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65 Comments
- demonsofgoetia, on 10/12/2007, -9/+43I see a lot of articles written about "First I tried Ubuntu, didn't like the desktop color (or some other ***** excuse) so I moved to (insert other distro here)" It's becoming trendy for some to use Ubuntu in their marketing for another distro by saying they moved away from it. Now, I'm not saying this particular article does that, but consider, quotes from the article:
"I was having a few issues with the apt package manager and wasn’t completely happy with it"
That's odd, I find apt (especially with Synaptic which works with any flavor of Ubuntu) to be a wonderful, powerful, and simple to use compared to the rpm alternatives out there. I didn't see any reasons posted in detail.
"I decided it was the opportune time to dump Ubuntu and go to my favorite Linux distribution"
Ah, so it was not Andy, but someone else who switched TO someone's favorite distribution, which just so happened to be Fedora Core 6? Haaaaaaaaa......
Linux is great, and easy enough for all ages to use, this much is true, but give me a break, if Fedora Core 6 was the person's favorite, why didn't he/she/whoever install that first, like most people do when they install Linux for someone they know?
Is that fish I smell?
^ All in my opinion for entertainment purposes only - JacNet, on 10/12/2007, -6/+37I'm 12, use Kubuntu and Gentoo and started using it on my own - mainly to make my programming enviroment better.
I recomend Linux to people at my school and tell them that i can go around their house and show them a Knoppix or Kubuntu LiveCD, although nobody seams to be interested.
But i did move several people to firefox. :) - Krakn3Dfx, on 10/12/2007, -1/+17That's when he lost me, pfft.
If he was a real hacker, he would be running Linux on that Playstation! - Shadowman, on 10/12/2007, -15/+31This story will get few diggs. You don't use another distro if you have already tried Ubuntu. That's blasphemy!
- adspigot, on 10/12/2007, -0/+12I think it's hilarious that everyone thinks this "poor" kid is sitting at home playing lame games on a poor man's Linux machine between his meals at the soup kitchen. Andy is in no way out of the loop, he has the latest console game systems around, he has Windows PCs around, PSPs, etc. If you READ the article you saw that he had left a new PS2 game downstairs to play on his computer. He is 9, he doesn't need Direct X 10 to have fun. He finds games that he enjoys and all these people have to do on a Sunday is gripe because he actually likes using Linux. Yes, I choose to switch to Fedora because I like it better, and I maintain it. As far as I know, he sees KDE, it's skinned with Compiz, on the surface it's NO different from Ubuntu, so I like to maintain Fedora a little better, that's my choice and NOT a slam on Ubuntu, just preference.
Andy likes his box, he is happy with it. I am happy that he sits and learns to type with perfect form instead of blasting aliens on a PlayStation. We have World of War craft, we have PS2, PSP, Hot PC gaming boxes, there are 12 computers in this house, only 3 of which run Linux. Maybe people should read an article and think about the positives instead of dreaming up all these hypotheticals that make us bad parents for giving him something different to play with.
JB - nandasunu, on 10/12/2007, -4/+14Actually, you can play WoW and Quake on Linux... Theres something called cedega (http://www.transgaming.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=2&meid=-1), for the examples you gave, Linux works.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -2/+10ubuntu is a gateway drug to debian unstable.
- OnoTadaki, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9Sweet. He'll be up and browsing porn with Lynx in no time.
- adspigot, on 10/12/2007, -2/+9You may be the first person on earth to try and run AOL on Linux :)
- jamesshuang, on 10/12/2007, -3/+9@OnoTadaki
My dad utterly hates games and even now (I'm in college) still refuses to let me play games. Always wanted to play starcraft with friends in high school, but that rarely happened. I didn't start smoking pot.... Instead, I learned craploads about computers so I could hide the games from my dad :-D - pgup, on 10/12/2007, -3/+8I'm pretty sure a 9 year old doesn't test the true functionality of a OS
- MartyMcFly713, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5You guys are way too critical on this article. The guy and his kid like Linux, so what if you don't agree with it?
