[SWLUG] linux newbie

[Adam Rykala]

On 3 Sep 2005, at 00:08, Gavin wrote:

> One that I do have is that my partner has no interest in learning  
> Linux with me and shall forever remain one of Bill's followers  
> (Until I say otherwise, that is.)

You could do what I did - buy a Mac - or more precisely an iBook.

Sorry if it sounds sacrilegious but me and my wife recently bought  
Mac's (she has a Powerbook). You have the BSD base, access to 2500+  
packages from Fink and/or DarwinPorts (from which I now have GnuPlot/ 
Maxima and Octave ;-) and an absolutely beautifully designed UI.

Although I still have Linux here (my Ubuntu box is acting as a router  
- until I get a Mac Mini next year ;) ) I have to admit I wonder why  
I didn't do this years ago... the big selling point for me was  
something not pc-related.

I have a PodXT (Guitar FX unit) and running the software for it to  
update it/buy model packs/download sounds in VMWare or its ilk was  
temperamental and it never worked. I have a Mac native version, plus  
I have GarageBand for producing demo's.

If you want to lessen someone's dependence on MS, yet still have  
access to programs etc they may need (a la Office) and have a *nix-y  
base I don't think you can go far wrong ;-)

....

-- 

Adam Rykala
adam at rykala.demon.co.uk

"Science, like nature must also be tamed,
With a view towards its preservation"