New user rant, then serious questions.
 

Why is Linux so HARD?????

I have tried several different distros, and posted to as many forums, but the only replies I ever get from anyone are packed with a bunch of command line JIBBERISH like lspci, grep, su -, etc. IS THIS SUPPOSED TO MEAN ANYTHING??? Not to me, and I'm just NOT INTERESTED in learning about it. That's the job of OS developers, not OS users!

Rant over. Questions start here.

I went out and BOUGHT Suse 10.0 because someone told me it was "easy." The install went very well, and almost everything worked from the initial install. The dial-up modem wouldn't connect, but after I messed with it for a while, it finally worked. The problem is that I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I DID OR WHAT HAPPENED!!!!! It just wasn't working, then it was. Blind luck.

Now the CD player apps (mostly kscd)keep complaing about the disk not being an audio CD, or something called "permissions" Also, every player wants me to complete some kind of "play list" before you can actually hear any music!!! Why can't you just select a track and press PLAY, or play from beginning to end??? This is an example of one of my major complaints about linux, useless bells-and-whistles features integrated into applications that won't function in the first place!!! How about some functionality first, then worry about the bells-and-whistles. I only listen to concert music (read: classical) and database integration is of no relevance -- it's not even ON the CDs I buy. Anyone know of a player that would fit my needs?

Also, is there a way to just totally eliminate all these "overkill" so-called Unix SECURITY features? Yast is a great improvement, but still requires you to jump through unnecessary Unix hoops. BTW, I LOVE that Suse will remember my log-in between sessions, my favorite feature so far. I never had to log-in to my home computer before, and I don't know why I should be expected to in most distros. This is a serious question, I just don't see any creditable threat to a single-user home computer system (beyond BASIC internet and network security, and required authentication)requiring this extreme level of user-unfriendly complexity. It's my system, and I should be able to mess it up if I want to without the OS getting involved!!

Also, I installed both KDE and Gnome. How do I switch between them? Preferably with the GUI -- I'm never going to like the command line.

Now, I am very frustrated, but I am a legitimate SUSE newbie and ask these questions in all seriousness. I bow to your individual and collective expertise, and have nothing against any of you as individuals. My problem is that I expect things to work! A computer is a tool for productivity, not a "hobby" or a challenge to learn "new and exciting computer concepts." We most likely have a significantly different concept of what we want from our computers.

I come to Linux as a former Mac classic OS user. I have never even seriously used Windows. (I do have Windows on my dual-boot system. Installed it myself, too, with no problems whatsoever.) When I heard that MAC OS-X was unix based, I couldn't see how a decades-old, antiquated OS could be any improvement over MAC OS classic. When Apple announced they were using Intel processors, it was as if Steve Jobs had forced me out as an Apple customer. I decided to make the switch to Linux and save money. I realize I need to learn a new operating system - probably Linux - but, for the life of me, I just can't understand exactly why all this command line stuff is so trendy right now. In my humble, uninformed opinion, this seems just silly.

If any of you tech types want to become the next Bill Gates, develop a seamless operating system that works out of the box and WITHOUT all the command line nonsense. That is the developer's job not mine!

This isn't for everybody. to be blunt, I'd forget your opinions about Mac Intel, visit an Apple store, and buy a new Mac. You want an operating system that just works out of the box, they have it.
With regards to it being based on a decades-old antiquated OS.... wow. That's pretty ignorant as well.

I'd guess that your key phrase is "save money". If your time is valuable, you're not saving any money.

Linux isn't bulletproof. It's not perfect, and if you expect that everything "just works", you're using the wrong system. Linux expects that you know enough about it to make choices about what you're using because there are tons of options. Kind of like being able to build your own system. Well, not kind of, but just like that.

Either stop complaining, put some time in to learn what you're doing, or go use something else. Or have I sinned, and fed the troll?

I usually skip rants, but I'm really bored, so...

- Why is Linux so HARD?????

Because you're new to it & don't know anything about how it works. Expect a learning curve.

- I have tried several different distros,

Don't. Different distros are not different OSes - they're all the same OS with the same available software. Pick one and stick with it. You'll get a lot further.

- Now the CD player apps (mostly kscd)keep complaing about the disk not being an audio CD, or something called "permissions"

If you want to get anywhere with Linux, you'll need to understand the concept of permissions. Every file can be given read, write, and execute permission for the owner, the group, and the rest of the world. Look up "chmod" for more details.

