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Why?!?
I apologze as there are no doubt similar threads, but I'm posting this...
Why is everyone's solution always upgrade to Linux. I am in no way pro-M$, but at times it seem ridiculous. When people are coming in need of help, especially with relatively simple questions, why tell them to upgrade to Linux. It isn't necessarily an upgrade and it isn't needed a lot of the time. A user who's having difficulties in Windows is not going to find a solution by popping in a Linux CD. If anything it's going to give them more headaches. Windows operating systems are getting progressively better, while they don't offer the indepth look at a lot of things that Linux will provide, they offer a great learning platform and a lot of room to play. Luckily M$ makes it's products idiot proof, so it'll take a user a lot to completely mess up their install, where as Linux is much easier to break. The tools are out there for Windows if people are willing to look for them, and sure you don't have as much networking/security power in the end, you can get damn close.
Anyways that's my rant for the day.
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the OS you should use depends what you need it for... for new people to the internet and computer world that only know a little bit of windows it is probably best to learn more while using windows (what they are comfortable with) before make the BIG-- HUGE step over to *nix if they even ever make that step ... its not the OS that makes for greatness it is the person behind it ... differnet OS's suit different tasks..
The main thing to remember is to use what you are comfortable with, enjoy your computing and you will enjoy learning about it..
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regardless its still ridiculous to trade convenience for usability. in other words, why would you not use linux for its vast power over windows just because its easier to use? All it takes is a bit of learning. Windows will not teach you anything that using linux for a few days wont. hell INSTALLING linux is more educational than using windows for a month.
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You aren't trading convenience for usability. Hell the new Mandrake and RedHat installs are no different than install windows... they want to boot a GUI by default and everything you download for them is packaged. So you can't say you learn more installing them than you do from a month on windows.
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Re: Why?!?
Quote:
Originally posted here by HTRegz
I apologze as there are no doubt similar threads, but I'm posting this...
Why is everyone's solution always upgrade to Linux. I am in no way pro-M$, but at times it seem ridiculous. When people are coming in need of help, especially with relatively simple questions, why tell them to upgrade to Linux. It isn't necessarily an upgrade and it isn't needed a lot of the time. A user who's having difficulties in Windows is not going to find a solution by popping in a Linux CD. If anything it's going to give them more headaches.
Anyways that's my rant for the day.
I definitely know this one for a fact. When I was in a chat room one time and was having soundcard problems, I asked for feedback on some possible solutions, the answer to me was Umm upgrade to Linux. It certainly didn't help.
Now, if you have a desire to be really good , and you're a total beginner, it would certainly help having configured Windows one way or the other, just to give you some insight into how things work. Basically, you just use this as a stepping stone so your transition to
Linux/Unix won't be as hard. We all have to start somewhere.
Security wise, with all these patches, Windows isn't getting better but it will still run most programs without much effort.
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Couldn't agree with you more HTRegz and Dahvid.
er0k: you know, for most people it's not about knowing more, it's about being able to do what they need to do, do it quickly, do it easily. What good is "more power" if you don't know how to use it, don't have the time to learn it and don't even need.
And besides, whatever others might say, windows (especially 2k and xp) is a pretty great platform. Sure it has it's weaknesses, but it also has it's strengths, and the proof of that is its success.
Ammo
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Maybe I can help answer this. I am becoming more and more inclined to using linux as time moves on. It seems that a lot of our users here are *nix users, and they must collectively posess a great deal of knowledge, not to mention they will freely offer their help to beginners in this platform. Call it a comraderie ( yes I am lazy and don't spell check....dial-up only ) you know what I mean :D
I know that when I do take the dive I will have a lot of help and such from the *nix group here.
*nix has a lot of security features more easily configurable also. Just my views...
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Yea i agree with ammo, use whatever operating system will suit your needs better. I'm all for more people joinning the open source movement but it isnt for everyone. If you just need your computer up and being productive quickly without knowing everything, go for it. No matter what operating system you use though security education is a must.
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Quote:
Originally posted here by HTRegz
You aren't trading convenience for usability. Hell the new Mandrake and RedHat installs are no different than install windows... they want to boot a GUI by default and everything you download for them is packaged. So you can't say you learn more installing them than you do from a month on windows.
umm unless im very much mistaken, while installing windows you dont have to configure a boot loader, set harddrive options such as whether or not to write to the master boot record etc. in windows you dont get to choose the software you install, while those "packages" , you can selected whether or not you want to select individual packages. Hell try installing slackware without learning something. Try installing gentoo. You'll learn something you never will installing windows, thats for damned sure.
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HTRegz, if you are really curious you can always find an older computer and turn it into a *nix box, while keeping your newer machines running the Windows OS of your choice. That way you can get the things done that you need to get done on your Windows boxes without the fear of messing anything up. This way you could play with your *nix box at your leisure. This is what I did and it's working out great. I'm running Mandrake 8.1 on a pentium (!!) - it's a really good learning experience. So, if you really are interested in what makes Linux so desirable....just find a cheap extra box and have fun!
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I'm just proving a point and playing devil's advocate. I prefer *nix myself.. I had FreeBSD til I needed XP for class. I spent 5 years running RH and then Mandrake.. I ran slack for a couple years prior to that as well...... I full agree with using *nix over M$ products when you can. I'm just sick of people seeing a problem and instead of offering a useful solution, they say upgrade to Linux.
er0k: as for configuring a bootloader, that's right selecting which bootloader you want to use from a list and pressing enter is rather taxing... as is creating a few partitions (no different than using fdisk) and as for selecting packages.. you just get to pick which software you get.. you can manage your accessories and installed protocols on M$ installs as well.
I'm by no means saying go M$ if you have the choice... I'm just sick of people pushing *nix as the "supreme" operating system.
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Open Source = choice :)
I would never tell someone to "upgrade" to Linux, that would be elite-ist, that suggests Linux is better than Windows, although I will admit for somethings it is, and for others it isn't. (I really don't like this whole Win v Mac v Linux v the rest ... thing).
I run both Mandrake 9.0 and Win2K at home and find both great for what I need them to do. OS stability is not an issue these days as I find both as stable as each other.
I think er0k is eluding to the fact that some distro's require a bit of know-how to install, and I agree some are designed to ease Windows users to the world of Linux. The great thing about Linux is that while these easy to install distro's will get you up and running fairly quickly - you do not have to accept the default configurations and are free to tinker and change them to your hearts content and develop a computer to suit your needs - and you are given the tools and options to do so. Here is the sharp learning curve er0k speaks of.
I enjoy the challenge of tweaking, breaking things and then finding the fix - this is part of the learning curve of the OS. I am a tinkerer by nature.
Linux has taught me more about computer security than Windows ever would/could as I consider myself an average user, Windows allows me to simply download someones firewall and install it and while it might make me relatively safe but I don't see why or how it truly interacts with the system, if this is what you need thats great, but for those that are a little more inquisitive - Linux generally gives you the source code and lets you get into the "core" of this code and see exatly why and what it does and of course modify it if you so chose.
All boils down to "horses for courses" - as Dahvid has already said if you are happy with what you have - stick with it.
