On or about 9/16/2004 12:46 PM, the one known as Bob Hodges was rumoured to have uttered...
<snipped> > Of course, you can always go back to that shrink wrapped virus, otherwise > known as Windows. Having all the device drivers in the world don't mean a > thing when you've got 18 tons of viruses and spyware all over your system > that seem to successfully evade and even disable every antivirus product on > the market. Bear in mind you pay through the nose for all of this - compare > this to what you get in the SuSE Linux box for mere pennies, and that's if > you didn't download it for free. And then there's all those security > problems... > > Given these choices, I personally gladly put up with having to learn > something new once in a while. And contrary to popular myth, Linux makes an > excellent desktop OS, it's just that people expect another Windows, which it > isn't. If you want something different, you usually have to learn something > different. But alas, every new version of Microsoft operating systems are > migrating towards the Unix base, just like Apple did with the Mac. > Microsoft calls it "Active Directory" - the rest of us call it UNIX DNS. > Microsoft's latest OS, Server 2003, doesn't even do NetBIOS anymore - it is > now 100% DNS only. And Microsoft has now released Windows Services for > UNIX, allowing Unix software to run under Windows. Umm...okay. My Windows is not infested and hasn't been for years. I don't disable *any* security and I have had not one security issue in the last few years. I think you missed the point, dude. I learn new things all the time. I'm not a clueless n00b. I don't need my system to be "idiot-proofed" for me. SuSe is much, much better, I'll give you that. This isn't the only distro or the first time Linux installation for me and it shows remarkable improvement over the first distros and the first SuSe I tried. I'm not using nVidia, so that went nowhere. If the hardware detection is as wonderful as you say it is, answer me three questions: Why would a device detected as a CD/DVD *burner* need to have burning *enabled*?? I don't know about you, but if I paid more for my CDROM so that it burns, I'm using it. How can an OS that purports itself to be winning the war with Windows ignore half or more of the hardware that is fully available and in wide use? Winmodems aside. Why, when installing a *hardware* device, would a user have to check compatibility with software that isn't even related and why couldn't the drivers have a built in check to see if the proper version of the OS and necessary libraries are installed? I am looking forward to getting Linux to work on this machine, but people who trash an OS that has worked fine for me (for no good reason, because it certainly didn't change *my* opinion) and people who insinuate that because someone uses Windows they are inferior in their computer skills, will go a long way towards ensuring that Linux never overtakes Windows. I was not trashing Linux. I was merely pointing out what I see as one of the major obstacles to getting it onto the average user's desktop. When the Linux gurus stop trashing Windows users and looking down their snooty noses at us and begin to tackle these issues of usability, Linux will grow rapidly and finally show what it can *really* do. Until then, Windows users that want to make the move will try it, meet some success, become frustrated, get some snotty replies to their questions and go back to what works. No offense intended and I'm not singling you out. Usability and hardware issues won't go away no matter how good Linux is. I know it *can* work, but just getting it to work can often be more challenge than the average user wants. I realize there is a learning curve. Right now the curve is too hard to take at a comfortable speed and it's leaving many potential users dead by the road. I'm not one of them, but I can certainly appreciate their perspective. > In a nutshell: Microsoft is in the process of saying "uncle". Not yet. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar. Now with Pop-Up Blocker. Get it for free! http://us.click.yahoo.com/L5YrjA/eSIIAA/yQLSAA/0XFolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> To unsubscribe from this list, please email [EMAIL PROTECTED] & you will be removed. Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LINUX_Newbies/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
