ok, i think what i'm gonna say is quite irrelevant to the issues at hand, but i would like to share the experience i've had with linux here at home.
once upon a time, i was a pure windows user -- was very proficient in using the apps in windows like office apps as well as 'administering' a single desktop (drivers, upgrades, installation of apps, etc). there was a time that i was already considering heavily the benefits that an MCSE certification would do me -- until my friends Mr. Mark Erbel Domingo and Mr. Paolo Xavier Dizon (IIRC is also a plugger) introduced me to slackware 7.0 (circa 2000). having had to resize my partitions a few number of times (allocating 2 GB to my trial linux system (128 swap, the rest /)) and installing and reinstalling a grand total of 5 times before i got my linux installation running and useable, i admit i was really intimidated. but the intimidation didn't get in the way of my wanting to learn linux. this intimidation was at its peak when i HAD to recompile my kernel to work with the sound built in (of course until i learned that it could be modularized). and when i got through that, i felt a sense of accomplishment and enlightenment that only such an exercise would bring me. so fast forward a little, i got to know PLUG, and more distributions by word of mouth and first hand trial -- mandrake 8.0 (which was an unpleasnt experience). after getting my preferences straight, i've finally setup this current box that i'm using -- slackware 8.1 with the amenities i need for a "production" development and desktop box. after getting this system running just right for my needs, i had to consider the needs of my father, mother, and sister. unfortunately i know that they shouldn't have to go through all that i went through just so that they could use the computer productively. so then after installing the apps that they needed and creating the local users for them, i was surprised that one day, with only minor and surface level knowledge assistance from my sister, my mother who had no previous experience with linux was there typing away using KOffice, and then later printing the document she just finished typing. this has proven to me that if linux was setup correctly or properly to the point that it's just useable and stable (and user friendly enough), that users would definitely be able to get accustomed to it. this is first hand experience. please take note that if you don't learn to administer your box, you would have a hard time getting it to a point that it's just useable. of course choosing the install everything option in your distro's installation would save you time, but might spell trouble for you in the end. so IMHO, anybody who uses and sets up his/her linux box is an administrator in himself/herself. even if you're not handling production servers, playing around with your toy box or your home desktop would be considered administration nonetheless. so if you want to use linux, you should learn to install and administer it first then tweak it to suit your needs and preferences. just me babbling... ;) -- -=[mikhail]=- aka Dean Michael C. Berris mobile +63 917 8901959 work +63 49 5680024 http://free.net.ph/Members/mikhailberis _ 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]
