BBC Looks At Ubuntu: Linux Users Don't Like The Review

[6Foot2]

Rory Cellan-Jones spends 24 hours with Ubuntu and does not like it.

 

His review upsets die-hard Ubuntu/Linux users:

 

Link: 24 hours with Ubuntu

[mattx]

Rory Cellan-Jones spends 24 hours with Ubuntu and does not like it.

 

His review upsets die-hard Ubuntu/Linux users:

 

Link: 24 hours with Ubuntu

 

That's because Rory Cellan-Jones is a knob. And thinking about it, it would NOT make a story if he did like it would it ?

[localzuk]

I can see why he'd upset the Linux community! He's obviously an idiot. Installing Audacity? Just use the Sofware Centre. Wine too complicated? No way, it is now a simple click and install! He says "Canonical' is 'one of those companies', ignoring that they're the ones behind Ubuntu. He says he couldn't figure out how to organise photos? You can't get any more bleeding obvious than Ubuntu is already!

 

The guy couldn't be arsed to actually read the help files on how to use things, so says it isn't gonna go anywhere...

 

Seriously, if that's tech journalism for you, I'll stick to forums and using my own brain.

 

His views are based on one thing - that he is used to something and can't be bothered changing. Which, sure, a lot of people are - but there is a growing number of people who aren't.

 

Ubuntu may not make it as big as Windows, but it has brought Linux into the limelight and people are paying attention on a larger scale now.

[synaesthesia]

Agreed, he's pretty much an idiot - but that's something I've come to expect from BBC tech journalism these days. They'll happily follow a trend but anything off what they think is the beaten track and they're in a muddle.

[CyberNerd]

But when I tried to install a free open-source audio editing program, Audacity, it appeared more complex to get hold of an Ubuntu version than the one I've used on a Mac.

 

WTF !! The guy is clearly missing the point methinks. The fact that it's already built into the repositories.... nevermind, he probably couldn't install picasa either.

[tech_guy]

Mattx beat me to it. A fair description of Cellan-Jones.

 

The BBC has a couple of journalists who know diddly-squat about IT - Cellan-Jones and Bill Thompson - an irritating pair of smug, over-paid, inane idiots.

 

[RANT OVER]

Edited October 26, 2009 by tech_guy

[AdamK]

After using Fedora for a year and a half, I am finding that it is so much easier to install applications than Windows.

 

Over the summer I was setting up two dual booting Images with XP and Fedora. With Windows I had to download all the exe's and install them one at a time. With the majority of the apps for Fedora I used yum. Then while doing that I wrote a quick bash script to run all the commands I ran on the first machine to set it up and executed it on the second fedora machine. Whereas with the second Windows machine I had to go through each installation seperatly. Obviously thats abit past your basic user, but like mentioned above, there are package managers with a nice GUI on where you can just search for your apps, tick the onces you want, click install, go make yourself a tea/coffee, come back and they are done!

 

As for his comment about WINE, I'd of thought being a Tech Journalist he'd of actually tried it out to see how easy it was to use.

 

 

Also the more I use Linux the more I see where windows is lacking, especially in the administration of networks. Sometimes I just wish I could ssh into a windows machine while someone is using it and change some settings or install an app without having to wait for the user to finish with the machine or kick them off it!

 

Adam

[mattx]

Mattx beat me to it. A fair description of Cellan-Jones.

 

The BBC has a couple of journalists who know diddly-squat about IT - Cellan-Jones and Bill Thompson - an irritating pair of smug, over-paid, inane idiots.

 

[RANT OVER]

 

Don't get me started on Bill Thompson - he is a bigger Knob than Jones.

[t_h]

Quite surprised a technology correspondent doesn't know how to defrag a hard disk. From his about page:

 

BBC - dot.life: About Rory Cellan-Jones

 

So while I lack geeky credentials - as I keep telling my colleagues, I'm not the man to defrag your hard drive - I am excited by all the big technology questions. Who has built a really smart smartphone? Will Steve Jobs ever crack the video market? Who will win the battle to bring cheap computing to the developing world?

 

Not really surprising at all then that he didn't get on with Ubuntu. If installing Wine is too much like hard work then you're a complete non-starter with Linux. However on the flip side:

 

But when I tried to install a free open-source audio editing program, Audacity, it appeared more complex to get hold of an Ubuntu version than the one I've used on a Mac.

