I totally agree with you. Consider this: Decreasing trends in distros like Mandriva can mean a notable improve and stability. That because every year the hardware recognizing and the software maturity is better, so I don't need search nothing at all about support issues. Ubuntu, a younger distro, may not achieve yet that maturity level, so I must search more about technical issues.
Check it out.
You can use a 100% free version of Mandriva Distro, or you can Download
a Live CD version, wich containts all drivers and common plugins for
free. So, you want 100% free software ? Go ahead with Mandriva. Do you
need drivers for your hardware distributed by commercial license ? Go
ahead, buy a mandriva's commercial pack
People won't even know that there's any alternative, that's why Microsoft will be making their billions.
In fact, there are people around all over the world looking for alternatives. You know, there are countries with a very different economical environment than US, and when MS ask for a SO upgrade, in many cases the costs demands a quest for an alternative.
I've read almost all answers to your question... But Consider this: I'm living in LatinAmerica, and I can't get (many reason I can give you) the ultimate PC as I Wish, but I'm using right now a Compaq presario SW333: 512 Mb RAM, Intel Celeron at 800 MHz, 120 GB HD. I'm Dual Booting Mandriva Linux 2006 Powepack + and Windows 2000 SP4. Mandriva Linux 2006 was cheaper to me that the preinstaled Windows 2000 I get with the PC, and it gave me 0 problems. It was INCREDIBLE easy to install and Recognized 95% pc's hardware (Yeah... winmodem requires aditional work). My sons (9 and 13 each one) likes mandriva more than Windows 2000. They say W2k is bored, and WinXP is Ugly... As you can see, facts are talking
By the way, There are many software for mathematicals matters for the distro !!
Is Mandriva. Is one of the most friendly and easy to "Install and Use" distro I've ever seen. Perhaps there are more popular distros in the U.S., but in many countrys in Europe and LatinAmerica is wide known. And there are many reasons: the very huge software repository in both, free and comercial versions, the easy use of special programs for software and hardware configuration, called drakes, the wide hardware diversity recognized at installation time, the different kind of desktops you may use (KDE, GNOME, ICEWM, etc), and of course, stability.
I try this distro since Mandrake 9.0 and finally when Mandriva 2006 comes, I bought a comercial version: Powerpack +. It covers not only needs for an average user but it is useful too for advanced user, like software, web or database developers, Graphical Designers, Engineers, Enterprise Desktop and even it is posible to obtain a Database, DNS or mail server. You can read more about it in http://www.mandriva.com
I do agree that Excel kicks ass--or at least that nothing else has come close to it.
That's because long time ago Microsoft eliminates all reference point to compare. Years ago when people uses Windows 3.11 Wordperfect had an excellent word processor for Windows, much better than MS Word with features that MS included in his Word Processor later. Same thing with Borland QPro for Windows 3.11. It was better than Excel in many, many aspects, usability, flexibility and power for data manipulation.
I think OO has many good features like Database conectivity over RDBMs like MySQL, Oracle, even Access, using ADO, JDBC, ODBC... It runs in many platforms, it's free... I think OO is a remarkable comunnity's effort whose has accomplished goals at the same level of Microsoft, keeping in mind the differences between Time and Money between that two scenarios. So I think that saying Open Source Programs are trying to emulate a dominant propietary application is, at least for the Offices Suites, out of context.
I always find it amazing that the average foreigner seems to know far more about American culture, government, and history than the average American.
Not only that topics, but Geography, Universal History, Literature, Arts... I'm not an American and I'm not living in the United States. But my perception about the average American people is in the same way. When I was young my high school had an Interchange program with an American High School, and except for languaje matters, there is no other interesting topic about these young people from the United States.
Same happens about some workmates from USA and his sons. I apologize for my opinion because certanlly I don't know that situation in your High Schools in a personal level. But, when I see that stereotype about the nerd, the popular, the bad guy, the foreing student, all over the media (movies, TV shows, cartoons), it seems to me the hardest thing being a young man in an American High School, lost in an Intolerancy Jungle.
Slashdot Mirror
Really ? Suse is one of the distros officially supported by... let's say... Oracle ?
