Instead of MSN, use GAIM inside Linux and then the Linux program you mentioned. MOST of the Windows programs have Linux equivalents now... IT can be done if you are tired of paying Bill Gates a paycheck and if you want to dare to be different.
Mac's are only good for video editing, music editing, graphic's and i think thats pretty much it.
I drive VWs - old and new - and I can't tell you how many times folks have looked at my '97 VW Cabrio and asked if the heater was any good, if the motor had enough power, and why were they still putting the engine in back? They had a Beetle way back when and had a list of issues usually related to crummy mechanics, neglect, etc. One relative commented they didn't even know VW was making cars anymore. Big surprise when I mentioned that VW was the 2nd or 3rd largest automaker in the world (i could be wrong).
I explain that the current run of cars are just as modern as their Buick or Chevy and they are just amazed. I give 'em a ride and show them a few features their current car doesn't have despite it's newer model than my 8 year VW.
Suddenly another car company comes on to their radar screen and I get comments that they are noticing alot of VWs now...
If you think an Apple is only capable of limited graphics and video editing then you need to test drive a Mac. It'll do everything that a Windows or Linux machine will do. Wake up and join the modern world.
Personally I use a PC with Linux. Can't afford an Apple right now.
The difference is that the retailers I see around here seldom carry anything for an Apple - software or hardware. I think even if Apple makes zero money on the machines they ought to get their merchandise back into the average office and retail stores. That would lead to more users, and a one thing would lead to another and they would regain some of the market. LOTS of people have not used a modern Mac. They are nice I think. Perfect for the average retail customer.
Simple solution.
So start a music file in the media player and begin the presentation... I think OpenOffice is A+ for what it is. And getting better all the time.
I am convinced if the schools and universities would adopt Linux and OpenOffice (or something free like them) they can could make a generous donation to these groups AND still have money left over. Dunno what it is like where you are but here the state and local gov'ts are crying for more and more money as their school budgets dry up...
I don't think it is a lack of revenue but a question about how they are spending their money. Definitely has something to do with $100K+ administrator paychecks when the average income in this area is about half of that.
HAS ALOT to do with the 3% and the 5% raises they give out every year. The $17K a year employee gets a $500 raise and the $100K school board adminstrator gets $3K. Both have faced the same cost of living increase over the past year...
I am using Linux at home, learning the behind the scenes controls, and I am using OpenOffice instead of MS Office on my office computer (though MS Office is installed and working).
Whether MS intended to be a monopoly or not, they have become one. I prefer to support the little guys, the underdogs like Linux. The only MS porduct i still use is Windows at work. I have alternatives for everything else at home and work.
The Corvair was a rear engined car which like the Beetle, Tatra, Fiat 500, Porsche 911 and 356, and many others gave it a tendency to oversteer (spin out) in a turn. The early Corvairs ALSO had swing axles which like the Tatra, Beetle and Porsche 356 and Fiats could have tucked under the car in a hard slide which had the nasty effect of causing a rollover. This could be aggravated if the tire pressures were not careful maintained - many gas stations or owners put the same pressure in all four tires when in fact the car required lower pressures up front. Just like so many other rear-engined cars. If you think the swing axle idea was a bad, bad idea consider that Ford put them on the FRONT of their Rangers and Bronco IIs.
The problem with the heat was that air was borrowed from the engine cooling system, blown across the cylinder heads, cylinders, and exhaust manifolds and then passed to the interior as heater air. If you had oil leaks the interior smelled like oil. If you had exhaust leaks you were in danger. The VW version was the same until the early 60's when they switched to heater boxes. Same air blown through metal shells encasing the exhaust manifolds. Same problems, same dangers. Of course all you hear about were the Corvair problems. In fact ALL aircooled engines (Porsche, Tatra, Fiat, VW, Corvair, Citroen, Model-A Ford (not watercooled), airplane engines) have variations on the same design and face the same dangers. If they were maintained all was well. The problem is that average people then and now don't maintain their cars properly. Back then it was potentially worse because they didn't have computerized or low maintenance ANYTHING. I've been driving aircooled engines for a long time and they still work fine but I seldom see one complete - all the seals and gaskets present, functioning and in good condition - and I seldom see one where the average person understands what they are driving. The car show guys are different and usually know. The important seal is the one that seals the engine to the car body. It is important and mostly likely the one missing... Now people are recycling exhaust air through the engine fan intake and into their heaters. Duh!
I dislike MS. I have switched to Linux (Mandrake) and love it but it still fails to deliver a product that exceeds the MS product. As an amateur it had problems I did not understand. It still has a few problems. Software installs are still a problem for the amateur. I use the Control Panel but if it is not in the list or the right RPM, it is tough. The average user (which is most of the MS customer base) wants to install software from time to time and they don't want to do command line "make install" or compile anything. The amateurs I know will stick with MS until Linux offers something different. Linspire is close but I don't want to subscribe to anything to get software. At that point it is as expensive as Windows.
Linux is SO good and I expect it will only get better so I am sticking it out, learning like mad, and opening the eyes of the folks around me to non-MS alternatives like OpenSource software and GNU software. I LOVE OpenOffice, Mandrake, Audacity,etc. I am working to wean us off of Windows and I will reformat that partition when we do.
