Source:
http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=424

The response to the Five crucial things the Linux community doesn’t understand about the average computer user post I made the other day was, well overwhelming. With some of you I think that the post rung a bell, while with others it must have touched a nerve. I’m pretty sure that getting over 750 TalkBack comments in a couple of days is some kind of record here at ZDNet and just in case there’s an award, I’m already writing my speech! :-)

Choosing a suitable Linux distro is a bit like the uninitiated making a trip to Starbucks and expecting to be able to order a plain simple cup of coffeeAnyway, after wading through some of the comments (I don’t know how some of you managed to keep up with the conversation in real time … you deserve some kind of award too) I’ve realized that I missed three more points about regular PC users that some in the Linux community (the more vocal members perhaps?) just don’t get.

1 - The Mac effect

If consumers want a safe way to experience the benefits of running a Unix system, then they have the option of bypassing all the driver and application hassles that Linux offers and choose the Mac route. Sure, you have to pay for it (and pay a premium at that) and it’s closed source but the average consumer with money burning a hole in their pocket doesn’t give a hoot whether the OS is open source, closed source something in-between. What most users want is a bit of kit they can just push one button to get it going and then start using it. Mac offers this. While Linux offers to remove security worries, Mac does exactly the same while at the same time removing the uncertainty that things won’t work.

Choosing Mac over Linux also eliminates the complexity associated with choice. Choosing a suitable Linux distro is a bit like the uninitiated making a trip to Starbucks and expecting to be able to order a plain simple cup of coffee – you quickly realize that life isn’t that simple and you need to step out of the queue and do a lot of learning before you walk up to the counter again. With Mac the choice is simply one OS. Simple.

Apple also manages to add two other ingredients to the Mac OS that I find lacking in Linux distros - The Mac OS is perceived as being cool and sexy. Even Ubuntu, which is the best Linux distro I’ve used doesn’t match up to the Mac OS on either of these points.

Mac is the perfect example that people are willing to pay good money for peace of mind. The premium price that Apple charges for products sets a subconcious value on the quality and service that the consumer feels they can expect. Free just can’t compete with that.

2 - Who provides the free tech support?

Negative campaigning seems to work for political parties but it doesn’t work for Linux - and the numbers prove this I’m going to take a wild guess and predict that the average ZDNet blogs reader is seen by those around them as being “good with computers” (as well as being suave and sophisticated of course …). I’d also take a guess that you’re the person that friends and family members turn to for free tech support (and if you’re free of this curse then you don’t know how lucky you are!).

Most people who own a PC will want help with it at some point and while some people turn to tech support and others hit the web searching for answers, the majority turn to friends and family for help. If you’re a Windows user then there’s a good chance you know someone who falls into the category of “being good with computers” who will be willing to help. If the person needing help is running Mac, it’s more tricky to find someone who falls into the “owns a Mac and is good with computers” category. Running Linux, forget it. I know people who really want to make the leap to Mac but who won’t because they don’t know people who could help them if they needed help.

3 - Chill out, it’s just an operating system!

Here’s another reason why the Linux market share has been flatlined for years while the Mac share is increasing - Mac communities are on the whole friendlier than Linux communities.

I’m not sure if it’s just a case that there’s a small subset of the Linux community which is both aggressive and vocal or whether the problem is much broader, but this is a major turn off for people considering making the transition to a Linux OS. Even back when Mac communities were considered by many to be pretty hostile and unfriendly places Steve Jobs was clever enough to make sure that this kind of fanatical nonsense didn’t make it onto the Apple site and sales literature (although Apple is perfectly capable of coming up with their own fanatical nonsense, at least it’s not that aggressive). Negative campaigning seems to work for political parties but it doesn’t work for Linux - and the numbers prove this.

Seriously, given the passion behind some of the comments I come across from some Linux users, you’d have thought I was talking about something with life-or-death importance like a heart machine and not an OS.

Bonus - Linux is not too geeky … really!?!?

One of my points was that despite recent attempts at making some Linux distros more accessible, there are still aspects of the OS that are too geeky and inaccessible. Many disagreed with me on this point but what they didn’t realize is that while arguing the point they proved my point. Here’s just one such example of someone proving my point:

Put a Windows user in front of a Gnome or KDE environment and I’m willing to bet that they will be able to find their way around.

OK, and talking about Gnome and KDE environments isn’t too geeky? Care to simplify that for the average user? The author of the post, having got that off their chest, then goes on to pretty much agree with that I said:

It may take a little while, but eventually they’ll figure out what applications are available and what they need.

Yeah, eventually.

Thoughts?

Source:

http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=420

Question: Why is it that the average computer user still chooses to spend hundreds of dollars on Windows or Mac when there are countless Linux alternatives that they could download, install and make use of completely free of charge?

