[ShadowAce]

[rockrr]

I’ve played with a couple of Linux distros and would happily dump Windoze but for two reasons - driver support and interoperability.

Ubunto immediately loaded drivers for my Cisco WiFi card and I was able to connect to my router, but I have yet to find any Linux support for my Sierra HSDPA broadband card. Without it, (for my needs) my laptop is as useful as a car without wheels.

My company, a committed Windoze adopter, has gone out of its way to make using Linux impossible in the workplace. Beyond simply prohibiting it and an alternative, they employ methods to even deny it IP addresses.

I’ve enjoyed using Ubunto and would migrate to it at home if I could resolve the lack of broadband support.

[org.whodat]

What system is used in most universities to teach computers? It’s not brain surgery folks!

[postaldave]

lol. i agree with him, windows is free.

but i’m still not getting vista.

[Nailbiter]

read later

[Squantos]

Well this is just awful............:o)

[Tainan]

Very very good article. It hits on a number of salient points in the "normal user" computer world.
I've been giving serious thought to switching to Linnux - but I still can't justify it. I've been running XP Pro for years and have never seen a BSD. I keep the box clean w/CCleaner, do a defrag and run heavy duty (but compatible) security progs and things just keep on ticking.
Oh...and another thing...

All Hail Torrents.

[Tarpon]

Interesting article.

It’s a web centric world, and becoming even more so everyday.

In a web centric world, this will become more common -- Walmart $200 PC with gOS (Ubuntu flavor) installed. It does web browsing, word processing, photo storage, printing, what more do most people need today. That is becoming the real problem with the value proposition for selling the OS, most don’t need it, don't want it, and don't know how to manage it -- Today, software has zero value, unless it's a game, then it has 'trading value' -- web connection is everything.

I use Ubuntu 7.10 Linux because of what it can do without having to pay for it ... Costs were just getting out of hand and upgrades were just too expensive. I also grew up with UNIX so it was easy. I settled on Ubuntu 7.10 everywhere, because the wife likes the games available on Ubuntu. As long as her browser browses, her bookmarks don't disappear and her online email works, the rest is just a nuisance. Ubuntu also runs really fast on her 5 year old AMD 3000.

[BuffaloJack]

One of the serious major faults with windows is PC manufacturers who feel compelled to park their company logo on the startup screen and install all sorts of unneeded software because they can. Windows is a monster of an operating system to begin with and needs to be initialized in a very controlled and orderly manner. When manufacturers put other stuff in it messes things up.
My daughter’s HP Pavilion was the worst piece of crap I’d ever seen until her hard drive finally and mercifully broke after 3 years. With a new 49 buck hard drive and an off the shelf non-OEM copy of windows XP, it now is a dream machine. Faster then when it was new and never a crash ever and everything work without all the aggravation and hassle.

[RockinRight]

Many business applications are unavailable for Linux. Also, few games are available. I think that combination is why it hasn’t caught on. I had Ubuntu on an old machine and liked it, but it wasn’t all that useful, not to mention installing programs was difficult for me, a relatively experienced user, and would be damn-near impossible for the average Joe.

[SandwicheGuy]

This is an outstanding article by a guy who knows what is going on. I found myself nodding in agreement and remembering his arguments so I could incorporate them. Thanks so much for posting.