<< The install processes does not need to be gui, and the gui is pretty simple right now. I think you want a complicated gui right? One that you can do almost everything in the system through? >>
I didn't mean to say the install process had to be a GUI. I wanted to say that both the GUI and the install process have to be idiot proof, because a lot of us end users are idiots. Having more widespread driver support would go a long way too, but that isn't Linux's fault per se of course.
<< You think its easy to code for someone else? Probably not. Thats what QA testers and all those marketing dillholes who talk to people about how something "works" are supposed to figure out. The developers just want it to work. >>
Of course. Unfortunately, the Linux side most of the time does not have the resources to deal with this. This is what I see (in some ways) as the Achilles heel - there's no touchy feely side to it. No matter how irrelevant it may seem to a Linux developer, it is relevant. I don't know if you've ever seen them, but there are entire websites dedicated to GUI ergonomics, and include examples of common "mistakes" from Windows shareware and Linux and the like. The software in their examples often might be more powerful than average, but that doesn't necessarily make it user friendly or intuitive.
<< Anandtech.com is a pain in the ass to navigate. Many sites out there are. Slackware.com on the other hand I have little problems with. Debian.org is also easy to navigate. openbsd.org is the best out of all (Im biased ), and *VERY* easy to navigate. >>
Yeah, I was overgeneralizing of course. I don't like the looks of openbsd.org though, although I don't mind debian.org. (Not that I use them at all though.) Redhat.com looks more professional, but looks wise apple.com puts them all to shame. I find it interesting though that the open source Darwin projects sections at Apple look a lot like the Linux websites. Perhaps this is intentional, because their marketing drones had said that the *nix developer types like this sort of setup.
<< I disagree. Unless of course you talk just about users that have been spoiled by Windows. Of course you wont get the BSOD Its not perfect, its not ready for everyone's desktop. It probably wont ever be ready for all desktops, but its not totally "useless." >>
Again, I'm exaggerating. Most people can be taught how to use a computer. Indeed, many people did fine on the very annoying IBM PC XTs, etc. However, nowadays we HAVE been "spoiled" by Windows, Mac OS X, automated teller machines, video games, etc. Good ergonomics is now (becoming) the norm at least to a certain extent. IMO, without the corporate push to cater to the customer in a specific market, the product will usually lag behind in that market. For the Linux developer community, the "customers" are usually themselves, and thus their products will more often than not be less than ideal for most other people.