Linux is not for everyone, that's true. My point was, pick what works for you and use it. Gene >We care because often people get into linux expecting it to be like Windows. >Possibly, if these people are fore-warned, they will be less likely to give >up. That's been my experience anyway. > >I think sometimes in their enthusiasm for linux, linux nerds sell it as >being easier to use than Windows. I don't think it ever gets to that point >no matter how well you know linux and speakup. And if all you want out of >your computer is for it to work with a minimum of fuss, then maybe you had >better stick to Windows. > > > > > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Gene Collins" <collins at gene3.ait.iastate.edu> >To: "Speakup is a screen review system for Linux." <speakup at braille.uwo.ca> >Sent: Friday, February 23, 2007 9:31 AM >Subject: Re: An official slightly off topic anouncement > > >> /so why do we care? You wanna support Bill, then who are we to argue? >> On the other hand, you could install Ubuntu, and go for the gnome >> desktop environment and not pay the Freedom Scientific folks an arm and >> a leg. You're right, Linux is a steeper learning curve, but in the end, >> it makes you a more knowledgeable and powerful computer user. Some >> folks like myself have to support Windows , because that is what the >> University runs on, but give me a choice, and Linux wins hands down. >> >> For some folks, a gui interface is the way to go, but I started out in >> CP/m and DOS, so I'm a command line junkie at heart. Even the editor I >> use, MicroEmacs is very much like the Mince editor I first used under >> CP/m. So pick what suits you and pay for it, or not, as the case may >> be. Linux kind of separates the men from the boys so to speak. It >> demands more of it's users, it gives much more in return. >> >> Gene >> >>>From: "Gregory Nowak" <greg at romuald.net.eu.org> >>>> on this list, are >>>> anti-microsoft. After all, having been a user of windblows, and >>>> gnu/linux for a few years now, I can't honestly say that I think >>>> people are switching from windblows to gnu/linux, because gnu/linux is >>>> easier to use than windows is. >>> >>>I made this same point on the blinux list a while ago and sparked quite a >>>controversy. I believe anyone getting into linux should prepare themselves >>>for a steep learning curve. But it pays off in the end. In fact, I've >>>been >>>advising my blind computer nerd friends to get into linux as a form of job >>>security. >>> >>>> For anybody else who has used both >>>> operating systems for a good while, and is tempted to disagree with >>>> that, think back on your first time compiling a customized linux >>>> kernel, or on the steps one has to go through to build a piece of >>>> software from source , or better yet, on how involved building a >>>> gentoo, or a linux-from-scratch system is. >>> >>>Yeah, but you can't compile a custom kernel at all for Windows. Mostly, >>>you >>>can't compile software either. You get what you get. >>> >>>So this is really the #1 difference between linux and Windows. In linux, >>>you can do just about anything you can do with a computer but you're >>>expected to learn how. With Windows, the ideal situation is for you to >>>never >>>have to read the documentation. Windows users want to just install and go. >>>With linux, we give up intuitiveness for being able to make the thing do >>>exactly what we want. >>> >>>Actually, I think the combination of both works really well. I use Windows >>>as my desktop environment. But i do all my actual work on linux. For >>>example, I have this elaborate system for recording the sound track of TV >>>shows. I have a script that checks the schedule of my local PBS affiliate >>>searching for my favorite shows, Nova, American Experience, etc. If it >>>finds >>>them, it writes the show and time it will be on to a file. Then there is a >>>cron job that runs sox to record each show . I then listen to them on my >>>Windows machine by double clicking on them on my network drive. >>> >>>Here at the Math Department of the U of Wisconsin, we have dhcp, dns, >>>ldaphttp mysql, , and imap servers all running on linux. I manage all >>>these things via my Windows desktop. >>> >>> >>>_______________________________________________ >>>Speakup mailing list >>>Speakup at braille.uwo.ca >>>http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Speakup mailing list >> Speakup at braille.uwo.ca >> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup >> >> > > >_______________________________________________ >Speakup mailing list >Speakup at braille.uwo.ca >http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