- This is an example of one of my major complaints about linux, useless bells-and-whistles features integrated into applications that won't function in the first place!!! How about some functionality first, then worry about the bells-and-whistles.

That's a first. Congratulations. Most people complain that Linux is too functionality-heavy & needs more bells & whistles.

- Anyone know of a player that would fit my needs?

I find XMMS to do everything I need a music player to. You'll need to get hold of the appropriate plugins tho.

- Also, is there a way to just totally eliminate all these "overkill" so-called Unix SECURITY features?

Yes. If you really want to, you could just be a root user the whole time. It's a bad idea tho. It's not just about security from other people, it's security from your own mistakes: You can't damage your system logged in as a normal user, but you can logged in as root.

- I never had to log-in to my home computer before, and I don't know why I should be expected to in most distros.

You're not - it's easy enough to configure automatic login if that's what you want.

- It's my system, and I should be able to mess it up if I want to without the OS getting involved!!

Yes. And you can. If you let go of your aggressive "I don't want to learn anything" policy and actually find out *how*

- Also, I installed both KDE and Gnome. How do I switch between them? Preferably with the GUI -- I'm never going to like the command line.

GDM and KDM (the graphical login managers) both usually have the option of selecting what enviroment you log in with.

- A computer is a tool for productivity, not a "hobby" or a challenge to learn "new and exciting computer concepts."

There's not a tool in existence that doesn't require some learning. Why should a computer be any different?

- I just can't understand exactly why all this command line stuff is so trendy right now

You're inconsistent. First you want less bells & whistles, then you want more GUI functionality.

- If any of you tech types want to become the next Bill Gates,

That's not the goal of any Linux developer, you know. . .

- That is the developer's job not mine!

Actually, for the most part, it's the developer's hobby. Not his job. Bear in mind you haven't actually paid for the vast majority of the software you're using & demanding perfection from. You're not a paying customer, you don't actually have any right to demand any level of usability.

To be honest, I tend to agree with jj: Find yourself another OS, you're probably wasting your time with Linux. It isn't what you seem to want.

Good luck.

I think your rant lasted pretty much through the whole thing, but maybe I missed something.

In any case, just to broadly address this, I have ironically enough been having a conversation today with a co-worker who is in the process of switching to Linux and has been going through various distros and packages to figure out what works best for him. He's having quite a few difficulties, but it dawned on him a few days ago that the reason for this is that he's become so accustomed to the Windoze way of doing things that he's had to unlearn a lot. And as he's started to do so, he's realized a lot of the things he did that seemed to easy in Windows are actually rather complicated processes, requiring several expensive software packages. One of those same tasks he was using as an example can be accomplished with a single command line in Linux with two switches. Or, to put it in terms of time, he spends less than 15 seconds typing in the command line, and the program does the rest. In Windoze, he opens one program, selects files to be processed, opens another menu, answers the inevitable "are you sure" question, waits, saves the project, opens another software package and clicks, searches, selects, etc. Takes him about 10 minutes, and he's what you'd consider an expert at this.

Other than that, I can only say, Linux is not Windows. I suggest taking some time and reading this, top to bottom, before ranting.

http://linux.oneandoneis2.org/LNW.htm

You'll get more help minus the rant and with more focus. Learn one step at a time. Work one issue at a time and provide all the information you can about what you saw and did. There's a lot of help available here but without a focused objective title viewers will be less likely to read your post and try to help.

Just get a book or borrow a book and learn a FEW simple commands so you've got a basic idea of what the OS is doing.

Learn the difference between ROOT and ordinary users and basic file permissions.

Learn a few commands like how to start and stop services and how to shutdown the system and learn some basic shell scripting (a bit like old MS-DOS batch files but many many more times more powerful and useful.

Once you've got the basics the rest will follow.

WINDOWS it's not and remember a lot of Linux apps are Open Source which means people have written them in their own spare tiime and for no reward so of course some documentation will be questionable or non existent.

If you need a professional OS where you have to accept what you are given then pay for and stick with Windows --but you'll find the little time you need to spend on some basic LINUX commands and scripting will pay HUGE dividends.

Of course there will be some problems but you should be able to get a typical "Default" SUSE system to work straight out of the box.

Laptops are a bit trickier and so is the whole area of Wireless networking but if you start with SUSE on a fairly standard desktop computer with typical hardware you should get it to work quite easily these days.

