[Leaplist] sad state of Linux default desktop installs

[Ray Brunkow]

I have been using an old P4 box as a testing platform as of late with 
the following criteria on the tests:

1.Fully updated and patched system with all security updates.
2.Full office suite installed and updated.
3.FireFox 3.5 browser installed with adblock+, NoScript, and all-in-one 
gestures add-ons installed and updated.
4.Thunderbird installed and configured to connect to my e-mail server.
5.DVD playback.

If the system can do DVD playback, odds are good it will also succeed at 
MP3 playback.  Yes this is a very simple and basic set of tests and is 
in NO MEANS A COMPLETE test.  I started this as a timed test to compare 
Windows 7 v Linux installs knowing that most Linux distributions by 
default will attempt to update during install in some way.

The hardware used is as follows:

P4 2.4G CPU with HyperThreading and 1024MB RAM PC2100 and 60GB IDE HDD 
7200rpm with a Nvidia 5200 AGP video card and onboard sound and Network 
Interface Card.

So nothing fancy or supper crazy that any OS should not be able to 
handle the hardware from a driver point of view.

While Windows 7 did take roughly 2.5 hours to complete all of the above 
tasks it did so with only 1 major hickup and that was getting the NIC 
configured on a static IP.  Microsoft for what ever reason has chosen to 
bury the network settings so deep that it took me a good 10-15min to 
find and I'm no dummy when it comes to Windows and basic networking.

This Linux distributions that I tested ALL FAILED for one reason or an 
other.  This is very sad.  Now before you fly off the handle and start 
to blast me hear me out.  I ran this set of tests from the point of view 
of someone just skilled enough to follow basic instructions on the 
screen during a GUI installation of the OS and not much more.

Oh, one more side note about Windows 7, the "update windows" button is 
no longer to be found.  If you do not know the URL, or do not have 
windows configured to automatically download and install all updates you 
are FUBAR, this too IMHO is a major FAIL.

Debian       Failed with FireFox + add-ons.  As the Debian project has 
chosen to NOT use the standard FF they are behind thus none of the 
add-ons listed for this test work with the OLDER version of 
Icewhateverthehelltheycallitnow.  Debian hands down other then the 
failure of bother FireFox and Thunderbird (same reason as FF) beat all 
of the other Linux distributions in all areas of ease, speed of install, 
and things just working OOTB (out of the box) so to speak.

Fedora 11   Failed due to FireFox (again not using the standard FF, thus 
out of date and no add-ons working) and no codecs for DVD or MP3 
playback.  YES I UNDERSTAND why, but my wife would not, nor would 99% of 
the world of computer USERS out there.  Note USERS, not power users or 
someone with the skills to find the repositories, add them to yum, and 
get things working properly. 

Sabayon Linux 4.2   Failed as their network configuration failed to work 
for any user other then root.  This is a problem that distro has had 
since at least v2 and they still have not addressed it properly.  Really 
a shame as Sabayon is mega bleeding edge.

OpenSuSe 11.1   Failed again with to old of a version of FireFox and 
zero codecs for DVD or MP3 playback.  Not to mention this desktop was 
unusable on my hardware.  Everything took between 10sec - 1.5min to 
open, moving the mouse was a major chore to the point it stuttered and 
skipped across the screen.  Was not smooth by any stretch of the 
imagination.  Horrid performance.  Yast was so pathetically slow it just 
did not respond even after 5min of taking up resources according to top.

Ubuntu 9.2      Failed for again old FF, no codec for DVD/MP3 playback, 
and their GUI update that replaces apt is broke and does not function 
properly.  Even when attempting to update multiple times via apt-get 
update, and via their GUI, the system just wold not update.

Linux Mint 7      Failed due to network configuration refusing to go 
outside of my LAN.  The DVD playback was flawless.  Also a failure IMHO 
is NO root, sudo only much like the Ubuntu line.

Sadly those are several of the top Linux distros out there and they all 
failed for the new/basic user who would like/want to make the switch 
from Windows to Linux.

