The New Year Linux Resolution: Day 7: The Stunning Conclusion!
January 9, 2009 by AshPringle
Filed under Gear
The plan: Ring in the new year by switching over to Linux for a week, documenting each day of the transition.
Day 7, Final impressions and a stunning conclusion!
Other days: Day One, Day Two, Day Three, Day Four, Day Five, Day Six
This last linuxy week (well, 9 days actually, because of my laziness) has been quite the adventure. We’ve laughed and cried, felt happiness and despair, vomited and vandalized, and most importantly of all, we’ve… loved.
Linux and I have gone through a lot together, and I dare say we might each have grown just a little bit. We’ve both learned from our mistakes, learned from each other, and, in a touching twist, we learned to forgive. If only Morgan Freeman were here to narrate today there wouldn’t be a dry eye in the house. (Goddammit Morgan, why do you demand such an exorbitant fee for appearances? And why does your rider require that so many rare Australasian mammals be in your trailer? You know I’m allergic!)
It’s sad to see it all come to an end, but it must be done; kind of like finally putting your favourite blanky in the garbage before your first day of University. (Oh how I miss you Mr. Doctor Snugglesworth! Obtaining a higher education was definitely not worth losing you!) So for my last day I’m going to look back on all the times we’ve had and give my final impressions on what I liked, what I disliked, and what I learned.
Unfortunately I didn’t have the resources to make a wicked-awesome montage, so I’ll just have to make do by summarizing. And what better way to summarize than with a summary! So join me for my final impressions and a stunning conclusion!
What I don’t like:
- The confusing amount of different names for things: KDE, Compiz, Compiz Fusion, Wubi, Gnome, Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Xubuntu, tomato, tomato, tomato, tomato, potato. It’s good to give features catchy names, but for the beginner it’s a bit overwhelming reading about all these different features and add-ons when you have no idea what’s going on. It’s a minor quibble, and each of these things does deserve its own name, but making it a bit more explicit what each of those things is would help newcomers feel a little bit less lost.
- Open Office’s spellcheck: It doesn’t work! I thought this problem was unique to my Windows installation of Open Office, but apparently it’s ubiquitous. It’s not Linux’s fault obviously, but it’s still strange; how has nobody noticed and done something about it? “Hey Doug, I got the spellcheck finished! Huh? Does it work? Well, no. But it’s done!” Or if it’s some sort of option you have to fiddle with, why isn’t it on by default?
- The wallpaper: I can’t seem to change the wallpaper of different desktops individually; If I change the desktop background it applies to every one. Maybe it’s just that I have almost no short-term memory, but I think I could better differentiate between different desktops that I was shifting between if I could give each one its own wallpaper. Plus then I could make one desktop say “You” and the second desktop say “Suck” so if anyone used my computer and switched between desktops they’d realize that they suck. Oh man, that would show them!
Yuor speel chekc is compleet. 0 erorrs wree fonud.
- The hardware issues: The first computer I used Linux with didn’t seem to want to cooperate at all, and I couldn’t use the wireless adapter or the graphics accelerator. Even the computer that did cooperate with Linux seemed to have some weird issues with various desktop effects; the computer kept telling me to tell Desktop Effects that it wouldn’t talk to Desktop Effects, and at one point Desktop Effects even drew a line down the middle of my apartment and threatened to “delegitate” the computer if it ever crossed it. Of course I imagine this is one of the hardest things for the developers to account for, given the myriad of different hardware configurations out there. I look forward to seeing the developers broaden Linux’s hardware support.
- Getting stabbed in the face with a number 2 pencil.
- Getting stabbed in the face with a number 3 pencil.
- You know what?: Getting stabbed in the face in general is something I don’t like. Just pretend that for every object that exists there is a line that says, “Getting stabbed in the face with a X,” where X is any physical object at all.
What I like:
- The speed: This is something I haven’t really mentioned before, but Linux is fast. I didn’t even notice until I went back and used my stupid Windows PC, which apparently confers to an international committee that must perform an arduous deliberation about whether to open Firefox every time I click the icon. Every operating system should run this fast.
