"I have always been wondering who this "Linux community" person was - thanks for finding him for us!"
It would be naive to believe that our friend jkrise is alone in his beliefs. Perhaps I'm guilty of generalizing Linux users (or maybe at least the ones who frequently post here), but I find the idea that the average PC user is too dumb to (at least learn to) use Linux is common here, and not particularly productive.
"Until Joe stops believing the bad press and 'informed' opinions such as yours
What have I said about Linux that isn't true?
"...he can't overcome the first crucial hurdle to start using Linux."
Such as people like you telling him he's too dumb to use Linux?
"And it is unreasonable to expect Linux or GNU to evangelise, educate, enlighten, aggressively market, promote or teach Joe."
That's what popular sites like Slashdot are for, or at least should be. Instead it is used as a platform to take shots at the likes of Microsoft and SCO. A much more productive use of the site's popularity would be to educate both Joe Sixpack as well as the seasoned Linux user. However, the popular sentiment (as you have clearly reinforced) seems to be that Joe Sixpack is not worth our time and effort.
I may be stretching things a bit here, but if some Joe Schmoe in London wants to put up a site that criticizes Tony Blair (imagine that!) but does not have the technical knowledge to add a blog-like 'Post Reply" mechanism, will his site be pulled?
This sounds like a way to kick anyone with an opinion who lacks sufficient technical knowledge from expressing themselves.
"To assume that it's the PC that should be smart and not Joe ServicePack that's operating it - it's not plain stupidity, it's stubbornness as well."
So I guess the whole concept of a GUI, or even a mouse and keyboard for that matter, was a bad idea? It's not making it "smart", it's called making it intuitive.
And like other posters have pointed out, would you suggest that a motorist should at least know how to replace a broken timing belt or understand the mechanical workings of an automatic transmission before they can be considered "qualified" to drive a car?
"And as long as Joe is reluctant to understand (not even learn) Linux, he doesn't deserve it."
And in the meantime, Bill Gates is getting richer and richer from Joe Sixpack because the Linux community is too proud to adapt to a broader market. That's worse than simple elitism, it's bad business sense.
1. How will they verify that the person who is replying is in fact the person they are criticizing.
2. If the answer to 1 is "they won't", does this mean that any EU site will be a juicy target for trolls impersonating the subject of criticism? Sure sounds like an invitation for some nasty abuses to me!
"Hell add another $59.00 and you can get a low end Geforce 4 and make it scream for games."
And don't forget another hundred or so for a new hard drive that can hold said games, and a few hours to replace the old video card and HD and install the OS on it, and figure out how to install the NVIDIA drivers, and oh shit, this just went WAY beyond the capabilities of Joe Sixpack.
The parent post is a perfect example of what Linux tech support usually looks like.
Sure, running an RC on a production box isn't really bright, but instead of explaining that (and yes, it really shouldn't have to be explained), the typical response to any such Linux-related questions usually is something to the effect of "You're a fucking moron, RTFM".
Not a good way to establish the Linux community as a helpful technical resource, my friends.
Preoccupied With Microsoft
on
Sun's Last Stand
·
· Score: 3, Interesting
Perhaps Slashdot should learn from Sun's mistakes.
I thought us freedom-loving people want LESS govenrment, not MORE government. If OSS further inflates the size of government, as you suggest that it would, should that be regarded as a Good Thing (tm)?
I'm of the belief that individual freedom is inversely proportional to the size of government. We should be advocating things that decrease government and increase our freedom.
It's not like they couldn't already do it with Windows Update or any multitude of MS tasks that access the internet. Believe me if they wanted to do it (and maybe they are, but I'm not one to wear a tinfoil hat) they have had the means to do just that for a LONG time!
I suppose he could have put it a little more politely, but really, do people need to ask if it's OK to work on personal projects while on company time?
...themselves that make this a DMCA issue. It's the fact that they're being sold on the Web.
Now I know a lot of you think you're being funny with mentions of built-in copy protection in the patterns and whatnot, and McCall's could very well be barking up an empty tree (can they really prove that they're losing $$ because of this?), but the fact that this is over a website automatically involves the DMCA.
I've been running MS-DOS 6.2 on my Pentium 3 server for almost a year now, I can tell you, DOS and P3 are an awesome combination.
Not only do my DOS games run so fast that I sometimes drop into seizures, but loading Windows 3.1 only takes a few minutes! Running Works while defragging my hard drive has made my old box into quite a workhorse. Anyone else want to share P3/DOS experiences?
"I can download 10GB from them in a week, and whats it cost them in bandwidth costs? Absolutely Nothing."
Wrong. If your bandwidth hogging causes enough degredation in service for everyone else that 20 people who pay $40/mo. decide to cancel the service, you are costing the ISP $800/mo.
"Anyway, I'm posting this as an AC for obvious reasons.
