Linux has earned it's "difficult" reputation the hard way: by focusing on geeks and alienating less technical users for many years. You can't expect the reputation to just disappear because Ubuntu shows up or something.

What may be false to you is the truth in their eyes. They believe this and is their opinion. So there really are no lies just a matter of opinions...;)

It's probably a silly "team pride" thing. Die hard Windows fans bash anything that's not Microsoft. Or it's the classic fear of the unknown. Not many people know about Linux or any other UNIX based OSes so they resort to bad mouthing it because it's different. I hope this made sense. I was multitasking.

People make judgments or have opinions on about anything, or anyone. If these judgments or opinions are based on fact then they may carry some weight. Unfortunatly this is sometimes not the case. Their dislike for something may be based on what they have heard friends say or their one time encounter with a negative fact about the person or thing.

Historically, Linux has always been for "programmers." Unfortunately, this is the way that most people have viewed Linux for years. These days, the majority of Linux users (safe to say) are probably geeks. So when someone looks over my shoulder while I'm using Linux, and they see me smashing away at the command line, they get scared and say, "I don't want to use the command line for everything." Because of the way that Windows is set up, where everything is GUI, people don't understand that a real operating system is built on the command line, and the GUI is simply placed on top of it. Operating systems such as Ubuntu have significantly decreased the need for command line usage, but people are still afraid of what they do not know. I actually had someone tell me that they didn't want to use Linux because you can't open programs by clicking on them, instead you have to type "start run <program>" or something in order to open them. It's this kind of misunderstanding that scares people away from trying Linux. Just because you can run a program from the command line does not mean that it is the ONLY way you can run a program. Have you ever seen a regular Windows user run their programs from the command line? Of course not. So naturally, they see command line and they run. When someone tells me that Linux is ugly, I only have to show them a video of Beryl (now Compiz Fusion), versus Windows Aero. Enough said. When someone says that "nothing runs on Linux," I say, "nothing runs on Windows." They look at me like I'm crazy and start naming Windows programs. Then I look at them like they're crazy and start naming Linux programs. After that charade I explain that Windows programs mostly run on Windows, and Linux programs mostly run on Linux. Then I tell them to take their blindfold off. Haha. No, I'm no elitist. I promise. Maybe. When they tell me that "Linux has no drivers," I let them know that more and more vendors are beginning to either open-source their drivers, or build drivers specifically for Linux. There is a Windows HCL (Hardware Compatibility List), where people would normally (in the past) check to make sure that the hardware they are purchasing would work in Windows. These days, because just about all home computers purchased come pre-installed with Windows, people just assume that all hardware works in Windows. So what does that accomplish? Nothing. The hardware manufacturers know that all new computers come with Windows, and thus only build drivers for Windows most of the time. This screws everyone else. But just like (in the past) you would have to check hardware for compatibility with Windows, you should do the same with Linux. Now that Dell is selling new computers with Ubuntu pre-installed, hopefully that will encourage hardware manufacturers to tailor their drivers to a new demographic (the Linux users). Linux driver availability is rapidly growing, and hopefully Dell's new Linux laptops can further influence this movement. To learn more about Linux (or show Windows users what they're missing), visit http://www.learnaboutlinux.net Hope this helped. --JoeLinux

Because some people base their reality on one set of observations instead of being open minded and using as much evidence as they can get their hands on. I never understood why Mac users were so annoyingly cult-happy about their OS, but I never said it was crap, because I had never tried it for myself. Now that I have, I think it's awesome. Another phenomenon I've observed is the instant expert syndrome. If you use a computer, that suddenly makes you a computer expert (I'm being sarcastic - but there are people like this). If you heard Linux is ugly and has no drivers, it's easy to repeat that to other people and sound knowledgeable. It is unfortunate, but to see through the 'opinions' to the truth, ask people for their proof or experience with the product. That will usually show the holes in their theory every time. In my experience, this doesn't just happen with computers.

Because very few of the things they're used to run on Linux. Because finding Linux drivers for certain things can be (less so now than in the past) very difficult. Because most Linux distros are ugly. People like what they're used to. Openoffice's spreadsheet app is very Excel like but people want Excel. Many games are difficult to run on Linux if they'll run at all - I remember the sense of accomplishment felt getting Unreal Tournament to run on Red Hat. Meet them in the middle and wave the Mac OS X flag.

Because a HUGE percent of computer users are stuck on their little Microsoft Windows world, and prefer it, rather than taking a risk and trying a new OS.

Most likely because they are products of a Public School education that did not teach them to think, but to take in and repeat what they were told. These people are commonly called 'KoolAid drinkers' based on what happened with the Jim Jones group who drank 'KoolAid laced with poison' on his orders. I call these people 'Recorders'. They hear or see something and simply repeat it over and over again.

every time i try to install a linux pakage on any of my systems, its usally a nightmare. Between finding the right platform for your processor, finding the 50 missing drivers, no flavor unix has ever just opened up and worked on any store bought PC that i have owned. so i rather just stick to windows, sence 99.9% of the software, hardware drivers, ect. all work on microsoft machines. I know dell just offered a box that finally came with linux pre installed, so at least system manufactures are finally waking up =)

Cause Marketing/Advertising works, and very well at that.

Computers are our servants. Our tools. They are supposed to do exactly what we want, and they are supposed to be smart enough to do it on their own without any effort on the part of the user. Linux requires effort to install and configure properly and while it can run most software either natively or through WINE, that also requires more thought and effort than simply clicking an icon. Personally, I have a beef with Linux as I cannot find drivers for my modem. When I had DSL, it autoconfigured on installation and updated itself with all of the drivers I needed. With dialup, you need the modem drivers BEFORE you install Linux, otherwise you have to go online to find them so you can get online to find them so you can...... If anyone can link me to where I can get the drivers for "Generic 56K HCF Fax Modem #4", I would gladly go back to dual-booting Mandriva.

Don't be a zealot. Maybe they're taking the mickey out of you if you're always saying linux can do this or do that. It doesn't matter. Ignore those things people say, you know why you use linux that's it, and when time comes and your friends need help your knowledge of linux might come in handy, it sure has for me. :)

I've been using Ubuntu Linux for quite a while now and I love it. Everything runs fine, plus I don't need anti spy ware or anti virus. The built in UFW works well. To be honest, I'll never go back to Windows. It's hard for some people to switch from what they are comfortable with even if it's giving them fits and a perforated ulcer. I was a little hesitant to switch to Linux myself but I'm glad I did. My computer no longer crashes. Trust me, Windows did that at least twice a week. I threatened to use my computer as a boat anchor on more than one occasion.

Trying to understand or change the dumb masses is an exercise in futility. Just use what works for your purposes and let others do the same. Linux has it's place, as does windows, as does HPUX, True64, MPE, NonStop, VMS, and hundreds more.