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<DIV><SPAN class=187325209-19102006><FONT face=Verdana color=#0000ff>Hi
Folks</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=187325209-19102006><FONT face=Verdana
color=#0000ff></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=187325209-19102006><FONT face=Verdana color=#0000ff>Ubuntu user
- have been now for a couple of years and fairly happy with it. I do find
the lack of a good wysiwig/drag and drop form and page IDE
for PHP/HTML annoying (unless someone out there knows of one). I use
NVU at the moment but it is not far removed from a context sensitive text
editor. Otherwise Linux is great and getting better all the
time. I used to have CLAM AV but found that it slowed my tired 1.2
Ghz box too much. As for firewalls, my Netgear router seems to do
fine. The beauty of modern/recent Linuxes is that as WIMP interfaces
such as Gnome and KDE to mention but a few are evolving, you can do most things
using a mouse and keyboard, but yet a handy terminal window is a mouse click
away.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=187325209-19102006><FONT face=Verdana
color=#0000ff></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=187325209-19102006><FONT face=Verdana color=#0000ff>Sorry I
miss the LUGS but a bit busy right now, as fully involved with a startup
biz. I may make one in the new year.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=187325209-19102006><FONT face=Verdana
color=#0000ff></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=187325209-19102006><FONT face=Verdana color=#0000ff>All the
best Angelo.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=187325209-19102006><FONT face=Verdana
color=#0000ff></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
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<DIV></DIV>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left><FONT
face=Tahoma size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>
sussex-bounces@mailman.lug.org.uk [mailto:sussex-bounces@mailman.lug.org.uk]
<B>On Behalf Of </B>Ian mu<BR><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, 19 October 2006
10:23<BR><B>To:</B> LUG email list for the Sussex Counties<BR><B>Subject:</B>
Re: [Sussex] What path does one take<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV>Hiya all, I agree pretty much with most of whats been said in the other
responses, the LUGs are fundamentally for anything within the context of Linux
and doesn't need to be any more significant than that really, even something
not specifically Linux but may be of interest to people who run it (assuming
not trolling :)). There's a couple of bits I probably disagree with a little,
but thats maybe not part of the initial mails questions, but feel like
including them anyway for thoughts.... </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>First thing is I do think usability does matter as much as freedom
really. I think this is still one of the main issues with Linux and why its
growing, but not really being grabbed. Dists like Ubuntu I think have helped a
lot with this, by having things like xubuntu, kubuntu, edubuntu, server ubuntu
etc as well, to try and have something within the same base but tailored for
each setup needed (more than windows does in fact). </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>However, whilst there's some more usable dists now (I guess I'm
overlapping usability with userfriendliess a bit too much), there's still a
big hole for when things "go wrong", and things do still go wrong with Linux
just as much as windows. Or probably more in fact if you throw as much apps
like people do on their Windows boxes and as much new hardware etc. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Just as an example in one box I have here, I have a creative x-fi card.
There's no way to get it working in Linux until 2007, end of story (as far as
I know anyway). Thats not a fault of Linux, but creative. But there are these
little scenarios all over the place. Some hardware doesn't work, some doesn't
have properly developed drivers etc. This for me comes under the usability
umbrella, and for any "average" person this would be a big problem. People
don't really want to buy hardware to fit an o.s (same can be levelled at other
o.s's though, not unique to Linux).</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I still hate Linux when X fails to display (assuming that happens, happy
with console, but obviously for desktops its not ideal). This is one of my
huge annoyances with Linux in truth (and yet I still love it ;)), xfree/xorg,
resolutions, refresh rates, etc. This is again basic usability, but its hard
to find a dist with a decent ability to let you get even the display set up
correctly and easily, and even harder if you get a problem. So I think Linux
has a long long way to go with this. I can even remember a year ago someone
harping on about debian so I thought I'd try it and it didn't even have
/dev/psaux set up in install and I was wtf? Is this "really" usable? Sure I
can make anything usable given enough time on it. This is where the usability
for me is as important as the freedom, and I think too far this is weighted in
the wrong direction. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I admire Desmonds strenght with introducing Linux to home users (not sure
if they have a required level of technical skill before you would do it
though?). I'd probably run a mile at doing in on some peoples machines hehe. I
do think there's a bit of a misnomer from your experience though. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>This is mainly the Linux is more stable, no viruses, etc argument. It's
hard to disagree, but I think importantly there's a couple of problems
with this. There are actually viruses for Linux, but not many of them. How
many here are using a virus checker for Linux I'd be interested to know, and
how many out there in the big bad world? How many are running unpatched
kernels, systems not up to date etc, no firewall ? From what I can see
when I speak to people actually a surprisingly huge amount I find. The
security and stability of any o.s I find down to the security mindedness of
the person, people throw in more of their custom solutions while overlooking
flaws. The more stable a system, typically the older it is. Most people want
their cake and eat it I find, want bleeding edge and stable. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>So I take the opinion that Linux is only really more stable and less
viruses because less software is typically installed on it and people have
false confidence in it. There are certainly some other reasons why its less
likely a virus would have the same impact solely due to numbers, but as an o.s
gains popularity and more software comes along to make things easier and more
usable, invariably more holes are introduced. I find that fairly
inevitable.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Having rambled on like a loon, I'd be interested in how other people see
Linux with issues like that. I still love Linux more than Windows, but I do
have moments when Linux bugs me still and find the things I love about it also
part of the problems. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Sorry if I dragged it off topic a bit, but thought it had been quiet
enough on the subject to just ramble on a bit :)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Ian</DIV>
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