this post was submitted on 09 Mar 2021
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Tips for managing store through GNU/Linux (lemmy.ml)
submitted 3 years ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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So i'm currently managing a small store and running MX Linux as main OS on all desktops, because i want to spread Debian words in my city, but people are often regretting on using my desktops for my system.

Any tips for making them less fearful on using Linux, i'm about half year running MX as my main OS, so my experience is not as a totally beginner, much less as a sysadmin.

Any help would gratefully appreciated.

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 years ago (1 children)

people are often regretting on using my desktops for my system

Do they try to use it and hit roadblocks or do they know it’s a different system and do not want to try?

If they are trying, it might be helpful to know what apps they need/want to run when becoming frustrated. Otherwise, like the other comment suggests, it might be a psychological barrier.

If they do not want to try, maybe play some music, videos or games on the debian machines and see if they engage. If it only POS and inventory apps it might be more difficult, especially if they have to work with files, printers, emails and so forth.

Also, are they usually busy and/or stressed when needing to use the machines or can they take their time? If they are with a customer and trying to overcome linux challenges that could be frustrating.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 years ago (2 children)

I've configured all printers each driver named according to it's properties, changed UI to native language, xfce as desktop (this can't be changed due to machines specs limitations), but all that isn't enough to make them confortable when facing displays.

For example, they easily work on Microsoft Word, but when facing LibreOffice Writer they get estressed really fast, even after i've turned it's UI most "user friendly".

I wondering about to reformat all machines with a most Windows-like appearence distro, but this would take a lot of backups and time because i'm the only who knows how to format a PC at my store.

There's some type of package which i would install to turn xfce most Windows-like? No way i could do it manually on each machine.

I'm really not feeling good about installing Windows at all.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 years ago* (last edited 3 years ago) (1 children)

For example, they easily work on Microsoft Word, but when facing LibreOffice Writer they get estressed really fast, even after i’ve turned it’s UI most “user friendly”.

If Word processing is a big problem and something crucial to your business, I would probably try piloting a demo version of Office 365 and see if that jumps you over the hurdle.

Many years ago, I used Star Office in an office setting and I realize how frustrating it can be when you are trying to produce a professional doc and you don't know how to change a style, etc.

There’s some type of package which i would install to turn xfce most Windows-like?

If you do not mind looking through the [email protected] community, there are several windows style desktops, some more complicated than others. I think one used a Windows theme on XFCE like you have.

I hope some others have some good ideas with this, because I know they are out there.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 years ago

i have already give a look at UnixPorn before, i was a little afraid trying something like those desktops, but you're right, i'm gonna try some of them

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 years ago (1 children)

Try installing KDE. It is not much more resource heavy than default xfce these days and much friendlier to windows users.

As for Word alternatives, try the OnlyOffice desktop editors. They are pretty close to MS word with ribbon interface. But they are basically a electron app, so performace might not be so good.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 years ago* (last edited 3 years ago) (1 children)

OnlyOffice could take so much resources for this case. I still want to know the kind of computers they own.

In my case, most of the environments I configure run Intel Celeron from 2013 and 4 GB of RAM. That works well with GNOME and similar.

In more limited cases then I run XFCE and customize it to the user.

BTW, KDE can run perfectly with Firefox and LibreOffice opened in Devuan with 1 GB of RAM and being still smooth.

I tested the version available with Devuan Beowulf (Debian Buster) but didn't try with Debian directly. I also used x86_32 builds of the OS and didn't test the x86_64 variant.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 years ago* (last edited 3 years ago) (2 children)

My specs are a bit low low-end

-Intel Celeron G460 1.6Ghz -Intel 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics -2gb ram ddr3

edit: those specs are nearly for many of my desktops, some have a slightly different x86 or amd64 cpu, but many have an Intel Celeron, so i'm just gonna take the their majority for now.

I was a bit afraid of trying KDE for some comments i have read about it consuming a lot of ram as gnome, but i'll try it and see how it works.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 years ago* (last edited 3 years ago) (1 children)

The computer in which I tested KDE used a Pentium D low-end processor. DDR2 RAM memory. It used 2 GB in the begining, but a module got broken so I tested it with just a module of 1 GB of RAM.

For GNOME, I would recommend 3 GB of RAM for use in offices and Intel Celeron N2xxx which is the lowest hardware I tested in both builds (x86_32 and x86_64). Well, I tested it too with 2 GB of RAM but using 32 bits builds.

My specs are a bit low low-end

Don't worry at all about this. At least in my case, you can trust I use to test it in low-end hardware as I don't see necessary more for most people. I even finished SysAdmin vocational training course (well, I need to do the practices in a real company yet) with similar similar specs but increasing RAM to 8 GB for several VMs and finishing using no more than 4 GB in general (and most of my classmates suffering with 8th Gen i5 processors and 16 GB of RAM).

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 years ago

Thanks for sharing your experience on low end hardware my dude, i really appreciated it, that will help me a lot, thank you.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 years ago (1 children)

Contrary to Gnome (which has only gotten AFAIK heavier), KDE has put a lot of effort into becoming more lightweight as part of the efforts to make it run on Smartphones (Plasma Mobile).

You could try to run Collabora Office remotely on a faster server and let people use it in a browser. The UI is a bit more simple than regular LibreOffice which Collabora Office uses internally on the server. But I would try OnlyOffice first (which has the option to run locally or on a server).

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 years ago* (last edited 3 years ago)

I have only used Collabora on Android, definitely i'll take a look at it's server. Thank you so much.

also i'm gonna try running KDE at my personal desktop (which is way better than my office's) on a vm and see how it works, if it works well, probably that's the way i'll take on my office's desktops.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 years ago (1 children)

Its cool that you want to spread Debian, but its really a people issue than a linux issue. Some people don't like change and I imagine that the person are just happy to use Windows as that's what they are used to. But don't get deterred! Show them how amazing Debian can be!

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 years ago

I'll raise rent for anyone able to use Linux properly. This will give them some motivation lol

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 years ago

IMO Cinnamon DE or MATE are the most like Windows desktop.

If they don't like Libreoffice you could get them on OnlyOffice or WPS Office instead. Those are both better.

I don't see XFCE or KDE to be beginners desktop environments to be candid. They're great desktops but from a beginner perspective you probably want Cinnamon. Deepin is getting there but it's buggy. Cinnamon is the easiest, MATE is good on system resources. But XFCE is too bare bones for some people.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 years ago* (last edited 3 years ago)

Here, I saw more successful GNOME vanilla design than the rest in home and with some know people.

Mostly in non-tech people. It takes a little time to work without the "Desktop" in mind but they finish finding it handy to work. They even try shortcuts that they never tested on Windows.