Posted on 06/12/2006 5:41:51 AM PDT by N3WBI3
This is not a gripe against windows. I use windows on a daily basis and I know how to get the most out of the experience. With a little work, it’s a highly polished and reliable OS. But how much “a little work” can we expect of an inexperienced new computer user. I have also recently installed the latest release of Ubuntu Linux and have found that its ease of use is second to no other OS I’ve used as of yet. What this is, is a gripe against the mainstream OS and computer manufacturing business.
Mainly, new computer users don’t use Linux because they’ve never heard of it and almost no PC’s come with it preinstalled. It wouldnt be hard to convince a person to use Ubuntu Linux who had no experience with computers. The words “Free OS and gobs of free software instantly at your disposal” would win someone over immediatley. And if you think Linux is hard to use, read on.
“Back in the day” people figured out Commodore 64’s and Amiga’s (as well as early IBM’s and Apples) without any problem but today if you stuck 99% of people in front of one of them, they’d instantly transmorgrify into a sack of potatoes. The OS’s (and support services) of today simply produce people who are convinced that you can’t possibly know anything about computers unless you have a degree surrounding them. Simply, they produce dummies. The idiocy of computer hardware vendors amplifies this ten-fold.
I’ve put together a small comparison so you can get an idea of what I’m talking about. We’ll go Windows XP vs Ubuntu Linux 6.06.
When you (as a first time computer user) get a new Windows computer, the first time you boot you get the following:
* You get 400 trillion icons spread all over your desktop. * Your “blazing fast new computer” takes 15 minutes to finish booting because of all the packaged software that starts up with it. * Your system tray extends half the way across the screen which has for some reason been set at the stunted resolution of 800×600. * As a result of the preset resolution, you can’t fit 75% of the website that you visit on one screen. You have to scroll from side to side in your web browser. * You don’t know how to get to the control panel let alone operate in it so you can’t figure out how to uninstall programs. (You might not even know such a thing exists) As a result, for all eternity when you boot, norton, mcafee and pc-cillin all annoy the heck out of you constantly telling you that you should sign up for their updating service and buy full versions of their products. They all also run scans at random times for your 120 day trial (after which they still bug you) and this slows your computer down to a crawl on a constant basis. You also have AOL, Netscape, Netzero and other ISP message popping up every time you boot and no doubt 17 other programs asking you to finish or start some process that will no doubt ask you for a credit card number. * Did I mention that you don’t get a functional office suite? Yeah they give you MS Office…but in 30 days it will deactivate itself and demand $329 to continue use. Yeah there are free ones out there, but how many normal windows/office users have you ever met that have heard of OpenOffice.org? Maybe it lacks about 15% of the MS features…but free vs. $300+ sounds pretty stinking good to me. Heck, whole governments (local all the way up to national) have gone to using it over MS office and you don’t hear them complaining… * Do I need to mention how stunted windows help can be? Good luck trying to find out how to do something that you need to do… You can buy a book on how to use windows, but hopefully you’re OK with shelling out the extra $30 bucks on top of the extra $100 you spent to get Windows on this PC instead of Linux.
