Apparently the OP assumes the market has much more relationship with the real world than it actually has. However it's often the market that drives the real world. Not the other way around.
It's the same with customers. Let's say windows cost 50 dollars OEM above the cost of Linux. Now, how much 'training' can you purchase for 50 dollars. Maybe 2 hours worth. Plus all the effort... To top it off, 50 bucks for a tool you use every single day is nothing. People spend more than that just eating out.
Frankly I've yet to meet somebody using Linux because of its price. I'm sure it happens but it's probably not as widespread as many would expect. From what I've seen, Linux is used because it's convenient and it works. And a lot of people don't mind buying commercial software for it if it's the proper tool for the job.
The main thing most people don't like is anything different from what they are comfortable with. If what they know is Windows, they won't like Mac OS or Linux (whether either is better, easier, or whatever than the other being pretty much irrelevant). I'm sure it contributed a lot to the failing of Vista. On top of the bad press it got, it was just too different from XP.
Glad to know that the problem wasn't systematic. As I said it's only hearsay from what I've seen here and there on Web forums where of course mostly people with problems would post.
At any rate the fact that established brands are getting their feet wet with Linux on generic (as in "non server") hardware is a big step forward in my book. And I don't mind if it takes a closed driver here and there (or a wrapper around a Windows WiFi driver) as long as it's properly set up and works out of the box. I'm confident that it will get there with clean drivers eventually.
I've heard this story a lot from seasoned users (being one myself, although I never got around to buying a preinstalled machine). Apparently the first Dell laptops with Ubuntu had the same kind of problems. Likewise a number of laptop sellers advertise as being Linux friendly but I often see small print along the lines of "this and that peripheral (most often the webcam) won't work if you pick Linux as the OS".
What is it with those people ? They pick their hardware, can't they at least pick some that's supported ? It's not as if it was difficult to find Linux supported components. It's even more irritating when you find out that users familiar with the system report that it was an easy fix.
I sometimes wonder if there isn't a clause in one of their OEM contracts stipulating that "if you supply another OS, it has to be crappy".
why would you opt to use such "lovely round numbers" as 32 and 14.7, when you can use metric.
Interesting tidbit, a long time ago, people would count on their phalanges using their thumbs. Up to 12 per hand. Which is why this odd base keeps popping up in antique numbering systems (like the one still used in the US, Liberia and Burma). Of course with a little imagination you can count much higher than 12 on your fingers.
Still not much excuse to stick with medieval units IMO, but if they're happy with it...
Actually this is how it goes : - Some kind of guy nominally in charge : WTF is this ? we have fifteen hundred votes that are unaccounted for ! You told me that this software of yours was fool proof ! - Local BOFH (browsing his excuse list) : Ah, umm... It must have been because of... Uh... "Solar flares"... nah, "hardware stress fractures", no, too many words, "fat electrons in the line", love that one, but not this time, "static from nylon underwear", hmmm, pretty good but far fetched... Um. Wait a minute...
Most likely the next step would be capatacha that ask questions? Say What "Beef is made from what animal?" Now first it needs to read the graphics (while can be broken still a fare amount of work) Then it will need to understand the context of the question then find and return an answer. Much more complex and hard to program.
The problem is that they're not culture/language agnostic and of course somebody has to come up with the questions. Would you like to come up with 100 000 questions and answers (taking into account the fact that many of those questions will likely have several equally valid answers) ?
It's damned hard for a man to catch it having sex with a woman unless the sex is anal or while she's on her period, particularly if he's been circumcised.
While the beginning of that sentence is true, the end isn't. Oddly enough being circumcised reduces the odds a bit since the amount of exposed mucosa (which is easier to breach through the stress of sex) is lessened. An unexpected side effect of old prejudice (removing the "female" bits on the male sex) which still lives on here and there.
"We anticipate beginning this experiment in the February-March timeframe."
Of course there's no year attached. So presumably they'll run it from their abode in Jupiter orbit, in 2097, when at least 5% of the network will have switched.
Slashdot Mirror
So now what ? Does that mean apps like Paint.Net can be ported or is there still some crucial stuff missing ?
Most stuff seems to rely on some core Windows only component so I'm still not sure what the point of Mono is.
Apparently the OP assumes the market has much more relationship with the real world than it actually has. However it's often the market that drives the real world. Not the other way around.
Even in Kentucky, Linux ought to be relatively safe. I heard it was able to run quite fast...
If you see a bird suddenly turning around, you'll know it's time to seek shelter.
It's the same with customers.
Let's say windows cost 50 dollars OEM above the cost of Linux. Now, how much 'training' can you purchase for 50 dollars. Maybe 2 hours worth. Plus all the effort... To top it off, 50 bucks for a tool you use every single day is nothing. People spend more than that just eating out.
Frankly I've yet to meet somebody using Linux because of its price. I'm sure it happens but it's probably not as widespread as many would expect.
