can we push this article on our FM program (translated version though..)??
On 5/19/07, Prasanna Gautam <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > I'm not the writer of this thing.. I just ripped it off > http://dmartin.org/weblog/things-i-can-do-in-linux-that-i-cant-do-on-windows > . > > Things I can do in Linux that I can't do on Windows. > > Submitted by dmartin <http://dmartin.org/members/dmartin> on Sat, > > 03/03/2007 - 1:06pm. > > > > - Linux <http://dmartin.org/weblog/categories/linux> > > - Open Source <http://dmartin.org/weblog/categories/open-source> > > > > Since I often hear from friends and people on the Internet about things > > they can't do in Linux that they could on Windows, I thought I'd write up a > > list of things I can do in Linux that I can't do in Windows. > > > > 1. *Update every single piece of software on my system with a > > single action. *This is one of the main reasons I run Linux. > > Sure, Windows has Windows Update, but that only updates the operating > > system, Office, and a few other things. For every Linux distribution > > I've > > used (Gentoo, Red Hat, Suse, Ubuntu), updating is simple. When you > > update, > > you have every application, every library, every script - every single > > piece > > of software upgraded automatically for you. And on most of them, they > > will > > check for updates automatically and notify you. This is great for > > security, > > fixing bugs quickly, and getting the latest in features. > > 2. *Update nearly everything on my computer without a reboot.* On > > Linux, there is only one thing that requires a reboot after updates. The > > kernel. And even then you can continue to run on the previous kernel. > > You > > just need to reboot to get the benefit of using the new kernel (say, if > > it > > has a bug fix or a new feature). In Windows, many of the updates to even > > non-critical software require reboots. > > 3. *Keep my system secure without software that consumes my system > > resources, requires my time, and frequently nags me*. Basic > > requirement for a secure Windows box include: > > 1. Running antivirus protection. AV software consumes > > resources and requires routine scans. > > 2. A software firewall like ZoneAlarm or the one built into > > Vista that constantly asks you if you want to allow software to > > contact the > > Internet. More time on your part. > > 3. Running Adblock Adaware and/or Spybot Search & Destroy on > > a routine basis, consuming your time, and requiring your manual > > intervention. People often forget or don't "get around to it". > > 4. Never trusting software. You have to go through life > > assuming every bit of software and every website on the Internet is > > going to > > screw you over. What a sorry state of affairs that is. > > > > All of this requires your attention, slows your computer, and > > ruins the open experience of the Internet. None of this is necessary in > > Linux. You get your software through your distribution. As long as you > > can > > trust your distribution, you can trust the software available. Having a > > firewall is a good thing even in Linux, but most of us have a firewall > > built > > into our Cable and DSL modems, or our wi-fi router. A software firewall > > in > > windows is as much used to keep malware from calling out as it is to keep > > outside intrusions from coming in, and you don't have the same concerns > > in > > Linux (since, as I said, you can trust your software). > > 4. *Run an entire operating system for free without pirating > > software, and without breaking the law.* Most Window's users seem > > to accept that breaking the law is okay, because it is pretty much > > required. Either you break the law, or spend countless thousands of > > dollars > > on the software you need. You may not think it is a big deal, but if you > > own a home like I do, you are putting it at risk. While unlikely, the > > potential is there for software companies to come after you just like the > > RIAA has come after countless people. With Linux, this isn't necessary. > > You can run the software you need without paying for it, and without > > breaking the law. I know I sleep better at night. > > 5. *Take my settings with me where ever I go.* In Linux, all your > > personal settings are stored in your Home folder, most in folders that > > begin > > with a period (like .gaim). So, I can copy all these settings from one > > computer to another. I can put these settings on a USB drive. When I > > switched from Gentoo to Ubuntu, I kept all my settings. On Windows, some > > settings are under your home folder and some are in the registry. So > > your > > settings are not portable. > > 6. *Run Internet Explorer 5.0, 5.5, 6.0, and 7.0 on the same > > desktop. * I have all installed thanks to the wonderful > > IEs4Linux<http://www.tatanka.com.br/ies4linux/>project. I can even run > > them side-by-side if I want. For a web developer, > > that's huge. Testing browser compatibility to that level on Windows > > requires multiple machines or something like VMWare. Further, when I > > run IE > > under Linux, I don't have to worry about any malware or virus getting > > onto > > my system. > > 7. *Understand everything that is going on in my computer. *Using > > Windows is like working with a black box. You can see the outside, but > > you > > have no idea what is going on inside. If you hit snags, your only > > option is > > to hope Microsoft fixes it. Or, perhaps you can submit a bug report to > > Microsoft, spending *your time* improving software that a company > > makes billions from. Under Linux, you can look at the system logs, where > > you can see most issues. You can search for the log messages on Google, > > and > > can usually track the cause and often find a fix. If not, I can even go > > look at the source code to find the offending problem. Granted, most > > people > > aren't capable or don't have the time to look at the source code. But > > the > > fact that tens-of-thousands of geeks do is often very, very helpful. > > And if > > you do spend the time filling out a bug report, you are helping other > > people > > just like yourself, not contributing your time to a rich software > > company. > > 8. *Customize every aspect of my desktop.