The PC market is extremely cut-throat. It has to be because consumers will go to great lengths to save a few bucks when buying their latest system. But it seems that this thriftiness hasn’t resulted in hordes of users choosing to buy PCs without Windows installed and instead choosing to install Linux instead. In fact, there are plenty of users who would rather break the law and install pirated copies of Windows than go the legal route and install a Linux distro. On the whole, most people would rather spend the money on Windows (or Mac) than take the time to experiment with Linux.

It’s pretty sad, but beyond a certain small segment of computer users, you can’t give Linux away Why?

It seems that a lot of people are wondering this. Since starting to dabble in the world of Linux I’ve seen this question posed on innumerable websites, forums and blogs. Why is it that when consumer satisfaction with Windows is at a low (at least according to many in the pro-Linux community it is) is the Linux market share so low? It’s pretty sad, but beyond a certain small segment of computer users, you can’t give Linux away.

Over the past decade I’ve had the opportunity (through my websites, blogs and the online classes I’ve run) of coming into contact with tens of thousands of computer users from all walks of life and this experience has been extremely valuable to me in getting a glimpse into how individuals view the relationship they have with their computer. Based on this, along with my recent experience with Linux distros and communities, I’ve come to the conclusion that there are five crucial things the Linux community doesn’t understand about the average computer user, and that these five things are slowing down the adoption of Linux onto desktop systems in the home and office.

1 - On the whole, users aren’t all that dissatisfied with Windows

Despite what you read on websites and blogs, newspapers and magazines, people on the whole aren’t all that dissatisfied with Windows. There are millions of users out there who just get on and use their PCs without any real difficulty.

After a decade of watching various trends and listening to people claim that there’s going to be a mass exodus from Windows “any day now,” I’ve just not seen it happen. Sure, the number of Linux users is now up a few percentage points on what it was a decade ago, but there’s no sign of a huge migration from Windows to Linux. In fact, add Mac gains into the equation and the argument that people want open source seems to fall down. Rather than moving from Windows to a free Linux distro, it seems that people are happier moving from one paid for, closed source OS to another.

The other flaw with hoping that dissatisfaction would drive users to another OS is that people just don’t think that way. When facing a problem with their PC, people don’t automatically start thinking “oh, a problem, I’d better go look for another operating system.” No, these people just want the problem solved so that they can carry on with the work or leisure activities they were previously engaged in. Switching OS is not a simple solution to a problem.

2 - Too many distros

Want to know why more people don’t choose Linux? Here’s a clue for you:

Put simply, there are just too many darn distros to choose from. Sure, put in some time and effort into research and experimentation and you’ll find a distro that works for you, but let’s face it Windows users are having a hard enough time now figuring out whether they should go for Vista Home Basic or Home Premium. Try and sum up the pros and cons of all the Linux distros and it just becomes far too complicated for users. Look at the Mac user numbers and ask what Mac got that Windows and Linux don’t - one choice.

You might be wondering why people like choice when it comes to browsers (Internet Explorer vs. Firefox) but not when it comes to their OS. Simple, experimenting with a browser is safe, while messing about with Live CDs and virtual machines is beyond most people. Tell most people that you spent the weekend running a variety of Linux distros thorough VMware and they wonder if you rounded off the entertainment by sticking pins in your eyes.

3 - People want certainty that hardware and software will work

Name me five bits of hardware that lists Linux as a supported system on the box. I’ve just had a look around the office and I can’t find a single thing that lists Linux explicitly (I think I got a USB key some time ago that mentioned Linux but I can’t be sure). Until we see hardware vendors shipping Linux drivers for hardware as standard, this will remain a nightmare for anyone who doesn’t have a sense of adventure.

It’s worse for software. Anyone making the leap from Windows to Linux has to start from scratch with regards to applications. That’s a much bigger undertaking than the Linux community gives credit for. Having to come up with an alternative for every application you use is a big job.

Even with Dell’s plan to ship PCs with Linux pre-installed, it’s likely that the only people who will buy these will be people with enough experience using Linux to know what will work and what won’t (or who will know where to find the answers). I’m also left wondering how many people will buy an Ubuntu-powered Dell only to find out that there’s more to running a Linux distro than getting an OS for nothing. And how many will eventually give up and install Windows onto them?

4 - As far as most people are concerned, the command line has gone the way of the dinosaur

Linux users rave about the fact that under Linux you can dispense with the GUI and go back to the command line (even I like the power offered by the command line). But let’s face it, we “command line fans” are in the minority. For those old enough to remember DOS, most are glad than those days are over, for others bought up on Windows, it’s hard to explain the benefits of a command driven interface.

In an age where people find it hard to keep a few control key keyboard commands in their head for any length of time, the idea of switching to a command line system just doesn’t appeal to many people.

