Common roadblocks to Linux adoption, Demystified

Now I would like to bring up another big sticking point about user's impressions of running Linux: drivers. It's true, sometimes there are drivers lacking that enable some of your newer or more obscure hardware to work. This problem doesn't stem from a lack of willingness in the Linux community to deliver this functionality. It may be becuase all of 12 people are still using X hardware. Or, it may be because manufacturers, almost as a rule, do not make drivers allowing their hardware to run on a Linux machine. They go where the money is -- most people, at this point, run Windows. That scanner you bought is built specifically to run on Windows. This is not to say that scanners do not work in Linux, however, many scanners (and modems, too) are built to utilize Windows specifically. In order for some to run properly on your Linux machine it's often necessary to wait for a developer to want to use this scanner, too. (S)he may have to write drivers from scratch to enable this scanner to work because some manufacturer won't release the necessary information to him(her). It's too bad, but as I have written, they goto where the money is....However, this is changing. The amount of Linux developers is up from last year by 34%, and developers for Windows are down by 12% (source:enterpriselinuxlog). It's a good time for Linux. Actually it's been a good time for Linux for some years now, I should say that more people are realizing that it's a good time for Linux. It's also a good time for you to seriously consider getting your computer back.

Whereas you may have trouble with one or 2 pieces of hardware, you may also have trouble with one or 2 pieces of hardware on any other operating system. You should know that Linux has more support by default for hardware in general than does Windows. Typically on a Linux machine, your hardware is probed for, found, and the necessary drivers to use it are loaded at boot time. You don't have to load any discs to install drivers. Typically, you don't have to do anything as there is a high probability that all of your hardware will just work. There are exceptions that effect all of us, though. Video cards for instance. nVIDIA and ATI make drivers for your card to run on Linux, but you must seek them out and install them yourself. ALthough, there are many Linux distributions that have convenient tools that assist you with this. There's the whole "free" thing, too. Or, if you don't want or need 3D accelleration, you can use the built-in video drivers that will always work, like vesa or nv. You may not get the highest resolution that your card is capable of, but you will certainly have a working and brilliant display.

There are a few different ways to install the drivers that your system needs to allow hardware functionality. One very handy way to install drivers in Debian is to use module-assistant. Drivers are called modules in Linux. The kernel, or brain, will load the modules it needs to give you your functionality when your machine starts.

Using module-assistant is a very simple thing and many drivers can be installed this way. nVIDIA for one, your web cam for another. I have written a tutorial on installing the nVIDIA driver through module-assistant, as have many others. You will have no trouble finding help here.

You can also download the drivers and install them manually, but it's just as simple as compiling software -- you simply run a command and let your machine do the rest.

Please consider this article as a work in progress, or Revision -2 (I changed some little things)

Roadblocks
written by 'Guest', July 07, 2007

While TFA is indeed well written, I believe the thesis that the few items mentioned in any way holds back adoption of GNU/Linux is wrong. They are but ants in the way of an elephant. The real problem is that M$ obtained a monopoly on the desktop and a whole generation have been raised without much choice, or at least do not understand that they have a choice. I have met people who actually believed it was illegal to remove that other OS from a computer or that Linux was illegal software. Explaining the facts had no effect on these folks except to convince them that I was a Martian or something really strange. Linux works well on the desktop when people are thrown into it at work or at school. There are no commandline, hardware or software issues for them. Linux just works.

The size and strength of the M$ monopoly was created by corrupt practices and continued effort by lovers of free software and enforcers of laws around the world will take a decade to eliminate the problem. We cannot rely on the law to fix this. Look at US DOJ v MSFT or EU v MSFT. Those cases took a decade or more with not satisfactory resolution. Fines have no effect. M$ will have to be banned from the market. How unthinkable is that for our lawmakers? Without a ban, it may well take a decade to have a free market in software.

Keep up the good work.

right on
written by machiner, July 07, 2007

You will get exactly 0 (zero) arguments from me on your points.

Thank you for your comment.

Roadblocks comment by Resa
written by Resa, July 09, 2007

I see your point and I -- to a certain extend -- agree with what you say about how people have been made accustomed to M$ software.

I think the entire purpose behind the article was to indicate that various \"myths\" told about Linux are not as mystical as certain people would like the world to believe.
Let\'s hope that the article may contribute to more people willing to consider Linux after the article.

by Chris LeesIt\'s a good start
written by 'Guest', July 10, 2007

I have a similar sort of thing that I post to my blog, called \"Worst reasons why Linux isn\'t desktop-ready\".

One important thing to note is that Windows did have a reliance on the command-line a few years back, yet \"average Joes\" still used it rather than switch to the fully-GUI (at the time) Mac OS. And Windows does still need some CLI work from time to time - for instance, if you want to batch-encode music to WMA. I was once even told by Disk Defragmenter to go into the CLI and run a particular command.

Maybe you should say something about why source code is so necessary: Because source code is the lowest common denominator. You can compile and run source code on any Linux platform and often many Unix platforms. However, precompiled binaries aren\'t terribly practical in the Linux world, as each one will only work on a single architecture - for instance, if you go to www.get-deb.net, the files on there are precompiled for x86 and x86_64. They will not install or run on PowerPC, ARM, or Itanium. There are many desktop Linux machines which are based on PowerPC and many embedded devices which use PPC or ARM, so it\'s important that these platforms get supported by distributing source code. As a Debian user I\'m sure you understand this better than most!