- demonsofgoetia, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6However, regardless of the distro, please stick with one long enough for the student to actually learn how to use it. I say student, regardless of why/how a person is using a particular OS which is new to them, anyone switching to another OS always goes through learning stage(s), thus, a student.
- grinin, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5When I was living at home, and my home network had a couple dual boot machines... My younger sister started using my BSD box which was running KDE. She didn't know what Linux was, but assumed whatever she was working on had to be similar to Windows. She was able to use OpenOffice to create a report she needed and was browsing the net using Firefox. When I got home I was shocked to see her sitting at my PC especially in KDE.... and actually understanding what she was doing. I was quite impressed. I think these kinds of stories are proof positive that Linux/BSD as well as KDE/Gnome/(Insert Desktop Environment here) is intuitive enough for everyone to be able to use it with ease. I just think its difficult to explain to non-technical users that they should try out a non Windows/Mac desktop.... It scares them.
- adspigot, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5For the distro comments, I maintain it, I am much more used to using yum from the command line, so since I keep the thing running and add and remove all the software, I like YUM better. For the guys with the Windows Gaming wines, Andy's mom works for Microsoft, we have a half dozen windows machines around the house.
As a final note, WoW works fine on my Fedora box :)
JB - lilrabbit129, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5"Fedora is like a Dell PC purchase, with all kinds of crap software you dont want running or installed. Its about as hardcore as my grandmother."
Fedora is the only distro I've been able to stick with, and I've been messing around with distro's all way back to the Red Hat 7.2 days. - demonsofgoetia, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5@adspigot:
"he doesn't need Direct X 10 to have fun"
We'd all have more fun, regardless of operating system, IMO, were games (and graphics cards) developed for something other than Direct X.
"Microsoft DirectX killing innovation" @ TheInquirer.net
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=8556 - lilrabbit129, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4"My dad utterly hates games and even now (I'm in college) still refuses to let me play games. Always wanted to play starcraft with friends in high school, but that rarely happened. I didn't start smoking pot.... Instead, I learned craploads about computers so I could hide the games from my dad :-D"
There comes a point where certain decisions become yours and yours alone. I would think that being in college, it would be your choice whether you should be playing games or not. - b7illsmith, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5@ OnoTadaki --
LoL. You threw a bigger fit over the Sims than my kids! So, which part of my comment busted your balls? "Noisy mp3s" or "craptastic youtube animes"?
As a parent, do you think I haven't heard the "You're Ruining My Life" speech? Give me a ***** break. - tuartboy, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5Actually, those games sound great for a little kid. If the child wants something more interesting to do, have him go outside and play. Much better for his physical and mental health than Gears of War.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4I recommend running away from home. I've had a cable modem since 1996!
- danielman94, on 10/12/2007, -4/+8I am 12 also, and I have tried OS X, Windows, Ubuntu, and Sabayon. My favorite is OS X, after that it is Sabayon, then Ubuntu, then Windows. I like Sabayon more than Ubuntu because of Beryl, but Ubuntu is koo. I wish I could program, but I can't... I like OS X the most mainly because of Photoshop. I really don't think anyone cares....
And flag564, the best way to make friends isn't to bash their OS.... - capitapf, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4@Danielman
"I like Sabayon more than Ubuntu because of Beryl"
im not tryin to persuade you that ubuntu is better (because i prefer sabayon as well) but you can install beryl on ubuntu as well. - snowballs, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5Wow - reading the headline, I thought it was Andy who was doing the installations.
I need a coffee.
Still digg it + - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Update: I am eating soup, after declining the possibility of ravioli.
- johnnyzero, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3someone needs to get that kid a proper computer chair.
- schestowitz, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5Some folks might like /these/:
Edubuntu - A real life experiment - Linux and a 9 year old
,----[ Quote ]
| With a Dell Celeron, 256MB Ram and basic integrated graphics, Dawn and
| I struggled with what to do for Andy'y computer. After deciding Vista
| was not an option, and that it just wasn't a good investment to throw
| $100 worth of ram into a $250 computer, we decided to look to Linux.
| Dawn and I have both been playing with Linux quite a bit lately, so
| we felt comfortable giving it a go.
|
| [...]
|
| The One Laptop Per Child initiative is great for the 3rd world
| countries. Let's see what it would take to turn all of our older
| desktops into great educational computing environments for children
| here at home.
