Re: Linux is KING - Couldn't be hacked - Mac, Vista went down in flames

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On Mon, Apr 7, 2008 at 12:29 AM, Da Rock <rock_on_the_web@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>
>  On Mon, 2008-04-07 at 13:23 +0930, Tim wrote:
>  > On Mon, 2008-04-07 at 09:36 +1000, Da Rock wrote:
>  > > As for computers; what really gets on my goat is that they're not put to
>  > > full use. We originally put men on the moon with them, we have games
>  > > that are semi intelligent that we compete against, and YET we still use
>  > > them simply as a typewriter or communication device. Yes, they can be
>  > > used as this, but they have so much grunt these days they could be doing
>  > > the mundane of our tasks in life. Stupid M$ has made our machines dumb,
>  > > and our computers still run as slow as they did under 3.1 with all the
>  > > shit they put in the software.
>  > >
>  > > Thats why SETI and other boinc projects can use our collective wasted
>  > > computing power as a supercomputer more powerful than one put to
>  > > dedicated use. Really seems silly doesn't it? We dreamed of geek houses
>  > > in the seventies and eighties, and still we haven't got there- and not
>  > > due to the lack of technology...
>  >
>  > I tend to sway the other direction.  We're all too quick at throwing
>  > computing into areas where it doesn't really belong.  e.g. Schools seem
>  > to think that putting a computer somewhere is the answer, never mind
>  > that personal teaching would be more appropriate.  School's as much an
>  > exercise in learning social skills and doing what you're supposed to be
>  > doing, as it is in learning how to do math, etc.  And what do we do with
>  > the students sorely lacking in social skills?  Put them on a computer,
>  > often flying solo...
>  >
>  > Then there's the home situation.  In days gone past, the most difficult
>  > technical thing anyone had to do at home was get the television to show
>  > a decent picture.  Now we do have computers in media centres that make
>  > you jump through hoops to try and connect two devices together in a way
>  > that works.  Digital video that doesn't work across different things
>  > because of imcompatible techniques (I hesitate to refer to them as
>  > "standards").  Recorders that forever blink 12:00 at you.  Digital
>  > receivers that stutter and repeat where analogue receivers give near
>  > perfect results.  Computerised washing machines that aren't any better
>  > than the old ones, even worse if you want to do something simple like
>  > repeat one cycle because something went wrong.  And that Pile of Crap
>  > running Windows that spews viruses and spam around the world.
>  >
>  > Our leisure time has gone from enjoying the company of friends, reading
>  > a book, listening to music, watching a film, to spending lots of time
>  > and money maintaining a plethora of technology at home, or just putting
>  > up with it not working right.
>
>  So you'd throw the baby out with the bathwater here?
>
>  The concept is right, and would yield a plethora of opportunities- but
>  it MUST BE DONE RIGHT. You're damned right about the M$ shitbox spewing
>  out crap. This thread and punch cards thread, plus the majority of the
>  audience on this list (it seems) come from an era where the job was done
>  right and it Just Works (TM) (I hope I haven't offended the coiner). M$
>  comes along and cheapifies it all, but it does the job in opening the
>  public to computing. What should have happened was that the training
>  wheels should have come off- but instead users have hung on to them and
>  think they're clever getting them to do things like video conferencing.
>  They should have moved on to something that truely is customizable such
>  any *nix variation. I'd even allow them Ubuntu if it got them off the
>  damn drug produced by M$.
>
>  And there is addiction through and through.
>
>  Computers could be put to use as they were intended to- to make life
>  easier- but the majority of corporations are unwilling to throw money at
>  something to do the whole job when they could get away with doing a half
>  assed job instead. Plus they make money because the unit craps out and
>  the consumer has to buy another one.
>
>  I had an old man come into my shop one day with the ccd piece of a
>  scanner (at which point I'm almost physically slapping my head!) and
>  requesting a spare part for it. I then sympathetically explained that
>  he'd need a special jig to replace it anyway so there's no spare part,
>  and of course that got him started on corporate wastefulness and so on
>  for over half an hour in a lecture to me. I agreed totally, but I
>  couldn't help him then. This is the half assed job we're talking about-
>  maybe not with scanners, but the majority of products (especially the
>  ones you mentioned- washers and dryers, HiFi equipment, etc).
>
>  The fact of the matter is: any job worth doing is worth doing properly.
>  Make it work. For those of you who think the majority of work has been
>  done and now its only tweaking: its not over. There's miles to be done,
>  to get that slogan back into gear, make it Just Work (TM).
>
>  As for the social aspect, consider this: we're arguing this point across
>  several continents! If it weren't for computers, we couldn't be doing
>  this. There are dangers, but this is as much of a social skill as
>  learning not to talk to strangers. So everyone can learn something. More
>  social activities can occur than ever before across a wide area. Forget
>  just the local dance hall social scene- try a GLOBAL dance hall.
>
>  And the choice is there to do what you want- or you can put it all aside
>  and get outdoors or whatever.
>
>  In this point Tim, I agree with your view of the crap, but I'd ask that
>  you consider the wider ramifications of what life would be like IF
>  computers were put to good use, and done so properly. In former
>  civilizations we had slaves (I'm not saying this is a good thing either-
>  I abhor the way they were treated) to make life easier, now we need to
>  use technology to achieve the same lifestyle- FOR ALL PEOPLE, not an
>  elite few. We can achieve something never achievable before...
>
>
>
>  --

It comes down to education. People put up with crap because they don't
know any better. The majority of the school system uses M$ Office and
pays for the privilege. They could easily use Open Office which is
free and the equal of M$ Office in everyway that counts. They could
save a ton of money, donate to help improve the project, and still
come out ahead. All the money saved could be invested where it
matters, like a working terminal on every student's desk.


Max

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