, but what happens when you want to install something that doesn't come with a deb file? It’s true that we don't get to compile a lot of apps these days, but it would be still a challenge. And for that matter, where do the installed applications go?
Now, let’s say you want to play some games. Ubuntu ships with the Nouveau drivers for NVIDIA and, frankly, they are rubbish for these kinds of activities. If you really want the latest version the same day the drivers are released, you can't just use the .run files without some knowledge about LightDM and how to turn it off.
And these are just a few simple tasks and Ubuntu is rather friendly. Fedora could be included in this category, along with a few other Ubuntu-based distros, and even Arch-based, but the fact is that Linux OSes are pretty different from Windows, whatever the version.
It would be difficult, to say the least, for Windows users, XP or otherwise, to switch to Linux. On the other hand, they might have to learn a new thing or two, but in the end they could end up enjoying it.