Yesterday I came back from visiting a customer (I set up home entertainment systems) who set up Ubuntu and Beryl on his spare computer, with barely any assistance from me. It worked out-of-the-box, even though he knows even less about Windows than I do :-)

In short, good article, and please check out my own blog at: http://bigbolshevik.blogs.friendster.com/a_man_and_his_penguin/

good article
written by 'Guest', July 11, 2007

thanks for this writeup, well written and certainly viable for beginners.
one thing i would like to point out is that, the installation process described aboe (configure, make, make install) is the ideal case. in many cases, the documentation is noc complete, available but too short, configure files are missing etc.
if a beginner comes across such a package, a beginner is more than likely to be confused at first and frustrated/angry later and would be, in most cases, better off with a ms-style \"complete\" msi installer which does all the installation required.
this is, of course, not your fault but just a reminder that \"out there\" in the wild some (a lot?) of software is sub-optimally prepared and may present yet another roadbloack to acceptance of linux.

Education, the only way.
written by 'Guest', July 11, 2007

Good article. I guess the most difficult part of it all is just getting a user to learn about open source software and operating systems in general. Us more technically slanted may know of the history, the tactics (vendor “lock in”), FUD and “newspeak” of Product Activation and Windows Genuine Advantage with “feature rich” characteristics to lure and perpetuate their monopoly. We also know of the rich history of Unix, BSD, Apple MAC and OS2.

It\'s education and facts that will strengthen a new Linux user. Monopolies are about absolute control of their space. No competitor, in their terms is better or can be better and should not exist if they even try. Show that finally with Linux, BSD and even the proprietary and good Mac OSX operating systems, users do have a choice. It good to show that industries today do see the value of choice and the usage of Linux. From Dreamworks, to Auto-Zone, to Google, Linux presents a solid choice for them. Dell computers may be a key player now in educating regular users too in that you have a choice [finally] and can have full control of your computer and not feed the monoploy.

Most common user\'s may do just the basics on their PC. Write letters, manipulate their digital pictures, email, surf the web and play some games. If they still choose the monopoly scenario once they are “in the know”, then fine. Let them fight trojans, virus attacks and WGA. But they need to be aware of how their choice, without out considerable effort, the monoploy is taking control of THEIR system, THEIR choices of what they may want to do with their computer.

Obviously I\'m a strong Linux advocate but I feel all software choices, either proprietary or open sourced is good. It\'s about keeping the freedom of choice and control of the computers you purchase. Perhaps even larger, it\'s about ending a monopoly that, while good it has helped to bring technology to most everyone, it\'s an extreme danger to allow them to continue on their current course. Our government has bowed to their millions with a “wrist slap” anti-trust judgment. Europe and the rest of the world hasn\'t been as easily swayed. We are at a crossroads where shady software patents and consumer abuse by the monopoly may not be tolerated much longer from the “grass roots” users, corporations and the world.

I don\'t know where it\'s headed but we can all have an important role by first being educated. Then with the choices we make and our numbers as a community, we will insure the freedom we so cherish isn\'t lost.

Re: Education the only way
written by resa, July 11, 2007

Well spoken and I think articles as presented by Machiner indeed helps people realize there is a choice and I hope it somehow takes away the myths that are strongly upheld (regardless by whom).

As indicated: The most important issue is the realization of freedom of choice. Which choice a person then makes is up to them and -- as you -- I will respect any choice an other person makes.
But finally it will be then based on free choice.

It\'s not as easy as you make out.
written by 'Guest', July 13, 2007

I have a printer HP LJ 1018 which I had no problem using with XP, and laterly, Vista. The drivers were easily downloaded and clicked and. Not so Kubuntu. It doesn\'t work with it - period. I tried to download another set of drivers, but the installation instructions were rather complex, compile this, do that, not the one click setup in windows. I use Kubuntu still, but when I want to print...

foomatic, hpijs
written by 'Guest', July 13, 2007

That\'s too bad. I see the drivers included for HP-LaserJet_1015, as well as 1010, and 1012. I wonder what the big difference is and if the 1015 drivers would work well for you.

I remember using drivers for model numbers other than mine specifically and having no trouble at all in the past.

Maybe the 1018 is WIndows only, which is sometimes the case. I don\'t know, I\'m just sayin\', and I did no research. However, I did find this page quickly: http://www.linuxprinting.org/show_printer.cgi?recnum=HP-LaserJet_1018

The following page is at the Ubuntu forums and shows success: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=1439389

Here is the google SERP page from my search: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=opera&rls=en&hs=jg9&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=hp+laserjet+1018+%2Bdebian&spell=1

--machiner

Thanks for the encouragement, but...
written by 'Guest', July 17, 2007

I agree with \"good article\" written by \'Guest\' on 2007-07-11 02:53:29, especially about the frustrated part. I have paid $ for 4 Linux distros, 3 of them are now in the trash. The only one to work \"out-of-the-box\" is DSL on a mini CD. The other 3 just produced boot errors. I personally will not give up, but I expect many have over similar issues.

Well written
written by 'Guest', January 07, 2008

I\'ve chosen to install Debian and this article was exactly what was needed to get me going. For those who\'ve been in the linux world for a while, I\'m sure its easy to forget that when beginning to read various help articles it can be like trying to read a foreign language. This was simple, concise and actually did answer some of the most important questions I had in making the switch. They were exactly the issues that have held me back in making the switch.
Cheers Mate.

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