Miscellaneous > The Lounge
And you wonder why Linux is not Mainstream Like Windows is?
Calum:
quote:Originally posted by willysnout:
I hear you. I guess what I'm saying is that, in the quest to run a 3-1/2 minute mile, I need to be sure I can walk to the grocery store. Windows will do that. In my own case, I doubt I'll get too involved with Linux until I know it can do the stuff I am doing now, just as easily and reliably as Windows does.
I know I sound like the MS salesman, but I'm not. All I'm saying is that if I want to write a letter and print it, Windows and Office will do that. I can send e-mails easily with Outlook. I manage my checkbook with Quicken and my taxes with Turbo Tax. I've got a nice little shareware program that displays photos. I've got Virus Scan, Black Ice Defender, Windows Washer and some other stuff for security.
Those are "basics." If that's not available and easily used in Linux, then I won't switch. Which I realize is no skin off your ass, but since this is a forum where people give their views I figured my thought process might be of interest. Most people here seem to have a level of knowledge that's more specialized than mine. What I'm trying to do is inject the perspective of a more typical user.
--- End quote ---
you make a lot of good points, but i still detect a bit of 'walk before i can run' in your typical computer user spiel. No offence intended, there btw...
Re: StarOffice, yes it is proprietary and is from Sun Microsystems. It does most of what MSWord does, as well as most of what WordPerfect does and a lot of other stuff too. Or so i have heard. Version 5.2 i think is still free from Sun, however we are now (two?) a version or so ahead and the current version costs. It will also run on windows. There is a free and open source version of this program called OpenOffice.org (guess where their homepage is!) and it basically does all the stuff that StarOffice does, bar a couple of features, but for free. It runs on basically any OS.
Now, i would recommend a dual boot setup for anybody in the position of needing windows results in a hurry, but wanting to use linux eventually. I found that that way worked (and is working) very well for me. With a major distro (such as mandrake or red hat) you can set up a dual boot very easily, and configure it just as easily once you have read the manual pages for the bootloader you are using. (you will likely not need to configure it though, since a pretty good config file will probably be written for you by the installer) This approach is what i recommend, and it does not cost a penny more than running windows on its own...
willysnout:
quote:Originally posted by bazoukas:
And your problem is?
Read my whole post and try to get my point. I think you are too sensitive for your own good.
--- End quote ---
I stand corrected. It's not Put-Downs 101. The 100-level classes are introductory level. I'd say Put-Downs 301. Pre-requisite: Introduction to Arrogance 101.
willysnout:
quote:Originally posted by Calum:
you make a lot of good points, but i still detect a bit of 'walk before i can run' in your typical computer user spiel. No offence intended, there btw...
--- End quote ---
Absolutely I intend to walk before I can run. No apologies for it, either. Why should anyone feel guilty for having such an attitude? I don't want to experiment with linux and find my Explorer book marks destroyed, my Quicken files ruined, my Turbo Tax files destroyed, my Outlook files gone, etc., because of some basic mistake I made because I couldn't walk before I tried to run.
Normally, this kind of precautionary instinct would be a good thing. I don't understand why I should feel as if I've made a faux pax by wanting to be very careful, especially seeing as how I am not a computer specialist. I figure I ought to be aware of my limitations and work within them, especially in the beginning.
quote:Re: StarOffice, yes it is proprietary and is from Sun Microsystems. It does most of what MSWord does, as well as most of what WordPerfect does and a lot of other stuff too. Or so i have heard. Version 5.2 i think is still free from Sun, however we are now (two?) a version or so ahead and the current version costs. It will also run on windows. There is a free and open source version of this program called OpenOffice.org (guess where their homepage is!) and it basically does all the stuff that StarOffice does, bar a couple of features, but for free. It runs on basically any OS.
--- End quote ---
If you use Star Office, does it communicate back to Sun in any way about your usage of the program? Given their attitude about privacy (privacy doesn't exist, get used to it), my guard is up on this issue and I frankly don't want to patronize them if there is a good alternative. Funny thing about this is that there's nothing sensitive in my Word documents.
It's not like I'm trading child porn or writing terror plots. I just hate the idea of corporate big brother with a true passion. It's a form of arrogance, which is something I really detest. The idea that a CEO can declare that privacy is dead and we must get used to it is one of more most memorably outrageous things I've heard in quite a long time.
quote:Now, i would recommend a dual boot setup for anybody in the position of needing windows results in a hurry, but wanting to use linux eventually.
--- End quote ---
What is a "dual boot setup?"
quote: I found that that way worked (and is working) very well for me. With a major distro (such as mandrake or red hat) you can set up a dual boot very easily, and configure it just as easily once you have read the manual pages for the bootloader you are using.
--- End quote ---
What is a distro? I have heard of Red Hat, i.e., a company that make linux software, but what's "mandrake?" And what's a "bootloader?"
quote:(you will likely not need to configure it though, since a pretty good config file will probably be written for you by the installer) This approach is what i recommend, and it does not cost a penny more than running windows on its own...
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A config file written by the installer. Could you explain this? I'm not sure what you're referring to. Maybe there's a book or web site that goes through all this basic terminology for those of us just getting started?
the_black_angel:
ok you need to search on the net for a bit and start reading.
Dual boot setup - running two OSes on the same computer ie windows and Linux
distro - distribution
Red Hat is a version or "flavour" of Linux
Mandrake is an other flavour of Linux (held by alot of people to be the best version on Linux for new users)
bootloader - A program used to select what OS you want to boot into (ie lilo)
config file - tells a program how/what you want it to do.
The installer should take care of all the techniqual stuff for you, it should ask you if you what to dual boot(or something similiar) and just follow the on screen prompts
I would suggest not using RedHat as it is primarily server software and is not designed for a workstation.
Also go to some Linux distro sites (ie www.mandrakelinux.com or www.redhat.com and look for documentation or similair)
hope this helps
willysnout:
quote:Originally posted by the_black_angel:
hope this helps
--- End quote ---
It does. Thanks very much.
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