Slashdot Mirror
The REAL Reason We Use Linux
Vlad Dolezal writes "We tell people we use Linux because it's secure. Or because it's free, because it's customizable, because it has excellent community support... But all of that is just marketing BS. We tell that to non-Linux users because they wouldn't understand the REAL reason." The answer to his question probably won't surprise you.
The think is.. I dislike the whole filosophy of "use it because it's free"
Well, guess what: I use WINRAR and have payed for it. I know about 7zip but I prefer to use Winar. I use The bat as a mail client. I know about several good free clients but I pay proudly for the bat. I pay for Windows Commander and there are a lot of equally good alternatives. So what? There profession of programmers has the same right like a carpenter or a builder. There is NO SHAME in programming and selling some program. There is nothing wrong with commercial programs.
I am a consult and I use OZX, Windows and Linuzz and actually feel better with Windows, and worse on a MAK. Linuzz being in the middle just because there is a lot of things you can change.... But anyway, I'll keep paying the "MS tax" as it's called here, and proudly so, until I really find something else that I like better.
It's time to realise that Abble's products are the biggest abomination these days. Just say NO to the dumb iAbble way!!
to troll bullshit.
Anyone can speculate how that one small page of foolish ideas could become a Slashdot story. This is my guess:
Vlad Dolezal: I've written 481 words that I think are just wonderful! [Actual count]
CmdrTaco: Good. I'm not such a good writer myself. I just like to play games.
Vlad: I want you to make what I wrote a Slashdot story.
CmdrTaco: We try to run stories of real significance, not just something someone wrote.
Vlad: But I will give you this whole box of Twinkies!
CmdrTaco: We're not supposed to run stories because someone paid us.
Vlad: But it's a whole box! And it is less than a month old!
CmdrTaco: Okay, I'll run the story.
Some Slashdot stories, like this one, try not to involve themselves with facts. Linux is popular because:
1) It is stable. Window XP SP2 sometimes has problems that re-installing over the original installation won't fix. Those problems happen often enough that the total cost of ownership of computers using Windows XP is significantly higher.
2) When you buy a computer, you are partnering with a technology company. Microsoft is commonly adversarial. With Linux, you have a true partner, not a company that plays sneaky games.
3) With Linux, you will always have a reasonably easy upgrade path. With Microsoft products, apparently each new version of Microsoft Windows is designed to require new hardware. That makes money for the computer manufacturers, who are Microsoft's biggest customers.
How many people use autocad and photoshop? Most photoshop users are on macs anyway. The only people who use photoshop on windows are the ones that stole the software.
So yea if you need autocad use windows. If you don't get a mac or use linux.
I must say if you choose a piece of software which forces you to use the operating system of their choice I have no sympathy for you. Might as well give them power of attorney over the rest of your life too.
evil is as evil does