On 2/15/06, Robert Citek <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> Some things to think about. Any BSD'ers care to comment?
I am sure that the new Windows will be beautiful and have lots of
eye candy. I sincerely doubt that pretty interfaces help get work
done. Windows is great if you have a couple of papers to write, or you
want to send e-mail or play mp3's. It stinks if you have to edit say
60 files with the same data.
I have to really question the windows (and proprietary software)
method of doing things.
1) Aside from all the bells and whistles that Vista may offer it has
been my experience with Microsoft products that they are labor
intensive. In almost every instance the typical operation under
Microsoft is:
a) Print out all the stuff from one computer.
b) Go to another computer and type the data back in.
Computer productivity is a myth.
The reasons for this being the case range from the fact that various
pieces of proprietary software don't talk to each other or the tools
are oriented more toward presentation than content. I posted before
about this but it did not seem to generate much interest. Here again
are Christopher Browne's assessments on Spreadsheets (which I agree
with). Excel is (I believe) one of Microsoft's capital products.
.2. Problems with Modern Spreadsheet Developments
"Enhancements" of spreadsheets over the last few years have not
involved any substantive improvements in functionality, but have
primarily just involved enhancing their "typesetting" capabilities,
that is, the ability to change fonts, insert special formatting, and
to otherwise make tables look "pretty."
I put "enhancements" in quotes because I am skeptical that this
actually represents a true improvement of either the quality of the
information or user efficiency in finding and using information.
These so-called improvements gloss over the continuing problems that
plague spreadsheet users:
* Spreadsheet models encourage the use of "spaghetti" logic, where
cells point to cells that point to cells, and can grow into random
networks of calculation logic;
* They permit lots of easy off-by-one errors;
* They generally are difficult to verify/audit (I will vouch for that);
*They do not provide good tools for managing data either in terms
of consolidation or searching for specific detail;
*Perhaps most importantly, despite their convenience, spreadsheets
are not a robust repository for information.
http://www.ntlug.org/~cbbrowne/spreadsheets.html
I claim that tools like AWK, Python or PERL are better and more
flexible that using a spreadsheet. Furthermore, it's really easier to
learn the rudiments of those languages athan have to remember all the
menu and pulldown locations for spreadsheet formatting and functions.
Christopher Browne's comments on word processors are also worth reading:
5. An Opinionated Discussion About Word Processors
http://linuxfinances.info/info/wprant.html
All of this is to call in to question the type happy applications like
Word Excel, Access data base (which I detest) and PowerPoint. Even the
Outlook calendaring system could be replaced by things like:
Open Workbench
http://www.openworkbench.org/
There are also Zope replacements for scheduling:
http://www.zope.org/Products/
I have used OpenBSD 3.5/3.6 as my desktop for almost 2 years. I have
been able to do the things that I suppose most normal Windows users
do. Namely:
* File tax returns on line.
* Access my 401k account.
* Do online banking.
* Order stuff online.
* Print letters and envelopes.
* Watch DVD's (although mplayer was a little shaky in 3.5 and 3.6)
* Listen to CD's and mp3's
* Store digital photo's
All the typical labor intensive Windows type operations can be done
satisfactorily. Here is a good guide for an OpenBSD desktop:
OpenBSD Desktop: A minimalist Approach
http://www.finalhour.ca/OpenBSD.pdf
I also would say that NetBSD is a really fine desktop too.
--
Kind regards,
Jonathan
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