On Tuesday 15 June 2004 19:51, Ian Laurenson wrote: > > Are you able to tell us if they like it? > > I was waiting to inform the list until I was sure about Rod's long term > view of using Linux. He describes himself as a "computer Luddite" and he > really only gets a chance to use the system on a Sunday (rest of the > time in Wellington using Windows). > > Rod has stuck with using the Linux system at home and I only get the > occasional phone call. Philosophically he is definitely pleased with the > move. > > His partner has a laptop running Windows, and his youngest daughter > likes the games on Linux but I think prefers to use her Mum's laptop (I > haven't had a chance to give her any training). Windows definitely wins on games and 'educational' cdroms for children. Linux is catching up though.
> Rod's research assistant has been using a Linux system for about a year > and a half and she uses the system all day every work day. I believe she > likes the system. I wonder what she does with it. > Problems that most newbies encounter (at least the one's that I have > been working with - so maybe it is my set-up) seem to be: > * How do I stop the print job - this is in spite of having the printer > icon in the panel The problem with printing with linux / unix is that the printing is spooled and buffered. Sometimes it can take quite a long time before the printer stops printing. I find the easiest way to stop the printer is to pull out the paper feed tray. That stops it at the end of the page. One can then go to the print queue and remove that particular print job. > * Copying and pasting between applications That's odd. There not much simpler than selecting with the lh mouse an dropping into the other app with a click of the middle button. > * Saving to Microsoft formats for e-mailing Um. yes, well. Least said... > * They need me to set-up file associations (e.g. to use Acrobat Reader > for .pdfs) but I think they would have needed the same assistance in > Windows. Yes that can get to be a bit of a trial on some window managers. The KDE Control Centre has got it all sorted out though. Click on the file icon with the rh mouse button, select properties at the bottom of the list. The properties window pops up. There is a picture of a spanner to the right of the window about half way down. A lh mouse click brings up the associations window. Selecting the one you want is all point and click. > They definitely like the absence of viruses! :-) indeed. > Sorry about the long winded answer - but I didn't feel I could answer > honestly with a simple they "like it". Thanks for taking the time to answer so comprehensively. I wish Rod could use his influence in Parliament to point out to that nitwit of a minister of education that blowing twenty to thirty million dollars on Microsoft licences is a total waste of precious foreign exchange. The money would be far better spent buying textbooks and teachers. -- Sincerely etc. Christopher Sawtell NB. This PC runs Linux. If you find a virus apparently from me, it has forged the e-mail headers on someone else's machine. Please do not notify me when this occurs. Thanks.
