DesktopLinux.com: Linux not ready for prime time on the Desktop

"Last summer, Dennis G. Allard decided to install Linux-based desktop computer systems for three of his friends: a newbie; a priest; and his brother. In this guest column, Allard describes some of the many challenges he faced and frustrations he (and his friends) experienced, and offers some suggestions of things that need to be done to make Linux more suitable for use as a desktop computing environment for 'ordinary' users.

Linux is in NO WAY ready to compete with Windows on the Desktop.

I spent nearly two full weeks this summer helping three friends try to use Linux (Red Hat 7.1). It was a disaster for two of them, one a total newbie who wanted to mostly download music, another a priest who needs his computer as a vital work tool, the third my brother who uses PCs to play Yahoo Bridge, write, and do email.

Let me summarize my overall experience very tersely: Linux is *not* ready for prime time on the Desktop!"

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