1.2.1. Is Linux difficult?
Whether Linux is difficult to learn depends on the person you're
asking. Experienced UNIX users will say no, because Linux is an
ideal operating system for power-users and programmers, because it
has been and is being developed by such people.
Everything a good programmer can wish for is available:
compilers, libraries, development and debugging tools. These
packages come with every standard Linux distribution. The
C-compiler is included for free - as opposed to many UNIX
distributions demanding licensing fees for this tool. All the
documentation and manuals are there, and examples are often
included to help you get started in no time. It feels like UNIX and
switching between UNIX and Linux is a natural thing.
In the early days of Linux, being an expert was kind of required
to start using the system. Those who mastered Linux felt better
than the rest of the "lusers" who hadn't
seen the light yet. It was common practice to tell a beginning user
to "RTFM" (read the manuals). While the
manuals were on every system, it was difficult to find the
documentation, and even if someone did, explanations were in such
technical terms that the new user became easily discouraged from
learning the system.
The Linux-using community started to realize that if Linux was
ever to be an important player on the operating system market,
there had to be some serious changes in the accessibility of the
system.
