What is Digg?180 Comments
- Spr0k3t, on 10/26/2008, -3/+95I almost created a second account so I could bury you twice.
- Aurabolt, on 10/26/2008, -9/+100 I started using Linux as my primary desktop and operating system in 1998. After brief flirtations with FVWM 95 and Enlightenment, I settle on Gnome (with it’s various WMs over the years ) and Redhat/Fedora (until switching to Ubuntu last fall ).
1. My computer is mine. I didn’t license or borrow it from an OS vendor. I don’t want to ask permission to install or uninstall software on it, including the operating system. If I upgrade or swap out parts, I don’t have to justify it to anyone ( except maybe the Mrs. if it’s a bit pricey ).
2. I don’t want to feel guilty about using software that works. I understand that software authors need to feed their families, but there is a better choice then stealing it or doing without it when I don’t have the cash. Many open source authors are happy that I use and like their software, thrilled when I feedback useful bug reports when something is broken or could be better, and ecstatic when I offer a reasonable, well formated and documented patch. BTW - where is your WinZip license?
3. WYSIWYG (what-you-see-is-what-you-get) is great - WYGIWYG ( what-you-get-is-what-you-get ) sucks! I don’t expect software authors to anticipate every possible use I have for their application, but if they won’t change it meet my needs, at least let me! Every time I work on an MS box and run into a shortfall with a piece of software, I feel helpless - I very likely can’t fix it even if I have the knowledge and the tools. I don’t like felling helpless.
4. The command line won’t kill you. Don’t get me wrong, I like point-n-click and next-next-finish as much as the next guy, but opening a text editor, loading a file and scrolling to the last line just to see how many lines are in the file is silly compared to “wc -l file.txt” from the command line prompt. The amount of time it takes to get familiar with the command line, man pages, and basic GNU tool chain commands can’t be close to the time I see wasted on searching for and installing single use, GUI tools like image and audio converters or text search-and-replace editors.
5. No, it doesn’t work like {insert favorite OS here}. After 10 years of Gnome, I sit down at an XP or Vista box and want to chuck the keyboard across the room in about 10 minutes. I understand that it’s hard to change from what is familiar to what is different and strange, but don’t point at what you know and say everything has to work like that or it’s broken. I have been a Gnome user for a long time, but I keep KDE installed on my desktop, and use it off and on. I don’t bag on Windows because it’s user interfaces make different choices ( Now, the fact that is loses my data under BSOD’s or gets infected by viruses/malware /trojans every time I surf the net is a different issue. )
6. You don’t have to be a genius, but you have to be able to learn. I have had people “ooh” and “aah” over my use of Linux and command of the environment. Don’t get me wrong, I like adoration as much as the next guy, but I didn’t get here by using my photographic memory on the “Linux in 24 Days” book. I learned what I needed to know, a little bit at a time, for the problem in front of me at the time. I reused what I learned, a little bit at a time, putting it with other little bits here and there to meet other needs or wants. I had to admit very early on, that I don’t know everything there is to know about Linux and likely never would - But it’s been fun trying to get there! In fact, it always bugs me when someone has been using a computer/OS for a few years and still tries to shut it off with the monitor power button and thinks the browser IS the internet.
7. No, I’m not a fanboy. Just because I found something that works for me doesn’t make me deviant, eccentric, a fanatic, or antisocial. If you hear me advocating for open source or Linux, or if I point out some of the pros and cons of your choices verses my choices, it is most likely because I have noticed that what your doing isn’t really working for you! I don’t enjoy watching other people want to throw their keyboards across the room any more than I enjoy the feeling myself. I don’t enjoy the feeling of being trapped, of just settling for mediocre, of expecting poor quality to be the norm and I don’t wish that on anyone else.
8. Penguins are cute. OK, this was the hardest lesson. Since few people understood Linux when I started, but they understood the Linux mascot, Tux the Penguin, many of my friends and family have gotten me ( and continue to get me ) penguins for Christmas, birthdays, just-because-I-saw-it-and-knew-you-would-like-it gifts. Just look at my desk at work: - samanathon, on 10/26/2008, -16/+91"I'm not a fan boy" then there's a picture of a ton of penguins...
- 4321234, on 10/26/2008, -11/+72What a dumbass. He used linux for ten years and all he learned was "Error establishing a database connection".
- Aurabolt, on 10/26/2008, -5/+48I don't have a WinZip license, because I don't use that garbage. 7zip ftw.
- caffiendkitten, on 10/26/2008, -3/+32Penguins are indeed cute.
- 4321234, on 10/26/2008, -2/+28"Some people have told me they don't think a fat penguin really embodies the grace of Linux, which just tells me they have never seen an angry penguin charging at them in excess of 100mph. They'd be a lot more careful about what they say if they had."
