MX Distro for "not new" users

[asqwerth]

So dphn is a tinkerer and Mauser just wants to drive and use his system.

See? MX is for all types!

:P

[linuxsociety]

My first linux distro was Slackware, in 1995. Linux was still in its infancy, it was a PITA to use. If you didn't have a non-winmodem and a well known graphics card, then Linux just wasn't very usable. You pretty much had to build a PC to meet hardware requirements for Linux. Then you had the other troubles such as dephells that came along with the other 2 flavors Redhat and Debian. Back then package management was a great idea, but it was far from what it is now. With slackware you just installed everything and if you wanted an outside package you just built it while manually satisfying dependencies. As difficult as that may seem for a lot of people, it was actually a lot easier than trying to use package management to satisfy dependencies due to the common problem (then not so much now) of Package A depends on package B >=1.0 but B=0.9 is installed. Package B 1.0 breaks package C. Solve that issue, and run into exact same problem with a new list of packages. I think this aggravation with dependency resolution is truly what inspired Slackware to omit dependency tracking throughout all these years. Now a lot of people will say that slackware is handicapped by this, while people that have actually been around to live it knows that it's far from a handicap it's actually quite pleasant to be able to know your system on a per package per dependency basis instead of having a system with tons of packages you just ignore and blindly allow a package manager to do the dirty work for you.

I am still to this day a die hard Slacker, however with the tons of options available for other choices per use case, Slackware honestly isn't always fit for every purpose. This is exactly why I ran to antiX/MX. I was in need of a OS that was free of systemD. I needed something lightweight yet powerful enough to suit my advanced skillset. Many would say, well what is wrong with Slackware? Absolutely nothing, but the machine I am using MX-18 on now just has 2GB of memory and a Atom N455 single core hyperthreaded cpu. With those specs, using slackbuilds/building from source is preferred to be avoided. Don't get me wrong Slackware has a nice set of supported packages available in binary form, but there are tons of small time packages that are not available in binary form. That's why Debian's large community of 3rd party packages is very nice to have. Yes I could use another machine as a build host to compile packages for my netbook, I could go to the trouble of setting things up like distcc/ccache. But why waist that much time? Nothing is wrong with using something different as needed.

Many people in the Linux community can't stand to admit they use something different than what they normally use. Many other users have trouble accepting the fact that another user of the same distro is considering an alternative distro for a specific purpose. This level of closed mindedness is the main problem Linux has with users today, it's not so much the developers but mostly the users can't ever see eye to eye on topics making it hard to code something that is seen as a progress.

I hope this rant hasn't been annoying for you guys, I just wanted to get that point across and let everyone know where I stand with AntiX/MX (and Linux in general). And YES I absolutely love AntiX! I couldn't have found a better option for this netbook.

Thanks for the great OS, the pleasant community, and everything you guys (both devs and users) are doing for the open source world!!

[Auro Kumar Sahoo]

Really MX is for all human beings..
Be it a person coming from computer science field or a layman who just use computers for his/ her daily work like a web browsing or document creation or presentation or file viewing or image editing and song listen or playing or editing a video...
I started using linux during 2012 for some windows related problem in my home and i never tried to use linux as a power user.
For me a OS is a OS and it should stand in background and help you do your work not showing its face " hay i am there.."
I still use linux and to me Command line is a big "NO".
I tried this way not because i cant learn commands but i want to convince my self I can use linux as i am using windows. And this helps me tell and convince same non computer normal lay man to use MX or linux.
I just ask Can you use windows XP? If yes MX is more easy to you.
If even one is not a XP level user i am convinced he can use linux and here MX only Through GUI.
He only need to know startmenu and search box and MX tools to understand.

Who ever says Linux and Particular MX is not for new user, he may considering a new user from android mobile background. Because using mx is 1/10 times easier to Windows 8.
It took 30 mins for my daughter who is 5 years old then to understand how to use start-menu and search files and listen a music and viewing photo and a video last year on MX 17 while i switch to MX. If a 5 year can do it how is it not for a new user?

[manyroads]

My users are not computer savvy, at all. If something does not look EXACTLY like they are used to they can't use the computer. That's deadly for me. I need my people to be productive and I can't have them sitting there waiting for me to show them how to use their terminal. Also, we use some windows only software (a database program mainly) and I have not figured out how to use these programs in Linux. So far, i have had the most success with Windows in the business.

I'd venture a guess that most of your computer illiterate users use their automobile computers... Ipads, iPhones, Tablets, programmable TVs, GPS , Active Safety systems, Ring Doorbels and the like. I'm just guessing but I think most people are capable of dealing with change and differing interfaces, if they want to.

[Mauser]

I find that most people who use Windows believe (because they say), "I know Windows." But, it's not true. They don't know Windows. They point and click on icons or menu items and beyond that are totally helpless. Truly, computer operating systems are tools. People who use tools should be expected to learn how to use those tools. If they don't, most would be better off witch Chrome OS.

Windows has tools. Point and click is the modern way. The G.U.I. for computers was created to make it easy to use a computer.

[Mauser]

So the inference from those dudes is that everybody should try to end up a Slackware guru? Hmmm...
I do find Slack to be the most "interesting" distro, anybody else?

If you look at Linux distros like different kinds of cars....
You can start with an automatic, like Ubuntu or Mint, progress to stick-shift, (the CLI), and from there to getting down-and-dirty, fixing and modifying to your heart's content.

The C.L.I. reminds me of the Ford model T with only hand-crank start.

[Mauser]

So the inference from those dudes is that everybody should try to end up a Slackware guru? Hmmm...
I do find Slack to be the most "interesting" distro, anybody else?

If you look at Linux distros like different kinds of cars....
You can start with an automatic, like Ubuntu or Mint, progress to stick-shift, (the CLI), and from there to getting down-and-dirty, fixing and modifying to your heart's content.

If the tranny is not working does the driver know how to troubleshoot it? Check tranny fluid levels, drain fluid and replace with fresh, replace seals, drop tranny and rebuild, replace.

When many people use computers they have no more idea about what makes it tick than they do their transmission, or brakes, or anything else. They can "drive" it if they are shown, but if something goes wrong it's "wait for the repairman to fix it". I think Linux is well suited to the repairman and hobbiest. MX is like the Chilton manual and the devs are like your auto shop teacher.

Seaken64

Well stated. You hit the nail on the head. Now that you say it, MX Linux reminds me of when I was in Automotive High School.

[Richard]

IMHO, the CLI exists for those who need to change things
for which no GUI exists, yet.

Most everything can be scripted, programmed and added to a menu.
Sometimes it's just easier to write the script to reduce repetition.
Putting it on a menu depends on who or how it will be used.

[Mauser]

So dphn is a tinkerer and Mauser just wants to drive and use his system.

See? MX is for all types!

:P

Correct, but I want to build my computer being that I am a retired automotive technician and expect every part to work correctly. I have seen an amazing amount of engineering disasters.

[manyroads]

Correct, but I want to build my computer being that I am a retired automotive technician and expect every part to work correctly. I have seen an amazing amount of engineering disasters.

And if I may be so bold as to ask, how are you helping bring about the change(s) you wish to see?