Linux Day 13

Well, I have to admit, I haven't been on top of this as I previously thought I would. I just don't have time... or I am unwilling to commit time to really learn. However, I persist.

I really have gotten a lot more comfortable working in Linux. The command line is no longer as daunting as it once was, although there are a lot of commands not at my command. I even took a class on this in "college" and it still hasn't come back to me yet. It is fun. Especially getting things to work and solving issues. I guess my main goal, if it has been hazy in the past, is to get a machine up and running and then see if any tweaking is needed. I do believe that if anyone wants to install any windows software on this thing, more likely than not, you are going to either need good internet searching skills and patience or a linux guru. Wine is getting better, having released another version in the past couple of days, but it still is not window user-friendly. But it's getting pretty good. If I knew someone, who didn't want to spend a lot of money and only used the computer for internet (email) and writing papers and they didn't expect to install any other software (yeah right) I think I could recommend Linux. But right now, you can go to any Best Buy, Office Depot, or Circuit City and pick up a sub $400 box and satfisy that group of people pretty easily. Windows included. You could put together a $200 box and put linux on it and you have one cheap computer though, especially if all you ever do it internet and type papers... oh then there's watch a movie, play music, edit music to make ringtones, rip that dvd, edit video from the camera, etc, etc. The more I look at linux the more is strikes me as the OS that you get when you have a bunch of systems around the house and only 1 Windows license. It does the job, but if you are a every-man computer owner I'd just as tell you to get a system (if you are not gaming or editing audio/video) from your local retailer.

However...
If the guys working on wine ever get it good enough that it will handle any windows software installed without having to tweak everything... well, that's a whole other story.

Frankly, I think most people buy what they are told, either through friends (who heard it from a friends who know a guy that used to dabble in computers) or through mass media (tv, radio, internet). I have been asked by at least a dozen people about putting together a system but they always mentioned, "What about windows? I heard Vista is horrible, I want XP". Vista now runs faster on modern hardware than XP does. And they don't even make XP anyways (you are seeing leftover stock, once it's gone-it's gone, kinda.) so that's easy to say.

I think mostly, people like to seem like they know something about what they are asking you about. I know when I go to get my car fixed, I act like I change my wipers, or I know what oil I put in, etc. The fact is I don't know squat. But I try to come off like I got vested information on the subject. So I'll say, "Yeah I'll change that air filter myself or I'll change out that light bulb." when really I'm thinking," Aw crap, there's so much broken stuff this guys finding, he must really think I'm an idiot... better get this stuff fixed elsewhere."

And for those who skipped all that and are ready just the last sentence: Linux is pretty good. Wine is getting better. Many people are just absolutely clueless when it comes to computers.

Alex

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