[Tfug] ubuntu (troll?)

Tue Apr 15 10:39:57 MST 2008

I don't consider myself a troll. actually, if you knew me, you would thik that
is funny. That you see my feedback as trolling only exemplifies my 
point: there
is a bridgable divide between the technically inclined and the not-so. It is
unlikely that this bridge will ever be more than a footbridge swaying in the
wind simply because techies couldn't give a hoot about making linux simple.

I agree I could take some courses so I could figure out to use the operating
system. All I really want to do is use the computer for simple things like
office stuff, connecting to the internet, organizing and storing files, and
maybe listening to some internet-based music. Does taking a class at Pima
College (it is cheaper then the University) seem like an awful lot of work to
anyone besides me? I not, then I suppose I am a troll.

Grrrrrrr!
Michael

Quoting "Eric M. Gearhart" <eric at nixwizard.net>:

> Yes I would agree with the "don't feed the troll" post - are you 
> seriously asking for help or are you just trolling this list?
>
> Techies "turn wrenches" and get stuff working... there is a level of 
> "polish" lacking from Linux right now, but there are projects 
> underway that are trying to address that situation (openSUSE, Ubuntu, 
> etc.)
>
> Eric
> http://nixwizard.net
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: sitkaa at email.arizona.edu
> To: tfug at tfug.org
> Sent: Tuesday, April 15, 2008 8:49:49 AM GMT -07:00 U.S. Mountain 
> Time (Arizona)
> Subject: Re: [Tfug] ubuntu
>
> I am the itinerate newbie regards to linux. I have been interested in it for
> over a decade, but haven't hadn't loaded it on my main computer until just
> recently, primarily because of the because of the difficulty involved 
> in doing
> a dual boot, but also due to a lack of anyone to hold my hand to degree
> neccessary to get past first base. I can hear the chorus already saying
> that it
> is so much easier now with this application and that, but to me it is still
> written in Greek for all I know.
>
> I don't know how to use linux, I don't know what applications are
> available for
> it, and frankly, after a decade of watching this whole thing, I have gotten
> pretty disgusted with it. The promise of linux is unfulfilled. I don't like
> Microsoft, but at least I can understand it.
>
> You want to attract more than just techies to linux? Make it is
> sooooooo freakin
> simple I can understand it. I don't care one iota how little functionality it
> has, I really only wanna push one button, and then have the damn thing
> work. If
> it can't do that, it is too complicated.
>
> Because such simplicity is abhorent to many techies, I really doubt linux is
> going anywhere. It is a lost cause. I suppose I will be sticking with the
> spyware, malware, constant updates, NSA backdoors, and 
> anticompetitive busines
> practices of Microsoft as long as I live, cause you people can't grasp
> just how
> stupid and lazy I am.
>
>
>
>
>
> Quoting Earl <earljviolet at juno.com>:
>
>> I used virtual box with 98 for a while and it worked OK for the
>> limited testing I did. I finally deleted it because all I did was
>> update spyware and virus programs and run them.
>>
>> Earl
>>
>> "God made man, Sam Colt made men equal."
>> "The fates guide him who will, him who won't they drag" Spengler
>> "I want to change the world but they won't give me the source code"
>> Unknown Linux Geek
>>
>> -- Malcolm Schmerl <mjs355 at comcast.net> wrote:
>> Jim March wrote:
>>> On Sun, Apr 13, 2008 at 10:22 AM, Jeffry Johnston <tfug at kidsquid.com
>>> <mailto:tfug at kidsquid.com>> wrote:
>>>
>>> > He told the other that it wasn't as nice as windows, but it
>>> worked pretty good.
>>>
>>> Probably running Gnome... KDE is nicer than windows ;)
>>>
>>> Jeff
>>>
>>>
>>> The real indicator as to whether or not somebody is going to jump
>>> cleanly into Ubuntu or any other newbie-friendly distro is whether or
>>> not they have somebody experienced to help with initial tuning and
>>> setup. Multimedia support for starters, DVD playback, MP3 codec, all
>>> that happy $hit :).
>>>
>>> Gnome v. KDE means a lot less in my opinion.
>>>
>>> For REAL success, get VirtualBox running with an XP VM for those few
>>> programs or times we still need Windows. A LOT of users will have at
>>> least one such app, in my case the ones I need most involve playing
>>> with election databases.
>>>
>>> This works with surprisingly little horsepower. I'm pulling it off
>>> with a single-core Celeron 1.6 lappy, lowly Intel945 video and 1.5gigs
>>> RAM. And it'll work in a lot less than that.
>>>
>>> Oddity on that score:
>>>
>>> I rented a video recently that flat wouldn't play under Ubuntu. I
>>> tuned and tweaked and tried VLC player, updated LIBDVDCSS, etc. No
>>> joy. If anyone cares, it was the video-only final conclusion to
>>> Stargate SG1 :). Finally I said "screw it", loaded XP, downloaded VLC
>>> for that and watched my friggin' video :).
>>>
>>> But here's the kicker for a newbie:
>>>
>>> You explain that when they're on the 'net in Ubuntu,
>>> EMail/web/whatever, they're basically immune from
>>> viruses/spyware/crapware.
>>>
>>> THAT they get. Bigtime. The number of newbies getting hammered by
>>> malware is just crazy...that is BY FAR the number one reason a
>>> non-techie will consider Linux.
>>>
>>> You also have to explain that running XP or whatever as a VM task is
>>> much safer than dual-boot because Linux shields Windows. You lose 3D
>>> video support and gaming, but short of that it works.
>>>
>>> Jim
>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
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>> Jim,
>> The problem with Windows, as I see it, besides the mal-ware problem, is
>> that you get caught in a constant cycle of hardware and software
>> upgrades. We use an old copy of Quickbooks, which is perfectly adequate
>> for our business and which ran perfectly well on Windows 98, but has
>> problems on XP and will cost $200 to upgrade. I use an old machine (AMD
>> 750) which works just fine with Ubuntu. Will Virtualbox work with
>> Windows 98 or ME? This really sounds like a way for me to go. Thanks for
>> the idea, Malcolm
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>> _____________________________________________________________
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>>
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>
>
>
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