Introducing A Friend To Linux

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Dilitirio

Introducing A Friend To Linux

Post by Dilitirio »

I wasn't quite sure where to put this, but I figured it counted as general Linux discussion, so...

I have a friend who has recently decided he doesn't like Windows 8. He hates it, actually. With a passion. He was talking to me about looking for an alternative, and I figured this was a great opportunity to introduce him to Linux. All he really uses his computer for is playing DOTA and some basic internet usage. I want to show him all the possibility of choice here without scaring him off, so I thought I should show him Mint, it being a super user friendly, works-out-of-the-box distro, with a small sampling of desktop environments, (Since he says Windows 7 was his favorite UI, I'm thinking KDE, Cinnamon, and MATE.)

Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas about how I should go about this without turning him away? Is there any distro you would recommend for this other than Mint? Or any other ways you would go about this?

Thanks in advance for your help and advice,
Dilitirio
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excollier
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Re: Introducing A Friend To Linux

Post by excollier »

Mint Cinnamon would probably be the best way to introduce a Windows user to Linux in general.
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DrHu

Re: Introducing A Friend To Linux

Post by DrHu »

You might consider letting him try a few Linux CDs, that you write, so that he can see the different desktop types
--KDE might scare him away, as it is very full featured and customizable; although with capable hardware it more than holds its own vis-a-vis windows or Apple OSX
--Gnome may be simpler; and Mint 17x (latest) based on Ubuntu 14x but with different package managers and desktop themes options is available..
--XFCE would be lighter
--Puppy could be fasted, and only needs a small start-up file to access the CD (leaving it in the CD drive)

Anyway for basic internet and email, a Linux OS (distribution choice) is a very valid option..
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Re: Introducing A Friend To Linux

Post by jimallyn »

You might start him out dual booting. That's the way I started back in 2002. I used Linux for everything that I could, and used Windows for the things I didn't know how to do in Linux. My computer now has only Linux on it.
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Dilitirio

Post by Dilitirio »

Dual booting was my plan, that's what I do now: Windows 8 and Arch (installed via Antergos), Win 8 strictly for games.

I realize that KDE can be a little overwhelming on the customization front - maybe its not the best idea to introduce him to that at the get-go.

He likes Windows 7, he hates Windows 8 because it changed too much for him. He dislikes the overall interface. I feel like showing him Gnome, or something else with such a radical UI change, could turn him away, which is why I want to show him more "traditional" desktop environments at first.

Also, I don't have much experience with Puppy, so I couldn't direct him much in the use of it. I'd like to be able to help him when he needs it.

Thanks again for all your help, everyone!
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Re: Introducing A Friend To Linux

Post by MartyMint »

Not everyone that hates Windows 8 actually hates Windows.

It's the Metro interface that most people dislike.
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Re: Introducing A Friend To Linux

Post by MartyMint »

...and I'd wish people would stop recommending Puppy to noobs.

Aside from the novelty of session-saving-to-disk, it's a fairly unintuitive environment for someone with only a cursory experience of Linux.
Dilitirio

Post by Dilitirio »

That's a better way of saying it: he dislikes the interface. So, I think I'm definitely going to show him Mint Cinnamon. Are there any other desktop environments/distros you all think I should show him?
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Re:

Post by MartyMint »

Dilitirio wrote:That's a better way of saying it: he dislikes the interface. So, I think I'm definitely going to show him Mint Cinnamon. Are there any other desktop environments/distros you all think I should show him?

MATE desktop would be my first choice, to mitigate any "culture shock" for someone coming from the world of Microsoft...
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Re: Introducing A Friend To Linux

Post by austin.texas »

Just have him watch the Nixie Pixel videos - he will be sold...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27AGe1b0mnI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7G7TJyZPKPo
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Re: Introducing A Friend To Linux

Post by exploder »

Just have him watch the Nixie Pixel videos - he will be sold...
Yeah, she could sell me on using Linux. 8)
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Re: Introducing A Friend To Linux

Post by Derek_S »

+1 on Mint with the Cinnamon desktop. I like the way the apps menu is categorized and the ability to scroll through them makes it even better.

Another one to consider if your friend is very fond of Windows 7 is Zorin OS9, which allows you to select from several pre-installed desktops via their "Look Changer". Two are very Windows-like in appearance, one resembling Windows XP and the other Windows 7. Wine is pre-installed if he wants to install and run any Windows based apps. And since It's based on Ubuntu, just like Mint is, if you need to help him troubleshoot anything you're already familiar with it. That being said, I still recommend Mint with the Cinnamon desktop as my number one choice, with Zorin OS9 in a close second.
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Re: Introducing A Friend To Linux

Post by all41 »

Linux and Mint is all about choice.
Offer the choices to your friend
Everything in life was difficult before it became easy.
Dilitirio

Post by Dilitirio »

Zorin! I hadn't even considered that yet. That's a great idea. Thank you.
RacerBG

Re: Introducing A Friend To Linux

Post by RacerBG »

Zorin can become buggy as hell if he touch something he don't know (in my case tweaking Compiz). And also I experienced a lot "internal errors" just like in Ubuntu 13.xx.

My best bet will be Mint Mate or Mint Cinnamon. If his PC is not very powerful - try Mint XFCE. But do not touch other distros. My first one was Mint and I'm glad that it was. :)
Dilitirio

Post by Dilitirio »

Alright. Thank you all for the help. I'll keep you all posted on how everything goes. It might be a little while, though.
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Re: Introducing A Friend To Linux

Post by mike acker »

my brother asked for a Linux version. I installed MINT/Cinnamon 17.1 LTS version straight off the Community board --
MINT/Cinnamon 17.1

he threw his other computer under the bus.

here is a link to my list of application program suggestions
¡Viva la Resistencia!
/dev/urandom

Re: Introducing A Friend To Linux

Post by /dev/urandom »

MartyMint wrote:It's the Metro interface that most people dislike.
Maybe this is a good moment to inform everyone about KDE for Windows ...
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Re: Introducing A Friend To Linux

Post by excollier »

Nah...the average Windows user would have a meltdown when presented with the myriad tweaks offered by KDE. Look what happened when Metro appeared.
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MX Linux user these days - I introduce newbies via Mint
Dilitirio

Post by Dilitirio »

KDE for Windows? Sounds intriguing to me. I'll have to look at it. But, once again, it may be awhile before I can update you on this situation, since our plans have, once again, been canceled by life and its issues.
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