Apart from when you install updates/drivers/applications...
it lets even computer illiterate users be surprisingly productive
Computer illiterate users are never productive.
it effectively comes "for free" with a $500 Dell desktop PC
Except you don't actually get Windows, as the disk isn't present with the PC and once you are riddled full of spyware and viruses and your only salvation is to reinstall you are out of luck and need to pay to get it fixed.
For a Linux desktop to be preferred over Windows, the Linux desktop experience will have to provide something new and innovative that Windows does not, rather than just knocking off Windows features.
Pure BS. Windows innovates *nothing*, even Microsoft freely admits this. Oh sure enough their marketing says they innovate, anyone with half a clue knows what they have stolen from where. Holding a patent isn't proof you've innovated.
How about out of the box security? I've lost count of the number of people who've asked me to "fix their computer". I tell them the only way to do this is install Linux. The ones who accept never look back and don't need anything "fixing" again.
Hackers like me and you like Linux for many reasons -- but none of those reasons are particularly interesting to Joe Office Manager or Mom and Pop User.
Apart from your total lack of understanding of the term "hacker", the above security is of interest. Unless they have been brainwashed by the sort of FUD you come out with.
+5 Insightful? This kind of modding of ignorant troll posts is exactly why Slashdot is rapidly dwindling on the web. Why I'm even replying is a mystery to me.
Back before UML was a common thing, I used to 'write' my code in comments and stubs, as a design. After I could read through the code as a narrative of what my app/service/dll did, I would actually fill in the stubs to make it work. This ended up saving me a lot of time in the long run, as I didn't really have much refactoring work to do while coding.
For a non-programmer writing VBA at work, this has been by far the most useful comment to me. Thanks:-)
For the first time in years I wish I had mod points for the parent post. Beleive it or not, a LOT of people's experience is like this. I have a Creative Soundblaster Live, along with an onboard sound card. Linux recognises both, no problems and can use either one. XP will not detect the soundblaster at all, with no useful pointers other than the crappy yellow exclamation mark to let me know its not working... hey thanks, thats really useful. Same with my cheapo, bargain bin PCI tv card (a Packard Bell). Despite its bold claims of being XP compatible, it doesn't work and everything I saw on the net about it was people saying they were taking it back to the store for a hauppauge. Of course Linux found the card no problem and it works flawlessly in Myth...
"Merrill Lynch has released a new breakdown of next generation hardware component costs suggesting that Xbox 360 "could be selling at half the price of PS3 in the latter half of 2006."
So they are SUGGESTING that something COULD happen? And you're citing this as an example to refute FUD? Get a grip. XBox "1" was a huge loss for Microsoft. This is a fact. The only good new for Microsoft with the 360 is the recent Sony Rootkit debacle. However, the latest news about 360 crashes could wipe even that out...
All great empires fall. Microsoft's failing to capitalise on XBox and Windows MCE for me are the signs of the begining of the end. Not that any of my crackpot theories ever get anywhere on/.
Dam! Slackware post comes up on/. again and I'm too pissed/stoned to post anything intelligent. Hold on... thats it... I'm a slacker in the Richard Linklater sense, as well as the Patrick Volderking sense. Slackware will still be there long after Alan Canton is just a distant memory on a.o.l.s.
As cRaig said, Slackware IS Linux (with apologies to RMS)
Whilst I agree with the points you make, I just wonder what is going to happen to Cohen when the MPAA realises that basically they have been duped by him. Its going to totally ruin his chances of doing business with them. Not that I have much sympathy; outside Linux ISOs and game demos, what did he really think people were going to use bittorrent for? He may well distance himself from privacy and say that is not what he intended bittorrent to be used for, but this is by far its most used application; it is this application that has brought it to the attention of the MPAA. They are just too stupid/ill-informed to realise what goes on in the real world.
There is a defining moment in every great empire where it starts to decline. Seriously guys, this could be it. Xbox 360 and Media Centre are reasonably o.k. moves for Microsoft. Not great moves, Xbox was a huge loss for Microsoft, but this really does seem foolhardy. I liked the quote from the Register...
Speaking without apparent irony Muglia said: "We've spent some time talking to Independent Software Vendors recently and the software community welcomes the arrival of a consistent environment to this area."
Surely they could of stuck a phone in there too? I purely use castoffs from contract phone users myself, but if this had a phone in as well I'd buy one tomorrow.
LOL Dude I feel your pain. I got that copy of Red Hat from a book with CD. Previously I had tried Corel Linux, which is still too painful an experience to talk about. The next distro I tried after Red Hat was Slackware, and I've never looked back.
Now, it's the operating system used on nearly 95 percent of all the desktops and notebooks sold worldwide
Are we still going with this whole "pull a statistic outta my *ss" thing then? 100% of the people who ask me for support are switched to Linux within months.
...and exactly how many people do you think will have their hacked nano's audited by the RIAA? I guess now under the Patriot Act, you'll all have to surrender your iPods to any RIAA official on demand...
Have you asked on alt.os.linux.slackware? There is a wealth of knowledge there about slackware you will be hard pushed to beat with any problem on slack.
...can't vouch for either. I use MythTV myself, on a spare parts box, and a discounted TV Card, as it reputedly won't work in XP;-). Price; £19.99. Amazing stuff.
