I was merely pointing that there's no need for configuration, compilation, kernel tweaking or GPU configuration, building and debugging to use Linux -- as Apple fanboys suggest.
"Hell, for another recent news item to make my point, the UK Times Online reports that archaeologists just found an almost perfectly preserved Roman city in Spain - Which the Spanish felt so impressed by, they promptly turned it into a parking lot."
I think you over-simplify. Europeans are proud of their history (and many times obsessed to show that they had greater history than their neighbours). Most of the archaeological sites are preserved with great care.
I hope you understand that nothing is free and that health care in those countries are paid by everybody. I don't know much, but I know that taxes are higher in those countries. The question is: what system is more efficient and take less resources. I think that's open to different interpretations, however one thing is clear to me, I prefer to pay less taxes and prefer people to pay what they consume (including health care) since that's what has proved successful in history and a free economies are performing better than heavy taxed economy and the "distribution or resources" is better when is done by free market than when is done by committees.
Now... do you picture a guy who fights in a war will use a laptop to learn about AIDS, he's either going to sell it or at most use it for prn (assuming that he finds a networks somewhere or the laptop has a DVD bay).
Giving pens to people who bear arms is not going to turn them into poets especially if they don't know how to read and write.
I like your post, but I want to comment on this issue: "I know for me the worst source of stress is to have a problem and no pragmatic way to affect it."
Actually in my case things that I don't affect cause the least stress -- actually none. I feel like: "This is how it is, there's nothing to do about it, why should I stress about it?". While things that offer more possible actions stress me because I worry that I take the wrong choice.
"Of course evolution hasn't finished; we're still evolving, along with everything else that's alive."
You see, the problems is that "evolve" is a loaded and misunderstood term, the issue is simpler that people think: there are always going to be genetic mutations and combinations and the most suited mutations/combinations will win in time, there's nothing that will stop that.
1. genetic mutation and especially combinations cannot be stopped (maybe only if people start to use cloning vs. normal procreation, don't think that's likely) 2. not all people have the same number of off-springs and the same survival rate.
Nothing can stop changes in genome (AKA "evolution").
I don't mention my favorite distro because I don't want to sound like an ass advertising my distro: take any live CD: PCLinuxOS, Mepis, Kanotix, (and a new Mandriva one) and you'll see that it installs faster than Windows, that should be common knowledge for geeks I don't feel like I need to explain it each and every time when people compare Windows with Linux.
There are many companies that sell Linux and advertise it, but you don't see that (yet) on TV. Thinking that "nobody" owns Linux so nobody has interest to promote it is silly, there are billions of dollars that Linux already makes in servers and services, the desktop is only at the beginning but will grow.
However, no matter what it looks like I don't die to promote Linux, I just posted some things to correct misconceptions and to show that people need Linux without knowing that they need it -- I could care less if "Joe Sixpack" uses Linux or not (or Mac or whatever). I mostly care what I use, and Linux works very well for me and I don't need to proselytize it in order to get more games or supported hardware (my hardware works very well already and I don't plan to purchase anything soon)
Fortunately it's not like that, but that's the danger... if people don't react to that danger they end up paying more even if they think they pay less. Yes, true, that's not a very easy to grasp concept but it doesn't make it invalid only because people don't think about the result of their actions.
The question was "do you want a company to control you?", not what would you do if Ford owned most of the parking lots, the question was on the line of "would you want Ford to own the parking lots?" -- small difference but important.
Yep, it's around 20 + 20 minutes to install the latest patches (without which you get a worm in 1 minute of being connected to the network) + at least 20 minutes to hunt for different drivers and install other pieces of software like OpenOffice, Adobe, Firefox. So after one hour and many annoying reboots you have a full system installed.
Again, Linux installs in around 14 minutes on my computer and has Adobe Reader, OpenOffice program, Firefox all working. Now even if you don't install those patches (which is BTW a very bad idea) it still takes more than double than a Linux installation.
I can do lots of stuff you can't! I'm sure you can. However, when it comes to computers and Operating Systems if you talk about "decompiling" you lose credibility fast.
Valid points, however. At point #1 I was talking about installing a new OS not about purchasing a computer, then you'd have to find a vendor that sells Linux, normally you'd find computer with Linux installed with $50 less than computers with Windows -- however that's not always true (but is not Linux fault)
At point #4 That's debatable, Windows gets slower in only couple of month of normal usage.
