Tink, just because you don't agree doesn't mean I have a point. At least one other person did understand my post, so maybe the problem is your own tiny world you live in and your limitations.

You're famous for losing your charm and trying to piss on people you don't agree with. We had Jeremy get involved the last time you played this kind of stunt, let's not let it happen again.

Spare me your derogatory tone. How is it ok for someone to post a one liner that does nothing but ridicule my opinion, but my post is offensive?

Time to go back to moderator's school and get a clue, pal.

So true.


I guess you're mistaking me with someone else. I certainly didn't
have Jeremy rule me in at any stage. And as for the derogatory tone:
look up and down this thread - it's you, chum.

Maybe you should go and have a sleep?



Cheers,
Tink

Granted, things may get heated when discussing, but that does not mean you or anyone else should choose attacks on any person as a way of expressing oneself. It distracts and derails the discussion. If you (or anyone else) feel you're going nuclear you may choose to temporarily abstain from posting. If you feel you are being treated unjustly you may ask any moderator to judge the situation and restore balance. However, regardless of the discussion at hand, showing that much disrespect for a fellow LQ member and moderator is not acceptable and will not be tolerated.

I request you and the other combattants to please adjust right now, for your own good and that of the community. Please get the original discussion going and refrain from raking over the coals from now on.

Just a couple of examples. When my neighbor lady's husband passed she wanted to keep in contact with her grandchildren. I set her up with a 1ghz PIII (512 ram?) and FC4(it was just released). She was 70 then and had never gone beyond HS(never used a computer before), stay at home mom. When FC5 was released I stepped here through the upgrade. When FC6 was released she had it installed before I did(on my machines). One day I went over and she had a scanner sitting there. Having heard some horror stories, I figured I was in for a chore. She already had it working. Since then she has installed a web cam and voip. I, on the other hand, still have not setup a scanner in Linux. She is looking forward to the release of F11 and I have jumped ship for Centos.


My sister started dropping off my nephew while she was at work when he was three. I used to just let him use my account, then gave him his own account, and finally put in a machine just for him. Now he has an account on all my machines, so if I am using one he can use one of the others. I gave him a PIII 1ghz(hey I get them off the curb for free on junk day) for his fifth birthday. The first year I had to go over and fix something he had goofed about once a month. After that he has not blown anything up that could not be fixed over the phone or that he could not just reinstall to fix(on his own). Now my nephew could read by the time he was five, but I account that to the web sites that have read along stories. He is not by any stretch of the imagination a genius, just ask the $70 pillow cases he used to cut cookie shapes on.

The point is that anybody who can read and has basic intelligence can do basic things on a Linux computer.

I do think that the individual who said that games on Linux are inferior is only partially correct. Most of the games that have native Linux versions are superior to their windows counterparts. The problem being that their is a pretty short list of major game titles that have native Linux versions.

I consider the current versions of Linux to be on the level of Windows 98. Good as long as you stick to well defined applications. Linux can access the Internet write letters and handle simple spread sheets. Other applications may or may not work well. I was glad to read the one person who noted his ipod worked but my PDA is not recognized.

Unless you provide by a paper which provides detailed description of average user and his/her skills and abilities (if possible, paper should be have at least 1500 pages, signed by Bill Gates, Linus Torsvald, Steve Jobs and the President or acceped as a law, or at least as a "average user standard" among all software/hardware/computer manufacturers), it is impossible to answer this question.

Oooh NO!! Not again!!!

Hmmm---I'd say that the best Linux distros are now--on balance--on a par with any version of Windows. Yes, there are still some things where Windows is better---or maybe easier for our "average user". It all depends on how you ask the question.

For starters, I can do WAY more than "access the Internet write letters and handle simple spread sheets"....

Equally important for some "average users": Linux is now faster and easier to install and configure than is Windows.....(on average).

I thought you guys might like to see what the same debate looks like from the Windows side, if you haven't already seen it:

http://www.wxpnews.com/

This link is meant to go to Vol. 8, #62 - Mar 17, 2009 - Issue #370, so it'll be outdated soon...

I did not follow all the links, but I thought the main article was well done, though I might take exception with a few points.

He brings up the point that there are too many choices in linux (it is a "forking mess"), and I am somewhat inclined to agree with that point. After all, look at the large number of visitors to this site who start with: "what distro should I try?" Clearly, this is an attempt to thin the herd, and weed out the huge number of choices. It can be intimidating.

He also pointed out that most people want to use the apps that they want to use, such as photoshop rather than gimp. Good point, but not a fundamental technical one. Much of the current issues about Windows vs Linux and why Windows remains well on top have to do with "familiarity". Like it or not, that is just people. I do it too, and I'm sure most people reading this do it; we stick with the familiar unless we have a really compelling reason to change.\

It is nice, IMNSHO, to see a rational debate and discussion of the issues, the advantages and disadvantages, and the plusses and minuses without comments about "winblows" or "fanboys".

Yes, I think so. Just as much as Windows is ready for the average user. I work in IT and most all average users need help managing their Windows box, and will need help managing their Linux box. As time goes on they'll learn how to do things themselves but the way things have advanced few average users can do all that is necessary to manage any OS. ...and that is good for the IT industry as a whole.

Post removed

Randux, you really crossed the line with that post. Especially considering that you had just been warned about showing disrespect to fellow LQ members. You could have easily expressed yourself without the need for vulgar language and sexually-oriented insults, yet you chose to take that route instead. All things considered, the consequences of your actions should come as no surprise to you or any other LQ members.

For the record, another moderator hereby concurs with the actions taken and with the assessment of bad behavior. The actions of others are never an excuse for rude behavior and bad language.