Recent articles I have read by people complaining about how things on Linux do not work like they do on Microsoft led me to coin the phrase Microsoft Trained Brain Syndrome (MTBS). The problem is that people who have lived, worked, and played in a homogeneous Microsoft computing paradigm are lost and confused when they encounter a different paradigm. These people have only seen the flawed Microsoft ideology for how computing systems should work and so have a difficult time with more elegant systems based on Unix. They see the Linux system with its’ own paradigm and ideology and try to force it into the only paradigm they know, which is Microsoft’s. This will always cause the user problems.
These people may or may not have a problem with an Apple system running OS X since Microsoft’s desktop is at base basically a rip-off of Apple’s desktop. Apple’s desktop is arguably a rip-off of the X windowing system used on Unix and Linux. However, both Apple’s desktop and Microsoft’s desktop diverge significantly from X. Of course underneath the graphical interface Apple OS X now has much more in common with Unix and Linux than it does with Microsoft systems. In any case, because these other platform ideologies are different from Microsoft’s ideology the typical Microsoft Trained Brain Syndrome user can have a rough time trying to adapt.
I have had discussions about this problem with others prior to today. My point in these discussions is that if one took an average child with average intelligence, gave the child a first computer exposure with Linux installed with a graphical interface and a bit of instruction to get started, the child would have no problem using Linux and learning how to do tasks with Linux. The point is that if one starts using Linux based computers from a tabula rasa condition then there are no bad habits to unlearn. The people that have only learned the Microsoft paradigm have bad habits to unlearn and much new information to learn. These people should attempt to approach Linux like a child that knows nothing about a computing paradigm and has never been exposed to another computing ideology.
In regard to computing systems we are all beginners, or “kindergarten children” if you will, at some point. Many computer users progress through a school of knowledge under the Microsoft paradigm to become “seniors” in the Microsoft ideology college. These users then discover they are not satisfied with their only exposure to computing systems under the Microsoft tutelage and attempt to branch out with Linux. It is at this point that the Microsoft Trained Brain Syndrome becomes a problem for many. These users discover there is a totally different Unix school that has a largely different curricula from what they know. For whatever reason they decide to attempt to use the old knowledge from Microsoft training in this new school and are discouraged, shocked and/or angry that it does not work. What these users need to do is ignore almost all they know about computing from their Microsoft Trained Brain and start over.
The bottom line dear reader is, do not attempt to force preconceived notions and knowledge from a totally different computing paradigm onto Linux. Ignore your previous knowledge from your Microsoft Trained Brain and start over with Linux as if you are a child getting a first exposure to computing systems. I guarantee this will help you in the long term. Many of us wait to welcome you to our universe of heterogeneous computing.
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I have seen quite a lot of people with MTBS latelly. What I do when someone tells me that linux is hard to install or use is.
I give the person a kubuntu CD and a windoze xp CD (my college got contract with M$ so I can just go to the computing lab and pull any XP CD from the huge shelf full of M$ crap) and after backing up their data I format their HD and ask them to try and install XP. The results are always that most get stuck in the text part of the installer. Those who manage to get past it, get stuck when it asks for the product key (hint: it?s in the back of the CD case the XP CD came in). And those “smart” enough to get past that, find themselves wondering where are their apps, their files, and why some of their hardware won?t work. I tell them that they need to buy each program and install it separatedly, then I tell them that they need to manually copy their files over and redo most of their customizations and then find the missing drivers. Then I format again and tell them to install kubuntu. The results no one has yet got stuck during installation. And after the installation is over they find that all the apps they need are there already and their hardware is already working. I tell them to insert the CD with their files and use the “files and settings import tool” and in a few minutes all their data and most of their customizations are back to what they were before starting. They then realize how easy is kubuntu and ask me to take the XP CD?s back (I take them back and put them back into the college?s computing lab?s “M$ junk” shelf). So far everyone I have done this switched to kubuntu and have not gone back to windoze.
Its not a matter of “dumming down” its the science of MMI (man machine interface) design. People dont want to delve in the complexatities of the computer they want to get the job done. A user friendly and intuative interface is something that should be strived for not be critisied.
Ofcourse its brain training, all knowledge is. I therefore dont really see your point, unless your trying to promote elitism ?
What about the people who are familiar with many operating system, who knows how to write DCS scrips in VMS, how to program bobs and sprits in AmigaOS, can BASH away at Linux and who are equaly happy using Windows OS’s.
Being simple and efficient is not something to be shunned or critical of its something that should be promoted.
I dont understand the “keep it hard and weed out the non hard core users” attitude.
MMI design and intuative UI is a goal for everyone.
There are many people like myself who know computers (built my first one in 1978!!) who have used many OS’ over the years. But even after happily and successfully using Linux (and paid as a Linux admin) running my own very successful business, have chosen to use Windows not because its easier but becaue it just works, its stable, it IS secure (with almost no effort) and its works, has a massive support base and application base, I can go to my local supermarket and buy software, my digital camera and cell phone software works from the supplied CD. and I dont have to put up with being considered dumb because i have made my choice on usability and productivity over elitism and unnessary complexity.
and i too find your bright blue dictionaly links most annoying..
darryl (comment #42), I was busy when you posted this and did not have time to address it.
You miss the point of the article. I do not “promote elitism”. I promote using open standard file formats and moving away from proprietary, closed non-standard file formats. I promote using transparent, open standards operating systems. I also promote learning and using the more robust, more configurable, more stable and thus more sensible GNU/Linux distributions.
Basically, your assertion that Microsoft products “… just works, its stable, it IS secure (with almost no effort) and its works, …” is fallacious. If you desire to use products from Microsoft, fine with me and the rest of the GNU/Linux community. But do not assert this nonsense and expect to be taken seriously.
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[...] “The problem is that people who have lived, worked, and played in a homogeneous Microsoft computing paradigm are lost and confused when they encounter a different paradigm,” explained a blogger named Gene who apparently coined the term a couple years back on the ERA Computers & Consulting Technical Blog. [...]