I totally agree with you. Consider this: Decreasing trends in distros like Mandriva can mean a notable improve and stability. That because every year the hardware recognizing and the software maturity is better, so I don't need search nothing at all about support issues. Ubuntu, a younger distro, may not achieve yet that maturity level, so I must search more about technical issues.
The game console's OS ?
Check it out. You can use a 100% free version of Mandriva Distro, or you can Download a Live CD version, wich containts all drivers and common plugins for free. So, you want 100% free software ? Go ahead with Mandriva. Do you need drivers for your hardware distributed by commercial license ? Go ahead, buy a mandriva's commercial pack
People won't even know that there's any alternative, that's why Microsoft will be making their billions.
In fact, there are people around all over the world looking for alternatives. You know, there are countries with a very different economical environment than US, and when MS ask for a SO upgrade, in many cases the costs demands a quest for an alternative.
I've read almost all answers to your question... But Consider this: I'm living in LatinAmerica, and I can't get (many reason I can give you) the ultimate PC as I Wish, but I'm using right now a Compaq presario SW333: 512 Mb RAM, Intel Celeron at 800 MHz, 120 GB HD. I'm Dual Booting Mandriva Linux 2006 Powepack + and Windows 2000 SP4. Mandriva Linux 2006 was cheaper to me that the preinstaled Windows 2000 I get with the PC, and it gave me 0 problems. It was INCREDIBLE easy to install and Recognized 95% pc's hardware (Yeah... winmodem requires aditional work). My sons (9 and 13 each one) likes mandriva more than Windows 2000. They say W2k is bored, and WinXP is Ugly... As you can see, facts are talking
By the way, There are many software for mathematicals matters for the distro !!
Is Mandriva. Is one of the most friendly and easy to "Install and Use" distro I've ever seen. Perhaps there are more popular distros in the U.S., but in many countrys in Europe and LatinAmerica is wide known. And there are many reasons: the very huge software repository in both, free and comercial versions, the easy use of special programs for software and hardware configuration, called drakes, the wide hardware diversity recognized at installation time, the different kind of desktops you may use (KDE, GNOME, ICEWM, etc), and of course, stability.
I try this distro since Mandrake 9.0 and finally when Mandriva 2006 comes, I bought a comercial version: Powerpack +. It covers not only needs for an average user but it is useful too for advanced user, like software, web or database developers, Graphical Designers, Engineers, Enterprise Desktop and even it is posible to obtain a Database, DNS or mail server. You can read more about it in http://www.mandriva.com
I do agree that Excel kicks ass--or at least that nothing else has come close to it.
That's because long time ago Microsoft eliminates all reference point to compare. Years ago when people uses Windows 3.11 Wordperfect had an excellent word processor for Windows, much better than MS Word with features that MS included in his Word Processor later. Same thing with Borland QPro for Windows 3.11. It was better than Excel in many, many aspects, usability, flexibility and power for data manipulation.
I think OO has many good features like Database conectivity over RDBMs like MySQL, Oracle, even Access, using ADO, JDBC, ODBC... It runs in many platforms, it's free... I think OO is a remarkable comunnity's effort whose has accomplished goals at the same level of Microsoft, keeping in mind the differences between Time and Money between that two scenarios. So I think that saying Open Source Programs are trying to emulate a dominant propietary application is, at least for the Offices Suites, out of context.
What about Mandriva ? It's a Frech distro. It's my favorite distro too because It seems to me perfect for desktop. Anyone knows ?
It's just FUD
I always find it amazing that the average foreigner seems to know far more about American culture, government, and history than the average American.
Not only that topics, but Geography, Universal History, Literature, Arts... I'm not an American and I'm not living in the United States. But my perception about the average American people is in the same way. When I was young my high school had an Interchange program with an American High School, and except for languaje matters, there is no other interesting topic about these young people from the United States.
Same happens about some workmates from USA and his sons. I apologize for my opinion because certanlly I don't know that situation in your High Schools in a personal level. But, when I see that stereotype about the nerd, the popular, the bad guy, the foreing student, all over the media (movies, TV shows, cartoons), it seems to me the hardest thing being a young man in an American High School, lost in an Intolerancy Jungle.
Man, I really Hope so... If anyone can put a name in a bullet, long names lists will come...
Yes, but it does run... in a DeLorean ?