- The comprehensive antivirus software: Which doesn’t exist because Linux doesn’t need it! Half the reason my Windows PC is so slow is because my antivirus software performs an unwarranted anal cavity search on every program I even think about running. It defeats the purpose of even having antivirus software, since it makes my computer run just as slow as if it were bogged down with all the junk it protects me from. With Linux there are no worries about that sort of thing, and it brings quite a peace of mind.
- The fire-writing desktop effect: How did I not notice this earlier? There is nothing more potent than the ability to write on your desktop in pure fire. Although I kind of half expect my computer to start sending me creepy messages about unsolved murders if I leave this effect on.
- The cost: Nothing! It’s, like, totally free! Like, free as hell, man. Its free-ness is akin to the freedom of not wearing pants when you’re home alone. If it were any free-er it would probably give you money.
- The clock: It lets you show you the calendar date, and even the weather! I could never understand why XP and the Mac OS never let you show the calendar date next to the time. It’s a little thing, but it’s those sorts of little details that make an operating system that much nicer. I mean, I don’t have to double click on the calendar hanging on my wall to check the date, do I Microsoft? Get with the times! (Pun totally intended, even though it’s really not very good.)
- File name-changes: When you change a file’s name Ubuntu doesn’t highlight the file’s extension. This is another detail that just shows the developers’ attention to usability. Give me one reason why I’d want to change the extension of a file every time I changed it’s name, XP. What’s that? That’s right, you can’t give me any reasons. Now go to your room!
What? Red rum? No Linux, you know white rum is my favourite.
- The pre-loaded software: Every operating system ought to come with basic office tools and programs. It just makes sense.
- The Add/Remove Programs application: Another feature that just makes sense. Hey other operating systems, why not include the option to quickly and easily obtain useful applications? Are you trying to hide something from us? Now go to your room!
- The soft purr of Sir Alphonso, my incredibly fat cat: As it eats three-day-old cheetos off my floor. Aw, you probabwy have diabwetes. Yes you do! Yes you do!
What I learned:
- Don’t install Linux straight from the Live disc onto an external hard drive? Um, that’s pretty much it. What can I say? I’m a crappy student. G for effort though!
In the end, it looks like I’ve found a third operating system to use. I definitely am not going to stop using Windows or my Mac, because both serve important purposes, and because I am open to poly-amorous relationships.
But Linux is perfect for doing simple things like web browsing, text-editing, and so on, due to its speed, simplicity and dependability, and I wouldn’t be surprised if I end up doing those things more with Linux than I do Windows. Of course, many things still require Windows, and I imagine that it is going to stay that way for quite some time. Nonetheless, I look forward to seeing how Linux improves its compatibility with all the hardware and software that is out there.
So for now I’m just going to sit back and use Linux for every day stuff, like a normal person. During this week I’ve had to cram a lot of Linux use in, all while writing stirring, compelling and dramatic posts about it, and it hasn’t left me with the leisure to casually explore a lot of Linux’s possibilities like a person typically would while using a computer. I had to avoid quite a few options for the sake of getting a story done, and sometimes didn’t get as in depth with some applications and features as I could have if I was just sitting around in my underwear with nothing to do.
So while my week with Linux is over, I plan on staying intimate with Linux, getting a new, more casual perspective on it, and some time in the future revisiting this series with some new impressions (most likely with a weekly feature.). So stay tuned for that! And of course in the mean time I’ll still be writing about other non-Linux stuff. (But I’ll be thinking about you the whole time Linux.)
And with that concludes the chronicles of my adventure-filled week with Linux!
Wait, there was supposed to be a stunning conclusion, wasn’t there? Um, so at the end I have to travel back in time to save Linux, but then it turns out that Linux in the past is actually just me when I was young, and Young Linux Me is forced to kill Old Me, and so it’s this crazy twist but it totally ties everything together so it all makes sense and some really sad violin music plays.