At point #5 That's the attitude till the person loses everything he has because of a virus (not so uncommon nowadays)
Point #2 is more ideological than others, but there are concrete examples with that too and will be even more now that DRM is implemented full throttle.
And about having a company controlling the computers and software I tell people "just imagine having Ford controlling the gas pumps and designing the nozzles to fit only Ford cars" or "Ford owning most of the parking spaces and letting only people that drive Ford to use them" that's usually enough to give an idea even to most illiterate computer user what I am talking about.
It's obvious that you lack some abilities regarding the logic. To make it clear even for you: it's not because you use a Mac, but Mac is good for people like you. Better now?
Hey. Im a windows/mac user. These are my opinions. Thats life!!! get used to it!!!
That explains why you have no clue what "decompile" means, and no clue in general. I mean, I would never use a proprietary OS like Mac, but at least is good for people that lack some skills, I give it that. Use whatever works for you, however don't jump into a discussion if you don't understand the basic terms.
1. Linux installs in 15 minutes with one reboot, Windows install in 1 hour (including SP2 installation) with many reboots and have to hunt for many drivers including the network driver which is the most annoying since I have to use another computer to download it 2. My USB mouse works perfectly (both at home and at work) 3. My desktop works perfectly (both at home and at work) 4. I install and upgrade software easier in Linux than in Windows (granted I don't need some software that works only in Windwos) 5. Neither do I, everything works. Last time I compiled something was a year ago and only because I wanted to.
Slashdot Mirror
"Pitch in and make it easier/better, please."
Yes bitch, bend over.
Congrats, I lost 10 minutes and I saved $599.
I was merely pointing that there's no need for configuration, compilation, kernel tweaking or GPU configuration, building and debugging to use Linux -- as Apple fanboys suggest.
I call you on your bullshit FUD joke.
I use Mepis/Linux the video plays very well in Firefox.
BTW, I installed my whole OS in 10 minutes flat.
"Hell, for another recent news item to make my point, the UK Times Online reports that archaeologists just found an almost perfectly preserved Roman city in Spain - Which the Spanish felt so impressed by, they promptly turned it into a parking lot."
I think you over-simplify. Europeans are proud of their history (and many times obsessed to show that they had greater history than their neighbours). Most of the archaeological sites are preserved with great care.
I hope you understand that nothing is free and that health care in those countries are paid by everybody. I don't know much, but I know that taxes are higher in those countries. The question is: what system is more efficient and take less resources. I think that's open to different interpretations, however one thing is clear to me, I prefer to pay less taxes and prefer people to pay what they consume (including health care) since that's what has proved successful in history and a free economies are performing better than heavy taxed economy and the "distribution or resources" is better when is done by free market than when is done by committees.
Linux grew on my computer 100% two years ago, but than it stagnated.
[i]If anything is, I am a transitional form between apes and super-humans.[/i]
Since you are on Slashdot most likely you are just an evolutionary dead-end.
That looks plain evil.
Now... do you picture a guy who fights in a war will use a laptop to learn about AIDS, he's either going to sell it or at most use it for prn (assuming that he finds a networks somewhere or the laptop has a DVD bay).
Giving pens to people who bear arms is not going to turn them into poets especially if they don't know how to read and write.
I like your post, but I want to comment on this issue:
"I know for me the worst source of stress is to have a problem and no pragmatic way to affect it."
Actually in my case things that I don't affect cause the least stress -- actually none. I feel like: "This is how it is, there's nothing to do about it, why should I stress about it?". While things that offer more possible actions stress me because I worry that I take the wrong choice.
Maybe we'll survey him and people like him out of their jobs. How about that?
You should be aware that we talk about patents not copyright. Patents are cover silly thing like "double-click" and "isnot()".
Fortunately KDE uses single-click by default -- take that Microsoft!
Where do you see a connection between Christians and real-world?
Isn't this similar to the Nokia 770?
Only more expensive...
It's also uglier, on the flip side it probably can run all the viruses that are available for Windows.
"Of course evolution hasn't finished; we're still evolving, along with everything else that's alive."
You see, the problems is that "evolve" is a loaded and misunderstood term, the issue is simpler that people think: there are always going to be genetic mutations and combinations and the most suited mutations/combinations will win in time, there's nothing that will stop that.
