Idea #949: Make Installer More Intuitive for Windows Users

-40

Written by mscir the 29 Feb 08 at 05:18. Category: Installation.
Related to: Nothing/Others. Status: New

Description

I am a first time Linux user, I dual boot Ubuntu
7.10 on a Windows machine, and I while the install
went smoothly for me, I think a lot of Windows users
would have a hard time if they didn't do a few hours
of research first, as I did.

I am constantly telling my friends how impressive
Ubuntu is, and how they can easily install it as a
dual boot option on their existing system so they
can try it without giving anything up. But I'm
afraid that if they actually take my advice and
try to do the install without doing a lot of
research that may not be easy for them to follow
at first, they may end up unable to access one or
both of their OS's.

So I would like to see Ubuntu make the use a more intuitive for Windows users who don't know a lot about
partitions, dual boot options, etc. It could be an
install option: 'Would you like to get additional help files? Recommended for first Linux installers, the
help files are written so that the average Windows
user will find it easy to perform the installation.

Tags: (none)

Attachments

No attachments.

Duplicates

[Report a duplicate and merge its votes to this idea]

Comments

sparc128 wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 05:23

Isn't this what Wubi is for?

Greyor wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 05:31

Wubi is getting better in Hardy already. Check out http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080224-wubi-arrives-a-look-at-ubuntu-8-0 4-alpha-5.html for more information. This is unnecessary in my opinion.

smenjas wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 05:34

sparc128: Yup.

For those who don't know, Wubi lets you install Ubuntu on a Windows PC without partitioning your hard drive. If you don't like it, you can uninstall it from the Add/Remove Programs menu just like any other program.

See this article for more info.

You can also just boot from the CD and play around without ever installing anything. I'd say Ubuntu pretty much has this problem licked.

bntuuu wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 18:32

I still agree with the larger concept of 'Make the installer more intuitive for users'.

The average person should not have to have a concept of partitions, keyboard layouts, and the like.
A simplified live cd could be stripped down to the dialog of "Do you really want this on your system?" and "Please take the disk out and restart."

keen101 wrote on the 6 Mar 08 at 17:57

I understand where you are coming from, as I was a first-time linux user awhile back, but all you need to do is get some good books like "Begining Ubuntu Linux from novice to professional" and read them, and you will learn things quickly.

glotz wrote on the 28 May 08 at 10:23

This is too general and vague so -1

Post your comment