[Wolves] Linux for idiots Was: Why does Ubuntu want the CD to install portmap?

[Andy Wootton]

Peter Cannon wrote:

>On Monday 16 May 2005 22:35, Andy Wootton wrote:
>  
>
>>I'm worried that Linux is getting easy enough for idiots to use.
>>    
>>
>
>So is Linux just for University attendees, sysadmins and geeks then?
>  
>
I think it depends what you mean by Linux. In my defence I had just been 
reading http://www.linuxsucks.org/ where the debate is at the "leave it 
Darren, he ain't worf it" level, including those defending the penguin's 
honour.

An analogy: My 30 year old nephew just bought himself an old Porche. His 
Mum bought him a Porsche driving lesson for his birthday but he didn't 
bother to arrange it before he collected the car. It didn't survive the 
day. When I said "idiots" I really meant "People who aren't willing to 
put in the necessary  effort". Computing power costs money and/or time. 
If Linux turns out to have a bit too much power in the back end for 
their driving skills then all their friends will hear is that "Linux sucks".

Porsches are well engineered cars but they were built for a specialist 
market and are dangerous. You can fit them with automatic transmissions, 
speed limiters and baby seats to make them less dangerous but wouldn't 
Darren be better off with a thin skin over his Ford Fiesta(*) that make 
the features of a sports car that he cares about available at lower 
cost, leaving the real thing to those willing to learn how to handle the 
power?

I think I've stretched that analogy to breaking point so I'll stop. I'm 
talking about thin clients and information services - probably supplied 
by educated sysadmis and geeks, yes. I have no idea how to fix my car 
when it breaks and I don't care. I'm not interested. I don't like 
getting dirty and I wouldn't be any good at it.

* Would it be wrong of me to patent the expression "Thin-client Porche"?

Woo