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

[Andy Wootton]

Peter Cannon wrote:

>On Wednesday 18 May 2005 15:58, Andy Wootton wrote:
>  
>
>You got a Porche then?
>  
>
I have a 1 Litre Daihatsu because I value resource efficiency above 
speed. Hence my need to beg steam-powered memory off you recently to 
keep my 486 on the road.

>Actually I also agree with most of what you said (I've read Aq's mail) my main 
>concern is that Linux is trumpeted as Free, Open and come in our paddling 
>pool is better than that bastard gates's
>
>...My view is you cant on 
>the one hand promote Linux as superior to Windows and then pull the draw 
>bridge up and like that hair product advert "Ooh its not for you its only for 
>professionals"
>
>You probably didn't mean it to come across to me like it did 
>
Time for a confession I think - the original statement was a joke. I 
started to write a retraction when I saw the fuss I'd caused but I 
decided that I actually think most computers are too hard to use for the 
average customer who isn't interested in them. Anyone with the level of 
interest to find this list or attend meetings is capable of educating 
themselves to use Linux but many people are about as interested in their 
computer as I am in my car. I'm sure most PC users didn't read through 
the manual that tells them how to take it out of the box before they got 
bored.

>but my knee jerk 
>reaction was "Here we go its that *only experts should use Linux*" syndrome 
>again. The last time I got in spat about this was when I first got into this 
>stuff over two years ago I still see it now on other lists guys who know 
>their stuff but wont part with the knowledge because they don't want everyone 
>stealing their thunder.
>  
>
I wasn't here then but my career experience is that people who won't 
share knowledge don't know much. Those that do share may only tell you 
just enough to work the next bit out yourself though. It comes from 
hacking's Zen master traditions. They want to help you to learn, not 
tell you the answer. I remember a guy in my first computing job. I'd ask 
him a question and he'd rephrase it and tell me to look it up in the 
manual (a floor to ceiling bookshelf.) It was ages before I realised he 
wasn't a sadist but was feeding me a term that he knew I would find in 
the index. After a few months I knew where everything was located in the 
manuals and I didn't need to bother him as often.

>There are a hell of a lot of Linux bod's that see it as a sort of closed shop 
>and hate newbies as it means there is no longer a dark secret that only they 
>have the answer too.
>
You have to bare in mind that a voluntary leisure-time interest in an 
obscure, complex operating system is probably a fairly good indicator of 
a personalty disorder. Add to that the fact that all us newbies all keep 
having the same problems...

Woo