This is not to say that with some work that Linux could not pass all of 
these tests and even still under the 2.5 hours it took Windows 7 to get 
to the point it did.  My point is that with just barely above user level 
skills Linux fails and fails horridly.  To the point that someone new to 
Linux would just give up and spend the 2-4hours getting their shinny new 
Windows 7 or their old and trusted winXP (6-10hours work there) up and 
running and give Linux the finger.

Side note about Linux Mint 7, it was the fastest to install off of the 
CD, but most, if not all of the other distros installed off of DVDs thus 
being nearly 5x larger in data then Linux Mint 7.  Mint took roughly 
15min to fully install and 16min to be at first login screen.  That is 
blazing fast with this old hardware.  Sadly due to its horrid 
implimentation of the network settings tool it fails as I was unable to 
test any of the online functions for this test, and to be blunt if the 
OS can not get online, no user (average) will want to waist their time 
with it.

just for those who will ask and be defensive about that last statement, 
yes i configured the IP static, 192.168.2.XXX, 255.255.255.0, 
192.168.2.1, 192.168.2.1 (gateway and dns server both point to my 
IPCop)  this is how I configured every system for the test.  Mint and 
Sabayon failed to connect properly.

So a fast list of things that, IMHO, the average user would want and 
need from Linux:

1.  either ask during install how to configure the network, or make it 
real easy and obvious how to do so once the system is installed and 
running in the GUI.  (note ONLY Debian did this during the install and 
thus was also the only OS to fully update and patch during 
installation,  Great work Debian)  Also note that as of Window 7, MS has 
learned and if I had DHCP installed in my LAN Windows 7 too would of 
updated DURING the installation, thus reducing the risk of infection 
before patching can happen on a live system.  Good work MS there.

2.  Either have the codecs installed, or make them easy to find and 
install for MP3 and DVD playback.  Yes I understand the license issues 
involved, but a simple dialog box with the license and a notice as to 
why they are NOT installed as part of the default OS would suffice.  
This way the end user can make the choice as to what to do about those 
codecs and the laws in their areas.  This also acts to, all be it not 
very good, educate the world on the issues with those codecs and that 
there are better choices out there.

3.  If a Linux distro is NOT going to use the most popular FOSS web 
browser out there, they should at least either keep up pace with it, OR 
offer a fast and easy way to install it.  Something comparable with 
double click, or download, run now.

Again this is NOT to say that Linux is not capable of passing all 5 
parts to the test, but not from the point of view from someone brand new 
to Linux without pulling lots of hair out of their head and more 
frustration then it might be worth to be free of Microsoft.  This is a 
shame and a real surprise.  Linux has taken several steps BACKWARDS over 
the past 2 or 3 years.  A few years ago a Debian install fresh out of 
the box would of passed 100%, before they got in their pissing match 
with Mozilla.  Same thing to a lesser extent for Ubuntu.  Fedora/RH has 
failed due to codec since at least RH9.  SuSe has been hit or miss since 
at least v9 and Sabayon if you can get the networking to function 
properly it is awesome to use.  I can not speak much for Mint as this is 
my first time playing with it.

One last note, OSx (Apple) passed also 100% OOTB for 10.4, 10.5, and 
10.6.  Hands down OSx .4, .5, .6 are still far better then Windows 7, 
but 7 is far better and faster then anything I have seen with the horror 
that is Vista.  Both OSx and Windows 7, just from the point of view of 
these tight restrictions of this test, beat anything Linux has OOTB.

Again 2 or 3 years ago that would not of been the case.  Linux has taken 
several steps backwards not forwards.  Linux needs to pull its 
collective head out of its ass and get over trade marks, it needs to fix 
its broken installation options, it needs to make the network settings 
much simpler like they were before.  If Linux could do those simple 
things, Windows could take an other hit to its market share like it did 
with Vista.  I just read on one of the slashdot articles the other day 
that only about 20% of the computers in the world are running Vista.  
Think about that.  Its been out how long and Vista has either been 
dumped from the base OEM install for XP, or replaced with something 
else.  That may of been business computers not all users, sorry I do not 
have the link handy or I would post it in the e-mail.

This all said, I still prefer FOSS over MS any day of the week.

-- 
Raymond L. Brunkow
5th Degree Black Belt
Certified Instructor
Choong Sil Kwan TaekwonDo Federation


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