Ok ya so the title is a little miss-leading. But for only one reason, I often here the, "ya but to install software on Linux everything must be compiled". Well I got news for all those windows users... so do windows programs! In windows, typically, someone else complies them for you. (and the same can be true with Ubuntu and Fedora)
Recently I had to install some software on my windows virtual machine and I was reminded of a recent discussion with my wife. She had said if I wasn't around she'd probably run Linux over Windows -- she uses Windows XP at work, Fedora Linux 12/13 at home, and Windows 7 for her ... cough ... game. So she has experience backing that statement. -- One of her reasons was it's easier to find and install software.
Why does she have this perception that Linux is easier to install software over Windows (non-MS software)? The reason, in my opinion, there is over 25 different installers for Windows programs, and many more places you need to go to find them. Not to mention each program has their own way of handling software updates. We've been off the Win7 computer for two weeks and we had a mess with everything wanting to do updates... java, virus scanners, adobe, etc.... I had to sit there for 20 minutes applying updates -- to get rid of the annoying pop-ups -- with my wife tapping her fingers so she could play her "game".
In Fedora we have the yum/rpm repositories. These have all the compilation and installation steps done for you. All you have to do is select the software you want and click the apply button. Then continue working while the software is installed for you. With the package kit it's even smart enough to find and install missing software for you. All updates are handled via the same system and it has one pop-up for all updates which you can set a threshold when to alert you, or even apply the updates automatically. (yes! Microsoft has a similar system, however it's only for Microsoft software. Most other vendors are not on that system) So for the general user they would get the perception installing and finding software online is much easier in Linux.
What about commercial software you ask? Well glad you asked that. Most commercial software for Linux will have an rpm version or their own yum repository. Just click the rpm off the web and it will insert it into the mix and be managed the same way as the rest. Programs which have custom installers, like loki games, are back to the windows concept but their not as frequent.
From the system administrator/support perspective, there is ease as well. Any commercial programs it's easy to setup a local repository. Just put the RPM's into a folder or share or website and you can easily push updates by just updating the software in that area. (if you want steps let me know I'll post them somewhere). The other ease is the time required to be sitting in front of your computer. Windows installers, if your lucky ask all questions at the beginning. But if your installing 20 pieces of software that's at least 20 breaks where you need to be sitting in front of the computer to answer "questions". It's real annoying when it starts installing so you get up to watch a show (as it says it will take 1 hour to install) after the show you find out it stopped 4 minutes in to ask a question. With Fedora select the 20 programs, click apply and it's very very very rare you'll get any questions after that.
These are some of the reasons I like Fedora Linux. Centralized repository for the available software. No need to visit multiple computer stores for software, no dealing with 101 ways of installing software. Also since they all use the same specs, all programs are installed in consistent directories. -- well all except Google and Adobe, they compile their own binaries, and they prefer the UNIX standards of the /opt directory -- In general everything in Linux is nice and simple. But, if there's a way of easily eliminating all the questions of a windows installer for Games like Klingon Academy, Starfleet Command, You Don't Know Jack, and many other games... I'm all ears.
Monday, September 13, 2010
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