When you (as a new computer user) receive a new PC with Ubuntu Linux installed on it, the first time you boot you get the following:
* Well, first…you would likely have been told that the OS that came on your PC was totally free. You just saved yourself $100 off the price of a new computer. This isn’t a feature, but it’s worth mentioning. * Maybe one or two Icons on your desktop. They would be links to other hard drives that you have on your system. Other than that, the desktop if your domain to do whatever you want with. * In the top left, there is a menu that says “Applications.” Any idiot could figure out that this means “Programs that I can use!!!” In that menu, programs that you install are automatically placed in the categories that they go best under. You have Games, System, Accessories, Graphics, Internet, and Office Folders. There’s also a convienient option to add or remove options from this menu that you may or may not want. * You don’t know much, but you want to write a paper for class. Duh…the office folder. Inside that folder you find OpenOffice.org products. A word processor, Spreadsheet maker, and a Presentation maker. Aside from the fact that this was all free…you have found what you were looking for instantly…right where one would expect it to be. * Maybe you want to surf the internet or chat. Under the internet folder you find the Evolution mail client, Firefox Web Browser, and Gaim Instant Messenger. Upon starting Gaim you are walked through adding your AIM account, MSN account and Yahoo accounts all into the same program. Your browser suddendly is brimming with features, it automatically updates itself and it even allows you to open *tabs* which means surfing 5 sites doesnt require juggling 5 windows which are clogging up the taskbar (which is placed at the bottom of your screen.) * At the top of your screen you also see a “System” menu. Under this, your first two options are “Preferences” and “Administration.” * Under Preferences you see obvious options like “Desktop Background,” “Sound,” “Screen Savers,” and plenty of other things. * Under Administration you find more advanced options and a very special option called “Synaptic Package Manager.” This is your door to tens of thousands of free programs that you can almost instantly install with the click of a button. You search for what you want, Check the box next to the appropriate result of your search and click “Apply.” This program is downloaded, installed and configured for you. It now shows up in your Applications menu under the correct category and you can use it right away. While some people would say “What if you didn’t know it was there?” I would reply that any person who gave you or sold you a computer with Ubuntu linux would without doubt tell you about this feature. (My one complaint with the system is the lack of this icon being put on the desktop. Small gripe, but a gripe nonetheless.) * Also under Administration is the Update Manager. You open this program and it updates EVERY program that you have installed (yes you read right). It doesn’t just update The OS. It also takes a fraction of the time that Windows Update does and doesn’t require a reboot. * The center option on the menu system at the top of your screen is “Places.” Under this you will find “Home,” “Computer,” and a few others. “Home” is sort-of the linux version of “My Documents.” This is where your files for your user account are stored. What you put in here is yours and can’t be messed with by other users on the same computer. “Computer” brings up the drives that you can access on your computer. (It’s the Ubuntu version of “My Computer.”)
Those of you familiar with Windows are undoubtedly impressed with all you can do with so little effort. Ubuntu linux also installs in under 10 minutes and requires only one reboot. Updating it to the latest versions also takes less than one minute. The entire installation process is graphically driven from start to finish and when you insert the installation CD your computer actually boots into the OS to give you a preview of what you will have when you get done. (There’s an install icon on the desktop that you click to actually install the OS). It will walk you through Manually or Automatically partitioning your hard drive and setting up a user account, and then it will go to town. From this point until you’re done is less than six minutes on a midrange computer. You then eject the CD and reboot into your new OS.
Windows installs in 30-45 minutes. It begins with a semi-graphical/keyboard driven process where you agree to the user agreement (which, incedentally tells you that you don’t actually OWN the the OS, you’re just borrowing it from MS), and then allows you to set up the hard drive for the installation. It then copies some files and reboots. It enters an “out of control” stage where it takes over the installation and sets everything up. It will reboot two or three times during this process.After its final reboot you are brought to a prompt where you set up your user account, network connections and are prompted to register your copy of XP. (You don’t HAVE to register, but be prepared for a hassle if you ever want to call Microsoft for support.) You then must “Activate” your copy by sending your hardware information to MS. If you ever change enough substantial hardware on your PC, you must reactivate it by calling MS and having them give you a “special code.” I’ve done this before and it is about a fifteen minute process.
You then need to update the OS by going to windows update. This takes quite a long time. First you have to download and install Service Pack 2. This is a large file and can take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes (or more) to install after it gets done downloading. You then have to get all the updates that are not included in SP2. After downloading these updates and installing them you will be prompted to reboot. You then run Windows Update again and it will find more updates which were dependant on the previously installed ones. Do this until no more updates come up. At my last reinstallation of windows i had to run windows update 4 times to get all the updates installed. Each time required a reboot. Now Microsoft has what they call the “Windows genuine advantage” which double checks to make sure you’re not an “evil OS stealer” before it will allow you to run windows update. You actually have to download a program, run it and paste the “special code” it generates into windows update which will allow you to proceed.