Linus Torvalds. - Flinkman, on 10/26/2008, -3/+29Mirror:
http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache:QVt6bTEd79YJ: ... - jhchrist, on 10/26/2008, -5/+28From the article:
"8. Penguins are cute. OK, this was the hardest lesson. Since few people understood Linux when I started, but they understood the Linux mascot, Tux the Penguin, many of my friends and family have gotten me ( and continue to get me ) penguins for Christmas, birthdays, just-because-I-saw-it-and-knew-you-would-like-it gifts. Just look at my desk at work: [picture from thumbnail]" - pHreaksYcle, on 10/26/2008, -8/+31This is a great list, one of the only one's I've found worth reading. My dad get's pissed at me when I say, oh, open source program X can do the same thing...without crashing. Then we get into a smack-down and now I have some good things to say when he comes up with some retarded ***** like, "If it's so good, why don't they sell it?"
Wonderful find. - inactive, on 10/26/2008, -5/+28"6. You don’t have to be a genius, but you have to be able to learn."
True and that's WHY Linux isn't mainstream. - Krissam, on 10/26/2008, -2/+23Lesson i've learned from using linux for the past 6 months: I should've tried harder when i couldn't get my printer to work 7 years ago, but then again, i was 14 back then, so my english skills weren't really up for reading tons of manuals :/
- hamobu, on 10/26/2008, -4/+23Good post. My favorite is number 1:
My computer is mine. I didn’t license or borrow it from an OS vendor. I don’t want to ask permission to install or uninstall software on it, including the operating system. If I upgrade or swap out parts, I don’t have to justify it to anyone ( except maybe the Mrs. if it’s a bit pricey ). - MattBD, on 10/26/2008, -2/+20I use Windows, Linux, and a Mac, and the one thing I can definitely say is you are a dick. Buried.
- 16777216, on 10/26/2008, -1/+18That's funny, I just finished CoD4 and am still playing S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
All of the Dooms were fun as were the Quakes.
My Source engine games also seem quite nice.
Haven't played Crysis yet, but, I can. What about you? - jamesmcm, on 10/26/2008, -0/+16I use an iMac and I'm still burying you. Many things are actually easier to do on GNU/Linux, such as reading foreign filesystems, and there are free alternatives for programs you must pay for on Mac such as GIMP, WINE, etc. for Photoshop, Crossover, etc.
- inactive, on 10/26/2008, -4/+19Maybe he should have linux running the server cause it's down with 70 Diggs.
- PHiZ187, on 10/26/2008, -1/+15Apparently not load-balancing.
- CCmachined, on 10/26/2008, -8/+20buying overpriced Mac hardware just to install Linux on it and have a difficult-to-solve problem because nobody else it doing it that stupid way? You Idiot
- drewniverse, on 10/26/2008, -2/+14In 10 years he never learned to use a spell checker apparently.
- mohtasham, on 10/26/2008, -3/+15Where did you get all those Penguins from? I'm looking for some big Penguin posters for my room with no luck.
- Streeks, on 10/26/2008, -0/+11Look at the cubicle walls in the background, there's a good chance he's at work.
- gniggidmai, on 10/26/2008, -6/+16The most wonderful thing I like in Linux based OSes is the total freedom I have in choosing what I want to use, without having to worry about the absurd licensing terms.
Take Debian as an example, which I use, based on the repositories I choose, I can choose my system to be absolutely GPLed or mixed with some non-GPLed software -- but I clearly know what I am using. No sneaky terms involved, no agreeing to tracking cookies, no surprise checks for validity .... what I call a blissful feeling of freedom.
Windows, on the other hand, makes one always think of licensing terms, unless one wants to be a full pirate. And Apple, of course, has Mac by their balls -- Mac users can have any features in their software as long as it is chosen by Apple ;) - DangerCollie, on 10/26/2008, -1/+11Number 4 I'd modify from the command line won't kill you to being totally lost without it. Trying to imagine backing up and moving files around without rsync...how do you do that. Click and drag? Click and drag across an ssh session? I think Macs can do that with one of their services, right? Still, rsync is so fluid, so easy.
The more I use the command line, the more restrictive a GUI can seem. - Neo139, on 10/26/2008, -1/+11"In fact, it always bugs me when someone has been using a computer/OS for a few years and still tries to shut it off with the monitor power button and thinks the browser IS the internet."
hahahaha - kieranajp, on 10/26/2008, -1/+11You're likely to get lost in any OS or new program you've not used before, though. If you'd never touched a computer before you'd feel the same about Windows or OS X or whatever you use.
