Linked by Iain Alexander on Thu 17th Apr 2003 07:28 UTC
Several days ago I wrote a rather scathing article about my utter dismay and disappoint with Mandrake 9.1 and by association, Linux as a whole. Since then I have had many many flames and equally as many agreeing emails (is there a simple opposite word for flame?) Since then I have been trying, really really trying to get my system working fully. But time and again I'm coming up against the same brick wall of (un)usability, computer esotericism and down right idiocy. 
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Maybe I missed this in the article, but just for how long have you been using linux? I noticed you were able to install two software utilities, which is apparently more than you were able to accomplish with other distros. Have you EVER used linux before? Chances are pretty decent that a lot of things did "just work" but you had no idea how to "work" them. Most of the problems you encountered here can be easily fixed by someone with just a few weeks of linux experience. You need to know what you're doing. Not just in linux, but with everything else as well. Example? Raise someone on Linux exclusively. This person knows how to play DVDs, install software, and activate their Bluetooth module. Now get them on WinXP. Chances are pretty decent that they'll have NO idea how to do ANYTHING. "How do you install software? Damn thing doesn't even have a 'tar' utility." "How do you play .avi files? WHAT??? NO support out-of-the-box for .avi files? What kind of crap is this??" See what I mean? You know what you're used to and use it as comparison point for the unfamiliar. If linux doesn't do things like windows, then GOOD. It's not supposed to! If you don't know how to use the tool you've been given, then that's a different problem entirely. To install linux and think it's going to be windows all over again is just deeply stupid.