< snip > > > Norman >>> I really sympathise with you about this, and I have had > similar irritations and exasperations (mostly with wifi and printers). > I guess, after a while, I've tended to think, "Well, the person who > writes and maintains this software is probably doing it for free, in > between earning his or her living, seeing to the kids, maintaining the > house, and all the other stuff we all struggle with.
I am not seeking sympathy I am just feeling sorry for the unsuspecting non-technical user on whom the problem descends. Although it is a nuisance I quite enjoy the challenge to put things right. > > Then I remember how good the GNU/Linux system in general, Ubuntu in > particular, and most of the FOSS apps I run are: stunningly good, and > basically stable and reliable, despite the occasional infuriatingly > stupid issue of the sort you describe. You are absolutely correct and these are some of the reasons that I use Ubuntu. > > But things are no better elsewhere. < snip > > > That software breaks is annoying. But software breaks on all operating > systems. At least here there's some chance of help from the community. > I couldn't see me ever giving that up to go back to a monopolist > vendor if I could possibly avoid it, especially to rely on them for > making my living. (And I notice that the most frequent reason given on > this list for using Win or OSX - apart from, like me, "that's what my > employer says I have to use!" - is merely that there's no equivalent > FOSS software for some very specific and critical job; never because > "they're just more reliable for real work".) Agreed. > > So Ubuntu may give you grief sometimes; but don't forget what the > alternatives are really like! I am not allowed to forget because of the need to have Windows available because there is no suitable application in Ubuntu. Norman -- [email protected] https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UKTeam/