I should also mention that a base windows install comes with only “basic” accessories and software. It includes not even a trial of an office suite or anything else. This compared to the Ubuntu compliment of almost a hundred third party programs at install time just doesn’t cut it.
Now, which side of the OS industry do you think has it right? I don’t think Microsoft is Evil, don’t get me wrong. I actually kinda like the company. Their competition fuels a lot of third party innovation. I don’t think MS really does much “innovation” except in their rewritten definition, but they do offer rather pretty alternatives to products and some of their stuff does do a better job. I just think having started off on the right foot, they and the hardware vendors stepped on the wrong stepping stone at some point and fell into the river. Now they figure if they throw enough crap into the river, they can somehow swim out. I feel that it’s time for PC big business to go back to the drawing board and try building a bridge.
Ah, the usual...
I expose Stallman as a leftist, while the flaming dude promotes his philosophy and uses his software. Nothing else need be said.
http://www.stallman.org
Meanwhile, you continue to support such leftist ideals as censorship for the Chinese, abortion, and gay rights. Explain to me how strictly quoting something, without making comment positive nor negative, is promoting it. Or, ignore me again and show your continued ignorance.
"not once" blah blah blah when I've shown those links countless times including your first posts on these threads. not responding to you again.
All bull$#!t.
First, you've shown where I explained the terms of the GPL, nothing more. I didn't express an opinion about it, positive or negative.
If you could find a post where I expressed any sentiment (not fact) about Stallman or GPL, then you'd have a point, other than the one on top of your head. You haven't, you can't, you won't.
Second, those weren't my first posts on these threads, or to you. You just don't remember anything before those, because you don't pay attention to anything anyone says, including your own words, as we've demonstrated countless times.
"not responding to you again."
Well, that's mature. But not unexpected, because you never respond when you're asked to back up any of your inane points of view that were conjured up out of thin air. Why don't you just threaten to hold your breath, or put your hands over your ears and repeat, "I can't hear you, I can't hear you"?
Buying Microsoft means supporting America? Do you have ANY idea how much outsourcing Microsoft does? Sorry to break it to you Mr. Big Patriot, but most of the Microsoft programs you use were probably coded in India or China, or by Indian/Chiense programmers working in the US on H1B visas. Bill Gates is one of the biggest advocates of increasing the H1B visa quota.
Also I fail to see why Torvalds is at fault because his parents are communist supporters, when he is a capitalist himself.
Microsoft is an American corporation headquartered in the US, who employs mostly Americans, pays taxes to America, and doesn't give it's products away to the rest of the world for free. Torvald's product allows communists like China to make free copies, rename them "Red Flag" then resell them across Asia without a dime back to the US. If you want to call that equal, that is your opinion, but don't expect me to agree.
Your posts would indicate otherwise. If not, why do you spend so much effort trolling Linux/OSS/GPL/GNU threads posting your bile about the system?
If you care about the US, use products from the US,
I guess a free market isn't something you promote.
that conform to our intellectual property laws, rather than come from abroad and attempt to turn our laws on their head.
The GPL does not violate our intellectual property laws. In fact, it relies on them for its existence. If there were no copyright laws, then I could GPL a piece of software (actually, I have begun work on a piece of software that, when mature enough, I will post on the web and GPL) and someone like Microsoft or SCO could take my work and incorporate it into a closed source product against my will. With copyright law and the GPL (if I were ever so lucky as to find out, which is debatable; but for the sake of argument...) I can sue them for misusing my property. The GPL is not an absence of intellectual property, but rather a different use for it than what you would like.
here's plenty of other existing software choices already, that don't involve questionable foreigners like Torvalds or radical leftists like Stallman.
Once again, you can use Linux without supporting Stallman in any way and there is nothing questionable about Torvalds except in your own deluded mind. Torvalds is in this country LEGALLY pursuing his dream of kernel hacking (and has made quite a living at it). What problem do you have with that?