Cheers

-K

Then you picked the wrong OS. Why not try something that's intended for housewives and school children?

Maybe you should've kept notes. I'm sure this has never happened to anyone using other OS's.

Why don't you try a stereo? They're easy to operate, have better dynamic performance than PC's, wider bandwidth, lower S/N ratio, etc.

Then why are you using it to listen to music?

Ahhh...antiquated?

Why? You probably wouldn't even notice the difference between an Intel and a Motorola processor.

It's no more trendy now than it was 20 or 30 years ago. CLI provides the opportunity to extend greater control over the machine. If you don't need the control, don't use the CLI.

When did Bill Gates develop something like that?!!!

Good luck, have fun.

I think the points you raise could be applied equally well to *any* operating system that the user is not yet familiar with. Personally I see no difference between learning Windows and learning Linux - they both just require some time to get accustomed to, and if the new OS seems to be "harder" than the other OS, it's only because you're forgetting how much time it initially took to learn that first OS. Take the Paste shortcut in Windows, Ctl-V. "V"??? For "paste"?? Tell me that's something that would be intuitive or obvious to someone who's not already familiar with Windows. In terms of the perceived emphasis on the command line, I'm not sure I really agree, as most distros offer a GUI (sometimes multiple GUI apps) to permit the user to perform virtually any action. In any case, the syntax of almost all commands is the same:
To illustrate, copying a file named xyz.txt from the current directory to a directory called "backup" would only require
which has the same complexity as trying to describe "dragging and dropping" and the difference between a left-click and a right-click to someone who's just now learning how to use a mouse. Granted it may take a little time to become familiar with the *nix commands, but the common ones pretty much are no harder than their equivalents in DOS.

Once you get over the learning curve though, at least in my opinion Linux (any distro) is a far superior OS to Windows -- don't let trivial differences in the user interface distract you from the larger prize. Just my 2 cents.

I hope you feel better for getting that off your chest.

About 10 months ago I wrote a post similar to yours. Three members replied with lengthy, and probably to polite, explanations of why the command line is an important part of linux. It might be possible to get by without learning it, but you would be missing out on much of what makes linux efficient.

10 months later I'm still here asking questions, and occasionally trying to answer them. Who knows, 10 months from now you may find yourself doing the same.

Best of luck.

btw: I've enjoyed every minute of it.

Thanks for all the info...
 

Thanks to all forum members who replied to my post. And in re-reading it, I can see why BDHamp says that the whole thing was, in fact, a rant. Also, thank you for not just marginalizing me as a stupid newcomer -- everyone was very kind.

Anyway, I do prefer the Xandros distro. I'll be switching back to that camp, so I won't bother you any more.

BTW, did you really have much of a "learning curve" when you first tried to use a refrigerator, oneandoneis2? For that matter, what is the extent of your knowledge of refrigeration technology to this day? There is always the chance that you are a thermodynamics engineer, but all most people know is that refrigerators make things cold. That's all they need to know!

In my opinion, a computer is similar: A tool to do a job.

If forum members disagree, fine. You collectively seem to be mostly professionally-educated engineering types, and it is apparent that most of you value complexity as being akin to "power" and "flexibility." What YOU need to realize is that you are a very small minority of computer users! The vast majority see what you value so highly as a major flaw in this OS!!!! Of course, the majority opinion is never guaranteed to be right.

Thanks again!!

always /root - now and forever!

However, from the user point of view a refrigerator is a very simple piece of equipment. It has one function, and so has very little flexibility. A personal computer, on the other hand, is a multi-function device with a lot of flexibility. A central heating system is also more complex, and I have met people who have found it difficult learning to set the timer, or maintain the pressure of the system.


I think it's a case of "horses for courses". Different operating systems (and even different Linux distros) are designed with different aims in mind. If you are keen on Macs, though, I would encourage you not to automatically dismiss OSX. I used OS9 for a while before making the move to OSX, and after I had figured out the differences I definitely found it to be superior.

Although I do like to do some tinkering with PCs, I use mine as a productivity (and leisure) tool as well. I produce leaflets and mailmerged letters, burn CDs, listen to music and watch DVDs, all in Linux. Yes, I had to do a little learning when I started using OpenOffice and The Gimp, but then I did with MS Office and Photoshop as well.

So long as you understand the risk (the same risk as always logging in to Windows XP as administrator).