And… scene.
Other days: Day One, Day Two, Day Three, Day Four, Day Five, Day Six
Stumble It!
The New Year Linux Resolution: Day 2 | zMogo Tech Stuff on Fri, 9th Jan 2009 10:47 pm
[...] The New Year Linux Resolution: Day 7: The Stunning Conclusion! [...]
The New Year Linux Resolution: Day Four | zMogo Tech Stuff on Fri, 9th Jan 2009 10:48 pm
[...] The New Year Linux Resolution: Day 7: The Stunning Conclusion! [...]
oiaohm on Sat, 10th Jan 2009 4:47 am
Ok I think I know the openoffice one. It drives me up the wall as well.
If you don’t install the dict for you language as a extension it don’t work. Only way to find out is Tools-Options Language settings Language if you don’t have a tick next to the dict time to go to extensions and get it with openoffice 3.0
Default in Ubuntu is go-oo novell relation the last time I checked. So yes need to ask the question.
oiaohm on Sat, 10th Jan 2009 4:49 am
Sorry missed something important after adding dicts you have to close openoffice down completely and restart it so they appear.
That should get you out of your openoffice hell. Its a section I wish they would fix. With like a message sorry cannot spell check dic missing.
AndreasP on Sat, 10th Jan 2009 5:17 am
Hi very interesting to see a rookies perspective…
2 Questions: What the heck is “Ten-gallon Linux” as well as Beret??? They have to be plain old or just absolutly secretive.
EVEN Google cannot find anything. (Just for the 1st Try)
Besides if you love KDE then checkout OpenSUSE …
Why? Because Kubuntu is a project formed of volunteers unlike ubuntu.
2nd OpenSuSE is also based from volunteers, but the thing here is that a company which had the best KDE versions for YEARS, did fusion with NOVELL and they are now supporting and developing OpenSUSE together. Here it all started in 1992 in Nuremberg Germany…
Ubuntu is a “Distribution” (package) which is based of GNOME as a desktop environment.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNOME
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KDE
There are many other DESKTOP ENVIRONMENTS as well. (xfce, lxde…)
And now to KDE4: This Desktop is a complete re-development from KDE3 and it was released to the IT World in Google Headquarters. 2 Years of development before the first stable version of appr. 100 coders…
Look at http://planetkde.org/ (BLOG PLANET) and see what the devs are thinking about and spread this news. The more people are interested (in committing code too) the more everyone of us will gain.
Greets from germany
AndreasP
ps: (To the story itself: it could be a bogus
) ) but I do not know it.
Vincent on Sat, 10th Jan 2009 6:08 am
xD
You could, of course, write “You Suck” in fire
Anyway, I’m going to follow posts tagged
linuxon this site, and since you obviously want me to read your posts, you better write a lot about LinuxWodin on Sat, 10th Jan 2009 7:33 am
Amusing series of posts
Your use of “it’s” instead of “its” and “make due” instead of “make do” grate on my sensibilities a little, though
Also (and I understand this is because you have experience with Windows and Mac OS) your Windows/Mac preconceptions seem to hinder your enjoyment and/or understanding of Linux and its perceived shortcomings. e.g. Linux supports more hardware than any other Operating System on the planet. The fact that it doesn’t properly support your hardware is regrettable, but it is largely because the manufacturers of your hardware (possibly Broadcom for the wireless and Nvidia for the video) refuse to provide the documentation which would allow the Linux kernel or X11 developers to write drivers for it. Some vendors are becoming more open towards Linux developers, though (e.g. AMD/ATI and Atheros).
The situation with hardware manufacturers does not exist on Windows because all the hardware manufacturers write drivers for Windows (or else they would likely not be able to sell their hardware at all.) Some of them also write drivers for Linux, of course, but it is always better when the drivers are integrated into the Operating System and therefore don’t need to be installed separately as they do in Windows (e.g. you did not need to install drivers for your USB Pre-Amp or your printer.) One of the benefits of having the driver included in the OS instead of installed separately is that several similar devices can be supported by the same driver, instead of all having their own one. This means that there are likely more people working on the driver and fixing bugs. Also it means that people creating new hardware based on the same chips, e.g., don’t need to write their own driver, or possibly just need to make minor modifications to the existing driver. (e.g. most of the webcams in existence use the same two or three drivers under Linux, whereas on Windows each one would come with its own driver CD.)
