Re: Going To University? Leave Linux Home! It's Not Supported!

From: flatfish (flatfish_at_linuxmail.com)
Date: 08/25/05 

Date: Thu, 25 Aug 2005 11:58:34 -0400

On Wed, 24 Aug 2005 23:03:07 -0400, Donald Tees wrote:

>
> Although I graduated in computer science 30 years ago, I can give you
> several reasons. There is a steep learning curve, to be sure, but then
> there is a steep learning curve for just about anything worth learning.

For some things, but I've put Linux down in front of people who have never
used it before and they do fine for most things. The biggest problem I
find is that they wrongly assume Windows programs will work with Linux and
they are a bit reluctant to learn new programs that are more or less
equivalents.
But as far as ease of use, Linux is just as easy as Windows from a
preloaded point of view.
 
> Windows is simply not capable of doing *most* of the things that I want
> to do on the computer. Twenty years back, I was able to run my own
> server, complete with email, newsgroups, file trading, etc. etc. I have
> been unable to do that since DOS. The net was pretty well taken over by
> commercial interests back somewhere in the 90's, largely as a result of
> windows. We did all those things with shared software. simply by
> connecting our own computers by phone lines.

I ran a small BBS back then so I know full well.
I used to run Wildcat! under Desqview and it worked rather well.

> You can do all those things on a PC, but not with windows. To do it
> with MS software at all, you have to spend huge amounts of money. You
> also have to subscribe to security services, which you pay for on a day
> by day basis, and if you stop, you are pretty well shut down almost
> immediately. Even if you are willing to spend the money to buy the
> software required, it is obsolete in a few years, and you are faced with
> the same problem all over again.

It depends.
I can't do my DAW with Linux so I am forced to use either a Windows or Mac
machine and the software is very expensive. However, I agree with you for
things like development, or as an office desktop computer. In most
settings Open-office works fine as an MSOffice drop in.
You can get all the security programs you want for free.

> With Linux, I can do it all again, and now that I am getting conversant
> with it, I am finding it easier and easier to get set up and working.
>
> If you simply want a super fax/email/record player, and are willing to
> pay on a subscription basis for reasonable protection of your computer,
> then windows can do what you want. If you want to use it as a general
> purpose computer, then it cannot.
>
> Donald

I disagree with he last paragraph.
Both systems can do most things well but Windows has the edge on
applications and Linux has the edge on cost.
If you can find the applications you need and they work under Linux, use
it. If not you are forced into Windows.
That's the situation I am in, but I am 90 percent Linux and 10 percent
Windows now.
The family computers are 95 percent Linux and only use Windows for
itunes/Rhapsody and certain schoolwork that requires Windows.
Everything else runs under Linux and it has cut my maintenance time
drastically! 

-- 
flatfish
"Why Do they Call It A flatfish?"
"What is Linux?"
http://www.linuxlinks.com/Beginners/

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