* In Windows, you are > > more or less stuck with what you are given. Sure, you can install buggy > > skinning engines, or you can pay Microsoft extra for the ability to put > > skins on your desktop. But even these aren't very adaptive. It's just a > > new coat of paint on the same desktop. Under Linux, I can choose the > > window > > manager, the desktop environment, the theme, the GTK engine, the icon > > theme, > > the special effects (see Beryl or Compiz), the filesystem browser, and so > > on. Nearly every aspect of the system has competitive options. If you > > look > > around the internet at screenshots of various Linux desktops, you rarely > > see > > two that look the same. > > 9. *Benefit from competition between projects for each system on > > my computer.* As I mention in point 8, there are options for every > > aspect of the Linux desktop. Not only is it fun to try the various > > options, > > but it leads to better software as multiple projects compete against each > > other to be the best. Can you imagine competing printing backends, > > competing desktop environments, or competing USB mounting systems on > > Windows? I've been a Linux user for 3 years now, and I've seen > > remarkable > > changes in systems used on the Linux desktop, from critical systems > > (XFree86 > > switched to X.Org, auto-mounting systems) to non-critical (my > > CD-Rom eject button works!). > > 10. *Run thousands of great pieces of software that only run on > > Linux.* Just like Windows, Linux has software that doesn't run on > > Windows. Great pieces of software like Amarok<http://amarok.kde.org/>, > > Bluefish <http://bluefish.openoffice.nl/>, > > Neverball<http://icculus.org/neverball/>, > > Gnumeric <http://www.gnome.org/projects/gnumeric/>, > > K3B<http://www.k3b.org/>, > > Beryl <http://www.beryl-project.org/>, > > gdesklets<http://www.gdesklets.de/>, > > and MythTV <http://www.mythtv.org/>. I know this is a > > chicken-and-egg point, where Windows has the exact same situation. Too > > often > > I hear "I can't switch to Linux because it doesn't run [insert Windows > > software]". My reason for pointing it out is just to make it clear that > > this is a two-way street. > > 11. *Learn about, support, and appreciate the value of free > > software <http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html>.* I believe > > free software is important to us all. Even if you use non-free software, > > the free software movement ensures checks and balances on non-free > > software > > by offering an alternative. By running a free operating system and > > becoming > > involved in the community, I've contributed to free software, even if > > only > > in a small way. > > > > > > > > The main point I frequently try to make is that you can't expect > > features to be 1-to-1 when switching operating systems. We like Adobe > > Photoshop or Microsoft Office because we have used it for years, and we are > > *used* to it. We hate change. It's natural that people have a desire > > for everything to be identical. Did we expect Windows to be exactly like > > something else when we started using it? Probably not. > > > > When you learn closed-source proprietary software like Photoshop or > > Office, you have spent *your time* indenturing yourself to a lifetime of > > spending $700 every so many years. And the same goes for every company you > > work for that you insist you need Office or Photoshop. And if you don't > > think that your company's expenses affect your salary, think again. > > > > Conversely, if you take the time to learn open and free systems like > > Linux, Gimp, or OpenOffice, you now have given yourself a lifetime of > > perpetually free software. The value of that is quite profound. No more > > worrying about installing Office on more than one computer and running into > > activation issues. I have OpenOffice installed on all 5 computers I own, > > *and my flash drive <http://www.portableapps.com/>* where I can run it > > on any computer I wish. > > > > Bottom line is, yes, you will have to spend time learning Linux and the > > software running on Linux if you choose to switch. But by doing so, you've > > set yourself up for a lifetime of free computing. For many of you, that's > > going to be 40, 50, 60, 70 years. A period of learning isn't so hard to > > swallow, when you can see the value of doing so. > > > > My advice, should you choose to try Linux, is to forget about making it > > exactly like Windows. You will spend countless hours, and you will fail. > > Once you spend signicant time on Linux, every time you use a Windows > > computer you will say "Bah, I could do xyz if I was on Linux". > > > > If you are a Linux user, and you have other things you think should be > > on this list, please contribute comments below. > > > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ FOSS Nepal mailing list [email protected] http://groups.google.com/group/foss-nepal Community website: http://www.fossnepal.org/ -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