Another benefit of having the drivers included in the OS is that installation of the OS is much quicker. You don’t have to install the OS first and then spend several hours hunting down and installing the drivers for all your hardware.
Another thing: Trying out Wine is fine, but you should probably see if there’s a Linux equivalent of whatever you want to run before resorting to Wine. e.g. xmms (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XMMS) might work for you instead of Winamp.
Vadim P. on Sat, 10th Jan 2009 9:29 am
It was a nice read, thanks!
AshPringle on Sat, 10th Jan 2009 9:51 am
Thanks for the comments everyone! They are much appreciated!
@ Wodin: You are indeed correct. I had a couple its/it’s typos. IT’S an easy mistake to miss
Thanks for the tip on “make do.” “Make due” just seems to make sense, and “make do” doesn’t seem to make sense at all, but I guess that’s the way it is. Crazy English!
@ Vincent: Oh, I’ve written “you suck” in fire many times!
I’m thinking about making this a weekly feature, basically continuing my Linux resolution for the entire year. Should be fun!
@ oiaohm: Thanks for the open office tip! I’ll make sure to use it.
@ AndreasP: Ten gallon and beret linux are indeed bogus, if that’s what you meant
I was just making fun of linux’s relationship with hats.
AndrejaKo on Sat, 10th Jan 2009 10:23 pm
I’m glad that you are planning to make this a weekly feature and continue using Linux! I think that now when you aren’t under pressure to write articles about Linux daily, you’ll be able to much better understand what Linux is!
Another thing which you should try is to spend some time browsing through package list and research on the web any which look interesting. Spend, for example 30 to 45 minutes every 2-3 days doing that. Also don’t try to take it all in one go. During this week you have in your posts displayed confusion about some concepts related to Linux. For example you said that WINE can be compared to VMware. While that is a mistake that a beginner can make, it could be avoided with 5 minute search on wikipedia. Also, to me at least, you seem perceive the Kubuntu KDE connection as maybe a little bit too close(or that could be me).
From my experience (which isn’t that big, I’ve been poking GNU/Linux for just 5 or 6 years, and not very efficiently too) knowing where to quickly find info about a program is as just, if not more, important that knowing how to use it. Many important Linux programs have had articles written about them on wikipedia. Even if the article looks too long to quickly read, the summary on the top of the page and the “contents” section can give you basic information about a program. That sections can take 2-3 minutes to read.
Another good resource is Gentoo wiki (but it suffered a sabotage few months ago, so all data is lost, but rebuild is in progress). It has a lot of info about a LOT of thing concerning GNU/Linux. If you are stuck, and are waiting for helpful people on forums to help you solve problems you are encountering, gentoo wiki is a good place to go and look things up. It may contain some very complicated articles, but it will give you information about the way thing are done manually. Sometimes that can be very helpful, because it can give you an idea about the direction in which you should research further. I would also recommend you to at some time learn how to set up networking over ifconfig. While many may say that manual set-up of network connection is outdated, it will save you if you find yourself without working network connection, and GUI tools don’t work. That happened to me several times when I was upgrading to newer distros.
After a few years, when you have some spare time, and Ubuntu is happily sitting on your internal HDD, and you are feeling comfortable about using it, you should try to install Gentoo on your external HDD. Many people here have opinion that gentoo is a monster, and that it is almost impossible to install it, but once you have done that you will completely understand how a basic Linux system works from user’s perspective. While gentoo will probably be too difficult for you to use every day, you will be able to use other distributions much more easily. There is a very good handbook about gentoo installation which has the process explained if very fine detail.