`----
http://www.philoking.com/2006/12/04/edubuntu-a-real-life-experiment-linux-and-a-9-year-old/
Beryl + AIGLX - 2 Year old using Beryl as proof of how simple it is!
,----[ Quote ]
| Proof Beryl is so simple a 2 year old can use it!
`----
http://youtubelinux.blogspot.com/2006/11/beryl-aiglx-2-year-old-using-beryl-as.html - ldog, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2@nandasunu
All Quakes have native ports, and vanilla wine works for World of Warcraft. No need for cedega in either case. - archiesteel, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3OnoTadaki: what about, oh, I don't know, playing games on *consoles*, which are dedicated to this activity?
The PC game industry has been slowly withering away, and for good reason. - demonsofgoetia, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2"For the distro comments, I maintain it"
That much I gathered from the article.
"I am much more used to using yum from the command line,"
Which, IMO, tells me nothing. I stand by my original post on this page. - lpcustom, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"What? He is only playing card games and chess on the Linux machine?
Just wait one year when he comes home crying about how all his friends are palying WoW, Quake, etc. etc. and he has no idea what those games are. That day he too will switch back to Windows so he can play games with his friends and have fun.
Just face it, Linux is a great OS for running a stable server, but for games it is far behind Windows. Most new games are not even available for Linux."
Tell it to the give-a-*****. Instead of lashing out with your Windows fanboishs in a "Linux" thread, how about you visit your favorite torrent site. Download Vista and some nice Windows games. Then run your adware/spyware/malware scanner, your virus scanner, and while your at it defrag that mess of a filesystem. At least that'll keep you busy for a bit so Linux users can discuss a Linux topic instead of reading your troll *****. - joelito, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Does the 2 yr old Kid likes to start randomly spinning the Cube from time to time?
Or moving the windows accross desktops?
Or playing with the wobbly windows and Genie effects on minimize/restore? - cynicist, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1dax, how? Debian unstable packages are identical to Ubuntu unstable.
Ironically I was just playing WoW before reading the comments here and finding out that you can't play any good games on linux. - demonsofgoetia, on 10/12/2007, -5/+6Clearly, Linux is an easy enough and quality choice for anyone. The only thing keeping Linux from the majority is a lack of marketing.
- faithman2k, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1that is SO true!!! I started with Mepis then Kanotix then Ubuntu... but keep using Debian Unstable or Testing in some instances to get the most up to date packages "for a debian based distro".
(I had to add that qualifier for the trolls) - Randavance, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I don't know about you guys, but being that my father is strongly anti Microsoft, I've been using Linux since I was 7, I believe I started on one of the Redhats running Gnome. Mind you I wasn't terribly advanced, but I ventured into the realm of basic command line tools. Linux is not hard to use. My mother runs Ubuntu on her laptop (theres not a M$ computer in my house) and can use it to browse web, write emails, and manage photos, but just recently learned that you can move a window across the screen. I don't see what this guys problem with Ubuntu was, its a really wonderful OS, he should have just gone with Kubuntu though.
PS: Anyone who thinks Linux can't be used for gaming,
(http://www.transgaming.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&file=index&func=display&ceid=29)
think again. Mind you its not free, but pair it with a light Window Manager and you could get a pretty good gaming PC out of it, completely M$ free. - ryodoan, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@adspigot Great reply to all the people slamming you.
- danielman94, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I was pretty sure you could, but I just tried the live cd's, and Sabayon had Beryl and XGL built in(I dunno if they are they same thing..).
