I just don't see why this point is always drawn on... and on, and on.
Linux is not an OS, it's not a corporate structure where you can send strongly-worded complaints with a lot of money and expect to see something happen. Linux is an unwieldy beast, the only living *NIX alive on the x86 platform.
Things are done in text files. That's the idea.
Ok, so it looks like a lot of work, it might be a little difficult for a normal user. Dude, that's why there's admins. Yeah, Windows doesn't need an admin. Great. Did someone say Linux was a Windows drop-in replacement??? I must've missed that part. Last I heard Linux was a free UNIX-like implementation. UNIX needs an admin. Linux needs an admin.
The thing with Linux is that programmers and developers have to be willing to work for free. You don't need people complaining because the newest codec that someone created, without the NDA-sealed specs, in his spare time, FOR FREE, didn't work perfectly when they were watching their streaming porn.
It's not an elitist thing, it's a practicality thing. If you're not going to contribute to the OSS movement, the last thing you should be doing is complaining. And if you wanna get into the "Hey, I paid money for this thing, I want it to work!" argument: 1) You paid for text support. Use it. And, 2) You should look out for what you buy. If a crappy distro coerced you to buy their OS, then you're a crappy shopper.
Geez, and you'd think that corporate, conglomerate America would teach you to shop correctly.
It's one of those long-forgotten points: after all the dust settles, ease of use destroys flexibility. Period.
Sure, a few things can be made easier. Font setup, for example, could be more automated. The resolution gripe could be messed with too (I seem to recall old SuSe being able to do that...). But, if you have a horridly-flexible program with 20 or so options, each depending partially on other options, etc., NO ease-of-use solution could be made to keep that power and actually make things easier.
The bottom line is that Linux in it's current state demands a degree of know-how. You can make things easier by eliminating the know-how required, but that destroys the flexibility, and when distros try that (Mandrake kinda, Corel, Lindows), they get the shit yelled out of them.
I know it's an old point and it's been made before, but it always seems to fall between the cracks. Seriously, think about it, the basics that makes Linux powerful and at the same time makes it hard for a newbie have not changed. Amidst the GUI installations and fancy setup tools and transparent menus, things are basically just as difficult. All the GUI has done has changed the knowledge from which option to use to which radio box to click.
but I might get a girlfriend within the next 50 years too, and I'm not holding my breath.
The "assumptions" everyone talks about that the WWF doesn't consider are exactly what has kept humanity alive through the Industrial Revolution. The WWF doesn't take into account that animals outside of man also use resources. When push comes to shove, humans aren't going to fly off to Mars, we're going to shove the animals out of the way. That's what we've done for years and years.
Yes, technology has enables us to do what we used to without as much energy, but that's not the biggest factor here. Raising cattle and nearly eliminating American bisons in the process, that was a big one.
When it comes to sustaining life, Earth has a lot of give. As sad as it may be, humans will simply choke away less "efficient" animals on this earth. A perfect example, in Africa herders are beginning to raise domesticated versions of antelopes instead of cattle. They just make more and eat less.
Yes, we are running out of room, but c'mon, we're human beings. If there's one thing we do well, it's taking what we think is ours. We aren't going to leave, animals will.
The team (M-A-T-R-I-X, spell it right) is looking (with the computer) for a fix on his location (physically). If you had cleaned the wax from your ears you'd pick up on the fact that his physical location is somewhere in the herd of other people plugged in, NOT in the chair... you moron.
After this comment I'm scared to tell people I am a member on slashdot. Like, I'm-going-to-get-beat-up-over-it scared.
As the post itself states, business-oriented models that focus on selling OSS software have failed. Microsoft's only real hope is to push itself on to linux as best it can. The already converted, people who have been on linux and are used to it, these people are already out of MS's grasp. MS should ignore them. MS has to come to grips with the fact that there are places where it has already lost, where no Service Pack will help them.
For the as-of-yet-converts, MS has some play. IE would give MS a chance to push Passport a little. Office, real un-emulated Office, would make a lot of linux users happy, especially happy. Not to mention that Office is a big $ maker.
Most of all, MS CANNOT buddy-up to the Linux world. MS needs to realize and make use of who they are: our enemy. MS should act like our enemy, be our enemy. They should compete rather than cooperate. Open-source initiatives within MS would probably be a bad idea. They won't make money, and they won't make friends.
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The speed of light in a vacuum is 299,792,458 meters/ second...
...Less than half!? Try less than a few ten thousandths.
So 260,000 mph is "only" 116,230.5 meters/second. Less than half the speed of light.