Oh and did you know that file extensions are irrelevant in Linux? They are there just so you could understand more easily what the type of file from its name. for example .conf is from configuration, but on dos/windows it’s extension would be .txt, because it’s a normal text file.
And if this reminds you of a parent preaching to a small child, than please accept my apologies.
P.S. Your non-serious way of writing about this subject makes your texts much more user friendly (at least IMHO)!
Fred on Sun, 11th Jan 2009 5:58 am
You can stay in Linux and at the same time have access to windows through Vmware or Virtualbox. This way no need starting the other computer.
Fred.
Fred on Sun, 11th Jan 2009 10:11 am
Nice story, better than the last Ubuntu review I read, “It’s brown. It sucks.” It does suck but that’s just me, I like Mepis with KDE. Maybe someone important will read this and figure out how to fix some of the issues us Linux users have.
JFairly on Sun, 11th Jan 2009 10:34 am
AshPringle,
Your sometimes bizarre metaphors and analogies make for an easy read .
It seems you have gone into this process perhaps naive, in areas, but very clearly open-minded
I salute you – one thing the Linux world needs is more humour (self-deprecating works) and balance.
Back-handed though it may be – you seem to be someone we can laugh both at and with – I for one will join the serried ranks!
Thanks
PS Wallpaper per desktop – Bloody good idea – I wish I could claim it as my own – Hang on a minute – I remember reflecting on just such a concept a gazillion years ago – and thus free and open-source was enhanced! – You are a natural
Penguin Pete on Sun, 11th Jan 2009 11:24 am
Awesome write-up! It’s refreshing to see a fair, even-handed look at the new-user experience on Linux, without so many pre-conceived biases getting into it.
Wingnuts on Mon, 12th Jan 2009 5:53 pm
Thanks for the time and trouble to overcome the hiccups you’ve had, and to report your findings. Very entertaining, and very open-minded.
You should find the following link a very useful one-stop shop for getting your Ubuntu system fully configured for work and play:
http://howtoforge.com/the-perfect-desktop-ubuntu-8.10
It also points you to some of the more popular applications that replace your favourite Windows apps.
Good luck, and keep us informed…
Wingnuts on Mon, 12th Jan 2009 6:10 pm
If you haven’t already done so, for access to the maximum range of software in your software manager, you should check the boxes for all the software repositories in the software sources list. See here:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Repositories/Ubuntu
Note that you should check the restricted drivers manager to see if it has drivers for your network/wifi/graphics.
If you have an Nvidia or ATI graphics card you can also use the application EnvyNG (installed by default) to install the appropriate drivers.
Davide Repetto on Mon, 12th Jan 2009 7:10 pm
Re: Wallpaper per desktop
http://wallpapoz.akbarhome.com/
This tool enables your Gnome desktop to have different wallpapers for different workspaces or virtual desktops.
I don’t use ubuntu, so I don’t know wether it is available trough the application installer or not.
Sandor Lengyel on Mon, 12th Jan 2009 11:44 pm
I would not recommend Gentoo to anyone wjho does not like to tinker and suffer.
One has the tendency to be on the bleeding edge. Unmask packages etc. And than update is a pain in the neck.
That said, Gentoo is my main distribution. I love it and would not doo without it. It also has probably the most software. But it is certainly for the computer savy in the long run. (Installing is easy, maintaining it is less.)
zPhreak on Tue, 13th Jan 2009 1:33 am
Not selecting the file extension when renaming a file is in Vista.
Zolookas on Tue, 13th Jan 2009 3:16 am
Which wireless hardware do you have? Broadcomm hardware was pain in the ass on linux, because they have not only the driver, but also upload firmware to the device and that firmware is a property of Broadcomm and linux community could not fix anything or make it more compatible, but now someone managed to reverse-engineer that firmware and things should improve in the future. Another manufacturer, Atheros have released open source driver in July, so it should be included in Ubuntu and if it does not work for you, you can file a bug in ubuntu’s launchpad.net
Jason on Tue, 13th Jan 2009 4:49 am
While I enjoyed the writing style, the author clearly has far less technical prowess than he thinks he has. Not because technical prowess is required to do any of the things he mentioned, but precisely because none is required.