- LucianSolaris, on 10/12/2007, -4/+5hey man don't dump on pot, beats drinkin'
- adspigot, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2The attention this article is getting is really amusing to me. Let me give you all a little background. In my work world I live on Fedora/Redhat AND Windows. I initially installed Edubuntu because the bundles of software and such made it a simple setup. I could not get it to actually install so since I had an Ubuntu CD around, I tossed it on and installed the packages manually. No big deal. At the time the computer was hooked to an LCD monitor. I, personally, am used to YUM and like it, so that was not a "problem" with Ubuntu, it was just a preference, but I had no reason to fool with it. When Dawn needed the LCD back, and we switched to an older CRT, the display was very screwed up, looked like sort of refresh problem. The usual tools I use to reconfig X didn't exist in Ubuntu and I just didn't want to go screwing around with the xorg.conf file and figure out monitor timings and such, so after a quick cursory search that led to an article on how to autoconfig Ubuntu failed, I decided it would be easier, not to mention more convenient to me, to just install Fedora, that way when I needed to maintain his box, I would be much more familiar. Not to mention the package management I "prefer" would be there. No big deal. This article was NEVER meant to be a slam on Ubuntu, or an endorsement of Fedora, simply an update on how Andy is liking using Linux as the first article was enjoyed by quite a few. Hence the update tag.
Last but not least, Andy is not a poor derelict child. If you take a look around the room you will see every tech toy a boy could want, including consoles and such. He can play any game he wants on pretty much any platform. Dawn works for Microsoft, there are two Windows XP Desktops, Three Windows XP notebook, one Vista notebook, Three Fedora Core 6 Desktops, a Media Center XP box and a OSX Desktop up here. Andy is not suffering along on Linux with no choices.
I find it really funny so many people have gotten so upset over this story, Yes, I have Andy on a Linux machine. I found it the best way to make the most of a less powerful desktop, and he loves it. I would hardly consider him tortuned by the free linux games, he absolutely loves them. Did I miss any slams? Oh yea, the chair? He is 9 man, if you put him in a computer chair he can't reach the keyboard comfortably, he picked that too. Stop assuming and pointing fingers and just read the article. Can't we all just get along?
Oh yea, to the guy that called me a liar saying Compiz wouldn't work on this dell box, bring over a case of beer as bet payment and I will gladly show you. - berwiki, on 10/12/2007, -4/+4Gentoo is hardcore, and Emerge makes life pretty easy after that. FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD...much more low-level.
Fedora is like a Dell PC purchase, with all kinds of crap software you dont want running or installed. Its about as hardcore as my grandmother. - stmiller, on 10/12/2007, -4/+4You don't know kids these days then. There are 8 year olds playing violin and piano with the Suzuki method and such. Kids aren't dumb.
- Umberhulk, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2My 4 year old daughter is playing games on my wife's FC6 PC right now. Finally, Flashplayer 9 beta 2 can handle nickjr, playhousedisney, etc.
- demonsofgoetia, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3Again my point is proven, sad.
- dawngrrl, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1One of the goals here was to provide Andy with the resources to learn computers, from one end of the spectrum to the other. We want his preference to be unfettered by any influence other then his own experience with different systems. He has access to Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2003 Server, and Linux. It’s amazing to me how passionate people get about Linux versus Windows. I'll support what his experiences are and where ever they may lead, but I ultimately hope he finds benefit to all of them and becomes savvy to their differences. A budding equal opportunity operating system advocate! I can’t even make that claim - my Linux box is highly under used in contrast to windows machines.
- xcrunner10, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2I don't have a choice...no broadband in my area and I'm had AOL for so long that my parents won't switch.
- nach0, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1christ, that monitor's a bit big...
- bubba9999, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Yeah, but your grandma smokes cigars, has tattoos, and rides harleys. She scares the snoogins out of me.
- wataru, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1If this story were, "Nine-year-old on Windows" or "Nine-year-old on Mac" would it be at all noteworthy? What is so Diggable about this, anyway? Linux has been made easy to use, OK? Move along, nothing to see here.
- scantling, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0I'm doing a computer for nieces and nephews for xmas
putting Ubuntu on it but it's true you can't play sims on it. my son's computer is getting windows for that purpose only
mastering Linux is a necessary skill in the computing world !!!!!!! -
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