this post was submitted on 13 Jan 2025
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[–] [email protected] 52 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

I haven't seen the video, but that title does not seem correct. Pretty sure it would be her choice to use Ubuntu that got her to drop out. I don't believe Canonical/Ubuntu can force someone out of college.

If you don't like me writing when I haven't seen the video, then please post some TL;DW info, so we all know what's going on without having to watch a youtube video.

[–] [email protected] 66 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

Watched the first few seconds: non tech person buys a laptop with Linux instead of Windows without realizing, can't install required software. Stupid story.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

So I was right. She chose (maybe unknowingly) to run Ubuntu and dropped out because she couldn't install the software required. Not Ubuntu's fault at all.

[–] Enkers 34 points 2 weeks ago

Yep, pretty much.

If you watch to the end, the reason she can't get to her online classes was because her ISP's configuration CD was windows only.

So if we're looking to find fault, it's partly Dell for insisting everything would just work, partly Verizon for not having a good Linux process, and partly her for not just calling her ISP for tech support.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 2 weeks ago

The same thing might have happened if she bought a Mac and needed some Windows only software.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 2 weeks ago

Also worth adding, since this story was big many years ago, when the college was contacted they were fine with her laptop. They had no requirement that she use Wimdows.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 weeks ago

And then went to TV to complain

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Why couldnt she just install windows? Or use a virtual machine? How is her only option dropping out? It seems like she lacked even basic planning and problem solving skills and if it wasnt this that made her give up it would've been something else.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 weeks ago

non tech person

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Vm 16 years ago no where near as easy as now or as capable.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 weeks ago

I had a vm running in 2007 or 2008, but regardless she didnt even need windows for her classes. She just couldn't figure out how to get her internet set up and could've just called verizon. Totally helpless and probably would have been thrown the first time she ran into a problem with windows as well.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

It's dumb as shit. It's not completely her fault. From the video, it seems she knew the laptop came with Ubuntu, and she bought it anyway (price difference maybe? They don't mention why she opted for that one). The blame should be on Dell, they convinced her that it was good.
Edit: forgot to say that Ubuntu has nothing to do with this. They had no hand in this whole thing at all.