On 5/20/06, Dinesh Joshi dinesh.a.joshi@gmail.com wrote:
What do I tell him in Linux? Ok open up the CLI, now enter the .gnome directory .... blah blah blah..... And he'll go like...wtf?!
Ok for your specific example, you can always tell the user that there's another "cool" way to do this. Open xmms and open the folder where the mp3s are. Then drag and drop the mp3s into xmms. Cool ain't it? :)
The point with such users is that they need an expert/semi-expert to show them a way. Once they see that way, no matter how good/bad that is they'll stick by it till someone else shows them a better way.
And as for the reason why there's so many users still using windows and not linux, the biggest reason is the fact that windows got there first and hogged up the home pc section in india. Add to that I don't think we linux proponents are being effective enough in causing this change. I think there's much more we can do; distributing CDs doesn't seem to be the most effective way.
Also, we need to, at some level, also promote the idea of a standalone linux system among users and not just dual boot systems. Somehow all newbies seem to be attracted to the idea that linux is dual bootable with windows. While it does get them to toy with FOSS s/w, it also fails to actually wean them away from their old windoze habits. Probably a bit too much to ask for, but just a thought anyways.
Siddhesh
PS: Regarding Control Panel for gnome, there is the Gnome Control Center. Its still there, just that the shortcut is hidden/not there. Now I wonder why they did that.