MythTV may be difficult to setup, but I've had no issues with stability whatsoever (maybe thats because I'm using Slackware, not the "recommended" distros for MythTV), and the interface is simplicity itself. Both my girlfriend and her five year old daughter can use it fine.
Slashdot Mirror
Xawtv? TV Time is infinitely better for watching TV on Linux.
http://tvtime.sourceforge.net/
...I see Google Ads.
+5 Funny??? +5 Insightful! Why don't I get mod points any more? :-(
This is definitely Quicktime. Firefox 1.5, no crash, just a note saying I don't have the plugin (work machine of course).
Indeed, but it was written by the Register's resident troll.
Back before UML was a common thing, I used to 'write' my code in comments and stubs, as a design. After I could read through the code as a narrative of what my app/service/dll did, I would actually fill in the stubs to make it work. This ended up saving me a lot of time in the long run, as I didn't really have much refactoring work to do while coding.
:-)
For a non-programmer writing VBA at work, this has been by far the most useful comment to me. Thanks
For the first time in years I wish I had mod points for the parent post. Beleive it or not, a LOT of people's experience is like this. I have a Creative Soundblaster Live, along with an onboard sound card. Linux recognises both, no problems and can use either one. XP will not detect the soundblaster at all, with no useful pointers other than the crappy yellow exclamation mark to let me know its not working... hey thanks, thats really useful. Same with my cheapo, bargain bin PCI tv card (a Packard Bell). Despite its bold claims of being XP compatible, it doesn't work and everything I saw on the net about it was people saying they were taking it back to the store for a hauppauge. Of course Linux found the card no problem and it works flawlessly in Myth...
If the guys are annoying, call the cops on the fuckers.
"Hi Sherrif? There's some teens outside my house and they are really annoying me..."
"Stay right there Sir, we'll send a S.W.A.T. team over right now"
"Merrill Lynch has released a new breakdown of next generation hardware component costs suggesting that Xbox 360 "could be selling at half the price of PS3 in the latter half of 2006."
/.
So they are SUGGESTING that something COULD happen? And you're citing this as an example to refute FUD? Get a grip. XBox "1" was a huge loss for Microsoft. This is a fact. The only good new for Microsoft with the 360 is the recent Sony Rootkit debacle. However, the latest news about 360 crashes could wipe even that out...
All great empires fall. Microsoft's failing to capitalise on XBox and Windows MCE for me are the signs of the begining of the end. Not that any of my crackpot theories ever get anywhere on
Dam! Slackware post comes up on /. again and I'm too pissed/stoned to post anything intelligent. Hold on... thats it... I'm a slacker in the Richard Linklater sense, as well as the Patrick Volderking sense. Slackware will still be there long after Alan Canton is just a distant memory on a.o.l.s.
As cRaig said, Slackware IS Linux (with apologies to RMS)
Whilst I agree with the points you make, I just wonder what is going to happen to Cohen when the MPAA realises that basically they have been duped by him. Its going to totally ruin his chances of doing business with them. Not that I have much sympathy; outside Linux ISOs and game demos, what did he really think people were going to use bittorrent for? He may well distance himself from privacy and say that is not what he intended bittorrent to be used for, but this is by far its most used application; it is this application that has brought it to the attention of the MPAA. They are just too stupid/ill-informed to realise what goes on in the real world.
There is a defining moment in every great empire where it starts to decline. Seriously guys, this could be it. Xbox 360 and Media Centre are reasonably o.k. moves for Microsoft. Not great moves, Xbox was a huge loss for Microsoft, but this really does seem foolhardy. I liked the quote from the Register...
Speaking without apparent irony Muglia said: "We've spent some time talking to Independent Software Vendors recently and the software community welcomes the arrival of a consistent environment to this area."
Surely they could of stuck a phone in there too? I purely use castoffs from contract phone users myself, but if this had a phone in as well I'd buy one tomorrow.
"A new Linux worm is crawling the web looking for a large number of vulnerable PHP systems and applications."
Good luck buddy, I don't think you're gonna find 'em...
LOL Dude I feel your pain. I got that copy of Red Hat from a book with CD. Previously I had tried Corel Linux, which is still too painful an experience to talk about. The next distro I tried after Red Hat was Slackware, and I've never looked back.
...I installed it in my flat, which is an environmental health risk, if that counts...
...and exactly how many people do you think will have their hacked nano's audited by the RIAA? I guess now under the Patriot Act, you'll all have to surrender your iPods to any RIAA official on demand...
Have you asked on alt.os.linux.slackware? There is a wealth of knowledge there about slackware you will be hard pushed to beat with any problem on slack.
Just a couple...
...can't vouch for either. I use MythTV myself, on a spare parts box, and a discounted TV Card, as it reputedly won't work in XP ;-). Price; £19.99. Amazing stuff.
http://www.cadsoft.de/vdr/
http://www.edafe.org/vdr/
http://www.j-pfennig.de/zapdvb/
MythTV may be difficult to setup, but I've had no issues with stability whatsoever (maybe thats because I'm using Slackware, not the "recommended" distros for MythTV), and the interface is simplicity itself. Both my girlfriend and her five year old daughter can use it fine.
As long as it stays that way, you should be ok
All your base are belong to us!!!