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Tony Pursell wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid41EEE8BA.18005.2C5DD27@localhost" type="cite">
<pre wrap="">I feel I've got to have my 2p of random thoughts about this one.
First thought is that if we look at the really broad picture, we have
got to forget about self-installs and encourage the trade in
pre-installed Linux for the ordinary person in the street. This is
the only way it will break through into the wider consumer market. We
have got to make Linux as easy as Windows, which means that it
comes pre-installed and additional software can be installed as easy as
double clicking on a setup.exe.
</pre>
</blockquote>
<br>
In my Suse install I double click on a RPM and install. <br>
<br>
<br>
Whereas I agree that Linux isn't yet as mainstream as I would like,
Windows /= ease of use. You're mistaking familarity there. Years of
dealing with Windows clients and servers in a senior support/admin role
have convinced me of that. I'd take Linux over Win any day.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<blockquote cite="mid41EEE8BA.18005.2C5DD27@localhost" type="cite">
<pre wrap="">My experience installing Debian was, I have to admit, less than
satisfactory. I had a lot of problems with the configuration of X. I
eventually got it working, only to have my custom configuration file
splatted by the update I did. Windows update has never done anything
like that to me! I still don't have sound working.
</pre>
</blockquote>
Debian's install isn't known for its user friendliness, but there's
Xandros, Linspire, Mandrake even SuSe who aim for the one click factor.
When I do updates in SuSe it doesn't overwrite willynilly. I've
upgraded XFree to X.org and my custom written XF86Config was untouched.
Ditto with Postfix and Courier-Imap upgrades, etc etc.....<br>
<br>
<blockquote cite="mid41EEE8BA.18005.2C5DD27@localhost" type="cite">
<pre wrap="">On the plus side, Ubuntu looks good run from the Live CD. It really
begins to look the biz. Something approaching a PC system. No
problem with X and there is sound! And its based on Debian! But it
still doesn't run TaxCalc or Money, so I will still need Windows.
There is a real chicken and egg problem here. Until use of Linux is
widespread I won't be able to go into W H Smith's and pick up next
year's Tax Calc for it to £25, and until I can, I won't be able to
just use Linux....
'Nuff said for now
</pre>
</blockquote>
If one app is making you shy away from Linux, then perhaps Linux isn't
for you... but there's a long way between that and "isn't ready for
anyone". <br>
<br>
Perhaps this will be an unpopular opinion but I'm not waiting, or
hoping for Linux to sweep away Windows in that way. Linux works
excellently for me, I've been Linux only since 2000 and it's never been
an issue that something isn't available, I just find alternatives....
The success or failure of Linux on the desktop is moot for me, I don't
care. It works for me. I don't want to see insecure practises and
methods shoehorned into Linux to make it popular with people who don't
want to learn the *nix way.<br>
<br>
For what apps I allegedly lose, I gain - for my degree course I have
Maxsyma, Octave, Gnuplot, KStars, Xephem, OOffice.org.... I've done
reports and presentations with OOffice and its wonderful ;-)<br>
<br>
As I said it isn't a personal flame, I just despair of XP themes for
KDE or Gnome, calls for an XP start menu, OS X style Docks etc. What I
like about Linux is the power. The shell is a godsend. When my wife
finished installing her SuSe box she started using it, and then
realised she didn't have a web editor installed she liked. SO while she
was working i ssh'ed in, started Yast and installed Quanta and Mozilla
Composer.<br>
<br>
She's now (as both of us) on KDE 3.4 beta 1.....<br>
<br>
I'm not flaming you, or anyone here. Its just my view. I started on 8
bit micro's, went to CP/M and then used Unix in a IT environment, then
heading onto Win 3.11/WfWG and then NT Server admin. I used to love my
X box with CDE in work, and preferred using that to any Win box, even
when it was in mono only ;)<br>
<br>
The most telling indicator for me was my wife, who isn't particular
techy and uses her pc as a tool. When her XP machine went ****up last
year she was using my Linux box for a month. She loved it so much that
last week, when her XP install just keeled over and died (as it did on
a bi-monthly basis without fail - and it wasn't spyware - she's a good
admin of her own box and has no truck with Bonzi Buddy's, Smiley
Central and the like - in fact SC launches her into a tirade of cusses
;-) ) she said "**** IT" and grabbed my SuSe DVD, and is now happily
using Quanta, OpenOffice and Firefox on her machine and in her own
words "Why didn't I do this years ago"?<br>
<br>
She even installed it herself... And she's beginning to learn the love
that is shell scripting ;-)<br>
<br>
We're currently in the process of ruining my degree (exam week in
cf.ac.uk ;-) ) by discovering the joys of our own Tetrinet server. I
wonder if F/OSS has ever been quoted in divorce papers? ;-)<br>
<br>
a<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<blockquote cite="mid41EEE8BA.18005.2C5DD27@localhost" type="cite">
<pre wrap="">
Tony Pursell
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</pre>
</blockquote>
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<td valign="top"><font size="2"><em>Adam Rykala</em>
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<td valign="bottom"><font size="2"><i>Paradise is exactly like
where you are right now ... only much, much
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better.
<br>
-- Laurie Anderson
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