They suffer from some twisted view that people should give their property away, and rely on "the community" to support them.
Go read Torvalds's first USENET postings about Linux as well as his debate with Tanenbaum about Monolithic vs. Micro kernels. You obviously don't understand the motivation in the slightest.
If that's your thing, fine, but don't expect it to be mine. See ya.
I couldn't care less what you do. Just don't try to shove anti-Linux down my throat any more than you would want me to shove Linux down yours.
Because I care more for the welfare of my country than I do about bribes of free software from foreigners.
As is the practice of demanding a kickback from every computer sold whether or not it has their OS installed.
Teddy Roosevelt recognized the unethical,illegal practices of Standard Oil and one of the few things B. Clinton got right was recognizing the similar business practices of the Microsoft (Monopoly) Corporation.
Microsoft seldom innovates as I see it. They are masters of marketing and legal manipulation.
Microsoft marketing gimmicks have been used to kill off competing OS and Windows rivals, not technical superiority.
"All this is true and pretty terrible, but it's the fault of the OEMs who make money from including all the trial versions of the various junk. A fresh install of XP from a Microsoft (not OEM vendor) CD includes none of that junk. And if Dell, HP, etc. ever started offering Linux on their home systems, it would have all the junk bundled with it too.
Doesn't matter. All the Linux geeks don't want to hear it.
Wait until Mac people hijack this thread.
"Also I fail to see why Torvalds is at fault because his parents are communist supporters, when he is a capitalist himself."
Because this guy will use any means possible to smear anyone who disagrees with his agenda. It doesn't matter what the truth is, all that matters is that he can take a triviality and totally twist it into a derogatory, slanderous remark, truth be damned. He's done it not only with Torvalds, but with a number of respectable, polite Freepers who happened to fall on the wrong side of his philosophy. That's why he's been banned on multiple occasions.
That's been his M.O. here ever since the "transformation". He used to act like a normal Freeper.
The problem is right off the bat is marketing.
Who wants to get something called "Ubuntu" (I don't even know how to pronounce that)
"Hey Gramma- can I install Ubuntu on your machine so you can email to me?" "Mom, Dad...Can we get a computer with "Ubuntu"?
Some Linux and OpenSource geeks think we should get ALL software for free (very nicely socialist)- Who pays to develop it then?)
Can we rely on programmers (who must have full time jobs) to continue to provide free software to the world when they no longer have full-time programming jobs? (who will pay their salary to build free software)
Some, maybe. But I haven't seen any of those types here on FR. Let's not lump everyone into the same bucket.
Can we rely on programmers (who must have full time jobs) to continue to provide free software to the world when they no longer have full-time programming jobs? (who will pay their salary to build free software)
We have so far--for about 30-40 years now. There will always be free software--both gratis and libre. No one is saying you have to rely on it, but it does make for some good choices--and choice is always good.
You are not one of the zealots that I have seen here.
trust me- I am a progammer and I woRK with these kind of people. They do it for fun in their own spare time, and sometimes while on the clock here at work (they seem to miss that that is like stealing), but fail to recognize that no one would pay them anymore for writing free software.
There you go again. You have yet to prove that these are bribes or that they have anything to do with the welfare of the United States. You just sit here and spout off the same pile of junk.
Your debating skills, incidentally, are atrocious. You present no evidence and ignore (rather than refute) evidence presented against you. You have shown that you are merely a flack against Linux.
Just admit it. You hate Linux. No one here (that I know of) cares about that. We just don't appreciate the slandering of people and projects of which you, apparently, have no understanding.
You've not refuted anything I said, just launched your typical insults.
Linux was created by a foreigner so that he wouldn't have to pay the US software companies for our products. And many years later it is now stealing market share from US products it originally attempted to clone.
If you prefer foreign clones to our existing and superior products, just admit it and be gone. Attacking me isn't doing anything for you, except proving you can't handle the truth.
That's not the reason why he created Linux.
Good grief.
Now we're taking bribes from copyleftists.
LOLOL
We shall see if you keep your word.
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