Is Linux really that hard to use?

One of the biggest arguments that windows advocates use against Linux is that it is hard to use. That is why, they state, windows is so popular and a default standard in the enterprise world. Windows advocates believe that Linux is hard to use because all the programs in Linux are developed by programmers who have no concept of how an average person uses computers. This means that the user interfaces provided by programs are confusing and often cryptic with hard to understand, little or no documentation.

To me these arguments hold less water than a vegetable strainer. Sure Linux is different to windows but it is no less harder nor easier. I personally would say that in terms of ease of use Linux is equal, or better, than windows. Why do I think this way? It is quite simple.

Modern Linux distributions are more and more often targeted at audiences which are of an average computer experience. This means that ease of use is paramount in the design and implementation of these distributions. Not that it is hard to do. Most of the tweaks that these distributions do is in terms of pre-configuration so there is less for the end user to have to worry about. Putting all of the configuration options aside, lets assume that we have two machines sitting side by side.

Both machines are fully configured and set up with the required programs that the end user will use. One machine is Linux and one machine is windows. To make sure that things are as equal as possible, programs which work on both operating systems are installed if feasible. So what needs to be done if the computer user wants to go on the internet?

First they need to find the internet browser and start it up. How is that done? With both Linux and windows the end user grabs the mouse, clicks on a shortcut or navigates the menu system and starts the program up. What about email? The same thing, as well as for text or spreadsheet documents. The mechanics for opening up programs are exactly the same in Linux and windows. Hmmm, what about keyboard shortcuts? Linux and windows both have those as well, often the exact same shortcuts.

A couple of examples. On my home computer I run Gentoo Linux. I have a relative who has a windows xp computer. One day this relative came over and wanted to use my computer. I started it up for him and before I could tell him what was where he had started up Firefox and was surfing the net. This relative is not computer savy, he is just an average user who checks his email and surfs the internet. What about a business environment? We have an old computer out on the factory floor which had windows 98 on it, yes it's that old . This computer had a lot of software problems so I put Xubuntu on it. This person had never seen Linux before. As I was explaining to them the basics of its use, basically showing how it starts up and where the programs are, I came to the shutdown sequence. Just as I said for them to click on a particular icon to shut the computer down they asked if they can use the keyboard shortcut. Without waiting for an answer they used the windows keyboard shortcut that they know for shutting down the computer and it worked. It surprised me and pleased them.

To me this proves that Linux is just as easy to use as windows is (secretly I think easier). Linux is just different and once people have become used to the differences they have no problems. Sort of like driving an unfamiliar car for the first time. Some controls feel different or be in a different place. The car will handle differently to start off with yet once you become used to the different control positions and the handling characteristics you are just as confident as in your own car.

Linux is not hard to use, just different. What do you think?