Linux Usability... Err Linux what?

From time to time I end up discussing Linux's ease of use (like this evening). On the "Linux is the best" side I often see a Linux advocate. This is typically a person with above average computer skills and one who likes to fiddle around with server settings using strange command-line interface.

The conversation usually goes like this:

Linux Dude

We should put Linux on every computer in the company.

Me:

Why?

Linux Dude

It would solve all our security problems

Me:

What security problems?

Linux Dude

Like the one last week - the one Microsoft patched

Me:

Did our firewall not block that?

Linux Dude

Well, yes - but what if it didn't

Me:

Shouldn't we get another firewall then?

Linux Dude

It would not be the same.

Me:

...

Linux Dude

But, it would also be cheaper

Me:

What - In what way?

Linux Dude

It's free - you know that

Me:

True, but what about the added support cost - user training, ease of use and lack of consistency?

Linux Dude

What do you mean?

Me:

Usability

Linux Dude

Linux is usable - The latest [inset Linux variation here] looks almost the same as Windows, but with a ton of extra features.

Me:

Features usually make a system harder to use. But I will admit that Linux is getting better, but Microsoft and Apple are still way ahead.

Linux Dude

Yeah, but Linux is at least 95% as usable as Windows

Me:

You know, you just proved my point...

Linux Dude

What?

Me:

If a product is 5% less usable than another it will mean loss of efficiency. This alone would easily cover the cost of Windows XP/Mac OS X. It would also mean that you have increased need for user-support.

But the most important thing is that it can lower the motivation level. You know how that is. If I send you a task that you do not like it will take you a week to do it. If I instead send you a fun task, you will finish it instantly - even do it in your spare time.

(At this point the discussion breaks down...)

I do think that Linux is an interesting product. It is usable as a server tool - where usability is secondary to technology - but not for people, where usability is paramount.

To give an example, something I noticed a few hours ago. FireFox 0.9 is out and in order to install it you have to do this:

Windows:

Double click the FirefoxSetup-0.9.exe to start the installer.

Linux:

Extract the tarball and run the installer like so:

tar -xzvf firefox-0.9-i686-linux-gtk2+xft.tar.gz cd firefox-0.9-i686-linux-gtk2+xft/ ./firefox-installer