in both installing windows and linux the only really difficult part is partitioning the drive. Of course, installing windows over windows is easy, you just install over the top. Most people installing linux want to dual boot, so they have to resize the windows partition, and put the Linux partition and swap partitions in, it gets confusing for novices who just want to use their computer.
The linux partitioning tools do help a bit, and the MS one hinders (last time I installed windows it formatted a second partition that I didn't want touched, without me telling it to and without even asking if it was ok)
on the post install, the main problem is in linux if something doesn't work out of the box, it likely is hardware that is simply not supported and you won't be able to get working. At least in windows if something doesn't work out of the box it came with a CD to get it working.
In the end windows is easier to install simply because the brand new Dell computer Joe User bought already has it there
But Windows is heaps easier to install! Simply buy a computer from the store and it's already there!
The truth is that all operating systems are difficult to install, the only reason everyone says linux is difficult to install is that it's the only operating system that NEEDS to be installed.
linux still has usability issues against windows. But the problems there are usually social or legal, rather than technical (ie, multimedia support, hardware support, proprietry drivers)
Most of these issues are easily resolved with a bit of work (EasyUbuntu makes installing quasi-legal software simple, hardware support is solved by only buying hardware with good linux support)
The problem with everyone saying windows is easier than linux is based on the fact that windows comes already installed on their computer. If you buy a computer in pieces and try to install linux and windows on that machine, it's going to be hit and miss determining which one is simpler. Generally, you have to go through about 5 or 6 cds when installing windows.
Buy a computer preinstalled with linux and then try installing windows on that, and see how far you get.
Neither of them know the difference, or had a hard time learning it, because they had never used Windows before.
ok now wait two years and then get them to install Windows on their machine. Just give them a Windows install CD and don't help them at all. Tell them to log all problems they have.
Then write an article "Can ordinary PC Users Ditch Linux for Windows"
Seriously, how much more fun will Wii games be to play when drunk than with a traditional gamepad??
I seriously never thought of that. However, I can imagine exactly what would happen. One player would make a wild swinging movement, hitting another player, who will push them into a third player, until an all out brawl happens, everyone trying to beat each other up and still keep themselves in the game
I've heard the same thing for years, but I have failed to hear a single good reason why floppies are useful. My old PC I only just found out the floppy drive doesn't work (and presumably never worked. In fact, it wasn't even plugged in. After plugging it in, it still didn't work, however), and it's about three years old.
The only reason I needed a floppy drive was because of some extremely ancient equipment (a CRO) at university.
honestly, networks, CDs and USB thumb drives have completely obsoleted floppy drives, and there is no reason at all to have one. The computer I'm currently writing on does not have a floppy drive and I haven't felt its loss.
It's a format that just needs to die already
Re:Holy Honey I Shrunk The Kids, Batman!
on
Gadgets, Then & Now
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· Score: 1
I think part of that is these "scientists" salivate too much on how many nodes they can build and don't give much thought into making their algorithms more efficient, lower complexity, etc, etc....
You'd be surprised to find out that many algorithms used now were actually discovered many many years before computers and proven to be absolutely impossible to improve upon (unless you're talking about quantum computing, but once again the best algorithms in most cases well predate actual quantum computers)
The failure of 3DO shows that you that overdesigning a game console and putting cutting edge technology and then slapping a price tag on it more than 3x that of your competition in a well-saturated market just ooesn't work either.;)
I don't know... it looks like sony might give it a shot;)
What about a regular, non-gimmicky, non-confusing name like the ones given to practically every other Nintendo system? Where would that fit into that false dichotomy of yours?
Wow, thanks for that. If only I knew about it back when I went to see the first (crappy) Matrix sequel in a "THX certified theater". You literally couldn't hear what some people were saying over the cranked bass and low tones, not that I cared after the headache it gave me.
I'm pretty sure Microsoft explicitly allows their devs to read slashdot at work and to gain mod points for precisely this purpose... whole battalions of window fanatics poised to mod truly insightfull anti-microsoft posts into oblivion or mod up anti-linux posts
and this theory is backed up with what real world evidence?
