[SATLUG] Pokes at Microsoft (off Topic)

[Daniel J. Givens]

Herb wrote:
> If you read this far let me entertain you for just a bit

Entertain us with what? Bad grammar, incomplete sentences and otherwise
indiscernible drivel is not entertaining.

> I have FC-6 installed and operating but I am trying to learn a bit of
> the Linux differences from using WIN3.0 to ME where I stopped, Ya know
> it is a question of what I need. Don't you agree?

Huh?

> I have no desire to be a programmer, I want to just devour the wonderful
> plate of goodies that you artist are able to paint on to our hooked
> together lifescape  for us other artist to enjoy??
> 
> .... but speak to me with words that I understand .... please ...
> 
> At this moment I have benefited greatly from your help ... so thanks ...
> big thanks ... but ....

One of the great misconceptions of Linux. You don't have to be a programmer to
run it. You don't have to be a sys admin to run it, at least no more so than in
Windows! Why do you think places like Geek Squad can charge as much as they do?
Because general use computers are not easy to use for the average user that
needs an email client, web browser, music player and simple text editor.

> Right now I would love to connect up with my modem to my IP ..... right
> now let me tell you that I am standing in the cool FC-6 Gnone desktop
> and I have menus and I see nothing anywhere that even looks like the
> dialer that I use to connest with ... Ya know?

It's called Google. Use it. Let's see, you are running "Gnome", so that might go
in your search string. You're looking for a "modem dialer". That might be a good
thing to put in your search. Computers typically use "PPP" for their connection.
That may be something else to put in a search string. It doesn't take a rocket
scientist to come up with a search that will lead you to Gnome PPP. Better yet,
go take a look in your software repository. I know, the idea of having a ton of
software ready to be installed with a few clicks of a mouse is a foreign idea to
the typical Windows user. They have to go buy their software or download it from
various websites around the Internet.

Modems are so rarely used, dialers are generally left out of distributions.

> I have followed your advice and got here but see most are not interested
> as I, most would have given up way long back. Damn, I hate being
> critical over free things but to answer with a line of code or a URL
> that has 100 paages is simply not helpful and even can cause the door to
> be closed should be considered.... well anyway that is how I see it

Are you drunk?

> I mean I have the modem installed and the sys sees it ok I also see that
> Generic modem driver has been installed but I have no idea what to do
> next??? launching th browser does not ask for the ok to connect as I
> would expect in NSWinX. If somehow a cross reference could be worked out
> to help the converter would be just precious.
> I think this is what holds thousands of people every day from converting
> to Linux ... I can see where I am headed only because of my prior
> experience and JJ-Sixer simply cannot ... the choice is saying F...it.
> dude, I going.

WTF is NSWinX? How many drivers did you have to hunt down after you installed
FC? How many of your favorite applications did you have to either dig up CDs for
or download from a website?

Consider this. It takes me at least 6 hours to 1) install Windows XP on an
average computer, 2) find and install drivers for hardware 3) download and
install all necessary updates, 4) install Office, Nero, Antivirus, Antispyware ,
A/V codecs, Adobe Reader, etc, etc 5) make sure all apps are updated and running
properly. It takes me less than 2 hours to have an Ubuntu desktop system
completely up and running with all of the applications I need. That includes
download time for package updates.

Depending on your distro, installing Linux is no harder these days than
installing Windows. Getting a fully working Linux system, provided you have
fairly mainstream hardware, is actually easier than Windows. Applications are
more readily available and the need for antivirus, antispyware, crappy resource
intensive firewall is nil, meaning I have more of my computer resources
available for me to use.

What holds many people back from moving to Linux is 1) fear of something
different 2) reputation of being difficult to use 3) lack of full microsoft
office support, but MS Office for Mac isn't even 100% compatible.

If you are going to be any kind of power user, you're going to have to do some
searches on Google. You're going to end up in a config file or the registry.
You're going to have applications not work. This is the consequence of the push
for everyone having general purpose computers.

I must add that I do use Windows and other Microsoft products. I actually like
Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003. I especially dig Active Directory and at
work I have a very mixed environment with authentication against the AD. I like
Office 2007. I dislike Vista and I can tolerate XP. I prefer Linux for my
desktop and in a lot of other instances, but there is no one absolute solution
for every instance. If you don't like Linux, THEN DON'T USE IT. If you like
Windows, if it gets the job done for you, it makes sense for you to use it.
Linux offers me, in most situations, things that would either take longer in the
beginning or in the long run, be more difficult, or be completely impossible.
There are other times that Windows is the better choice, and in those instances,
I choose Windows.

Use what works best for you and don't complain when something that works well
for others doesn't work well for you, unless YOU can do something about it, or
the folks you're complaining to are in a position to do something about it.