Rob

Everything important has been said here and though I knew this - I have only now taken the time to actually read trough the document BDHamp referred to and the header-line of which is used so often:

http://linux.oneandoneis2.org/LNW.htm

Excellent!
If you hear/read just the header - "Linux is Not Windows" - it may even sound offensive in a context like this - but have you actually read it?

Until it breaks down, and then they, knowing nothing about how a refrigerator works, have a couple options: pay someone to fix it or buy a new one. That's the typical Windoze user too. Linux does require some learning, but as others have said in different ways, if my mother can deal with it, it's not *that* hard.

The analogy here is flawed, as has already been pointed out, but let me make a different sort of brief analogy that isn't perfect either but gets closer to the point. Computer users are like car users. Some know how to drive one with a standard transmission and prefer it due to the greater control, often better gas mileage when used properly, lower maintenance costs, etc. it can give you. Others only know how to drive an automatic. Some know how to fix a car. Some do not. Both are fine, but one has a greater range of vehicles he or she can efficiently drive in a greater number of situations, and one doesn't have to sit at home searching the phone book for a mechanic he or she can afford that will also come tow the car without charging out the wazoo.

Put more directly, I can do things with my Linux box I cannot do with Windows without either paying a lot of money or committing a crime. I can do other things far more efficiently. I can, with the help of the community, fix it myself. A very few things I cannot do easily on Linux, mostly because of legal problems involved with proprietary hardware drivers. That's *not* the fault of the OS, rather of legal arrangements that have driven everyone into accepting the idea that the extreme directions patent and copyright laws are going is a good thing. If it's enough to make you not want to use Linux, fine, but that's absolutely no concern of anyone who does use Linux.

In any case, you're right basically. A computer is a tool to do one or many jobs. But this is really the point behind the point that everyone has been making. Once you have your Linux system working, it just works, and you can do your jobs. The problem is that most people are flat-out lying when they say something like, "I want to browse the web, write papers, and do e-mail," which can be done with any major distro straight out of the box, and they end up tinkering. Tinkering with it can get you in trouble if you refuse to learn anything about it beyond this, but such people shouldn't be tinkering anyway and would screw up a Windoze system just as quickly.

But, it still amazes me. I know people who are apparently as dumb as a box of rocks that can take a car engine apart blindfolded and put it back together again in better shape than it was before, yet who say they can't learn anything about something like Linux. I know managers of large businesses who can troubleshoot a complex financial problem in their heads and have a solution figured before I can blink twice, but they say Linux is too complicated. I know a neurosurgeon (a human being with the talent to tinker with the HUMAN BRAIN) who says she couldn't figure out Linux. The truth is they *won't* learn anything about Linux, but they quite obviously could if they chose to do so. That's fine; their priorities are elsewhere. But, one last time, that's not the fault of the OS, the people who develop the OS, or the millions of people who use the OS quite happily.

Patient: Will I be able to use Linux after my brain surgery.
Doctor: Of course.
Patient: That's great, I could never understand it before.

:rolleyes: ...sorry...

Success with anything takes a personal commitment. Lacking desire, you will never be successful. I've been a software engineer since 1964 -- most of you probably weren't alive then. From a PC perspective I started with the original DOS and a was user up through Windows ME. Over two years ago I switched cold turkey to Linux and in fact am still learning. The other day, I tried to help a friend with a Windows XP Home system. In truth I found it difficult because it was different from what I use and what I used. Did that make Windows harder to use than Linux -- of course not. My lack of understanding of XP is because i don't choose to make the commitment to understanding. Obviously, I have the background to be successful with XP. Opinions are based on personal perspectives and are fortunately not binding on those who read them.

Thankyou...thankyou...THANKYOU!!

I needed a good laugh before heading off to work this morning, and that was it! (Maybe I'm overly tired or something, to have laughed so hard a that 'corny' little joke?) Seriously, I loved it. Nice start to my day!

Nice one !! ;-)

Linux is hard. I like it because it's not like a "refrigerator". You can do things with it, and to it.
I don't use Windoze at all. It's boring, like a refrigerator or a new japanese car. No soul. It doesn't need you(Windoze).
I like to interact with machines. Maybe it's a hobby, maybe it's the challenge.
I do like my new SuSe 9.3 installation though. I also like Mandriva 2006 Cooker on my second drive.
No Windoze for me. Too boring.

If it could only be...
 

