Actually, his article makes sense. Linux does make sense for the user who can't do anything other than basic office tasks on their computer, as well as for the serious computer professional. The real hurdles to linux on the desktop are the modestly proficient users (such as myself). We can install and remove programs, update drivers, and do basic to advanced hardware ugrades. What we are *not* is programmers or IT guys/gals.
The biggest problem for linux among this group is the loss of power/control on switching over to linux. I tried Suse 8.0 w/ KDE 3.0 in the last half of June. While I could do basic office tasks, it was unnerving not knowing exactly what was going on with my OS -- yes I read the books, yes I'm smart, but I'm not a programmer/IT professional. Tried to install Mozilla and spent two hours feeling like a total tool. In the end, having to run to linuxnewbie.org or some other site anytime I wanted to do something other than word process or surf got to me. I backed-up the handful of documents I'd created, reformatted, and went back to 98se.
Not sure what the solution is. But that's my two cents on the problem.
+ Lap desk (I like Levenger's version) + Either nice pen set or 10 or so boxes of cheapies, depending on if she tends to lose pens. + At least 20 packs of post-it flags + Good reading light, or mini-booklight
You might want to reread Orientalism. Its cultural studies, so is more concerned with the image of the Orient projected by Western thinkers on to the cultures of Asia. Said isn't so much playing the blame game as looking at the social construct that is the Orient, a place which doesn't, in actuality, exist.
BTW: there's plenty of blame to lay at the feet of the West. To acknowledge the sins of the past, and present, is to engage in a critical appreciation of our cultural heritage--as opposed to some form of blind ancestor worship or jingoism.
Re:how about for non-comic viewers?
on
Review: Spiderman
·
· Score: 1
I don't do comic books at all and I thought the movie rocked--although being a morning comics reader had me fairly familiar with Spidey.
Main thing about the movie is that its smarter than it needs to be--this is good. The could have really simplified the character and produced yet another loud, soul-less action flick. Instead, the produced a movie that was smart w/r/t the themes of the comic as opposed to the mechanics of the comic:
Ex. They depart from the comics in how Spidey's web shooting ability works, they stay true to the notion of Spidey as a person first, superhero second.
Guess they actually de-comic ized it to the extent that they added depth to the characters as opposed to rendering them with broad brushstrokes.
Seriously, its not really that hard. Check out the case and cooling forum at ArsTechnica:
http://arstechnica.infopop.net/OpenTopic/page?a= fr m&s=50009562&f=77909585
Search around and I'm sure you'll find guidelines on how to build if not a lunchbox computer, at least a suitcase computer.
It isn't just this (/.) board. As someone whose only recently begun visiting more tech/nerd sites (/., Ars, etc), I've been disappointed by the number of misogynistic and homophopic comments I see posted on a regular basis. I'd like to tell myself its all the work of ignorant 14 year olds but, unfortunately, such sentiments seem to be broadly disseminated throughout the online/enthusiast culture.
I too have found macs to be a bit too pricey for the typical student. My main problem, however, is the older generation of mac users in higher education that still see the mac as the computing equivalent of a vw bug. Macs haven't been "the people's computer" for sometime now, a problem which seems to be aggravated by the Apple marketing department.
They're great computers, I've just never been able to justify the extra cost.
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Actually, his article makes sense. Linux does make sense for the user who can't do anything other than basic office tasks on their computer, as well as for the serious computer professional. The real hurdles to linux on the desktop are the modestly proficient users (such as myself). We can install and remove programs, update drivers, and do basic to advanced hardware ugrades. What we are *not* is programmers or IT guys/gals.
The biggest problem for linux among this group is the loss of power/control on switching over to linux. I tried Suse 8.0 w/ KDE 3.0 in the last half of June. While I could do basic office tasks, it was unnerving not knowing exactly what was going on with my OS -- yes I read the books, yes I'm smart, but I'm not a programmer/IT professional. Tried to install Mozilla and spent two hours feeling like a total tool. In the end, having to run to linuxnewbie.org or some other site anytime I wanted to do something other than word process or surf got to me. I backed-up the handful of documents I'd created, reformatted, and went back to 98se.
Not sure what the solution is. But that's my two cents on the problem.
+ Lap desk (I like Levenger's version)
+ Either nice pen set or 10 or so boxes of cheapies, depending on if she tends to lose pens.
+ At least 20 packs of post-it flags
+ Good reading light, or mini-booklight
You might want to reread Orientalism. Its cultural studies, so is more concerned with the image of the Orient projected by Western thinkers on to the cultures of Asia. Said isn't so much playing the blame game as looking at the social construct that is the Orient, a place which doesn't, in actuality, exist.
BTW: there's plenty of blame to lay at the feet of the West. To acknowledge the sins of the past, and present, is to engage in a critical appreciation of our cultural heritage--as opposed to some form of blind ancestor worship or jingoism.
I don't do comic books at all and I thought the movie rocked--although being a morning comics reader had me fairly familiar with Spidey.
Main thing about the movie is that its smarter than it needs to be--this is good. The could have really simplified the character and produced yet another loud, soul-less action flick. Instead, the produced a movie that was smart w/r/t the themes of the comic as opposed to the mechanics of the comic:
Ex. They depart from the comics in how Spidey's web shooting ability works, they stay true to the notion of Spidey as a person first, superhero second.
Guess they actually de-comic ized it to the extent that they added depth to the characters as opposed to rendering them with broad brushstrokes.
Seriously, its not really that hard. Check out the case and cooling forum at ArsTechnica:= fr m&s=50009562&f=77909585
http://arstechnica.infopop.net/OpenTopic/page?a
Search around and I'm sure you'll find guidelines on how to build if not a lunchbox computer, at least a suitcase computer.
It isn't just this (/.) board. As someone whose only recently begun visiting more tech/nerd sites (/., Ars, etc), I've been disappointed by the number of misogynistic and homophopic comments I see posted on a regular basis. I'd like to tell myself its all the work of ignorant 14 year olds but, unfortunately, such sentiments seem to be broadly disseminated throughout the online/enthusiast culture.
I too have found macs to be a bit too pricey for the typical student. My main problem, however, is the older generation of mac users in higher education that still see the mac as the computing equivalent of a vw bug. Macs haven't been "the people's computer" for sometime now, a problem which seems to be aggravated by the Apple marketing department. They're great computers, I've just never been able to justify the extra cost.