[HLUG] ComputerActive and LINUX

[Chris Owens]

Hello everyone

    For what it's worth this rambling letter is what I wrote to
ComputerActive and the reply
I got - one small step!!

      "Chris Owens" <cowens at clara.co.uk>         22/01/2006 14:33
        To:        "Computeractive" <letters at computeractive.co.uk>
        Subject:        Re: Linux

"May I respond to your call for views on Linux (Issue 207 p80).

    Having subscribed to your magazine for several years, I have had a lot
of enjoyment, information and practical help from it addressing, as it does,
the sort of difficulties home users have with computers. It has great
strengths notably use of clear understandable text with explanation of
specialist jargon where necessary. As time progresses though, a defect is
emerging that may eventually lead to me discontinuing my subscription and
that is its seemingly sole commitment to the Microsoft monopoly made worse
by occasional unfavourable comment towards Linux in terms of its cost,
security and ease of use.

    Certainly you may buy Linux Distributions but many if not most are also
free and freely available (such as on the cover of Linux Format or the
Internet). Certainly security will become an issue as more hackers turn
their attention to Linux but there are arguments to support the notion that
the very structure of the Linux File trees are inherently more secure than
those used in Windows. Certainly Linux has awkward bits but so does Windows
the difference being that Linux home use is at an early stage of
development, for Windows there is no excuse. Further, for the home user,
many of the Linux teething troubles are being smoothed out, it is a
completely transparent system that offers the chance for the enthusiasts
(with a bit of help) to get involved and address problems which is more than
can be said for the opaque, convoluted and inherently flawed Microsoft
systems where any probing amateur enthusiast is rewarded by system failure
or worse the threat of litigation.

    You have a great commercial opportunity here to take the home enthusiast
into the Linux world. Not by becoming a specialist journal but in the same
excellent way you have for Windows using your clear text and simple
educational approaches. You would at the same time contribute towards the
Open Source community which needs all the public exposure and momentum it
can get as it comes under increasing pressure from the major corporations as
they seek to exploit patent and copyright law to stifle competition. Even
now Linux supports some applications that are arguably superior to their
Windows counterparts so why not help your readership and a wider community
to enjoy them.

    I just don't quite understand you reticence, what could be more ethical
and constructive than running copy on Linux parallel to your understandable
Windows commitment, just doing what you are good at but in another
(potential very useful) direction. You could even put an occasional free CD
or DVD in the pack! "

"Dear  Chris, We're currently planning a feature on how to create a boot
disk to run a Linux operating system, and it will appear around March or
April.

Regards,

Paul Allen
Deputy Editor"



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