Don't I wish it were so. In 1964 I was already a three-yr. veteran of the Marine Corps, and was still two years away from a tour in 'Nam.

Funny the things a little incentive will do. My (still highly frustrating) plunge into linux has induced me to pull out some old college [math] text books (My 'further' education was partly to facilitate a civilian adoptation-and career-of my artillery training as a land surveyor-they're really the same thing!), and I am now planning (at 61!) to return to college and go for an engineering degree. Life takes funny turns. Now, if I spend 'all nighters' on test cramming, I can blame the caffeine jags on Linus Torvalds.

[I think] my rationale is: "What's the use of all this technical knowledge if you have nowhere to apply it?"

Glad to see I'm not the only old soldier in the Linux mix. Unlike our body the age of our mind can be anything we choose it to be. Curiosity is the true root of change.

I remember experiencing the same frustration when I moved from DOS 5.0 to Windows. And again, when I moved from Windows to Linux. It's all about a learning curve. I suppose the real question is, "Am I willing to endure the learning curve or not?" Then, ask yourself why you want to move to a new O/S. Personally, I finally became tired of spyware, security issues and a never-ending string of reinstalls, due to cryptic BSOD messages, generally blaming my hardware, which was not faulty.

In my case, it was worth the effort and being 60 years old, learning Linux wasn't as easy as it might have been when I was younger. But, it's certainly not been impossible and I'd have never made it without the help of a lot of nice people on the forums.

I still can't figure out how to set up and use a cellphone, and I'm not willing to go through the learning curve, so I don't have one. If I needed one, I suppose I'd make the effort. So, as with anything else, if the advantages do not outweigh the effort, for you personally, you're better off to stay with what you have and are used to using. I think that pretty much applies to everything in life....not just computer operating systems.

I'm GONE. You can stop kicking me around!!!
 

Please stop bothering me.

I tried to post a serious post with a few relevant questions. I was frustrated at the time. IS THAT A FREAKIN CRIME??????????

It must be. At least from a few of you who just seem to live to kick around the new guys!! You are the types who never flush the toilet because you can't find the command line interface!!! Of course, that makes you better in your mind than everyone else!!!! NOT!!!!!

If that's all you have in your life to make you feel superior, then you are pathetic, loser GEEKS who never matured one bit after high school.

Just leave me alone!!!!

Close this account, and I have filtered my inbox for mail from this site.

It was great reading such a profound opinion... I never thought of it that way. Thanks for the insights you offered.

Aahhh...temper, TEMPER!
 

As little as I know about linux (and thanks to the outpouring of <ever> patient-well, almost-help on this forum, I know something), I know even less about clinical therapy...but, WHEW! this guy needs some guidance in social interaction, heh?

What an incredible community this is to dismiss like that and kick dirt upon! Shame on you!

Perhaps Linux distros should consider including a section in the manuals on "Anger Management."

something like...?
 

~:$ man manliness

MANLINESS(1)

NAME
manliness - the art of maturity and social restraint

oh guys, why to waste time with such a shitty discussion. free country, free people, use whatever you want and don't claim about things you don't understand, I also do not claim about MAC's. in my opinion this is more than a troll. just don't waste time and .... your wife...

I'm normally reluctant to read the Dummies books, with their repellently cutesy tone and lack of respect for my putative intelligence. However, SuSE Linux for Dummies is very, very good. I've tried Linux in the past (RedHat) and experienced the frustrations of which this newbie complains.

Many months have passed since I uninstalled RedHat. I've just ordered SuSE 10, after reading a great deal about it in Linux forums. And I think I've come round to the proper mindset for a relatively relaxed, low-blood-pressure learning experience.

I cut my PC teeth on DOS and WordStar (I'm age 64). So I remember some of what we lost when we all trooped dutifully along behind our corporate masters and slowed our mental processes sufficiently to work placidly with Windows.

We lost a lot: speed, control, creativity, the responsibilities of command. DOS and WordStar weren't convenient, but they were efficient as hell, and they were, frankly, fun. Of course, very few office secretaries liked WordStar. ("The manual is terrible!" I thought it was great.) But writers and editors loved it. (See sci-fi writer Robert J. Sawyers's article, "WordStar - A Writer's Word Processor"; sorry as a forum newbie, I'm not allowed to post URLS until I've spouted off here at least three times.)

