Operating Systems > Linux and UNIX
The downsides of Linux
lazygamer:
quote:Linux is definitely not where Windows is on the desktop front, and it is doubtful it will ever catch up
--- End quote ---
Well that's ok, there's a diffrence between quality desktop and mass market desktop.
quote:well, i expect to get bombed for this one, but i i agree. not with install/uninstall necessarily, rather i'm wondering WHY IN THE HELL, in the 21st century, we even need to deal with a command line in day to day operations? this is something i have a hard time grasping about linux. 2 mouse clicks is faster than dealing with a keyboard and command line, so what's the point? yes, i WANT the command line functionality for whenever and whatever i want to use it for, but why the hell does linux seem to depend on it so much for trivial operations that could be handled far faster with a GUI? that's the whole point of a GUI, is it not? to paint a pretty interface and make things faster. why waste time at a command line? my time is valuable to me.
--- End quote ---
Hey that's cool, once again were helping to reveal the hidden downsides of Linux. Now what distro are you using? Whether your using a suposedly user friendly one is important. What about these things like KDE and GNOME? Perhaps your just not using a GUI like these?
I'll admit, I don't have a leg to stand on as I haven't touched Linux yet.
LorKorub:
It took me all but three seconds to install my NVidia drivers. And I didn't have to reboot, either. Linux us not like Shitblow$ where after you install an HTML editor, you have to reboot three times.
And paying for a crappy porduct? I paid $80 US for SuSE and I got thousands of free products. If I payed (whatever Windows costs...I never bought one), how many software packages would I get. And on top of that, I get free support for six months. How long does M$ give free support?
Anyway, back on topic, I like the fact that you have to mess around, and actually do some manual configuring to get Linux up to its full potential. It gives a valuable insight to how things work, and let's you juggle with the building blocks, so to speak. It is customizable, and it is like having a book that you write your own chapters and endings to. The flexibility, and freedom...that's what I am talking about.
The downside to it has to be its initial difficulty. For the guy that plays video games, uses the net for whatever, and writes e-mail, Linux is more of a chore than it is freedom. If one distro came up with a built in manual, or a decent tutorial, it would probably make all of the difference in the world. The main problem (well not problem) is that Linux/UNIX is written by programmers, for programmers. The average dude cannot understand the terminology used, the phrasing, and the procedures described. Microsoft is not much better in their attempts, but regarding the three tasks I listed, it can handle those with relative ease. Most people are content with that, hence the oligopoly with Wintel.
lazygamer:
quote:The downside to it has to be its initial difficulty. For the guy that plays video games, uses the net for whatever, and writes e-mail, Linux is more of a chore than it is freedom. If one distro came up with a built in manual, or a decent tutorial, it would probably make all of the difference in the world. The main problem (well not problem) is that Linux/UNIX is written by programmers, for programmers. The average dude cannot understand the terminology used, the phrasing, and the procedures described. Microsoft is not much better in their attempts, but regarding the three tasks I listed, it can handle those with relative ease. Most people are content with that, hence the oligopoly with Wintel.
--- End quote ---
Well I ain't scared. However, it's sounding more and more like Linux+User friendly distros=Lol yeah right. If that's not true, then I'd hate to see the UNFRIENDLY DISTROS! ;)
Not to worry, I'll bring almost every stupid n00b question I have RIGHTTTT into these forums to piss people off. :D :
voidmain:
quote:Originally posted by para:
well, i expect to get bombed for this one, but i i agree. not with install/uninstall necessarily, rather i'm wondering WHY IN THE HELL, in the 21st century, we even need to deal with a command line in day to day operations? this is something i have a hard time grasping about linux. 2 mouse clicks is faster than dealing with a keyboard and command line, so what's the point? yes, i WANT the command line functionality for whenever and whatever i want to use it for, but why the hell does linux seem to depend on it so much for trivial operations that could be handled far faster with a GUI? that's the whole point of a GUI, is it not? to paint a pretty interface and make things faster. why waste time at a command line? my time is valuable to me.
--- End quote ---
Ahhh grasshopper, you have much to learn. If your time is valuable to you then you will forget about the GUI and learn the command line, then automate. The purpose of the GUI is not for speed but to make it easier for a n00b and it makes sense for picture oriented or WYSIWYG type of work. If your time is valuable then you will learn how to automate and that is what Linux and UNIX are *extremely* good at and Windows is *extremely* bad at. Windows users believe that they can get things done much faster by pointing and clicking their way through daily tasks while Linux users throw those tasks into a script and trigger them via cron or any number of other ways, then they go play golf.
I suggest if the GUI is your crutch then stick with Windows, or contribute by learning to create your own GUI apps for the tasks that you want a GUI for and let other n00bs benefit. If you don't want to learn C/C++ you can go for an easier scripting language. Python is used extensively to write graphical system tools and it is a fairly easy scripting language. Or you can go for the older ways of TCL/TK.
[ July 02, 2002: Message edited by: VoidMain ]
para_fms:
quote:Originally posted by lazygamer:
Hey that's cool, once again were helping to reveal the hidden downsides of Linux. Now what distro are you using? Whether your using a suposedly user friendly one is important. What about these things like KDE and GNOME? Perhaps your just not using a GUI like these?
--- End quote ---
right now, none. i'm in the process of d/ling suse as i speak. i've tried mandrake and redhat in the past, but was forced to abandon both fairly quickly due to lack of hardware support. my hardware has changed and i'm getting more and more irritated with MS, thus the rejuvinated interest. and yes, i'm familier with both KDE and GNOME. if i recall, i preffered KDE of the 2.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version