Baudouin, Andrew wrote: > That's just great. That is definitely NOT in the spirit of Christmas...to > deny support for anyone who uses Windows...especially a family member. > > This kind of virulent fanaticism is what turns off people from GNU/Linux. > Frankly, I'm ashamed.
What's so virulent about it? I don't work with desktop Windows on a day to day basis. I don't really understand it anymore and haven't for YEARS(1). I'm not an expert in that arena. Most people see that I work with "computers" and think "windows". I explain that it's not the case and they get it. My sister knows the risks of her choice and I assume she keeps her virus/adware/whatever software up to date as I have advised her to do. If she needs something beyond basic support, she needs an expert. I'm not that expert and thus she wouldn't be able to get it for free from me. She tells me about popups, I advise her to get firefox. She asks about security, I remind her to run Windows update. My mom on the other hand has run Linux for years (she never knew windows before). She has a cable modem. She has a problem, she calls me. I can ssh in and even run x11vnc and show her exactly what to do from wherever I am. (yes, I know windows has similar capability). Of course she rarely needs to call me nowadays. My brother is vastly happier with his Mepis laptop than he was when he was running Windows. And he's a whole lot happier knowing he doesn't have to worry about viruses, spyware, etc. And let's not forget we're talking about FREE tech support for family members and such here after working a full sysadmin/support workday. If you think _not_ spending hours on end wresting a (hypothetical at this point) virus and spyware-ridden Windows box for free represents "virulent fanatacism" then I suppose I'm a big ole jerk. Am I more able to "figure out" problems and do the research than the typical Windows desktop user. Probably, given enough time and energy. Or is that time and energy better spent explaining to the relative in question the benefits of running an alternative desktop and giving them a knoppix CD to play around on? hmmm. Beats spending hours on end trying to back the thing up and re-installing Windows and all their apps and settings.... You say fanatacism, I say tomato. (1) I haven't owned a Windows PC at my home since 1995. I have had them on occasion at work. I admin Linux, BSD, and Solaris boxes for a living. My day-to-day desktop at work is Solaris. vastly different from desktop windows. My windows desktop usage at work is limited to Outlook email, Excel and Word where required. otherwise I avoid it as I am simply not comfortable. The Windows servers I help maintain run a limited amount of software and are locked down tight. They are also typically outfitted with an array of *nix-like tools including cygwin, perl, vim, etc. We usually run Apache rather than IIS though I do some work on IIS as well. I'm as likely to ssh to a windows box as I am to rdp or vnc to it. > Andrew Baudouin > Applications Programmer > AWC, Incorporated > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > -----Original Message----- > From: Scott Harney [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Friday, December 17, 2004 10:26 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [brlug-general] [Paul Ferris: RANT_MODE=1] This Christmas, give > the gift that doesn't keep on taking ... > > Richards Jr, Edward C. wrote: > >>This is GREAT! >> >>http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/28240/index.html > > > Sounds like what I tell people as well. The people I do support run Linux. > My > Mom runs Linux. My brother runs Linux. My sister does not and she doesn't > ask > for or receive help. > > >>Enjoy and Merry Christmas, >> >>Ed Richards, PE >> >> >> >> >>This email, including any attached files, may contain confidential and > > privileged information. Any review, use, distribution or disclosure of > included information by unintended recipients is strictly prohibited. If > you are not a named recipient or authorized to receive and / or act on > information sent to a named recipient, or have reason to believe you are not > or should not be one of the named recipients, please notify sender > accordingly by reply email and delete all copies of this message prior to > forwarding, copying or otherwise reproducing this message or attachments > thereto. For information regarding the export control status of items > discussed in this document, please refer to the project control list. Thank > you. > >> >>_______________________________________________ >>General mailing list >>[email protected] >>http://brlug.net/mailman/listinfo/general_brlug.net >> > > > -- Scott Harney <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> "Asking the wrong questions is the leading cause of wrong answers" gpg key fingerprint=7125 0BD3 8EC4 08D7 321D CEE9 F024 7DA6 0BC7 94E5