When I contemplate my forthcoming experience with Linux, what I fear is not that it will be too complicated or command-liney, but that companies like Novell will try too hard to make it work like Windows.

Linux, at present, looks too bland, too much like a follower. I believe that what Linux needs is some of the creativity that brought the Mac out of Windows' shadow in the 1980s. And that means some truly original apps.

Opportunities do exist, in this regard. For example, everyone who uses a computer writes. And, word processing has been on a downhill course, in terms of speed and control, as it has "devolved" from WordStar through the WordPerfect and Word generations.

WordPerfect for DOS has been called the most perfect software ever written. It had some wonderful qualities. Even Word, which as a writer I must use daily, has some good features. But a really outstanding, modern program for writers would blow Word out of the water - and create priceless buzz for Linux.

Brief spec: a completely (and easily; think Word or Textmaker) editable keyboard layout with WordStar template supplied; a freely customizable reference and long-text database that could be opened in a sidebar for convenient cutting-and-pasting, with an option to paste reference info into a footnote at the same time; industrial-strength file management; macro language; templates for scripts, articles, books, proposals, whitepapers, datasheets, business plans, etc.; built-in calendar and communications.

Obviously, some of these features would have to wait for v.3. But the basic power-editing feature set would make a sufficiently large number of people jealous of the early adopters to make business users seriously consider at least installing a dual-boot system (especially if Novell and others give a strong push to Windows file open/write compatibility).

I thought you might find the following interesting:

http://www.wordstar.org/linux/pages/nedit.htm

I've never used WordStar, although I do miss WordPerfect greatly and so understand your commentary clearly, but perhaps what is discussed there will mean something more to you. I don't know how accurately the experience attempted with the instructions at this link emulates that offered by WordStar, but it might be worth trying as a project once you've worked your way around SuSE a bit. Nedit, the editor on which this is based, doesn't come with SuSE, but there is a SuSE RPM available.

http://rpm.pbone.net/index.php3/stat....i586.rpm.html

This in turn requires you to install a few other packages that also do not come with a standard installation of SuSE, which is why this would end up being a project. (My own system is missing openmotif-libs and libXm.so.3.) You can also find those packages via pbone.net in case you're interested at some point.

[and now MY personal rant]
Arhh! I've had it. I just don't get it. I just don't.
These last 2 years there's been an endless stream of linux-sniffing-and-spitting windows users (like the original poster) and it just doesn't stop.
"Sniffing" because they don't really go much further. Install, look at it from afar and see that it's different.
Then comes the "Spitting" part. Feeling frustrated they have to approach any linux-user to inform them in a passive-aggresive way of their opinions and what a ripoff this whole linux / opensource thing is.

I mean: if you invest no money, no time, no intelligence in something, how can you be ripped off?

And why do they always have to be so angry about it? Nobody is asking them to switch. But on a certain level they do blame us (the happy linux users) when it's not working out. As if they did it to please us.

Arghh!

As if I care which OS somebody else uses. The only reason "linux popularity" is good for me is because of hardware support.

[the rant stops somewhere around here]

So why are they switching? What do they expect from it?
- a free OS? Windows isn't free and that doesn't stop them from using it. So that's not it.
- a stable virusfree environment? This would be a valid point if they would not complain about everything that makes this stability possible. Like security. So that's not it either.
- a cool reputation? That would explain why they feel so frustrated and personally offended when it's not as easy as they thought. Maybe pride gets hurt?
- better tools? Also not the case because they don't want to learn anything new and possibly better
- better system performance? This is also one of the popular reasons but they don't accept that it has tradeoffs. Less balls and whistles -> more performance and visaversa.

When I add up all the complaints, it essentialy comes down to this:
- they want a windows system (preferably free)
- they want it stable and secure
- they want it all, all the bells and whistles and features and plugins and whatever
- they want it like this out of the box and without any drawbacks
- they want it with a zero learning curve
- and they want to call it linux

I think people are simply misinformed. Linux is not the solutions to every possible computer problem.
It will not get you lots of girlfriends. It will not make you popular amongst your friends. It is not without it's own problems. It is not SO hard anymore that you need a deep and thorough understanding of how hardware works. But it isn't that easy either. You will need to use your brain, you will have to type, you will have to remember some passwords.