5 - Linux is still too geeky

Over the last few years there’s been a huge push to make some Linux distros easier to use, and when you look at a distro like Ubuntu, you realize that they’ve done a pretty good job. Problem is, there are some areas of the OS that are still overwhelmingly geeky (for example, updates). Here’s what I wrote about this problem a few weeks ago:

Ubuntu is nice, it’s solid, it’s fast and it’s robust (so far anyway), but it’s also way too geeky in spots. Don’t get me wrong, overall Ubuntu is nice, friendly and convivial. But there are dark corners that absolutely reek of Linux geekdom cliquiness that average users aren’t going to feel at home in (I don’t feel at home there). Ubuntu updates are one such area where you need a high level of know-how to understand what’s going on.What the Ubuntu dev team need to do is find, I don’t know, 100 people who aren’t Linux geeks and stick them in front of the OS. Use these people to get feedback on different aspects of the OS. As soon as users start to look confused, scared or go bug-eyed then something needs tweaking. If your average home user is going to look at Ubuntu as an alternative to Windows or Mac, all these geeky corners have to be smoothed out.

Thoughts?

首先转载一个调查报告： Gtalk月均互联网消费400元以上的受众比例高于MSN DCCI互联网数据中心发布的《Netmeasure 2007中国网络视频媒介受众测量报告》数据显示，Gtalk月均互联网消费400元以上的受众比例高于MSN 。 ·MSN、Gtalk月收入3000元以上的受众比例明显高于QQ、新浪UC ·QQ受众学生比例相对较多， MSN公司职员比例相对较多 ·搜狐搜Q网龄4年及4年以下的受众比例明显高于QQ、MSN ·skype、MSN年龄在26到40岁的受众比例相对较多 ·即时通讯三高互联网受众新网民比例较少 ·7成Lava_lava三高受众为技术人员 ·即时通讯服务商三高受众年龄集中在26岁到40岁 ·即时通讯与门户网站受众重合度极高 ·即时通讯与搜索引擎受众重合度极高 欲继续阅读请订阅 我的互联网思考

今日，Symantec公司（赛门铁克）的杀毒软件自摆乌龙，给中国用户导致了“巨大的损失”。这里有一些细节值得注意：有多少用户是使用正版杀毒软件的用户？同时，杀毒软件怎么就成了必不可少的软件了呢？
病毒、木马、钓鱼、广告软件等恶意代码在国内泛滥的情况仿佛若干年前美国发生的事情，之前由于技术的限制，出现的往往是广告弹出（现在不还能看到宣传看广告，上网同时坐收美金的事情么），还有就是劫持拨号程序以产生高额话费的程序。近些年由于互联网的普及，浏览器成了攻击者的主要目标，利用系统漏洞，通过网站植入代码渗透安插病毒木马，有良心的也就不时放点广告出来，过分些的是通过局域网探测攻击其他主机，再恶毒的就是巧妙隐藏自己，着力盗取用户的机密信息（比如游戏账号，比如银行账号密码）。也正因为用户电脑维护意识的匮乏，对杀毒软件产生了极大的依赖。
但是，有多少用户每天保持杀毒软件的更新？又有多少用户愿意掏钱购买正版杀毒软件呢？一年几十的费用对电脑用户来说不过是顿饭钱，但是他们依然没有产生这样的习惯。哎，不怪乎自己成为瓮中鳖了。
好吧，为什么不尝试一下Linux？安全、免费的操作系统？现在如Ubuntu这样的发行版在易用性上已经有了长足的进步，更能给用户安全保障，当然，如果你和我一样用Mac，那也是安全得很。可惜，有勇气打破习惯的人毕竟是少数。再说，现在国内的厂商基本默认了所有电脑上安装的都是Windows和IE了，其他平台确实会产生一些问题比如流行游戏啊，比如网络银行啊，比如证券系统啊⋯⋯情况会有改观的吧⋯⋯
Linux何时才可以走入桌面占据一个不算太小的份额呢？大多数中国用户拿到预装Linux操作系统的电脑后所做的第一个事情就是格式化，安装盗版的Windows系统。有谣言说Micro$oft正在配合美国商务部调查中国的操作系统盗版率，国人终究要为自己的小聪明付出代价的！ PS：
如果还是固守Windows，那么，可以用免费正版的杀毒软件AVG和avast!。免费使用，时刻更新！

FIT是一个MacOSX下的免费中文输入法，目前提供拼音和五笔两种输入方式。
目前来看，FIT已经可以满足日常使用之需，同时也比ITABC更为方便好用。同时，作者还在不断的改进中。
输入法主页：http://fit.coollittlethings.com/
同时，作者公布了2.0的开源开发计划。在各个功能中进行取舍，给用户一个比较好的体验是比较痛苦的事情⋯⋯Mac下太需要一个好输入法了。

实在不知道应该写些什么。Spaces这么慢的速度，打消了我的热情。记一下流水账。 准备买房作为投资；去了趟西安，人好多；从产品转做销售，现任客户经理； -____-b无言了，惨淡的人生啊。 欢迎订阅heater的互联网思考： http://feed.feedsky.com/heater