First off:
Then maybe the OP should be using Ubuntu ?Postby Wheelerof4te » 2018-04-27 18:43
Inspired by this old post and the recent update on Buster's release status, I would like to re-visit this topic. We are currently in 27th of April, 2018th. Ubuntu 18.04 has just been released, and it's looking more user-friendly than ever.
I saw in the thread, "user friendly", and someone said:
it's just wrong.".... Not just wrong, but it is just a opinion.""user-friendly" is one of those words i can never write without quotes."
For example, in my opinion (not worth much), but any way, Ubuntu is not at all "user" or "admin" friendly, 2nd compared with MS windows, that has to be the most user unfriendly system I have ever tried to use, and it is even more of a nightmare to administer and install. Linux Mint, takes 3rd place, or ties with
Ubuntu, as far as user unfriendly, Another very admin unfriendly system is CentOS, all though once the system administrator gets through the install, it is possible to configure it so that it is relatively user friendly for the end user.
Most "end users" or users are not qualified to be installing any Operating System, I don't care if it is MS windows, Ubuntu, Liunx Mint, or what ever.
Debian can be installed and setup to be very easy to use, so that it is a extremely "user freindly", how ever it is not something just anybody can do, the person installing it should be capable of installing and administrating the OS, other wise they are going to set up what could be a very "user unfriendly" system.
So with all that said, if the OP or anyone else feels Debian is to complicated for the to install and setup, and they are unable to set up a "user friendly" system
then they should use what ever is easier for them, or find a qualified technician
to install and set up the system.
Setting up a "user friendly" system also depends on who the "user" or "users" will be, for example in a office situation, and the secretaries are the main users, all you really need to do is give them a menu, with the options to use the programs they need to use, you can even configure the Debian system to look and feel like windows, if that will keep the secretaries (end users) happy....
Then recently I read somewhere here on this forum, a link to some article about MS windows now including Linux and even Debian, if one chooses, I don't know how true that is, nor exactly how they work that, don't care really, I guess it is some kind of Virtual environment or something, but heck, If your end users must have certain programs that can only be run on Windows, it is not that hard to set up a Virtual Machine, and have Windows as a guest system, one could even include starting the VM in the menu options they give the users. Example: "Start-windows",... the user just selects and "clicks" it, and the windows guest starts up,...
My granddaughter , now almost 7, thinks Debian is very user friendly, and it is , for her, the desk top has all her "icons", all she has to do is click the one she wants, it could be a game, or if she wants FaceBook, there is a icon for that, the browser (Fire fox-esr), she just clicks the icon,...nothing complicated.
The point is , Debian can be as "user friendly" as the system admin wants to make it,...
And if you are not qualified to install and set up a "user freindly' system, then don't, find someone qualified to do that for you, or take the time to read and study, and then you can install and setup what ever OS you want, and you can make it as user friendly as you need.
The Debian developers give you a good OS, but how can they possibly decide
what setup and configuration will be best for the "users", this is something the system admin needs to do, according to the "users" needs and limitations.