I jumped to Ubuntu when it first came out and it was my first time using Linux. I cannot tell you how many friends I have who know nothing about computers have also made this jump on their own with no problems.
It’s so abundantly clear that throughout this process you’ve attempted to do things the “Windows” or “OSX” way jumping in cocksure and headstrong when there is, indeed, and easy Linux way so long as you were willing to Google it first. I didn’t realize that people were so adverse to saying, “How do I install nvidia video drivers in Ubuntu?” into a search engine. That would have brought up hundreds of responses all of which would have presented you with the easy, built in, straight forward way that has not failed me in 4 years of Ubuntu use and has even gotten better. Unless you have literally the most recent Nvidia processors that had some trouble, you’re supported. ATI is supported as well and now the process is nearly identical to installing the Nvidia stuff.
Compiz has 0 connection to KDE. Complex effects didn’t work on either setup because you never installed your video card.
Wine is nothing like a replacement for VMWare or Virtual Box, and if you go to : http://appdb.winehq.org/ you’ll find a list detailing thousands of Windows program, how well they run in Wine, and any changes you need to make to your Wine configuration so that it runs better.
I know you didn’t want to have to do any work and wanted to plow through as naively as possible, but truly, had you simply taken a little time to read as you were trying new things or read a bit before hand, the same way you would have done researching any new product, I don’t think you would have run into half the difficulties you did.
Perhaps you were trying to self-sabotage a bit in order to have a more fun article, but more often than not I read about problems that make me want to cringe because they were so easily avoidable.
ubuntu user on Tue, 13th Jan 2009 10:20 am
> Open Office’s spellcheck
I use 8.10.
Open OpenOffice and type misspelled text. Then go to Service->Language->All text
and select English. That is it. Works like a charm. Look at your screen shot – no language selected.
AshPringle on Tue, 13th Jan 2009 1:13 pm
Thanks for the comments everyone! I will definitely look into your suggestions and try them out.
@AndrejaKo: I didn’t know that file extensions were irrelevant in Linux! you learn something new every comment!
I’m going to continue with this series in a weekly format, beginning on Friday. So if you want to, stay tuned!
Patrick on Tue, 13th Jan 2009 7:51 pm
When I first started reading your blog I laughed, then I got annoyed and then I laughed some more.
I’ve enjoyed your writing quite a bit. I’m not overwhelmed by the lack of actual comparison or the failure in the conclusion to apply the reality that it was all done half-arsed.
Everything I do is from within a Linux environment
Video editing – including for competitions
Photo editing and graphic art work
Thesis writing and research – installing dictionaries for the spell checker is as simple as going to the toolbar and finding ‘install new dictionaries’
Fun things like Celestia, Kstars, GoogleEarth
The notion that Linux is good for ‘web-browsing’ and light weight things is simply a throw-away bit of inaccurate and misleading fluff.
I’ve installed Linux for other people and they’ve been able to do significantly more, for less ($$) without the eternal concerns about upgrades etc.
More so, other hardware that does not have drivers for Vista (or sometimes even XP) has run perfectly well on friends’ Linux machines (eg. scanners).
Now, a blog I’d like to see is: “My grandma installed a Linux, Windows and Mac OS from scratchâ€Â, particularly if she’d not used any OS with regularity.
Give her $500 and ask her to buy an OS and a list of parts so you can build her a machine (monitor, keyboard etc – could be second hand!) and see how she goes.
Then build the machine for her (is there a problem there Mac? Sorry Windows, your specs are a little on the low side there) and ask her to install the OS.
Then when she’s finished, see how she goes doing anything at all with it.
Now that’d be fascinating.
NawaMan on Tue, 13th Jan 2009 9:31 pm
About the spell check, Are you not in UK, US or South Africa? If you your language setting may be the problem. You may want to Go to the menu Tools->Options>Language Settings->Language and see if your language is set to UK, US, or SA English (or any that has a check sign in the front).
