--- "Randall D. Hobbs" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > On Thursday 11 November 2004 4:54 pm, Jack wrote: > > Okay, I've spent a couple of months playing with > Mandrake Linux (10.1 > > community) and here are my (unsolicited) > impressions: > > > > 1 - I like the interface a lot. It is very > customizable and, well... > > downright fun!!! > > > > 2 - It appears to be rock solid in the programs > that it will install, > > and incidentally, there are tons of free programs > available for it. > > > > 3 - It avoids that tedious Windows process of > having to restart almost > > everytime you install a program. > > > > 4 - Being able to drop down into console mode and > having the flexibility > > to further drop down into root is awesome! > > > > 5 - Download speeds seem to be better than in > Windows. > > > > 6 - Security is better than in Windows and pushing > the user to create a > > non-root account is a wise move. > > > > > > But unfortunately, I still don't think it's ready > for primetime and > > here's why: > > > > 1 - It never did "see" my Canon D760 > copier/printer. > > > > 2 - Couldn't get my nvidia video capture to work, > despite help from > > experts like Anne Wilson. > > > > 3 - Couldn't upgrade to KDE 3.3, despite having > the CD for it and > > despite help from experts like Randall. I spent > *weeks* on this. > > Nothing I tried worked, nor did any suggestions > work. > > > > 4 - I use voice recognition extensively (Dragon NS > and IBM ViaVoice). I > > don't believe this even exists for Linux. > > > > 5 - Most damning of all was my attempted upgrade > to 10.1 official. I > > completely wiped my drive to do a clean install, > and after everything > > was said and done, the official version could not > find the internet, nor > > my onboard (Asus P4P800) sound card. > > 10.0 had no trouble finding these 2, nor did the > community version of > > 10.1. Luckily for me, I had imaged the drive > beforehand, so I was able > > to go back to 10.1 community. > > > > 6 - I spent the $170 or so bucks to become a > silver club member, but not > > once have I received an answer from Mandrake when > I found myself stuck. > > I was also forced to install Bit Torrent to > download the new ISO's after > > have waited for over 2 weeks (in vain) after my > request for FTP access. > > (I *hate* peer to peer networks and I didn't > appreciate being forced to > > use one, even though it did turn out to be pretty > fast. I consider peer > > to peer a security risk.) > > > > A mature operating system should not encounter > these problems, I have a > > pretty standard Intel 2.6 gz system with 512 mb of > ram, and Windows has > > never had a problem configuring my setup. > > > > I see great potential in Linux and I will maintain > my dual-boot system, > > slowly learning to survive in Linux while waiting > (and hoping) for the > > operating system to mature to a more usable > state... > > > > - Jack > > This isn't a remark to Jack - this is mostly to > those who don't agree with > what he said... Remember when you guys were new to > Linux? I'm sure about 90% > of you thought the same way. I know I did. There is > a substantial learning > curve to Linux - you cannot go to a software store > and buy software for Linux > (at least not that I've seen), and when you purchase > a printer, video card, > or any number of other computer related hardware, > it's Windows that they > support, not Linux. There are still lots of things > that are lacking in Linux > - mostly due to the fact that the companies who > build the hardware get locked > into providing just Windows drivers for it, and so > it leaves it to people who > have no real knowledge of the hardware to try to > write drivers for it in > Linux. Yes, Linux has come a long way - but it still > doesn't have that "easy > installation" and total all around support for > hardware that Windows has. > > That being said, Jack, you ARE on the right track. > Getting into the newsgroups > and asking is definitely the way to go. For the most > part, the Linux > community is really good about sharing information, > and there are solutions > for most of the problems, whether it's just a simple > hack or a total > recompile. You will also ALWAYS step on someone > elses toes with any opinion > you make, so don't let that get to you. Everyone > else has an opinion too, and > it's just human to want to say your part. > > In my opinion, Linux HAS come a long way. It still > has a long ways to go. > That's why developers work on it constantly, > updating, rewriting apps, etc., > to make it better. When you think it is as good as > it needs to be, well, > you're in the same boat the Microsoft developers are > in. See where that gets > Windows users? > > Linux may never have the same "ease of use" that > Windows has been incorporated > with (for the most part), but therein lies its > strength. Once you learn HOW > to install something, you are that much more > knowledgable for the next go > round. You also don't have to worry about software > installing itself over the > network automatically, as is the case with Windows > and worms. > > That's MY 2 cents worth... > He's right! But don't expect that Linux or any Linux distro was meant for your needs and blame it if it doesn't have all the features you need. Linux covers -let say - 98% of users needs in general, but if you were unlucky to be in the 2% do not be angry, just propose! There will be somebody to hear you, to join you and MDK is the place!
Remember, a lot of important companies do not make Linux drivers, so a distro needs to manage that itself most of the time! Could you imagine what means to be all these companies at the same time? bye & good luck! > -- > Take care, > Randall Hobbs > Programmer - System Administrator - Chip Castle Dot > Com, Inc. > Web Hosting * Programming * Software > http://www.chipcastle.com > > > ____________________________________________________ > Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? > > Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com > Join the Club : http://www.mandrakeclub.com > ____________________________________________________ > ===== Best Regards, Mihai Sorin Dobrescu __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Check out the new Yahoo! Front Page. www.yahoo.com
____________________________________________________ Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com Join the Club : http://www.mandrakeclub.com ____________________________________________________
