http://www.osnews.com/story/9389/First_There_is_a_Mountain_ Exploring the Future of Computing en-us Copyright 2001-2013, David Adams adam+nospam@osnews.com Mon, 20 May 2013 13:37:58 GMT http://www.osnews.com/images/osnews.gif http://www.osnews.com http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? Was posting this really needed? I mean, the whole thing comes down to:--

(1) A noob records his answers;
(2) Later he's not a noob;
(3) Google is your friend;
(4) MS is teh evil;
(5) Learning is fundamental.

Reading this article was a waste of time, and I bet so was writing it. Wed, 12 Jan 2005 17:50:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? I wouldn't agree with you. It's nice to have such articles every now and then on tech sites. Spirituality is a nice thing. Wed, 12 Jan 2005 17:54:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? Some people left to ask questions,
Some people wandered,
Some people stayed behind

Those that questioned found answers and grew up,
Those that wandered found a home and grew up,
Those that stayed asked the others how they grew up.

I know I where I am do you know were you are? Wed, 12 Jan 2005 18:03:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? And in the beginning, there was the word. And they cried the word, for it was all they had and all they were. It was theirs and it was them, and the word was "RTFM".

Or something. Nice article. :> Wed, 12 Jan 2005 18:05:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? google for the teachings of grand master foo ;-)

seriously though, microsoft is a company, not a demon. linux is an operating system, not a path to salvation. to draw direct parallels means you gotta really stretch stuff. cool idea, dont think it really works. Wed, 12 Jan 2005 18:14:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? I agree. Completely useless drivel. Wed, 12 Jan 2005 18:16:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? ... why actually use your computer to get what you want to do done, when you can make getting your OS configured correctly a life-long zen journey... Wed, 12 Jan 2005 18:18:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? WTF indeed. Wed, 12 Jan 2005 18:20:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? What a complete waste of time.


First there is a story
then there is a WTF
then there is a yawn Wed, 12 Jan 2005 18:49:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? Why does it bother you homos so much that this is posted.....who cares....don't read it. Wed, 12 Jan 2005 19:00:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? An OS is just a tool, not a religion. Let us now all pray to Steve Jobs for forgiveness of this blasphemy. Wed, 12 Jan 2005 19:11:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? Why does it bother you so much to read our responses, I'd say that's the real question. Wed, 12 Jan 2005 19:46:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? Anybody looking for a program like this on Windows, check out Keynote. It's both free and open source:

http://www.tranglos.com/free/index.html

Also, if you don't mind paying for software, a superior alternative exists called WinOrganizer:

http://www.tgslabs.com/en/winorganizer

This is the best of the 'outliner' programs that I have ever seen, and is one of the apps (amoung a few others) that keeps me on Windows - I use it religiously. Wed, 12 Jan 2005 19:49:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? You mention that you recorded all the problems you ran into over this period of time and the solutions. I would think that such a collection of common problems, mistakes and misconceptions and their solutions would be very useful to some as a website. Have you considered cleaning up your notes and making them publicly available? The fact that they are chronological would give some people a unique look at someones venture into Linux (for so many developers who have forgotten what it is like to be a new user.) Wed, 12 Jan 2005 20:04:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? Chaps, this thread is rather peculiar. Wed, 12 Jan 2005 20:07:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? and post your experiences somewhere...so you help us to avoid some mistakes.. Wed, 12 Jan 2005 20:17:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? How did this article make it onto OSNews? This is a story of someone learning to use Linux. There is nothing new, innovative or particularly interesting about this. The output of this persons "journey" has not even been linked to. This is a blog entry or has this site become OSStoryTime.com? Wed, 12 Jan 2005 20:27:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? The notes please! As someone else has already stated, to developers this can be a godsend. Especially if they are chronological. Wed, 12 Jan 2005 20:34:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? Hmmmmm, to say the least. Wed, 12 Jan 2005 20:34:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? Beautiful and well written.

To the author, don't let the naysayers get to you. By the tone and nature of your article, I suspect you are by now above the ebb and flow of these pubescent idiots.

Anything that is worth learning requires commitment, reflection and discipline. Linux allows you to experience computing in very different terms if you are willing to travel down the road of self empowerment through careful learning. Wed, 12 Jan 2005 20:50:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? i liked that article.

this guy just describes what everybody has experienced, but as i can see, some of us just don't want to remember it.

describing ms as "maya" is overkill, though. Wed, 12 Jan 2005 20:56:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? Yes, definately clean those up, and make them public. I could seriously help alot of people, both users and developers. Wed, 12 Jan 2005 21:16:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? > The Buddha said, "life is suffering." And this was BEFORE computers. He had no idea.

How true...
Computers solve only problems, which you wouldn't have without them.

I enjoyed the article. And it was something different than the usual news, so it was unexpected but a good read nonetheless. Wed, 12 Jan 2005 21:48:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? ...describing ms as "maya" is overkill, though.

Not for those of us for which it is not overkill.

I rather liked the article, though I agree that he needs to make the actual notes available too. The author is not the only one who attaches some spiritual significance to his journey into Linux. Computers are such a central and integral part of my life, work and play, that it seems impossible not to. Wed, 12 Jan 2005 22:12:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? Nice, short article rehashing the always-important question: why?

If you want to find out if something is worth investing time/money/effort in, it is this question you should keep asking. In a kid-style manner, take the answer, and repeat the question for that. Then take the next answer, and re-ask. And so forth. The answers may not satisfy you, but help define your problem more clearly.