 

If it seemed more complex when they are easily available in the repos then could you argue the point that Ubuntu is less intuitive? I don't know, I'm playing devil's advocate a little. I disagree with the point about Spotify though; I think Linux is the best platform (I never hear any adverts when I use it with Linux!)

 

Anyway I'm not sure why he would upset the Linux community. It's hardly a scathing review and from someone who admits he isn't the most technical. It's also presented exactly how it is - an opinion piece. I wouldn't take it too seriously.

[mac_shinobi]

On Wednesday morning I was on BBC Breakfast talking about Windows 7, and each time I was on air I mentioned Ubuntu, the most popular version of the Linux operating system.

 

Never knew there was a popular version of linux - I thought each linux user had there own tastes / opinions / prefs on which to use for what or w/e, I mean what about open suse or other distros like knoppix etc ?

 

*shrugs*

[srochford]

WTF !! The guy is clearly missing the point methinks. The fact that it's already built into the repositories.... nevermind, he probably couldn't install picasa either.

 

He is missing the point but perhaps that's because there's a such a huge change in moving from Windows/Mac to Ubuntu (or many other Linux)

 

With Windows, if you want to install an app, you go to its website, download it, double click it, job done and pretty much the same is true for the Mac.

 

With Linux that's not true; you've got to learn about package managers. Once you've done that once, of course, life's pretty easy (as long as what you want is available as a package). If you've never used a computer before then I'm sure Ubuntu's package management is no more or less difficult than anything else the first time you use it. If you're used to using computers but not Linux then it's very different.

 

Go to the Audacity web site - take a look at how hard it would be to install Audacity from that web site. the first thing it mentions under Unix/Linux is source code but there are other links - the Ubuntu one takes you to the Ubuntu web site and (provided you've twigged that Ubuntu 9.10 is also called Karmic) then you can get to a list of packages - but nothing at all to tell you what to do with it!!

 

It's worth reading the whole of his blog; he's not saying Ubuntu is rubbish but he is saying "it would not make my computing life any simpler and more pleasurable than it is now" and I think that's a pretty fair summary.

[HodgeHi]

I occasionally tell my users. If you have used a computer before then using a different operating system is going to be harder than for someone who has never used a computer at all, because if you have used a computer before then you have to unlearn all of the crap (usually Windows) thats gets in the way of using the computer, to learn it all again but differently.

 

[HodgeHi]

Rory also mentions that once he found that the ubuntu logo took him home it helped. Didn't Windows Vista change to a ball with their logo on? You know it might just the a similar job. Click on it and find out.... No wait! it's gonna blow....!

[localzuk]

It's worth reading the whole of his blog; he's not saying Ubuntu is rubbish but he is saying "it would not make my computing life any simpler and more pleasurable than it is now" and I think that's a pretty fair summary.

 

That's the thing isn't it? We're all obsessed with pleasure and simplicity - aka. convenience. Rather than look at the actual reasons for using Ubuntu (such as it being free, open source, prevents vendor lock-in, etc...) he has focussed on a very short term, potentially self-defeating reason not to use it.

 

Its the same argument people use against the use of energy efficient lightbulbs, or using public transport - it isn't what they're used to, it isn't convenient. Completely ignoring the reasons for using them.

 

I dunno, but I expect more from tech journalists. I expect them to look at a subject from more angles than just their own petty existence.

[maark]

If you use ubuntu on a network - how do you lock it down/control it - whats the equivalent of group policies etc and how easy it to do? - this is more of a stumbling block for schools.

[OllieC]

He approached it completely the wrong way, if he was a new user to windows he'd be faced with similar problems no doubt yet he tries to make these seem like flaws with Ubuntu. The man is an idiot most the lot from Click irritate me... especially after they felt the need to make room for this question xD...

 

http://olliez0r.com/skitch/BBC_iPlayer_-_Click-20090823-110755.jpg

"What a good question!"

[mac_shinobi]

He approached it completely the wrong way, if he was a new user to windows he'd be faced with similar problems no doubt yet he tries to make these seem like flaws with Ubuntu. The man is an idiot most the lot from Click irritate me... especially after they felt the need to make room for this question xD...

 

http://olliez0r.com/skitch/BBC_iPlayer_-_Click-20090823-110755.jpg

"What a good question!"

