Hello:
My name is Alberto, and i want my computer to work properly.
This doesnt seem to be an unreasonable desire... Given the fact that computers have
evolved so much in the last couple of decades, it would sound logical that the average
joe or jane should be able to use a home desktop computer to help with usual business
and home tasks such as wordprocessing, or maybe some semi-profesional image-processing
(retouching photos and the like).
Is the desire to be able to perform such simple tasks like consulting e-mail, or
playing a simple mp3 file without my software freezing and my operating system
crashing?
Yes, you have guessed it. I, like millions of people all over the world, use the
operating system created in Redmond.
I believed, like many, many people out there, that this erratic and frustrating
computer behavior was in some way "normal"... Until I heard about Linux.
I am a journalist, so I did some research. And, the more I learned about this
wonderful proyect, the more I wanted to try it. But something stopped me (this was
around a year ago):
"If your VCR blinks '12:00', you should not use Linux"
Well, my VCR blinks "12:00"... And so does my microwave... There have been times when
even my alarm clock blinks "12:00"... Mhmm...
The "you should know at least how to handle several Unix commands" and the "Linux is
just for geeks, nobody serious makes software for it" part also did much to discourage
me. And finally a more technologically saavy friend of mine just shot it point blank:
"You are planning on going to Linux? Good luck!"
So I decided to delay this very important decision. I believed (and I still do) that
Linux would eventually evolve out of the "just for engineers" niche and into a more
mainstream (easier to use and get software for) status.
I thought I would wait for a couple of years for this, but two days ago ran into the
Mandrake homepage.
I became excited again... ^_^
But, before I become discouraged again, I ask you who are so much more able with
technology,
Is it finally time to switch?
I must say that I have no intention of becoming a systems administrator, nor to learn
more Unix than I know Ms-DOS (which is like 15-20 commands).
I just want my computer to work without having to worry about some piece of badly
written, undocumented piece of junk software crashing it everytime I try to start a
simple wordprocessor.
Your thoughts on this will be greatly appreciated...
Jose Alberto Abreu (sorry about all of that yakking... but hey, Im a writer)
---
"Free your mind... and your ass will follow"
Bono, U2
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