1. genetic mutation and especially combinations cannot be stopped (maybe only if people start to use cloning vs. normal procreation, don't think that's likely)
2. not all people have the same number of off-springs and the same survival rate.
Nothing can stop changes in genome (AKA "evolution").
Hype makes things uncool pretty fast...
I don't mention my favorite distro because I don't want to sound like an ass advertising my distro: take any live CD: PCLinuxOS, Mepis, Kanotix, (and a new Mandriva one) and you'll see that it installs faster than Windows, that should be common knowledge for geeks I don't feel like I need to explain it each and every time when people compare Windows with Linux.
There are many companies that sell Linux and advertise it, but you don't see that (yet) on TV. Thinking that "nobody" owns Linux so nobody has interest to promote it is silly, there are billions of dollars that Linux already makes in servers and services, the desktop is only at the beginning but will grow.
However, no matter what it looks like I don't die to promote Linux, I just posted some things to correct misconceptions and to show that people need Linux without knowing that they need it -- I could care less if "Joe Sixpack" uses Linux or not (or Mac or whatever). I mostly care what I use, and Linux works very well for me and I don't need to proselytize it in order to get more games or supported hardware (my hardware works very well already and I don't plan to purchase anything soon)
Fortunately it's not like that, but that's the danger... if people don't react to that danger they end up paying more even if they think they pay less. Yes, true, that's not a very easy to grasp concept but it doesn't make it invalid only because people don't think about the result of their actions.
The question was "do you want a company to control you?", not what would you do if Ford owned most of the parking lots, the question was on the line of "would you want Ford to own the parking lots?" -- small difference but important.
Yep, if that was the subject, but if you talk about ease of use you don't have any credibility if you mention "decompiling"
Yep, it's around 20 + 20 minutes to install the latest patches (without which you get a worm in 1 minute of being connected to the network) + at least 20 minutes to hunt for different drivers and install other pieces of software like OpenOffice, Adobe, Firefox. So after one hour and many annoying reboots you have a full system installed.
Again, Linux installs in around 14 minutes on my computer and has Adobe Reader, OpenOffice program, Firefox all working. Now even if you don't install those patches (which is BTW a very bad idea) it still takes more than double than a Linux installation.
I can do lots of stuff you can't!
I'm sure you can. However, when it comes to computers and Operating Systems if you talk about "decompiling" you lose credibility fast.
Valid points, however.
At point #1 I was talking about installing a new OS not about purchasing a computer, then you'd have to find a vendor that sells Linux, normally you'd find computer with Linux installed with $50 less than
computers with Windows -- however that's not always true (but is not Linux fault)
At point #4 That's debatable, Windows gets slower in only couple of month of normal usage.
At point #5 That's the attitude till the person loses everything he has because of a virus (not so uncommon nowadays)
Point #2 is more ideological than others, but there are concrete examples with that too and will be even more now that DRM is implemented full throttle.
And about having a company controlling the computers and software I tell people "just imagine having Ford controlling the gas pumps and designing the nozzles to fit only Ford cars" or "Ford owning most of the parking spaces and letting only people that drive Ford to use them" that's usually enough to give an idea even to most illiterate computer user what I am talking about.
"And people that use OSX lack skills because???"
It's obvious that you lack some abilities regarding the logic. To make it clear even for you: it's not because you use a Mac, but Mac is good for people like you. Better now?
Hey. Im a windows/mac user. These are my opinions. Thats life!!! get used to it!!!
That explains why you have no clue what "decompile" means, and no clue in general. I mean, I would never use a proprietary OS like Mac, but at least is good for people that lack some skills, I give it that. Use whatever works for you, however don't jump into a discussion if you don't understand the basic terms.
You are an idiot troll.
1. Linux installs in 15 minutes with one reboot, Windows install in 1 hour (including SP2 installation) with many reboots and have to hunt for many drivers including the network driver which is the most annoying since I have to use another computer to download it
2. My USB mouse works perfectly (both at home and at work)
3. My desktop works perfectly (both at home and at work)
4. I install and upgrade software easier in Linux than in Windows (granted I don't need some software that works only in Windwos)
5. Neither do I, everything works. Last time I compiled something was a year ago and only because I wanted to.
"It is also damn UGLY! "
So is your mother.