And about those tools. these are the tools that I use and there is no match on windows:
- SuSE, it rules. It is the best choice for new switchers. With Yast and Google by your side you are not completely in the dark in this new environment. I'm no longer a switcher or newbie but I'm hooked on Yast.
- Amarok is da bomb! There is none better for all your mp3 and ogg needs.
- Mplayer beats every movieplayer by far, and Mediaplayer twice. :)
- Easytag: Whoop!Whoop!Whoop! I haven't found anything that comes close in functionality (mp3-tagging)
- KDE desktop: the things you can do with your backgrounds...
- Xscreensaver just makes you lick fingers. I use it to display my digicam pictures (beats a photoalbum) and a selection of some great screensavers. I can't count the (unasked) positive reactions I've had from vistors.
- amsn: for a trouble- and blinkfree MSN environment. Looks great, has limited but handy features. Beats the

So, I have my stability, my tools, my legally free os, my userfriendly desktop. And no, I don't have a "cool" reputation and I don't have superspeedy system performance. But that's the point, isn't it. You have to decide what is important for you and accept the consequences of that choice.

Ahwell, I shouldn't let it get me upset. But it is so tiresome at times.
Everytime when I hear those awfull words "Yeah, I've been thinking about checking out this linux thing myself", I just want to scream and shove a live CD down their throa-------------

You get my point ;)

I apologise if I offended anybody. I just needed to get it of my chest, and since there already was some ranting going on, it seemed like the perfect place.

Regards..







PS: I just want to add that I only have problems with those "sniffers". I have respect for people that are giving linux a chance and trying to learn something new and different. It's hard in the beginning, feeling like a newbie all over again.

rottie's sentiments are close to mine and well stated. Thomas Edison never saw the Internet, Windows or Linux for that matter but one of his quotes seems to fit well here -- "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."

In a nutshell...
 

Well, there you are...

Every once in a while a soul comes along and, probably without conciously meaning to, puts just the right words in just the right places, and creates an articulation that, well...says it all. And says it well.

Such is this offering. My [humble] opinion?

a) I've made a copy to stick on the bulletin board over my work desk;

b) I think this oughta be made a sticky...it's that good.

Thankyou...rottie

I know you might find this strange but I sometimes have difficulty running Windows.
Where the hell did they hide Network Neighborhood in THIS version? That's not where it was in 98 and 2000. . .
How do I get rid of IE and MSN Messenger again?
Where'd everything go in Control Panel? It sure looked different in Windows 98 and 2000. . .
Where do I go to change the desktop appearance, again?
WTF? But the network worked fine yesterday. . .? Why is it missing the drivers - they were there before. . .
What do you mean I need the admin password for MY flash drive? Why don't the other computers need admin's password for my flash drive? How come it only asks for admin's password if I plug the flash drive in before I log in?. . . WTF?

*SMACK!* Dammit, you better take my flash drive WITHOUT the admin password! Hear me?
Aargh!!!!!!!!!
*CRUNCH!*
Well. . . it's warranted, right?

MS changes things in EVERY version of Windows, and to me it's damn confusing when I have to fix a Windows PC since I'm all Linux now. People ask, "Do you know how to do such-and-such in OE/Word/PowerPoint/Excel?" "No. I used to when I used them." OpenOffice is very similar but it's still a little different.

ANY software you're not familiar with can be confusing.

You know I am sorry I missed this whole thing....really I am. It reminds me so much of that Welcome to the Internet post from years back, especially the "loser GEEKS who never matured on bit after high school." To which the response is

We are geeks, and damn happy being so. Notice how we run all things technological and we have people like him spit abuse at us when they can't be bothered to even try and learn? As for high school...Hang on, don't we have a few 60 year olds on here who actually posted? I know I never went to high school, but then again the Irish Education system is different.

All in all people like StoneAgeMoron are to be pitied. Not in a "How pathetic" sense mind you, more in the way you feel pity for a puppy that has hurt it's paw, or can't work out to go under the gate then stare at it.

Ok very off topic, but just my thoughts.

+1, he didn't even try to learn (let alone want). I love how the first few posts were trying to help and then he posts and affirms that he is a twit.

StoneAgeMoron chose his name well based on his post. I'm a proud 63 year old Geek that first saw the way to Geekdom in 1964.

Always nice to have a point backed up. I mean hell I'm 25 and I've been a geek, well since I can remember. Lego, computers, anything like that I was happy. People say geek like it's a bad thing. But what is a geek? Someone who is intelligent and savy around technology. Now is that bad? In this day and age, hell no.