On 3/24/03 12:05 PM, "Daniel O. Escasa" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> ** Sabi ni Ricky noong Fri, 14 Mar 2003 06:36:33 +0800 > >> Having lurked this list for awhile, I am wondering if there is a forum for >> people like me who want to see Linux as regular Desktop application and not >> as a Server-only Platform. >> >> The impression I get from most of the posts is that this is a forum for >> system administrators and developers. > > Oh the one hand, anyone who uses a PC is system administrator of that PC. Just > that, IMHO, the Freenixen are easier to administer than Windows 9x/ME, maybe > even NT/2K. Haven't used XP extensively so I can't tell. Not necessarily. In a corporate environment, it is normal for your average user to completely clueless about the workings of the OS. Many users are not even aware which OS version their PC's are running and leave admin responsibilities to their MIS depts. Even power users aren't normally allowed to SysAd their machines, even if they knew how. I am sincerely looking for the day when a Linux forum has more users asking questions like "so how do I play an mp3?" or "Is there a Quicktime player for Linux?" rather than the more typical proxy-server or, java vs native apps, or even those "just type...from bash" arguments. My personal evaluation of Linux is that it is ready for the casual user. That no forum of the type I suggest exists simply reflects the fact that very few users out there use Linux without a computer science or developer background. Thus the nature of the typical discussions. >From an advocacy standpoint, it's probably time for such a forum to exist. If the Linux community actively advocates the usage of Linux as a desktop platform for the typical user, or even for the power user with no compsci skills, then it's high time this was done. Please understand that I'm not disparaging the PLUG or newbie lists as they are. These lists do a fine job for the up-to-now typical Linux user who has written at least a program or two and doesn't mind a bit of source code. But I'm sure that many users out there who are potential Desktop Linux advocates will find the discussion intimidating and simply get the impression that Linux is "hard-to-use" when it actually isn't. I suggest PLUG look into this and provide a not-too-technical forum for newbies and experienced users alike who simply want to get their desktop environments up and running effectively without having to invoke a shell. A forum for the sort of user whose questions are real-world based and not necessarily OS based. The key phrase here should be "no terminal app skill necessary." Where bash simply means an extravagant party - nothing more. The last may be undoable, I know, since even in Widoze one must occasionally get a CLI running to do something a mind-bogglingly complex as "ping" ;) but this is more a philosophical point than anything else. Ricky Munoz > > On the other hand, part of that administration is part for system services, > and > part for desktop apps. I've been on this list from its days at IPhil, and > there've been discussions on both aspects of GNU/Linux. > > Just for the record, I run mainly desktop apps on my FreeBSD box -- > OpenOffice.org, AbiWord, Mozilla, XFce, Evolution, PolarBar (Java-powered > POP/IMAP client), Gabber (universal IM), x11amp, and a few mindless games <g>. > Among others. > > Mabuhay. > _ > Philippine Linux Users Group. Web site and archives at > http://plug.linux.org.ph > To leave: send "unsubscribe" in the body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Fully Searchable Archives With Friendly Web Interface at > http://marc.free.net.ph > > To subscribe to the Linux Newbies' List: send "subscribe" in the body to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > _ Philippine Linux Users Group. Web site and archives at http://plug.linux.org.ph To leave: send "unsubscribe" in the body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Fully Searchable Archives With Friendly Web Interface at http://marc.free.net.ph To subscribe to the Linux Newbies' List: send "subscribe" in the body to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
