L
Long Time MS Developer and Musician
Guest
So much negativity, makes me think MS employees are writing all this. I have
been an MS developer since 1985 (Foxpro, VB, ASP and Dot.Net) and have
defended Windows for years. I have 4 computers in my home office. I bought a
new one (always need more horsepower), put Vista on it, and went through
hell. I finally "downgraded" it back to XP, and set up one of the old
computers with Kubuntu 7.1. Because if I have to learn a new OS, I might as
well learn one that benefits me. Reaction to Vista has been very bad, and
several of my clients are moving to Linux. I am going to follow my bread and
butter.
Installing Kubuntu was soooo easy, it prompted me for an ID and a time zone,
and did everything else. Much better than Windows. Everything works and looks
great. No "incompatible drivers" or any of the other hundreds of messages
that Vista continuously popped up . I understand why my clients are moving to
it, apps the staff commonly use are nearly as good as the MS apps, and they
are free. Since nearly everything is moving to the internet, software on the
client computer is not as important as it used to be. Email and a word
processor takes care of 80% of the users.
And performance is great. I was really surprised, because the last time I
looked at Linux it sucked. But I like it now. In fact, I like Linux so much,
I am thinking of putting it on my new system. I am designating one computer
to act as a Windows server so I can continue to do ASP and Dot.Net, but I can
code on the Linux box just fine and drop the files on the server to run. Best
of both worlds, and my value goes up.
"Homer Schwartz" wrote:
>
> Ok, I thought Linux would be fun. But it's not. You know why? It doesn't
> work. It doesn't do squat. Let's see how fast the nerds come out of the
> woodwork to ream me out. But I am going to tell the truth.
>
> I didn't have high hopes. I knew that Linux demanded some computer know-how,
> but I'm a very experienced computer user. The last time I purchased a full
> computer system was 1998. Since then I've built them myself. I've installed
> Windows more times than I can count. Not just simple installs, by the way,
> but rather complicated installs with multiple RAID arrays, etc. Not
> bragging, just setting the scene.
>
> Just setting up my video card correctly required two separate installs, a
> variety of command-line scripts, and a rather clunky workaround. And that
> was just to get my screen working at its native resolution. Thankfully I
> have two computers at my desk, or I wouldn't have been able to use the
> internet to figure out the problem.
>
> Then came the internet. There is no easy way to get Flash working. In some
> cases (mine, as it turns out) it is impossible. So, no YouTube. No flash
> games. No even moderately complicated websites. In other words, 75% of the
> websites I visit don't work. It's not like Flash is this cutting edge thing.
> It's been around forever.
>
> Every piece of software has its own idiosyncrasies, some of which conflict
> with each other. I was crashing when I tried to run Open Office with Firefox
> open. Why? I have no idea. It was the first thing I did. I hadn't even
> customized the operating system at all. It crashed. It still crashes even
> now. It is crap.
>
> This wouldn't bother me if it weren't for the ridiculous defense of Linux
> put up by its fanboys. It's easy, they say, you've just got to think
> differently. I can think fine. I can work on a Mac, even though I don't have
> as much experience with them, because they actually are well designed. Linux
> is a complete disaster. You know that saying, too many cooks spoil the pot?
> There is a lot of spoiled pot here, people. Spoiled pot, all over the place.
>
> Just watch what happens when you mention Windows. The nerds come out in
> force then. Vista sucks, they say. It's slow. It's got spyware. Hell, with
> Linux I don't need spyware--the thing trashes itself. But what's the point
> of getting on the internet without spyware if none of the websites work?
>
> I'm not even going to try to explain the convoluted, overly technical, and
> completely buggy way software is installed. It's so easy, they say. Well,
> it's not so difficult on Windows, either. Download. Double click. Damn,
> that's so difficult, isn't it?
>
> That would all be fine if Linux boosters didn't constantly claim that
> everyday computer users could use Linux with little or no loss of
> functionality, and with little training. Bull. It is way too complicated for
> even basic tasks. If I don't have the patience to deal with its ridiculous
> learning curve, I'm sure most people don't.
>
> One guy actually said that Linux was easier than doing a fresh install of
> Windows XP. Only someone who has never done a clean install of Windows could
> say it is difficult. You put the CD in. Click a few buttons. Tell it your
> time zone. Voila. Done. Difficult? No.
>
> So, why did I do this? Mostly, I needed to get to the internet while I wait
> for Vista to arrive in the mail, likely tomorrow. And when it does, I will
> install that resource-hogging, bloated, tool of corporate oppression right
> the hell over Ubuntu Linux, the supposed software of global group-hugs. And
> you know what I will do then? Rejoice. Laugh. Celebrate. Revel in enjoyment
> that only a true nerd can appreciate. Because Windows (whatever its faults)
> is actually a system people can use.
>
> And so, in this moment of rejoicing, I will engage in a little bit of what I
> said yesterday was BS. I will invest a hearty amount of metaphysical meaning
> in Ubuntu Linux. It is every bit a hippie piece-of-crap product. It follows
> no discernible rules. It revels in chaotic freedom, to the point that it
> never knows what it is doing. With apologies to Tim Leary, it turns on,
> tunes in...and then drops out. And like a hippie junky, you worry that one
> day you're going to find your computer dead in a pool of its own vomit.
>
> Do I sound irritated? I am. Just for the record, I'll do the same to Vista.
> I'll report all the difficulties I run into and compare them to Ubuntu, just
> for fun. And you poor non-nerds out there will just have to either wade
> through it or ignore it.
>
> Stop comparing Linux to Vista! the nerds kept saying. Well stop saying it's
> so much better than Vista, then! All you're doing is inviting comparison.
> Well, starting tomorrow (less the FedEx gods' wrath falls on me) that's
> exactly what I'm going to do. Mwuwahahaha!