I must be browsing on +5 MS Bashing because I seem to see the opposite...
the point the OP was making was exactly that the DS is catering to a different group. The study you quoted didn't have anything that refuted that claim. The point I am trying to make isn't that he is not out of touch with reality (because I believe he is), it is that what you quoted didn't refute his claim at all
ok, let's take a step back from the trolling here, and look at what is actually being said rather than randomly firing off insults.
The first post on this thread was claiming that the DS is a "kids' toy" and that "[no one] over the age of 20 is going to buy a DS"
your rebuke said that "Average age of a gamer is 30. 19% of gamers are over the age of 50."
NEWSFLASH! This doesn't refute anything the original poster said. They were talking about the DS being a kids system. The entire POINT of what he is saying is that even though there is an active community of gamers that are above 20, none of them are buying a Nintendo DS. Your argument that "it's a safe bet the average age of Nintendo DS owners is somewhere around that same number" is NOT refuting what the original poster said, in fact it's just completely ignoring his entire point in the first place.
You cannot refute an argument by ignoring it, you have to refute an argument by giving evidence against it. Just because the average gamer age is 30 doesn't mean the average age of a Nintendo DS user or a Mattel's My First Gaming Console user is going to be the same age. If you provide some data to back up your claim that DS users are the same age then that is a reasonable argument (and I'm sure you could find it somewhere, since I agree with you there). But what you did provide proved NOTHING
To put it in a way that you could understand easier: Let's say the poster said "IE sucks, barely any/.ers use it". Your argument was pretty much saying "90% of internet users use IE". Completely unrelated.
"I guess some people really need it spelled out for them..."
Slashdot Mirror
5 to 10 spots for all of Australia?
thanks for the offer, Google, but it's going to be difficult to get one of those spots
I'd better start preparing my resume
in both installing windows and linux the only really difficult part is partitioning the drive. Of course, installing windows over windows is easy, you just install over the top. Most people installing linux want to dual boot, so they have to resize the windows partition, and put the Linux partition and swap partitions in, it gets confusing for novices who just want to use their computer.
The linux partitioning tools do help a bit, and the MS one hinders (last time I installed windows it formatted a second partition that I didn't want touched, without me telling it to and without even asking if it was ok)
on the post install, the main problem is in linux if something doesn't work out of the box, it likely is hardware that is simply not supported and you won't be able to get working. At least in windows if something doesn't work out of the box it came with a CD to get it working.
In the end windows is easier to install simply because the brand new Dell computer Joe User bought already has it there
But Windows is heaps easier to install! Simply buy a computer from the store and it's already there!
The truth is that all operating systems are difficult to install, the only reason everyone says linux is difficult to install is that it's the only operating system that NEEDS to be installed.
linux still has usability issues against windows. But the problems there are usually social or legal, rather than technical (ie, multimedia support, hardware support, proprietry drivers)
Most of these issues are easily resolved with a bit of work (EasyUbuntu makes installing quasi-legal software simple, hardware support is solved by only buying hardware with good linux support)
The problem with everyone saying windows is easier than linux is based on the fact that windows comes already installed on their computer. If you buy a computer in pieces and try to install linux and windows on that machine, it's going to be hit and miss determining which one is simpler. Generally, you have to go through about 5 or 6 cds when installing windows.
Buy a computer preinstalled with linux and then try installing windows on that, and see how far you get.
then we can have a real comparison
Neither of them know the difference, or had a hard time learning it, because they had never used Windows before.
ok now wait two years and then get them to install Windows on their machine. Just give them a Windows install CD and don't help them at all. Tell them to log all problems they have.
Then write an article "Can ordinary PC Users Ditch Linux for Windows"
Just in the interest of neutrality...
a lot of his problems seem to stem from poor driver support, licensing issues, closed standards, etc.
Unfortunately, this won't be improved until we see widespread adoption of linux. And that won't happen until the problems are solved...
Microsoft and Yahoo vs Google...
Looks like whenever Microsoft doesn't lead a field they resort to teaming up with others to bring the big bully down
I hope someone at nintendo is reading slashdot right about now...
wow... this is the first time I've seen a mod parent up post get modded up.
Seriously, how much more fun will Wii games be to play when drunk than with a traditional gamepad??
I seriously never thought of that. However, I can imagine exactly what would happen. One player would make a wild swinging movement, hitting another player, who will push them into a third player, until an all out brawl happens, everyone trying to beat each other up and still keep themselves in the game
I can't wait!
