Any recommended OCR software for Linux?

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

I appreciate things have got better; maybe Linux has got as easy to use for the end-user as Windows, but I am doubtful.

Depends on the end-user. If all you need to do is browse the internet, get email and type/print the occasional book report (and let's face it; that's a huge chunk of end-users), then yeah... Linux has pretty-much gotten as easy to use as Windows.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by Sarmat89

And the deficiencies of DEB format are clear for any user who searches for extra software (because Debian repository is virtually dead due to lack of maintainers), as its way of specifying dependencies and keeping all installed packages in a text file (!!) will prevent installing most of the software.

I just checked.

debian buster has 89968 packages, up 30% from the 68911 in stretch.

Which distribution has more packages than that?

(and do you ever traffic in actual facts?)

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Depends on the end-user. If all you need to do is browse the internet, get email and type/print the occasional book report (and let's face it; that's a huge chunk of end-users), then yeah... Linux has pretty-much gotten as easy to use as Windows.

And that has been the case for at least 15 years.

[Pajamaman]

Originally Posted by rcentros

sudo apt install packageName

This is what I mean. I appreciate that it is possible to install software on Linux via double-clicking on a package, but...sudo apt install is the go-to and default method of installing software on the OS. It says much about the core paradigm of the OS. Which again, is not a criticism.

Can you imagine explaining how to install software via the command prompt in Windows or even Mac? I could have a go, but...I'm not sure it would work. Linux and Windows come from two different paradigms. I doubt the Linux interface will ever be as dumb-user friendly as Windows because it was fundamentally never conceived for them. Which again, is fine.

[Pajamaman]

Edit: repeated.

[Pajamaman]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Depends on the end-user. If all you need to do is browse the internet, get email and type/print the occasional book report (and let's face it; that's a huge chunk of end-users), then yeah... Linux has pretty-much gotten as easy to use as Windows.

But judging by the original topic of this thread, if you want to OCR something, which IMO is not super-advanced user stuff, it is a lot harder to do in Linux than it is in Windows.

Linux is fine for super generic tasks (mail, browse, office suites), but for anything even slightly more, then you are going to hit those limitations.

[Pajamaman]

So is Mint the same as Ubuntu, but just better (i.e. equal driver support)? If I go with Linux again in the future, I would for sure go for the most standard distro with the most support. Mint sounds a bit like Ubuntu+. How is it better than Ubuntu?

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

But judging by the original topic of this thread, if you want to OCR something, which IMO is not super-advanced user stuff, it is a lot harder to do in Linux than it is in Windows.

That's fair.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

So is Mint the same as Ubuntu, but just better (i.e. equal driver support)? If I go with Linux again in the future, I would for sure go for the most standard distro with the most support. Mint sounds a bit like Ubuntu+. How is it better than Ubuntu?

Mint is just more "ready to use" than Ubuntu, in my opinion. That's why I recommend it to beginners. Mint also has a bit of a performance advantage on older hardware than Ubuntu (also my opinion). Proprietary media codecs come pre-loaded on Mint, so users don't have to find the right codecs to play their media. Not that it's impossible to install them in Ubuntu, or anything, but it's one less thing (or 12) to worry about. I also think Mint's Software Manager is a bit snappier and more streamlined than Ubuntu's.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

IME on Linux, simply using the OS borders on development. Heaven forbid there is no driver for your printer. I recall looking up a driver for a common device (this was a few years back) and the responder to the question suggested the user learn how to write the driver themself, and that it would a valuable experience. It's better to learn how to do things yourself I may as well learn to build a combustion engine according to that thinking, and how to machine off the shelf parts too.

Personally I buy printers that I know will work with Linux. I like to solve problems instead of complaining.

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

I appreciate things have got better; maybe Linux has got as easy to use for the end-user as Windows, but I am doubtful.

I can completely install and update Linux Mint in about 35 minutes on dual-core (pre-2010) computers. This includes the installation of codecs, drivers and all standard applications. Windows can't come close.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Mint is just more "ready to use" than Ubuntu, in my opinion. That's why I recommend it to beginners. Mint also has a bit of a performance advantage on older hardware than Ubuntu (also my opinion). Proprietary media codecs come pre-loaded on Mint, so users don't have to find the right codecs to play their media. Not that it's impossible to install them in Ubuntu, or anything, but it's one less thing (or 12) to worry about. I also think Mint's Software Manager is a bit snappier and more streamlined than Ubuntu's.

Yep. That's been my experience (though, admittedly, I haven't tried installing Ubuntu lately). Another thing Linux Mint does better (in my opinion) is that it, by default, enables the "extra" repositories that Ubuntu doesn't. With a Linux Mint one of the first things I do after installation is install JOE (Joe's Own Editor). With Ubuntu I have to install an "extras" repository first. Not a big deal, but an extra step.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

So is Mint the same as Ubuntu, but just better (i.e. equal driver support)? If I go with Linux again in the future, I would for sure go for the most standard distro with the most support. Mint sounds a bit like Ubuntu+. How is it better than Ubuntu?

Mostly Linux Mint's desktops Cinnamon, Mate and Xfce are configured like Windows 7, so it's more familiar to a Windows user. Plus, as DiapDealer made clear, most everything you need is pre-loaded.

In my personal opinion, Gnome 3 — as configured on Ubuntu — seems more like change for change sake. But some people like it a lot. Choice is good.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

This is what I mean. I appreciate that it is possible to install software on Linux via double-clicking on a package, but...sudo apt install is the go-to and default method of installing software on the OS. It says much about the core paradigm of the OS. Which again, is not a criticism.

No sudo apt install... is not normally the go-to method of installing Linux Mint applications. I like it (when I know exactly what application I'm installing) because it's quicker and more efficient to work in the CLI rather than use the mouse in the GUI. But new users (and folks like my dad) have never used the sudo apt install method. I'm guessing most new users don't. I do click on a on a downloaded .deb package (single-click for me, but that's optional) rather than using the sudo apt install ./nameofpackage option.

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

Can you imagine explaining how to install software via the command prompt in Windows or even Mac? I could have a go, but...I'm not sure it would work. Linux and Windows come from two different paradigms. I doubt the Linux interface will ever be as dumb-user friendly as Windows because it was fundamentally never conceived for them. Which again, is fine.

Again, most new (and many long-time) users don't install any applications in Linux Mint using the CLI. Linux Mint comes "pre-built" with two GUI applications for installing applications that are in the repository. Software Manager (which is something like a Google Play store with icons and categories and search options) and the Package Manager (Synaptics), which is text-based, but can also be browsed via categories (I use the filter).

I've attached a couple screenshots to show what I mean.

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by rcentros

Personally I buy printers that I know will work with Linux. I like to solve problems instead of complaining.

The long history of people not doing this no doubt the origin of the expression "crying in your CUPS" #TooEasy #SorryNotSorry

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

Linux is fine for super generic tasks (mail, browse, office suites), but for anything even slightly more, then you are going to hit those limitations.

I didn't realize all those linux supercomputers out there are only running super generic tasks.