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Instead of MSN, use GAIM inside Linux and then the Linux program you mentioned. MOST of the Windows programs have Linux equivalents now... IT can be done if you are tired of paying Bill Gates a paycheck and if you want to dare to be different.
Putnam County TN starts their teachers at $28K or so. Just a small town in TN. For some perspective...
Mac's are only good for video editing, music editing, graphic's and i think thats pretty much it. I drive VWs - old and new - and I can't tell you how many times folks have looked at my '97 VW Cabrio and asked if the heater was any good, if the motor had enough power, and why were they still putting the engine in back? They had a Beetle way back when and had a list of issues usually related to crummy mechanics, neglect, etc. One relative commented they didn't even know VW was making cars anymore. Big surprise when I mentioned that VW was the 2nd or 3rd largest automaker in the world (i could be wrong). I explain that the current run of cars are just as modern as their Buick or Chevy and they are just amazed. I give 'em a ride and show them a few features their current car doesn't have despite it's newer model than my 8 year VW. Suddenly another car company comes on to their radar screen and I get comments that they are noticing alot of VWs now... If you think an Apple is only capable of limited graphics and video editing then you need to test drive a Mac. It'll do everything that a Windows or Linux machine will do. Wake up and join the modern world. Personally I use a PC with Linux. Can't afford an Apple right now. The difference is that the retailers I see around here seldom carry anything for an Apple - software or hardware. I think even if Apple makes zero money on the machines they ought to get their merchandise back into the average office and retail stores. That would lead to more users, and a one thing would lead to another and they would regain some of the market. LOTS of people have not used a modern Mac. They are nice I think. Perfect for the average retail customer.
Simple solution. So start a music file in the media player and begin the presentation... I think OpenOffice is A+ for what it is. And getting better all the time. I am convinced if the schools and universities would adopt Linux and OpenOffice (or something free like them) they can could make a generous donation to these groups AND still have money left over. Dunno what it is like where you are but here the state and local gov'ts are crying for more and more money as their school budgets dry up... I don't think it is a lack of revenue but a question about how they are spending their money. Definitely has something to do with $100K+ administrator paychecks when the average income in this area is about half of that. HAS ALOT to do with the 3% and the 5% raises they give out every year. The $17K a year employee gets a $500 raise and the $100K school board adminstrator gets $3K. Both have faced the same cost of living increase over the past year... I am using Linux at home, learning the behind the scenes controls, and I am using OpenOffice instead of MS Office on my office computer (though MS Office is installed and working). Whether MS intended to be a monopoly or not, they have become one. I prefer to support the little guys, the underdogs like Linux. The only MS porduct i still use is Windows at work. I have alternatives for everything else at home and work.
The Corvair was a rear engined car which like the Beetle, Tatra, Fiat 500, Porsche 911 and 356, and many others gave it a tendency to oversteer (spin out) in a turn. The early Corvairs ALSO had swing axles which like the Tatra, Beetle and Porsche 356 and Fiats could have tucked under the car in a hard slide which had the nasty effect of causing a rollover. This could be aggravated if the tire pressures were not careful maintained - many gas stations or owners put the same pressure in all four tires when in fact the car required lower pressures up front. Just like so many other rear-engined cars. If you think the swing axle idea was a bad, bad idea consider that Ford put them on the FRONT of their Rangers and Bronco IIs. The problem with the heat was that air was borrowed from the engine cooling system, blown across the cylinder heads, cylinders, and exhaust manifolds and then passed to the interior as heater air. If you had oil leaks the interior smelled like oil. If you had exhaust leaks you were in danger. The VW version was the same until the early 60's when they switched to heater boxes. Same air blown through metal shells encasing the exhaust manifolds. Same problems, same dangers. Of course all you hear about were the Corvair problems. In fact ALL aircooled engines (Porsche, Tatra, Fiat, VW, Corvair, Citroen, Model-A Ford (not watercooled), airplane engines) have variations on the same design and face the same dangers. If they were maintained all was well. The problem is that average people then and now don't maintain their cars properly. Back then it was potentially worse because they didn't have computerized or low maintenance ANYTHING. I've been driving aircooled engines for a long time and they still work fine but I seldom see one complete - all the seals and gaskets present, functioning and in good condition - and I seldom see one where the average person understands what they are driving. The car show guys are different and usually know. The important seal is the one that seals the engine to the car body. It is important and mostly likely the one missing... Now people are recycling exhaust air through the engine fan intake and into their heaters. Duh! I dislike MS. I have switched to Linux (Mandrake) and love it but it still fails to deliver a product that exceeds the MS product. As an amateur it had problems I did not understand. It still has a few problems. Software installs are still a problem for the amateur. I use the Control Panel but if it is not in the list or the right RPM, it is tough. The average user (which is most of the MS customer base) wants to install software from time to time and they don't want to do command line "make install" or compile anything. The amateurs I know will stick with MS until Linux offers something different. Linspire is close but I don't want to subscribe to anything to get software. At that point it is as expensive as Windows. Linux is SO good and I expect it will only get better so I am sticking it out, learning like mad, and opening the eyes of the folks around me to non-MS alternatives like OpenSource software and GNU software. I LOVE OpenOffice, Mandrake, Audacity,etc. I am working to wean us off of Windows and I will reformat that partition when we do.