----- Original Message ----- From: "Craig T. Milling" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "'Debian-Laptop (E-mail)" <[email protected]> Cc: "Christopher Wolf" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "Craig Milling" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, February 19, 2001 6:44 PM Subject: Re: Back to Windows??
> > Here are some concrete positives (in my experience) for why you would > *want* to run Linux as more than just a hobbyist. > > (1) You control the interface. You have a choice of window managers, > GNOME, KDE. *You* get to decide how you want to interact with the > computer, not Bill Gates. Hans: In the first place these window managers are Windows look-alikes, especially KDE that was intentionally designed to be as Windows as Windows can be i.m.h.o. In the second place, I do not have this insurpressibke urge to "decide by myself" if others offer a good solution, named Bill or not. > > (2) Stability. It is a pleasure knowing that I can leave my laptop > running for days/weeks at a time and it won't crash. Even if there is a > misbehaving application, it can be killed without destabilizing everything > else. Hans. I do run KDE, and the browser and office applications crash on a regular basis and in fact much more often than the Seattle counterparts. > > (3) Free. As in beer. I really like the fact that the next > kernel/GNOME/gnuplot/emacs upgrade won't cost me $90-$100. It's free. > Yes it costs some time, but (2) makes up for that. Hans: The money issue is relative, Japanese companies are now kicking Linux out because they discover that they are spending huge sums at "Linux specialists" maintaining their systems. > > (4) Free. As in speech. The source code is open, which means no one has > control over your computer. It also helps combat software obsolence and > forced upgrades by having file formats open. Hans: I don't follow this argumentation. The fact that the source is open is in no relation that your computer is not controlled. I am not an OS expert, I don't want to be an OS expert I don't want to look into sources that are not part of my core business, I want the software to work correctly and therefore yes: Any software controls my computer. > > (5) Unixisms: True multitasking, multiuser capabilities. You don't have > to worry about nuking important files (as long as your not root!). You > don't have to worry about being bit by the LOVE BUG. You can lock down > services to hold script-kiddies at bay. You can share your computer with > other users w/o them messing up your files and desktop. Hans: Misargumentation, the file protection system of let's say NT or W2000 is much more sophisticated than UNIX, alas for you but that's a fact and I will not share my computer. And for viruses, yes you have to be a bit more careful, a bit less naive, that's true. > > It is difficult. It seems everything involving setup and installation is > difficult the first time, but the time spent is an investment, not a loss. > The next time you do something it gets easier. I would recommend you aim > low. Set up a dual boot configuration so you can always use Windows. > Then install Linux and work on it a little bit at a time. Get a command > line going, then X, then compile a kernel specific to your machine. First > get your NIC going, then sound card, then ... Yes it may take awhile, but > you will find yourself being slowly won over to Linux. Then the next > computer you get, things will go much faster. Hans: Again, from my objectives of using my computer, these investment are pure losses. I don't want a dual boot system, my computer is a server, so hopefully boots a few times a year. I have no intention to become a kernel hacker, an inventoe or a whizkid, my objective is to have a stable simple server machine on the shortest term possible. And don't forget, companies switching to Linux usually have exactly this reason. > > Don't forget that a computer is just a tool. If you need all your > hardware, use the preinstalled OS. If you also need some of the GNU tools > (tar,awk, ...) install Cygwin, or dual boot. > Hans: Right on ! Linux should not be a cult, but I think it is by now ..... > My testimonial: I got my laptop in Jan,1999 (an ARM TS759. ARM is very > linux friendly and even offers preinstalled RedHat. I specifically asked > about Linux before buying). My NIC (a generic 10baseT) was supported off > the bat. It took about 6 mos for the soundcard driver to make it into the > stable kernel. I would still use Windows regularly. Eventually my > windows use was only for games and all my work was done in Linux. Finally > I got bored of the games. The last time I booted into windows was 6 mos > ago, and last week I got rid of the last fat partition on my disk. > Hans: Mine: I got an all Linux compatible hardware set, because I checked all components before. Got Debian 2.2.18pre21 and the result: I can't print on a HP2100 (mentioned to be "perfect" for Linux), I can't tar to a DI-30 tapestreamer (proudly declared: "Linux certified" by the manufacturer), I'm doubtful if my network will work and it will probable take another year before I get my ADSL modem working. I will install W2000 in the days to come and if everything works: "bye bye Linux". > Craig Milling > > PS. If you made it down this far, thanks for reading my rambling missive. > :) > Hans: As you can see, I made it. > ____________________ > Dr. Craig T. Milling > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Dept. of Physics, Univ. of Illinois > Phone: 217/333-1930 > > > > -- > To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >
