The year of the Linux Desktop (you too Ubuntu) is still a long way off.

AwesomeMachine · 12-22-2008, 04:59 AM

Anything anyone one does within any computer operating system, requires less time and effort if one already knows how to do it. MS Windows is not easier than linux, if one only knows linux. Conversely, linux is not easier to use than Windows, if one knows Windows already;

And it's harder to pick up girls who don't charge money, but the ones who don't ask for money up front are also not continuously infected, and blabbing what you say in private all over the Internet.

rkelsen · 12-22-2008, 05:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lumix

I'm not attacking, but rather trying to offer a real world feedback.

Oh look... Another "expert" who can't figure out how to do something under Linux.

SSDD. Move on, there's nothing to see here.

stratotak · 12-22-2008, 06:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lumix

Just to clear things up a bit:

As for the specific example noted, when browsing to said link I'm given two choices after selecting "open with" (at least with Firefox and Intrepid pretty much out of the box); 1) a list of applications (1 item long, i.e. totem-movie, no vlc), or 2) "other". The "other" option merely brings you a file browsing dialog where you can choose an executable of your liking. The problem is I don't (at least in theory) know which executable to choose, or where to find it. The benefit of some other desktop environments, or perhaps I should really say O/S's here, is that virtually all applications are known to the system and available for the suggesting in such cases.

Oh, and I do know how figure this out after three years:

Code:

#which vlc

but how would my wife, for example? How would my clients? And as noted earlier, sometimes the clever workaround can invite more trouble than solution.

Does this mean I win, you lose--linux sucks? No, it doesn't. It means I've experienced something that I'd like to raise as a possible point of frustration, and as an example of an overall trend in a new user's experience that PERHAPS can be solved with little or no detriment to the goals and performance of the Linux O/S.

As to some of the non-constructive comments:

Why bother? Why adopt the "love it or leave it" attitude--the how dare you mentality? If I'd called this thread "Why Linux Stinks" or "Why You Shouldn't Bother", then I'd agree that this would indeed be too provocative to be called anything like an attempt at open discussion.

Linux, Gnome, & KDE--like all things--depend on feedback and discussion to improve. So I'm trying to spark discussion. The "poisoning the well" comments, and "perfect OS" sarcasm are unwarranted, and clearly corrosive to open discussion.

About where to look to find executable.. /usr/bin
and if you dont like how the player works for a certain media file..you can change it by going into firefox preferences>applications and change it there

brianL · 12-22-2008, 06:49 AM

Just found this, while browsing reddit:
http://bash.org/?152037

baldy3105 · 12-22-2008, 07:01 AM

My fresh install of Ubuntu 8.10 just opened that link in totem with no issues whatsoever. I concur with the above diagnosis of a short circuit between the earphones.

mrclisdue · 12-22-2008, 07:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brianL

Just found this, while browsing reddit:
http://bash.org/?152037

Ain't that the truth....

stratotak · 12-22-2008, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brianL

Just found this, while browsing reddit:
http://bash.org/?152037

or the very helpful.."Google it.."

pixellany · 12-22-2008, 07:47 AM

I'm going to close this....

While I think there was some constructive discussion, it now seems to have reached its useful limit.

Please send me a private e-mail or PM to discuss.