Yeah, because all of your former employers are monitoring your Slashdot account in case you say something that would require them to kneecap you. You indeed have quite a high opinion of yourself.
Slashdot Mirror
It would be naive to believe that our friend jkrise is alone in his beliefs. Perhaps I'm guilty of generalizing Linux users (or maybe at least the ones who frequently post here), but I find the idea that the average PC user is too dumb to (at least learn to) use Linux is common here, and not particularly productive.
What have I said about Linux that isn't true?
"...he can't overcome the first crucial hurdle to start using Linux."
Such as people like you telling him he's too dumb to use Linux?
"And it is unreasonable to expect Linux or GNU to evangelise, educate, enlighten, aggressively market, promote or teach Joe."
That's what popular sites like Slashdot are for, or at least should be. Instead it is used as a platform to take shots at the likes of Microsoft and SCO. A much more productive use of the site's popularity would be to educate both Joe Sixpack as well as the seasoned Linux user. However, the popular sentiment (as you have clearly reinforced) seems to be that Joe Sixpack is not worth our time and effort.
This sounds like a way to kick anyone with an opinion who lacks sufficient technical knowledge from expressing themselves.
So I guess the whole concept of a GUI, or even a mouse and keyboard for that matter, was a bad idea? It's not making it "smart", it's called making it intuitive.
And like other posters have pointed out, would you suggest that a motorist should at least know how to replace a broken timing belt or understand the mechanical workings of an automatic transmission before they can be considered "qualified" to drive a car?
And in the meantime, Bill Gates is getting richer and richer from Joe Sixpack because the Linux community is too proud to adapt to a broader market. That's worse than simple elitism, it's bad business sense.
2. If the answer to 1 is "they won't", does this mean that any EU site will be a juicy target for trolls impersonating the subject of criticism? Sure sounds like an invitation for some nasty abuses to me!
And as long as the Linux community maintains this elitist attitude, it will NEVER replace/defeat Windows.
And don't forget another hundred or so for a new hard drive that can hold said games, and a few hours to replace the old video card and HD and install the OS on it, and figure out how to install the NVIDIA drivers, and oh shit, this just went WAY beyond the capabilities of Joe Sixpack.
And then...
"The reviewer found them lacking in the gaming, expandibility departments... lacks in good USB support and other demanding areas of our modern times."
Now maybe I'm just being picky here, but at least based on the headline, it would seem that this reviewer is contradicting himself.
Because information wants to be free!
I'm on a 9600 baud modem, you insensitive clod!
Sure, running an RC on a production box isn't really bright, but instead of explaining that (and yes, it really shouldn't have to be explained), the typical response to any such Linux-related questions usually is something to the effect of "You're a fucking moron, RTFM".
Not a good way to establish the Linux community as a helpful technical resource, my friends.
Perhaps Slashdot should learn from Sun's mistakes.
Yup, sounds like a perfect candidate for modding up to me...
I thought us freedom-loving people want LESS govenrment, not MORE government. If OSS further inflates the size of government, as you suggest that it would, should that be regarded as a Good Thing (tm)?
I'm of the belief that individual freedom is inversely proportional to the size of government. We should be advocating things that decrease government and increase our freedom.
It's not like they couldn't already do it with Windows Update or any multitude of MS tasks that access the internet. Believe me if they wanted to do it (and maybe they are, but I'm not one to wear a tinfoil hat) they have had the means to do just that for a LONG time!
This is an ANTIVIRUS program, WTF does that have to do with anything Microsoft would want to add DRM to?
That said, childish editorial only makes the site look unprofessional, and reflects poorly upon those who run it.
It's not the RIAA who's ruining P2P for everyone else, it's the people who are abusing it.
I suppose he could have put it a little more politely, but really, do people need to ask if it's OK to work on personal projects while on company time?
It's not that they're being SOLD that makes this a DMCA issue, it's the fact that they're being SOLD VIA THE WEB that makes this a DMCA issue.
Now I know a lot of you think you're being funny with mentions of built-in copy protection in the patterns and whatnot, and McCall's could very well be barking up an empty tree (can they really prove that they're losing $$ because of this?), but the fact that this is over a website automatically involves the DMCA.
Not only do my DOS games run so fast that I sometimes drop into seizures, but loading Windows 3.1 only takes a few minutes! Running Works while defragging my hard drive has made my old box into quite a workhorse. Anyone else want to share P3/DOS experiences?
Wrong. If your bandwidth hogging causes enough degredation in service for everyone else that 20 people who pay $40/mo. decide to cancel the service, you are costing the ISP $800/mo.
Yeah, because all of your former employers are monitoring your Slashdot account in case you say something that would require them to kneecap you. You indeed have quite a high opinion of yourself.
Like the other poster said, I smell a troll here.