If it still does not work (especially for existing documents), Open a document, Press F11 to open the style dialog, Right click the style “Default” and navigate to the tab Fonts. Then select the language to any one that have a check sign in the font.
I am in Canada so I have the same problem. Let me know if you still have problem.
Cheers!
NawaMan
Ken Holmes on Wed, 14th Jan 2009 4:08 pm
I am grateful you took the seven day cruise. Without offense to anyone I recommend you check out OpenSuse some time. I have used Suse since version 8.2. It remains my favorite. I don’t expect everyone to feel the same way. I just recommend trying it out. I prefer KDE but I install Gnome as well.
tuksedara on Sat, 7th Feb 2009 8:46 pm
i think in KDE u can set different wallpaper on every desktop..
but not when using compiz..
mr. green jeans on Sun, 8th Feb 2009 12:41 pm
“What I don’t like: The confusing amount of different names for things: KDE, Compiz…”
This issue has been addressed in Ubuntu, which is the Linux distribution you show in your photo. For example, the default video player is Totem, but is labeled as “Movie Player”, and Firefox is the web browser, and it’s labeled “Internet”, Nautilus is called “File Browser”, etc.
Carling on Sun, 8th Feb 2009 6:27 pm
Wow what a poor report you give Linux. People give me old 286 386 and 486 systems, with little memory and small hard drives I install Linux on them and give them to pensioners, I have never had a problem installing Linux these old people pick Linux up quick, I show them the basics, (thats all I know) how to get on the Internet and emailing, after that it’s up to them to find out about Linux, I know Linux is more powerful faster and more secure than Windows XP or Vista
My problems come when their grandkids see Linux and want it on their computers, they are the lazy ones, they don’t want to read anything follow instructions, they just want to point and click. They think that’s what computers are all about, they don’t want to learn new things, They are MS brain washed, controlled into using computers the MS way and nothing else, problem solving is not their idea of using computers, that’s to much like work for them to do.
theOwl on Sun, 15th Mar 2009 2:43 pm
Stumbled – Thumbs Up!: I really love your articles. I went through a similar process nearly 3 years ago with Ubuntu 6.10, and all the things it wouldn’t run ‘out-of-the-box.’ But, true to its claim, I was online 20 minutes from inserting the install disk. Not bad at all.
So, now, I’ve grown a bit with friend Ubu, learned how to network it, and eventually shifted my whole house to a networked Ubuntu Linux environment (both wired and wireless!). Friends just love it when they drop by, and realize I haven’t lost anything (made gains, in fact, and, no “Mama M$” looking over my shoulder or thru my webcam!) from the change.
My most recent addition is a brand-new Acer Aspire 5515 laptop (bargain!), purchased last Thursday, from which I completely wiped Winderz Vista Home Basic, and did a fresh install of Ubuntu 8.10 “Intrepid Ibex.” It dropped right into my network and does everything I ask of it — including this comment. That only took a day. Winderz would have needed over 3 days to get where I needed or wanted it — and in comes pre-installed…
Cheers;
the0wl
AshPringle on Wed, 25th Mar 2009 1:38 pm
Thanks for the comment theOwl
I’m in the process of trying to find a dedicated Linux comp as well, preferably a laptop.
There’s some more Linux posts here, if you want to check them out
http://www.zmogo.com/tag/year-of-linux/
theOwl on Wed, 25th Mar 2009 10:09 pm
As mentioned earlier, and in my email reply – I like Acers for this. They’re inexpensive (mine cost under $350 brand new!), rugged, forgiving, and easy to dance with in a Linux environment. Give ‘em a try.
Cheers;
Ed
JamesC on Fri, 27th Mar 2009 7:43 am
“I went back and used my stupid Windows PC, which apparently confers to an international committee that must perform an arduous deliberation about whether to open Firefox every time I click the icon.”
I nearly fell off my chair!
Nice blog!