--K - 4321234, on 10/26/2008, -0/+10That's covered in # 5.
- NoSuccess, on 10/26/2008, -10/+20I guess he didn't learn how to run a solid linux server .
- trakie, on 10/26/2008, -0/+9I'd have to agree, I used to steer far away from anything command line related - then I started using it - and the more I use it the more I like it.
- MattBD, on 10/26/2008, -1/+10Right on. I'd add that live CD's have a place in any serious computer user's toolbox, regardless of what they normally use. A copy of Knoppix is an invaluable tool for anyone, whether they use Windows, Linux or OS X.
- Mithivh, on 10/26/2008, -1/+9Not very relevant to whether or not this guy is a fan boy, but nice quote!
- mllawso, on 10/26/2008, -0/+8If this "air" thing all the kids are hooked on is so great, why don't they sell it?
- andycr512, on 10/26/2008, -0/+7First, what makes it any better than 7Zip? Second, do you really expect me to trust a proprietary encryption program?
- n1mnul, on 10/26/2008, -5/+12> Error establishing a database connection
nice learning. - ThreeE, on 10/26/2008, -2/+9Aye. I use all three. There is a time and a place for each.
- trakie, on 10/26/2008, -0/+7not 10 things he learned, "What I learned using Linux over the last 10 years"
- gniggidmai, on 10/26/2008, -0/+7Everyone has a choice to be either attracted to a shiny colorful GUI which covers a buggy call-home-without-letting-user-know code and full of legal pit holes or to a modest GUI which covers a solid continuously being improved code devoid of any sneaky lawyer-speak legalese.
Not that I am saying Linux's GUI does not need to be improved (just as the rest of the code is always being improved), but the shiny look and feel is hardly the make or break deal for my work. - manacit2, on 10/26/2008, -0/+7Boots linux - Opens Terminal - apt-get install application - proceeds with work or play
(or use the GUI if you need to) - roebeet, on 10/26/2008, -0/+6All OS's are are in perpetual beta, not just Linux - that's why there are ongoing patches / service packs. As for the GUI, you again have a choice of how you want it to look (again, the author's point). You can make it look like a Mac, XP, Vista, BeOS and maybe even make your own. It's up to you.
- inactive, on 10/26/2008, -5/+11I like Linux. I'm actually shopping for a new computer and I don't really want Windows and Macs are like $3000. Plus another couple grand for software.
- rockwithme000, on 10/26/2008, -2/+88 lessons learned from using Linux*
- pHreaksYcle, on 10/26/2008, -3/+9Is it, *****? Or is the terminal similar because they're both Unix based?
Also, if they are so alike, why does OSX cost money, it's the same thing... - pHreaksYcle, on 10/26/2008, -0/+6Boots Linux->1Clicks on package manager->2Selects package->3Hit's apply->4type password->proceeds
Boots Windows->1Downloads exe->2Double clicks installer->3clicks next 2-7 times->4clicks finish->proceeds
Seems pretty even to me...it's about CHOICE. - waspbr, on 10/26/2008, -1/+6* 1- Boots linux - opens package manager-checks box-clicks on apply-App installed with "no registry" conflicts
alternatively
2 - Boots linux -adds a copies and pastes a repository address-go to 1
3 - Boots linux - Downloads deb file - double clicks on file - presses Ok - application installed
4 - Boots linux - downloads file - cd to directory - run script - app installed
5 - Boots linux - Opens terminal - cd to directory - compiles file - app installed
Linux can be very easy to use, specially in the entry level distributions like ubuntu (I know there are others but I am most familiar with this one), where an increasing number of programs are available through methods 1 2 and 3. Your post just shows that you don't know what you are taking about. - hamobu, on 10/26/2008, -4/+9Not everybody is as eager to spend a lot of money to run a hobbled OS on an expensive hardware as you are.
- youannoyme, on 10/26/2008, -3/+8Yes. Because there are servers out there that can handle an arbitrary rate of requests...
- kieranajp, on 10/26/2008, -1/+6http://www.winehq.com/ anybody?
Please get your facts right before posting something like that. - awasson, on 10/27/2008, -1/+5If they didn't care, they wouldn't comment (or digg) on Linux posts.
Prove me wrong. - Pecheckler, on 10/26/2008, -0/+4Ya'll should go ask a B&M retailer like Microcenter what their returns percentage is on Linux computers, or even Macs for that matter. It seems as though the average consumer is at least trying to accept an alternative to Windows, but so few want to learn anything new.
- feignNU, on 10/26/2008, -0/+4I'm gonna go ahead and make a wild guess that you don't quite understand how OSS works...
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