On May 30 1999, at 02:27, W Canedigh was caught saying:
> This is a SMALL side issue, but I was aware of the existence of Unix
> prior to my first purchase of a computer (a cardboard box full of
> smaller boxes holding the pieces of an XT-clone-to-be). I only knew two
> things about Unix, though. I knew it was THE operating system to have
> and I knew that, without a mainframe and an extra $3,500 for the OS, I
> couldn't have it.
I started using Unix long before I had a computer too. My first computer
was a wyse terminal w/300baud modem dialing into a Unix mainframe. Oh
the memories :)
> Learning Linux takes no more brain power than learning to tune a car
> engine. Of course, some folks can't get past the hood latch while others
> can simply wave hypnotically and get a smoother idle. Then again, I wish
> I had a nickle for every trivial question I have answered about Windows.
> Some folks can barely get to the splash screen on it, too. Without
> training of some sort, the Windows desktop is nearly as mysterious as
> the CLI.
Yes, learning Linux is not that hard to do, but how much of it do most
people need to know? If we follow the car analogy, having to recompile
the kernel is akin to having to rebuild my engine. Most people can't do
that to their car, so why should we expect every computer user to learn
the inner details of their OS? I think this is one thing that VA has
caught on to, as they provide downloadable custom kernels for their
systems. Going with the car analogy again, I know nothing about my car
internals. I know there is an engine with pistons, and gears, and a
crankshaft, an othe parts and have an understanding of what they do.
If anything goes wrong though, I call for help. I have not _interest_ in
learning more about my car b/c I don't have that itch to scratch. I think
for non geeks, that what computers are like. People just want to use their
computer to get their job done. I'm not advocating that complete ignorance
is ok though. Just like I have a vague understanding of the insides of
my car, I wish more people would have at least a vague understanding of
the insides of their computer. This gets into providing a fundamental
knowledge of computers in schools, but that's way off topic.
> Speed, speed and more speed. As a marketing feature, that is really very
> important. As the chip manufacturers know, folks watch those clock speed
> numbers (unaware of the other factors, such as OS code bloat, that can
> prove mitigating) and make purchase decisions based on them. Linux
> removes barriers and makes a good machine fast, a fast machine scream
> through the night. I have been watching for years now and it seems that
> everytime Intel makes a faster chip, MSFT makes a slower OS to balance
> things out. Ommmmmmmmmmmmmm Aummmmmmmmmmmmmm Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Ok, as much as I think MS put's out crap software, it's not all their
fault. Netscape is probably one of the most bloated pieces of software
I have ever used. I hate to admit this, but IE is a far faster, more
stable browser. Also, in terms of extensibility, it has some architectural
features that are better than netscape. The reason I say this is
netscape on my Linux box is a hog also. I can run just about anything
else I want on my system, but the moment I fire up Netscape, it starts
chewing up cycles. Hopefully Mozilla will solve this.
> Linux, on my (modestly endowed) machine, puts a directory tree
> (including my DOS partition) on my screen 6 times faster than DOS can.
> That's stopwatch time. Although my video card / drivers were engineered
> for Windows, Linux puts the display on the screen fast enough to make it
> an unreadable blur ... not Windows.
Me thinks you have too much time on your hands. :)
> Actually, I think the single most compelling reason to
> run Linux on a home / hobby computer is this: It is fun
> to know something that others don't.
I like that too, but I think in the long term that kind of attitude
will hurt Linux. We need more people to use Linux if we want more
software/hardware to be supported under Linux.
I want to have all sorts of software that is only available under
Windows at the moment. Even Microsoft has some products that I would
not mind using if someone else ported it to Linux. I'm a big movie nut,
and I love Cinemania, it's one of the things that they did right, along
with a lot of other Microsoft Home packages. There are other apps
like that by other developers that lots of people use, and until
those developers are willing to port to Linux, Linux will not provide
a complete home solution. Things like medical encyclopedias,
diet/fitness programs, and all the other random stuff people use
at home. I have a separate windows machine b/c there are certain things
that I still do under windows that I can't under Linux. I wish I
didn't have to, but until Linux has more support, I have no choice.
> Once MSFT Word / Access / etc users learn Star Office they have the
> right to brag that they can use a more capable program than their poorer
> cousins.
Why should someone have to brag about what computer they use?
I don't run Linux to be different, admired by my geek friends,
brag about it, etc. I run it b/c for what I use my computer for
the majority of the time, it provides the best environment. I have made
that choice. I think once more people hear about linux, they too can make
that choice. If they still choose to use Windows, it's ok with me,
as long as they _know_ that there is an alternative they can look at any
time they feel like it. Right now most people equate pc=windows,
and that's what I'd like to see change.
> BTW, Deepak, do you know of any listing showing the applications Linux
> can run sorted by the OS they were originally written for? It is just in
> the nature of Linux that there is a need for such a list.
Don't know of any, somehow doubt it's been done.
This is a good idea though.
- Deepak
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