 

Windows does the same thing when pressing the print screen button , pfftt

 

Just because they use it, does not mean they know how to use it correctly

 

Anyone can pickup a chainsaw but it does not mean to say it will be used correctly nor safely just the same as any user can turn a computer on hence why people like us have jobs like we do in the support sector aka IT Support ( or w/e title you want to give it )

[mac_shinobi]

I think it actually did print up until the early '90s.

 

I used to use the ScrollLock button when I programmed in COBOL. It kept the cursor static and the cursor keys made the page scroll up and down. Quite handy.

 

But what the hell does the SysRq button do?

 

[ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_request]System request - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]

 

Also whenever I have used the print screen button it has always in my experience just copied a screen print to the clipboard unless your using a util

Edited October 27, 2009 by mac_shinobi

[webman]

But what the hell does the SysRq button do?

 

Nothing.

 

[ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sysrq]System request - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]

[srochford]

Scroll lock still has use in Windows - check out what it does in Excel for example (hint: it locks the sheet so that you can scroll it up and down :-))

 

print screen will still print to a printer plugged into LPT1 if you're running DOS. Old people like me will remember that you used to have to load a program called "graphics" in DOS if you wanted to print more than text (not really graphics - just the bars and lines that make up squares etc)

 

Don't think sysrq has ever done anything on a DOS or Windows PC - I think it's a throwback to some IBM mainframes.

 

None of that is terribly useful info but many years of playing with a computer mean that I've learned it; it means that when another system does things differently I have to stop and work out what to do ("pagefault on knowledge"). I generally don't mind that (I like trying to find out how things work) but many (most?) people don't - they just want to use the system to get on Facebook, sync their iPod etc.

 

Is that wrong? Not really sure. An example that's often given is that computers should be like cars; if you've driven one car then you can probably drive another one and most people think that's a good thing but it stifles innovation. When Microsoft introduced Office 2007 which completely changed the menu structure there were howls of protest because many people couldn't work out how to use it.

 

I think that if you've got a computer which basically does what you want then you're not going to get anything from Ubuntu (or any other platform which is different from the one you now use). If you always want to be learning new things then Ubuntu (or any other etc etc) will be a "really good thing" :-)

[mb2k01]

A bit off-topic perhaps, but.....

I've been reading this thread for the last few days - from the viewpoint of someone who has always gone down the MS route whether it's qualifications, software or client / server OS etc.

I've dabbled with Linux varients in the past and not liked what I saw, so just ignored it and carried on using MS everywhere! So, my first thought was that I would probably agree with the BBC reporter...

 

Well, I actually read the article today and realised it was pretty poor - some of the examples / reasoning given is pretty flimsy, so decided to go off and find out what all the fuss was about and installed Ubuntu Server one a spare station.

 

I spent part of this afternoon starting at the very basics (had to look up sudo commands!) but quickly got to my first task of getting Fog working - which was a bit clunky in places but fine in the end.

I should admit that I decided I had to install gnome (which I know isn't the preferred way of working), which helped me a lot, but I have to say - I'm impressed! My outlook has definately changed and I will be looking to use Linux (or at least Ubuntu specifically) again in the future.

 

Infact, I'm now sat at home building Ubutu to replace my home server 2003 box which basically only ever did DNS, DHCP and file serving! So I've definately been (part) converted!

[localzuk]

I've used SysRq regularly with Linux for kernel debugging related issues. It is sometimes referred to as the 'magic key'.

 

Only issue was some of the key combos with it require each hand to have 9" long fingers to be able to press all the keys required.

[srochford]

 

 

Only issue was some of the key combos with it require each hand to have 9" long fingers to be able to press all the keys required.

 

And why is that a problem?? :-)

[mac_shinobi]

And why is that a problem?? :-)

 

I've never known any regular joe ( person ) to have 9 fingers ( normally 8 fingers and 2 thumbs )

[srochford]

I've never known any regular joe ( person ) to have 9 fingers ( normally 8 fingers and 2 thumbs )

 

Not 9 fingers but fingers 9 inches long :-)

 

For a very different article (also on the BBC web site) about Ubuntu, check out BBC NEWS | Technology | Ubuntu readies the Karmic Koala

 

Now just counting the days until I can download Ubuntu 9.10 and wondering if I should go back to running my media centre PC with MythTV (currently using Media Portal on Windows; it works well but life's more fun with variety in it)