Posted on 05/26/2005 8:45:19 AM PDT by ShadowAce
heh you say that like its a bad thing ;).. Direct X is one of the larger reasons MS is so easy to target at the OS level..
But youre right on OO, 1.2 is pretty clunky (still does the job for me) but the beta for 2 (1.9) is much smoother..
ping for later
From Post #127, by Bush2000:
Thanks, I asked for a Phillips screwdriver and you handed me a regular. I'm using RH9. Not SuSe.
You can get Apt for RH9, and the first thing I'd do after getting it is opening a root terminal and typing "apt-get install synaptic".
You replied
Grrrrrrrrrrreatttttttt. I'll tell my grandmother to do that after she installs Red Hat. /SARCASM
Just because you choose to ignore parts of the conversation does not mean we all do the same... If you install redhat (and that would be RHEL2+ at this point) it comes with GYUM installed and in the maneu button, you never have to use a console to install software... here is a screenshot for you.. Its like watching a car wreck on this thread, in very slow motion you just keep getting more and more lost..
I'm jumping in here without reading the whole thread, but I do follow the Linux story in the press. Specifically I build a lot of computers and read about building.
I see no consistence whatever in recomendations for the prefered Linux distribution. I have no fear of Unix. I programmed in C for eight years on an AT&T box. I haven't gotten interested in Linux because the programs I use aren't available. At the moment that would be Sound Forge and Photoshop. The wife uses Electric Quilt. Those plus the internet are pretty much all we use.
Two major camps... Suse based, and RH based. There are others but those are the big two. Its like PC dealers you have Dell, HP-Compaq, and some others no rule as to which is right for you. Major differences between aer usually defaultFS, update agent, and Gui (Gnome, KDE, ...). Of course I can put YUM (what I use) on Suse if I so choose..
I haven't gotten interested in Linux because the programs I use aren't available.
Valid and true reason. I would point out GIMP has come a long way for all but people who publish on paper. BUt no its not for everyone but how many people need photoshop? gimp would do for 95% of users. BTW what is soud forge?
Look I dont think Linux is for everyone, or even for most people, but I think that it would do for a significant number of people. If it had a big enough share it might get some of those apps ported to it (despite the rumors you can run closed source apps on Linux). Will this happen? dont know, dont really care Linux has done just fine keeping its capabilities up with a small market share and thats enough for me.
one more thing, you still may want to use Knoppix or another CD based distro for on-line transactions if you do allot of that. I use it even though I am running Linux because no systems is 100% safe.
" heh you say that like its a bad thing ;).. Direct X is one of the larger reasons MS is so easy to target at the OS level.."
DirectX 9 is what makes the new 3D games look good. I'm not giving up Road to Hill 30.
BTW did you get a look at the screenshot yet?
"The point being made by your colleagues is that Grandma should simply choose the distribution that offers her the easiest path to installation."
No, the real point is, you've changed YOUR "litmus test" for what constitutes a good OS each time we give an answer that fulfills your requirements.
First, you said that "It must be easy for the average user to install apps". (post 64).
When we showed you that it was, you changed your criteria to, "It must be easy for Grandma to install apps". (post 131)
When we showed you that it was, you changed your criteria to, "It must come pre-installed". (post 148)
Hey, we could go on forever. I could do the same thing with Microsoft...let's start with, "It must remain relatively free of viruses and spyware with little configuration or maintenance from the user". Linux and Mac are head and shoulders above Windows in this department.
I understand your argument that people might not want to go through the process of installing Linux. Fair enough. That ain't a problem with the OS, it's a result of aggressive marketing and restrictive licensing between Microsoft and the OEM's that may actually prohibit them from installing Linux on their computers. There's scads of literature on this on the Internet, such as the story of how two Linspire guys who were invited to talk to Dell about their OS were suddenly "uninvited" when the higher ups got wind of it. You can Google it yourself, but you'll probably just deny it, like you denied YaST and Synaptic.
How about comparing apples to apples? You pick your OS and I'll pick mine, then we'll do a comparison on which is easier to install. That's a true comparison of the capabilities of the various operating systems. You won't agree to that, however, because it's a losing proposition to you.
BTW, I'm confident that Grandma could install Mepis by booting to a live CD, clicking on the "Install Me" icon and selecting the defaults. That's the way I do it, and it always works just fine. Again, just because she chooses not to isn't the fault of Linux.
All the while, you've ignored the fact that the average consumer, let alone Grandma, is not too successful at keeping spyware/viruses at bay with "the leading operating system". I'd like to see you respond to this, even though it really wouldn't prove that Linux is better than MS any more than your artificial litmus tests prove the opposite. It just proves that in real life, people with knowledge will always have an easier time using and maintaining their systems, no matter what they're running.
You're the one making your OS a religion.
"I see no consistence whatever in recomendations for the prefered Linux distribution."
That's a good thing...it means that people are actually choosing what works best for them. Nothing could be finer than having the option of trashing an OS that is no longer meeting your needs.
As I said earlier, right now, between home and work, I'm running 4 different Linux OS's on everything from a 200mHz Pentium with 128 Mb ram, all the way up to a 2.0 Ghz Celeron with 512 MB ram.
You can choose the distro that fits your preference, or, is best for the equipment you're running. Lots of people find one that fits.
And yes, I have Windows programs that I use that don't run on Linux too. No problem. Most often, my Windows box isn't allowed on the Internet, because she exposes herself to the world like a drunken coed at spring break. But, I do use it for the occasional game or whatnot that can't run on Linux. Although, with OpenOffice, Firefox, Gaim, Gimp, etc., it looks more and more like a Linux box everyday.
For surfing/IM, word processing, watching DVD's, listening to music, HTML editing/uploading, etc., I use Linux almost exclusively. The apps are competently built and very easy to install (hear me, Bush2000?). And as for price, you can't beat free, no matter how many apps you install. Plus, almost no maintenance whatsoever. I can actuall USE my computer instead of endlessly updating, scanning, restarting, etc.
Post #148 is in a direct reply-line to Post #127. Once you mentioned RH9, you just continued with Red Hat, indicating to the rest of us that RH9 was what you were talking about. Once you refer to a different version, you must explicitly do so to allow others to know what you are talking about.
That's not the way he debates. When one of his asinine statements is shot down, he claims that he was talking about something else all along.
See my post #163.
I know. I just wanted to post the explanation in public. :)
Me too!
He has already run away from this thread..
Sorry to butt in, but I joined TransGaming almost two years ago. I bought a single subscription (one vote) and never regretted it. I'm an emerald member now.
I can play all the games I am interested in through cedega and it just keeps getting better. I just finished playing Half-Life 2 last month. I'm currently working my way through Doom 3, but the good news there is that id software releases Linux ports for many if not all of its games. If you like gaming and you are interested in playing on Linux, the subscription fee to TransGaming is well worth it. Plus you get to vote on which games the TransGaming developers work on next.
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