I've heard the same thing for years, but I have failed to hear a single good reason why floppies are useful. My old PC I only just found out the floppy drive doesn't work (and presumably never worked. In fact, it wasn't even plugged in. After plugging it in, it still didn't work, however), and it's about three years old.
The only reason I needed a floppy drive was because of some extremely ancient equipment (a CRO) at university.
honestly, networks, CDs and USB thumb drives have completely obsoleted floppy drives, and there is no reason at all to have one. The computer I'm currently writing on does not have a floppy drive and I haven't felt its loss.
It's a format that just needs to die already
I think part of that is these "scientists" salivate too much on how many nodes they can build and don't give much thought into making their algorithms more efficient, lower complexity, etc, etc....
You'd be surprised to find out that many algorithms used now were actually discovered many many years before computers and proven to be absolutely impossible to improve upon (unless you're talking about quantum computing, but once again the best algorithms in most cases well predate actual quantum computers)
scientists aren't all as stupid as you may think
Now the average three minute ad break will have room for 200 ads!
epileptics around the world are turning off their televisions
you keep using this word. I do not think it means what you think it means
"Except" is the verb in that sentence. I think it's an imperative sentence requesting that the reader "except" the sentence from the rule.
I elieve in this case, except is not a verb, but a preposition... http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=except
The failure of 3DO shows that you that overdesigning a game console and putting cutting edge technology and then slapping a price tag on it more than 3x that of your competition in a well-saturated market just ooesn't work either. ;)
;)
I don't know... it looks like sony might give it a shot
What about a regular, non-gimmicky, non-confusing name like the ones given to practically every other Nintendo system? Where would that fit into that false dichotomy of yours?
What about the Ultra 64/Nintendo 64?
int pr0n_detector()
{
return TRUE;
}
you're the first poster on slashdot to manage fusing a HORRIBLE joke with extreme grammar nazism!
you haven't been here long, have you?
Wow, thanks for that. If only I knew about it back when I went to see the first (crappy) Matrix sequel in a "THX certified theater". You literally couldn't hear what some people were saying over the cranked bass and low tones, not that I cared after the headache it gave me.
It was better off that way
I'm pretty sure Microsoft explicitly allows their devs to read slashdot at work and to gain mod points for precisely this purpose... whole battalions of window fanatics poised to mod truly insightfull anti-microsoft posts into oblivion or mod up anti-linux posts
and this theory is backed up with what real world evidence?
I must be browsing on +5 MS Bashing because I seem to see the opposite...
you're still not getting it are you?
the point the OP was making was exactly that the DS is catering to a different group. The study you quoted didn't have anything that refuted that claim. The point I am trying to make isn't that he is not out of touch with reality (because I believe he is), it is that what you quoted didn't refute his claim at all
Glad to see someone here has their head screwed on right.
I want to know what the moderators who keep upping this guy's arguments is smoking
ok, let's take a step back from the trolling here, and look at what is actually being said rather than randomly firing off insults.
/.ers use it". Your argument was pretty much saying "90% of internet users use IE". Completely unrelated.
;)
The first post on this thread was claiming that the DS is a "kids' toy" and that "[no one] over the age of 20 is going to buy a DS"
your rebuke said that "Average age of a gamer is 30. 19% of gamers are over the age of 50."
NEWSFLASH! This doesn't refute anything the original poster said. They were talking about the DS being a kids system. The entire POINT of what he is saying is that even though there is an active community of gamers that are above 20, none of them are buying a Nintendo DS. Your argument that "it's a safe bet the average age of Nintendo DS owners is somewhere around that same number" is NOT refuting what the original poster said, in fact it's just completely ignoring his entire point in the first place.
You cannot refute an argument by ignoring it, you have to refute an argument by giving evidence against it. Just because the average gamer age is 30 doesn't mean the average age of a Nintendo DS user or a Mattel's My First Gaming Console user is going to be the same age. If you provide some data to back up your claim that DS users are the same age then that is a reasonable argument (and I'm sure you could find it somewhere, since I agree with you there). But what you did provide proved NOTHING
To put it in a way that you could understand easier: Let's say the poster said "IE sucks, barely any
"I guess some people really need it spelled out for them..."
Glad to be of assistance