There's nothing funnier than an incorrect answer in response to another incorrect answer.
I just don't see why this point is always drawn on... and on, and on.
Linux is not an OS, it's not a corporate structure where you can send strongly-worded complaints with a lot of money and expect to see something happen. Linux is an unwieldy beast, the only living *NIX alive on the x86 platform.
Things are done in text files. That's the idea.
Ok, so it looks like a lot of work, it might be a little difficult for a normal user. Dude, that's why there's admins. Yeah, Windows doesn't need an admin. Great. Did someone say Linux was a Windows drop-in replacement??? I must've missed that part. Last I heard Linux was a free UNIX-like implementation. UNIX needs an admin. Linux needs an admin.
The thing with Linux is that programmers and developers have to be willing to work for free. You don't need people complaining because the newest codec that someone created, without the NDA-sealed specs, in his spare time, FOR FREE, didn't work perfectly when they were watching their streaming porn.
It's not an elitist thing, it's a practicality thing. If you're not going to contribute to the OSS movement, the last thing you should be doing is complaining. And if you wanna get into the "Hey, I paid money for this thing, I want it to work!" argument: 1) You paid for text support. Use it. And, 2) You should look out for what you buy. If a crappy distro coerced you to buy their OS, then you're a crappy shopper.
Geez, and you'd think that corporate, conglomerate America would teach you to shop correctly.
Screw cars, houses and whores. Dial 10-10-220 and you could talk to Doug Flutie and Alf for 27,179.8 years!
It's one of those long-forgotten points: after all the dust settles, ease of use destroys flexibility. Period. Sure, a few things can be made easier. Font setup, for example, could be more automated. The resolution gripe could be messed with too (I seem to recall old SuSe being able to do that...). But, if you have a horridly-flexible program with 20 or so options, each depending partially on other options, etc., NO ease-of-use solution could be made to keep that power and actually make things easier. The bottom line is that Linux in it's current state demands a degree of know-how. You can make things easier by eliminating the know-how required, but that destroys the flexibility, and when distros try that (Mandrake kinda, Corel, Lindows), they get the shit yelled out of them. I know it's an old point and it's been made before, but it always seems to fall between the cracks. Seriously, think about it, the basics that makes Linux powerful and at the same time makes it hard for a newbie have not changed. Amidst the GUI installations and fancy setup tools and transparent menus, things are basically just as difficult. All the GUI has done has changed the knowledge from which option to use to which radio box to click.
but I might get a girlfriend within the next 50 years too, and I'm not holding my breath.
The "assumptions" everyone talks about that the WWF doesn't consider are exactly what has kept humanity alive through the Industrial Revolution. The WWF doesn't take into account that animals outside of man also use resources. When push comes to shove, humans aren't going to fly off to Mars, we're going to shove the animals out of the way. That's what we've done for years and years.
Yes, technology has enables us to do what we used to without as much energy, but that's not the biggest factor here. Raising cattle and nearly eliminating American bisons in the process, that was a big one.
When it comes to sustaining life, Earth has a lot of give. As sad as it may be, humans will simply choke away less "efficient" animals on this earth. A perfect example, in Africa herders are beginning to raise domesticated versions of antelopes instead of cattle. They just make more and eat less.
Yes, we are running out of room, but c'mon, we're human beings. If there's one thing we do well, it's taking what we think is ours. We aren't going to leave, animals will.
And 50 years will go, and I'll still be single.
...I'll try to go slow on this one...
The team (M-A-T-R-I-X, spell it right) is looking (with the computer) for a fix on his location (physically). If you had cleaned the wax from your ears you'd pick up on the fact that his physical location is somewhere in the herd of other people plugged in, NOT in the chair... you moron.
After this comment I'm scared to tell people I am a member on slashdot. Like, I'm-going-to-get-beat-up-over-it scared.
As the post itself states, business-oriented models that focus on selling OSS software have failed. Microsoft's only real hope is to push itself on to linux as best it can. The already converted, people who have been on linux and are used to it, these people are already out of MS's grasp. MS should ignore them. MS has to come to grips with the fact that there are places where it has already lost, where no Service Pack will help them.
For the as-of-yet-converts, MS has some play. IE would give MS a chance to push Passport a little. Office, real un-emulated Office, would make a lot of linux users happy, especially happy. Not to mention that Office is a big $ maker.
Most of all, MS CANNOT buddy-up to the Linux world. MS needs to realize and make use of who they are: our enemy. MS should act like our enemy, be our enemy. They should compete rather than cooperate. Open-source initiatives within MS would probably be a bad idea. They won't make money, and they won't make friends.