I wrote this once to a couple of friends and family:
I've been messing around with Linux again. I do this every now and then to see how the OS is coming along. However, I haven't had much reason until lately to check it out, because the distributions have been somewhat lacking. Then one day I check things out and notice how far the GNOME desktop front end has come. Now at version 2.4, GNOME is flat out gorgeous. I just had to give it a go.
After looking around, I found that only one distribution of Linux, Slackware, was available with GNOME 2.4. This actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise, despite tales that Slackware was the more hardcore and complicated distro of Linux. I downloaded the ISOs (they're free) and installed.
I had some ups and downs; Linux is nothing like Windows, and it has been awhile since I have played around with it. I poked and prodded, read and re-read documentation, and had a few frustrations here and there. Pretty typical for a Linux newbie such as myself. I kept at it however. I really don't know why I kept at it, I just did. So anyway, some things start to sink in, and little by little I find myself having a twisted sort of geek-style fun. Then next thing I know, I find I rather like Slackware Linux, as far as distributions go. There's Redhat Linux and Mandrake Linux and Debian Linux and others, but I was rather turned off by them for various reasons. Slack is... well, Slack is everything those distros aren't: sleek and minimal. And I am all about minimal.
Why am I telling you this? I don't know. I just sort of wanted to talk about it. I like screwing around with things like this, and Slack really makes that kind of easy in its minimalist way. Incidentally, once I find a Linux email client and an HTML editor that I am comfortable with, I am likely going to be spending a lot of time within Linux. Why? Well, quite frankly I have become more and more frustrated by some of the aspects of the Windows world. Mind you, I am not talking specifically about Windows per se (XP and 2000 are decent enough operating systems). Rather, I am talking about everything that goes with being a Windows user: spyware, software activation, program-embedded advertising, viruses, exploits, dumbed-down featureless apps, ugly candy-coated themes... you name it. Frankly, I am just a little tired of it.
So here I am now, trying something new. I don't really know how long I will stick with Linux, but so far things are going well and I suspect I shall be with Linux for quite awhile. I am actually liking this. Besides, learning Linux has the benefit of being a valuable technical skill that I may one day be able to capitalize on. We'll see, I guess.
eXistenZ better than The Matrix? I don't know about that. I thought eXistenZ was only ok and definitely *not* something I wanted to watch again. There were really no memorable scenes, dialogue, or performances in eXistenZ that made watching the movie fun enough to warrant watching it a second time. The movie could have been cut down to a half hour and one still would have gotten the point of the flick, if there even was one.
The Matrix, however, had cool music; a chick in tight leather who could kill with her pinky if she wanted to; helicopters crashing into the sides of buildings; daring escapes; Kung Fu; a rather menacing antagonist who could be anyone, anywhere, at anytime; ground-breaking special effects; and Lawrence Fishburn. The Matrix may not be one of the most thought provoking movies to come around, but damn if it isn't fun to watch!Yeehaw!
Of the other movies mentioned, I have only seen Pi, which I liked a lot. I am not even sure why, I just do. I liked the music in it quite a bit (even bought the soundtrack) and enjoyed the mono/dialogue just as much. It has attained a certain level of cult status with me much as Forbidden Planet has. I can watch it again and again.:)
Slashdot Mirror
Man, I sure hope you brought your asbestos suite.
I wrote this once to a couple of friends and family:
I've been messing around with Linux again. I do this every now and then to see how the OS is coming along. However, I haven't had much reason until lately to check it out, because the distributions have been somewhat lacking. Then one day I check things out and notice how far the GNOME desktop front end has come. Now at version 2.4, GNOME is flat out gorgeous. I just had to give it a go.
After looking around, I found that only one distribution of Linux, Slackware, was available with GNOME 2.4. This actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise, despite tales that Slackware was the more hardcore and complicated distro of Linux. I downloaded the ISOs (they're free) and installed.
I had some ups and downs; Linux is nothing like Windows, and it has been awhile since I have played around with it. I poked and prodded, read and re-read documentation, and had a few frustrations here and there. Pretty typical for a Linux newbie such as myself. I kept at it however. I really don't know why I kept at it, I just did. So anyway, some things start to sink in, and little by little I find myself having a twisted sort of geek-style fun. Then next thing I know, I find I rather like Slackware Linux, as far as distributions go. There's Redhat Linux and Mandrake Linux and Debian Linux and others, but I was rather turned off by them for various reasons. Slack is... well, Slack is everything those distros aren't: sleek and minimal. And I am all about minimal.
Why am I telling you this? I don't know. I just sort of wanted to talk about it. I like screwing around with things like this, and Slack really makes that kind of easy in its minimalist way. Incidentally, once I find a Linux email client and an HTML editor that I am comfortable with, I am likely going to be spending a lot of time within Linux. Why? Well, quite frankly I have become more and more frustrated by some of the aspects of the Windows world. Mind you, I am not talking specifically about Windows per se (XP and 2000 are decent enough operating systems). Rather, I am talking about everything that goes with being a Windows user: spyware, software activation, program-embedded advertising, viruses, exploits, dumbed-down featureless apps, ugly candy-coated themes... you name it. Frankly, I am just a little tired of it.
So here I am now, trying something new. I don't really know how long I will stick with Linux, but so far things are going well and I suspect I shall be with Linux for quite awhile. I am actually liking this. Besides, learning Linux has the benefit of being a valuable technical skill that I may one day be able to capitalize on. We'll see, I guess.
the Barbarian 0wn3d 411!
I have played Fallout I think about 3 times. I am going on my 3rd run with Fallout 2 right now.
Best RPG Ever!
I installed XP on my 400MHz AMD K6-2 laptop, with 192MB memory and a 16x DVD-ROM drive. Installation took slightly less than an hour.
eXistenZ better than The Matrix? I don't know about that. I thought eXistenZ was only ok and definitely *not* something I wanted to watch again. There were really no memorable scenes, dialogue, or performances in eXistenZ that made watching the movie fun enough to warrant watching it a second time. The movie could have been cut down to a half hour and one still would have gotten the point of the flick, if there even was one.
:)
The Matrix, however, had cool music; a chick in tight leather who could kill with her pinky if she wanted to; helicopters crashing into the sides of buildings; daring escapes; Kung Fu; a rather menacing antagonist who could be anyone, anywhere, at anytime; ground-breaking special effects; and Lawrence Fishburn. The Matrix may not be one of the most thought provoking movies to come around, but damn if it isn't fun to watch!Yeehaw!
Of the other movies mentioned, I have only seen Pi, which I liked a lot. I am not even sure why, I just do. I liked the music in it quite a bit (even bought the soundtrack) and enjoyed the mono/dialogue just as much. It has attained a certain level of cult status with me much as Forbidden Planet has. I can watch it again and again.
Sys