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America's Hams Embrace Linux

Posted by timothy on from the not-a-huge-surprise dept.

Anonymous Coward writes "The current survey question over on the eham site shows that around 40% of Amateur Radio operators that responded to the survey are using Linux/Unix as an operating system in some form or other. Part of the ham radio charter is to 'experiment and innovate'...seems the tradition is alive and well in ham radio. Some of the comments are interesting as well ...What's Amateur/Ham Radio? See www.eham.net/newham/"

1 of 249 comments (clear)

  1. Hams & Linux: Not quite yet. by Teeja · · Score: 5, Informative
    As a ham, I have experimented with Mandrake & Red Hat, but I don't believe the average Amateur Radio Operator will be making the switch to any form of Linux soon. Why? Because hams love radio and are primarily interested in computing as a tool to extend their abilities within radio experimentation.

    Yes, more hams are getting into Linux, mainly because experimentation is in their blood... but the question is "what are hams passionate about?"-- answer: ham radio, not necessarily computing, although integration of the two is occuring at a faster pace now.

    As a ham, I want my tools to work and work well. I want to spend my time on my hobby (radio) and not that much time figuring out how to use or configure my tools (OS's).

    IMHO, linux will begin to rule when it:

    1. Has a more intuitive GUI/Menu with descriptive application names that tell me what the app does.
    2. Has an application installation procedure that my wife can figure out.
    3. When lunatic-fringe linux geeks stop bashing "windoze" simply because it's easy to use.

    What am I running right now? XP
    Why?
    It gives me what I need with the least amount of effort on my part. Call me an "appliance operator" or whatever, but I'm spending more time on what I enjoy: ham radio.