The very first thing we are seeing from TekLinux is "How to virtualize Windows", "How to use wine", "How to play games" etc and it's setting a terrible precedent for Windows->Linux migrators.
Linux is not Windows. Linux is not trying to be Windows. By having your first Linux videos trying to emulate a Windows desktop right from the get-go, you're implying that Linux is going to be a drop-in replacement for Windows when it's not going to be. It's implying that there's a Linux equivalent for everything, and as soon as an adopter finds something doesn't work they way that it does in Windows, Linux is gone following with a "Linux sucks, it can't even do X properly" post in the forums.
I hope future Linux videos will emphasize the unique aspects of Linux rather than Windows emulation.
Afaik the point is that people wont give linux a fair chance if they dont think they can do most of what they can on Windows. Making videos like this may provide people with enough reasurence to give it a shot-- and maybe adopt it for good. Thats how i see these videos anyways.
Posted from my phone, apologies for mistakes / super small post.
i think it's more about easing users into linux. it can be hard to find programs that can do some of the things your windows programs does. this gives people a way to maybe discover better programs and transition them into using those new programs.
anarekist is right, people need eased into such a large change. Most of us have been using windows for years and used to many of the features that are native to windows(ie. triple a titles), while many games have made their way onto linux not all of them have and many of the Tek community like to play games. Programs like WINE and play on linux give us a chance to have the benefits of linux but to also not leave behind some of our favorite games or other programs that may not have an open-source equivalent.
Because there are not any good ones that truly work well with microsoft office 2010 or 2013.
If you make a document using an open document writer and you try and make a fancy header and then send that document to someone who is using a recent version of MSoffice........welll......let's just say it won't be pretty.
It sort of works, but the formatting can get really weird.
At this time, installing office 2010 through POL is still the best way to get a truly cross platform document writer on linux.
While many people seem to be afraid of not being able to use certain programs on Linux, and emulation is for some people essential, I agree with the fact that there need to be more videos about what Linux does better / does that M$ doesn't. ^^
Well considering the majority of the forum is on Windows It makes sense. If you are a windows user, there are definite compromises that are made when jumping to Linux. And for Some of us, Those Compromises are "Deal-Breakers". So Wendell teaching us how to use our favorite programs in Linux is an absolute must in my opinion. Also I'm pretty sure Wendell is very aware that there are very few on this forum who have a reasonable understanding and knowledge of Linux. We all know Windows, but we have a minor understanding of Linux. The issue I believe Wendell has right now, "How can he teach us Linux in a way we understand". The obvious answer is experience, but experience isn't always the best answer. Sometimes you have to learn and read about stuff like this. and i think that is also an issue, People aren't looking around before they post. there are people who are posting "How do i fix this" for the most basic of things because we are too stuck on "Why can't I fix this like l do in Windows".
I think myself, and all of us should go into a "Linux Mode" where we forget Windows and take in Linux Knowledge and forget about Diagnosing issues in Linux in a "Windows" fashion.
What I Personally think is another problem is that people haven't taken the time to try other distros either. What I've seen on the forum and multiple posts, is everyone and their mother is using "Ubuntu Gnome". Honestly It's a good distro and the support is there, but for me it's the biggest migraine I've ever had messing with a distro.. at least with AMD hardware. I like Fedora but the built in "App Store" or whatever the Linux Lingo is, Is an absolute joke.
It's good to try other things. Everyone else needs to find a distro that works for them, not use a Distro cause Logan is using it. What may work for Logan may not work for us. I think that is Also Something @Wendell should address in a future "TekLinux" video
Also Logan, Wendell, and Qain have clearly stated it's not a replacement for WIndows" but it's good to have at least some knowledge of Linux". Having knowledge of both will help us all in the long run.
Well, Office 2013 is availabe online. If I am booted into linux and need to make a quick change in a shared .docx / .xlsx I just use the online version, works perfectly fine :)
I also want to take a slightly different stance than most people here.
I do not think wendell, logan, or anyone has been even eluding to the idea that linux is a drop in replacement for windows.
In most of wendell's videos he clearly states what you can and can not do with what ever magic he is trying to show you.
In his virtual machine video, he siad that programs like video editors and games do not work in a VM without doing some 6th level wizardry. And in the linux tutrosial video where he showed off POL, he specifically stated that there is database of programs you can install.
He has never said that you can do all your gaming, video editing, or work on linux.
They are just some people who are making videos that they like.
If some stupid fool ends up mistaking linux for a direct windows replacement because of their misinterpretation, then so what?
Wendell, Logan, and even Qain have been very clear on what linux is and what it can and can't do. Just because they do not spoon feed you the information one needs to make their own decision does not constitute a "precedent".
Trying to recreate Windows inside Linux isn't "transitioning", it's delusion. When you prove that 90% of one's daily Windows tasks can be done in Linux, they won't adapt to the new OS. Once that first problem arises, 9 times out of 10 abandoning the OS will look like the easier option.
There are several solid office equivalents for Linux nowadays. WPS Office, LibreOffice, and Softmaker are all solid options. My favorite is WPS Office. I would love to see Wendell's review of WPS office since I think they deserve more recognition for their work.
its amazing isn’t it, for the tens of thousands of applications shared or usable on all platforms and the many different things computers can do it just about comes down to foobar, photoshop, 1 file format on a document writer , BF4 & skyrim.
For document writing where you simply must have total cross compatibility there is microsofts online cloud documents and more governments are making ODF a de-facto requirement giving rise to even greater compatibility in the future.
By the end of the year backports of titles and video driver improvements along with an entire new linux display server will be released with Wayland. Gaming is 80 - 90% there and we could see another 500 titles on the platform taking it to 50% of the entire steam catalogue.
Linux is trying to steal people from Windows though. To do that you need to at least get them to stick around and use it more than once. If they can't use simple familiar applciations on the first try, they may never return. And even still, these backwards ways of installing familiar applicaitons is introducing them to new concepts and the differences between Linux and Windows.
So which is worse? Learning Linux doesn't have an equivalent for every applicaiton (which can only be discovered through using Linux) or setting up Linux and getting bored within a few minutes cause they can't do very much on the first go?
I'm sure they will. This is just the initial baby steps to get people in the door. I too would love to see some more advanced videos soon (as I am basically still a noob).
I can see exactly what your saying. However I have to disagree that Linux isn't a windows replacement. A few years back the only reason I hadn't switched to Linux full time at home was because I had to sync my work iPhone/iPad through Itunes. After discovering the CPU past through in vbox let me remove my windows partition and I've never looked back. To this day I haven't touched windows out side of a virtual container. What these videos do is say "hey look, you know how you thought it would be a pain to run those few programmes that you need", well you can. This gives some people on the edge of deciding to take the plunge into Linux the confidence that it won't be a waste of time. Everything I've learnt about Linux has been the direct result of learning about VB all those years ago.
1: You are right. No one is arguing that. My issues is that the premise of this thread is wrong.
"you're implying that Linux is going to be a drop-in replacement for Windows"
This just is not true. Wendell and Logan have done the opposite of this and have said numerous times that they are doing these videos for fun and that you do have to make sacrifices when moving to windows. That is it.
Secondly, no. None of those programs carry over very well to MSoffice 2010 or 2013. WPS writer is actually the best at trying to maintain cross platform compatibility, but it is still problematic.
However, they work really well with 2007 and below.