From what I've seen, Linux is used because it's convenient and it works. And a lot of people don't mind buying commercial software for it if it's the proper tool for the job.
The main thing most people don't like is anything different from what they are comfortable with. If what they know is Windows, they won't like Mac OS or Linux (whether either is better, easier, or whatever than the other being pretty much irrelevant). I'm sure it contributed a lot to the failing of Vista. On top of the bad press it got, it was just too different from XP.
Because you've ever seen a user read documentation ??
Photos or it didn't happen !
Glad to know that the problem wasn't systematic. As I said it's only hearsay from what I've seen here and there on Web forums where of course mostly people with problems would post.
At any rate the fact that established brands are getting their feet wet with Linux on generic (as in "non server") hardware is a big step forward in my book. And I don't mind if it takes a closed driver here and there (or a wrapper around a Windows WiFi driver) as long as it's properly set up and works out of the box. I'm confident that it will get there with clean drivers eventually.
I've heard this story a lot from seasoned users (being one myself, although I never got around to buying a preinstalled machine). Apparently the first Dell laptops with Ubuntu had the same kind of problems. Likewise a number of laptop sellers advertise as being Linux friendly but I often see small print along the lines of "this and that peripheral (most often the webcam) won't work if you pick Linux as the OS".
What is it with those people ? They pick their hardware, can't they at least pick some that's supported ? It's not as if it was difficult to find Linux supported components. It's even more irritating when you find out that users familiar with the system report that it was an easy fix.
I sometimes wonder if there isn't a clause in one of their OEM contracts stipulating that "if you supply another OS, it has to be crappy".
why would you opt to use such "lovely round numbers" as 32 and 14.7, when you can use metric.
Interesting tidbit, a long time ago, people would count on their phalanges using their thumbs. Up to 12 per hand. Which is why this odd base keeps popping up in antique numbering systems (like the one still used in the US, Liberia and Burma).
Of course with a little imagination you can count much higher than 12 on your fingers.
Still not much excuse to stick with medieval units IMO, but if they're happy with it...
A million Davids can kick the ass of one Goliath. What rocks should we use? Ideas?
Real ones. And pitchforks. And torches.
So we can get "cell power" and then all we have to do is write cell empowered applications !
This is so exciting, I can hardly wait ! Soon I'll be able to index my cactus seeds in no time ! (I've got almost 30)
I mean, gosh !
Paper ballots... right...
Actually this is how it goes :
- Some kind of guy nominally in charge : WTF is this ? we have fifteen hundred votes that are unaccounted for ! You told me that this software of yours was fool proof !
- Local BOFH (browsing his excuse list) : Ah, umm...
It must have been because of... Uh...
"Solar flares"... nah,
"hardware stress fractures", no, too many words,
"fat electrons in the line", love that one, but not this time,
"static from nylon underwear", hmmm, pretty good but far fetched...
Um. Wait a minute...
What other culture is there that matters then American New York City culture.
Wait isn't that what they call New Amsterdam nowadays ?
I call shenanigans, the machine isn't even pyramid shaped !
Most likely the next step would be capatacha that ask questions? Say What "Beef is made from what animal?" Now first it needs to read the graphics (while can be broken still a fare amount of work) Then it will need to understand the context of the question then find and return an answer. Much more complex and hard to program.
The problem is that they're not culture/language agnostic and of course somebody has to come up with the questions. Would you like to come up with 100 000 questions and answers (taking into account the fact that many of those questions will likely have several equally valid answers) ?
For beef, is the answer cow, cows, cattle, ox...
Killing people is wrong.
Yeah ! Kill the spammers instead !
I don't know, add glasses and a crowbar and he could star in a videogame. Seems to me like the kind of guy you want talking about computing.
Sounds like the most elegant way to deal with the problem IMO. That way everybody has done his part and valuable stuff doesn't get needlessly trashed.
In many places legislation makes it fairly complicated to just give away old stuff rather than just dump it.
I too blame it on a conspiracy that perverted our precious bodily fluids without the knowledge of the individual.
By the way, General Ripper, I am elated to see that you are alive and well. And I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.
It's damned hard for a man to catch it having sex with a woman unless the sex is anal or while she's on her period, particularly if he's been circumcised.
While the beginning of that sentence is true, the end isn't. Oddly enough being circumcised reduces the odds a bit since the amount of exposed mucosa (which is easier to breach through the stress of sex) is lessened. An unexpected side effect of old prejudice (removing the "female" bits on the male sex) which still lives on here and there.
"We anticipate beginning this experiment in the February-March timeframe."
Of course there's no year attached. So presumably they'll run it from their abode in Jupiter orbit, in 2097, when at least 5% of the network will have switched.
Speak for yourself, pink boy.
Don't people usually close Windows when it turns cloudy ?
"Whoosh" seems to me an insightful comment about a douche product.
Apparently a lot of bankers are ending up with a lot more cash than they initially expected. So maybe space tourism will finally take off.