>
>
been an MS developer since 1985 (Foxpro, VB, ASP and Dot.Net) and have
defended Windows for years. I have 4 computers in my home office. I bought a
new one (always need more horsepower), put Vista on it, and went through
hell. I finally "downgraded" it back to XP, and set up one of the old
computers with Kubuntu 7.1. Because if I have to learn a new OS, I might as
well learn one that benefits me. Reaction to Vista has been very bad, and
several of my clients are moving to Linux. I am going to follow my bread and
butter.
Installing Kubuntu was soooo easy, it prompted me for an ID and a time zone,
and did everything else. Much better than Windows. Everything works and looks
great. No "incompatible drivers" or any of the other hundreds of messages
that Vista continuously popped up . I understand why my clients are moving to
it, apps the staff commonly use are nearly as good as the MS apps, and they
are free. Since nearly everything is moving to the internet, software on the
client computer is not as important as it used to be. Email and a word
processor takes care of 80% of the users.
And performance is great. I was really surprised, because the last time I
looked at Linux it sucked. But I like it now. In fact, I like Linux so much,
I am thinking of putting it on my new system. I am designating one computer
to act as a Windows server so I can continue to do ASP and Dot.Net, but I can
code on the Linux box just fine and drop the files on the server to run. Best
of both worlds, and my value goes up.
"Homer Schwartz" wrote:
>
> Ok, I thought Linux would be fun. But it's not. You know why? It doesn't
> work. It doesn't do squat. Let's see how fast the nerds come out of the
> woodwork to ream me out. But I am going to tell the truth.
>
> I didn't have high hopes. I knew that Linux demanded some computer know-how,
> but I'm a very experienced computer user. The last time I purchased a full
> computer system was 1998. Since then I've built them myself. I've installed
> Windows more times than I can count. Not just simple installs, by the way,
> but rather complicated installs with multiple RAID arrays, etc. Not
> bragging, just setting the scene.
>
> Just setting up my video card correctly required two separate installs, a
> variety of command-line scripts, and a rather clunky workaround. And that
> was just to get my screen working at its native resolution. Thankfully I
> have two computers at my desk, or I wouldn't have been able to use the
> internet to figure out the problem.
>
> Then came the internet. There is no easy way to get Flash working. In some
> cases (mine, as it turns out) it is impossible. So, no YouTube. No flash
> games. No even moderately complicated websites. In other words, 75% of the
> websites I visit don't work. It's not like Flash is this cutting edge thing.
> It's been around forever.
>
> Every piece of software has its own idiosyncrasies, some of which conflict
> with each other. I was crashing when I tried to run Open Office with Firefox
> open. Why? I have no idea. It was the first thing I did. I hadn't even
> customized the operating system at all. It crashed. It still crashes even
> now. It is crap.
>
> This wouldn't bother me if it weren't for the ridiculous defense of Linux
> put up by its fanboys. It's easy, they say, you've just got to think
> differently. I can think fine. I can work on a Mac, even though I don't have
> as much experience with them, because they actually are well designed. Linux
> is a complete disaster. You know that saying, too many cooks spoil the pot?
> There is a lot of spoiled pot here, people. Spoiled pot, all over the place.
>
> Just watch what happens when you mention Windows. The nerds come out in
> force then. Vista sucks, they say. It's slow. It's got spyware. Hell, with
> Linux I don't need spyware--the thing trashes itself. But what's the point
> of getting on the internet without spyware if none of the websites work?
>
> I'm not even going to try to explain the convoluted, overly technical, and
> completely buggy way software is installed. It's so easy, they say. Well,
> it's not so difficult on Windows, either. Download. Double click. Damn,
> that's so difficult, isn't it?
>
> That would all be fine if Linux boosters didn't constantly claim that
> everyday computer users could use Linux with little or no loss of
> functionality, and with little training. Bull. It is way too complicated for
> even basic tasks. If I don't have the patience to deal with its ridiculous
> learning curve, I'm sure most people don't.
>
> One guy actually said that Linux was easier than doing a fresh install of
> Windows XP. Only someone who has never done a clean install of Windows could
> say it is difficult. You put the CD in. Click a few buttons. Tell it your
> time zone. Voila. Done. Difficult? No.
>
> So, why did I do this? Mostly, I needed to get to the internet while I wait
> for Vista to arrive in the mail, likely tomorrow. And when it does, I will
> install that resource-hogging, bloated, tool of corporate oppression right
> the hell over Ubuntu Linux, the supposed software of global group-hugs. And
> you know what I will do then? Rejoice. Laugh. Celebrate. Revel in enjoyment
> that only a true nerd can appreciate. Because Windows (whatever its faults)
> is actually a system people can use.
>
> And so, in this moment of rejoicing, I will engage in a little bit of what I
> said yesterday was BS. I will invest a hearty amount of metaphysical meaning
> in Ubuntu Linux. It is every bit a hippie piece-of-crap product. It follows
> no discernible rules. It revels in chaotic freedom, to the point that it
> never knows what it is doing. With apologies to Tim Leary, it turns on,
> tunes in...and then drops out. And like a hippie junky, you worry that one
> day you're going to find your computer dead in a pool of its own vomit.
>
> Do I sound irritated? I am. Just for the record, I'll do the same to Vista.
> I'll report all the difficulties I run into and compare them to Ubuntu, just
> for fun. And you poor non-nerds out there will just have to either wade
> through it or ignore it.
>
> Stop comparing Linux to Vista! the nerds kept saying. Well stop saying it's
> so much better than Vista, then! All you're doing is inviting comparison.
> Well, starting tomorrow (less the FedEx gods' wrath falls on me) that's
> exactly what I'm going to do. Mwuwahahaha!
>
>