this post was submitted on 03 Feb 2022
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People do know how to learn, they just have different priorities than you and are focused on learning other things that could very well fall outside of what you believe is worth learning. Again, this is the kind of ego inflation I'm talking about-- this idea that "wow people just need to learn how to learn", it's just condescending nonsense.
Out of curiosity, how many languages do you speak fluently?
Then that's their fault, and not the installers. Tools require at least some knowledge to use them. If someone doesn't acquire this knowledge they will at best break their tools (which is pretty difficult with computers) or at worst hurt others. The comparison isn't with "would you learn useless language x" but "would you learn language x if you plan to move to a country where it is the official language".
Some tools are easier to learn than others, because of the nature of their design. If a tool was over-engineered and its alternative was perceived as more straightforward by the average user, the fault of why the former tool didn't sell well lies with the creators of said tool.
I didn't say the comparison was about useless languages-- why are you putting words in my mouth? An English speaking American could very well enrich their life by learning Spanish but if they chose not to for various reasons, this arrogant notion that they need to "learn how to learn" is just nonsense. I find it very weird that you assumed I was referring to "useless languages".
Most countries have more than one official language. For a country with say, two official (or unofficial but widely recognized) languages like the USA, the point here is that monolingual people don't need to "learn how to learn" simply because they're not bilingual.
It's funny, your response is exactly what I was talking about in another post about open source software developers' attitude when it comes to open source software that doesn't take off. That old Principal Skinner meme...
"Am I so out of touch??"
"No, it’s the users who are wrong."
When you said
I couldn't help but laugh because that's exactly the attitude I'm talking about.
Now if you'll excuse me... I have to put my white running shoes on, along with my cargo pants, fanny pack, graphic t-shirt and transition glasses before I go out to meet my date. Surely she will appreciate how functionally superior my clothing/accessory choices are compared to the "stylish" and "cool" clothes that only shallow people appreciate. Deodorant? A shower?? No thanks-- that stuff's for chumps! Right? If she doesn't, well then that's her fault, and not mine at all.
Yep, and modern computers are incredibly hard to understand tools, by nature of their design. By trying to hide this complexity from users you are creating more (unnessecary) complexity and through that make it even harder for users to understand how the system works all the while potentially limiting its usefulness. Free software is about enabling users to fully utilize their hardware, not about making them slaves to a software. Linux is the most practical FOSS OS we have and it works on 40 year old principles, like all other major operating systems. We should focus on making the most of it, not on hiding its age.
If you feel something could be solved in a better way you are free to do so or at least find someone to do so. If you are unable to find or comprehend existing documentation, for whatever reason, I'm certain you will find someone willing to help you in no time and free of charge. But don't complain if your only problem is that you want to stay ignorant.
The problem was that Linux installers are less over-engineered than some people feel they should be.
The point was, that if they don't want to learn spanish, then they have no business complaining about being unable to communicate when in spain.
Only one, but you're equating critical thinking with knowing another language and I dont know why. Its not like the docs are written in another language you can't understand.
The Ubuntu install guide literally walks you through every step of the process. I think even tells you how to figure out the steps you need to change the boot device.
Maybe I'm just being an asshole gatekeeper, I should probably tone it back a bit. I guess we should all want more linux users since that means better driver support (maybe) as adoption increases.
I think the problems I am angry about has more to do with a broadband connection in everyone's pockets making it easy for idiots' opinions to spread like wildfire into the real world.
Edit: yes I typed this on my phone the irony is not lost on me.
I'm not equating critical thinking with knowing another language. I'm using monolingual people as an example of people perfectly capable of critical thinking and learning, no different than people who are only familiar with Windows.
There’s infinite number of guides, tutorials, and if you can’t read theres YouTube videos for learning a new language-- just because you haven't learned a 2nd language, I don't believe that means you don't know how to learn.
There's little kids who are bilingual and multilingual, but I wouldn't point to them and ask a monolingual adult if they're less willing to learn than little kid.
And for what it's worth, my question to you about how many languages do you speak wasn't meant to be a jab-- I too am monolingual.