A friend of mine asked me some time ago to help with setting up some webpages (photo-album style), with a 'private area', and a 'split entrance' because he wanted to share the ISP account with somebody else. I had no problem in sinking some time in it, as long as I knew what for. So I asked him: Why? Why this? Why that? A couple of mails back and forth showed that he couldn't even explain what he wanted to archieve, why he wanted to do it. So I asked him to think about that, and contact me again when he knew. Nothing happened since, no webpages created. Should I feel sorry for not helping out here? I think not. I am glad to help somebody with the 'how' of a problem, or turn some answers into solutions, but the underlying 'why?' often looks like 'what should I do with my life?'. And that is really one question everybody should figure out for themselves.

It's interesting to note, that for many people it is really hard to think about that 'why?'. Why not switch to Linux, or *BSD, or by a Mac? (answer). Okay, why? (another answer). Okay, why is that a problem? With 0 time wasted on messing with distro choice or re-partitioning harddrives, people just find it too hard to think about why they want something. A major cause for the masses of clueless Windows-users, I think.

So the author states it was worth the effort to learn about Linux, because sticking with Microsoft offerings would have been worse. OK, but this may not be true for others. Secondly, assuming that this is the case for others, is an even bigger mistake. Never forget to ask about the why, the answer helps you fill in the 'how' for making somebody happy with your input. Wed, 12 Jan 2005 22:25:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? So the author states it was worth the effort to learn about Linux, because sticking with Microsoft offerings would have been worse. OK, but this may not be true for others.

Well, as a friend of mine likes to say: "I don't like Windows. I like what I can RUN on Windows." It just doesn't get any more simple than that, does it? Wed, 12 Jan 2005 22:44:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? i love it - he captures he almost ritualistic self flagellation of googling, maillisting, man-paging, HOWTOing, updating, recompiling, relinking, distro-agony...

at 3 years, all is wonder and colours are good
at 10 years, windows clicks and pops, as it should

at 15 years, his puter crashes and dies
can't email his girlfriend, cries

at 20, l33t master is he
windows no he does use, l1nux and bsd

then 30, jaded, tired of shaolin shadowboxin
wants to just email and browse and just stay in
days of ninja textedits and cobra-compiles are gone
playing tetris and frozen bubble, and phoning his mom

after divorse, death and therapy, renwed is his vision
thoughts shoot darts with precisions
no, not beos or macosX, no, no fashine
el maestro baile con un lisp machine Wed, 12 Jan 2005 22:57:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? Lol I loved the article. I particularly like the parts about the 'ashram of google' and comparing linux and zen.
This article rocks, I love it.

PS: what is 'Maya'? I've never heard that term before except with reference to the 3D graphics program.
Great article. rofl Wed, 12 Jan 2005 23:08:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? Yes, good article.

Hey tech_user, that's a very apt IP address you have there. Wed, 12 Jan 2005 23:28:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? This was a freaking great article.

It would be neat to read those notes, though! Wed, 12 Jan 2005 23:33:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? And I was up there, on the mountain. Everything so peacefull, and quiet, and there was just the wind blowing by my ears. And then I open my eyes and there is the Pinguin in front of me. I knee down in front of him, and say:"Hai!!! Master Tux, rekishi tzumaranai!!! But all he does is keeping his eyes closed and and whisper: Zeeeeen..... Then I wake up all of a sudden in front of my machine, and I'm thinking:"Sh*t, I ran out of p*t again!!!" Thu, 13 Jan 2005 00:04:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? @The Dude

I suppose you were never a noob were you?
People have to start somewhere. As the great unwashed start to look at linux they will need to take a similar approach to the author.

Some early adopters hate to see the masses muscle in on their little partly.
If linux is going to be adopted the masses need to find an easy way up the 'mountain' Thu, 13 Jan 2005 00:11:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? A refreshing change from the seemingly endless supply of 'Random Installer still needs work because it doesn't detect foo on my x-year-old laptop'. Thu, 13 Jan 2005 00:24:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? that article freaked me out. as you regulars know, I always get called a linux zealot etc etc
but after reading that, I get a clear insight into the general populations view that linux users are all stinking hippies
I will repartion my drives after I type this and immediately install Windows XP, and send an apology email to Mr Gates telling him I will never stray again.


BTW - For the usual muppets with no sense of humour who hang around her... this whole post is sarcasm Thu, 13 Jan 2005 00:39:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? I like tidlewinks! Thu, 13 Jan 2005 00:59:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? I enjoyed reading it. At first it seemed like another newbie's experience with Linux. Then the zen bits came in and made it interesting. Thanks. Thu, 13 Jan 2005 01:15:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? I loved this article, and the comments that followed were most amusing! Though the haters would have you believe differently, the article was excellent! The funny thing is how much it depicts my own my personal experience! Very well done! And one comment I found very funny, well two:

1) 'Say What?' by chris:
He start by, "How did this article make it onto OSNews?"...and then finishes with, "...has this site become OSStoryTime.com?" (I thought his comment was very funny)

2) 'excellent' by tech_user:
The poem, haiku, rhyme, or what ever, after his short comment was particularly amusing!

3) 'in the begining' by peragrin:
His haiku was also very interesting!!

So great article, and comments that followed just as good! Thu, 13 Jan 2005 02:16:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? I liked it. It was a little relaxing, after having just struggled with postfix...and then stopped struggling...because I got a kernel panic and couldn't continue my ssh session. fun. Thu, 13 Jan 2005 05:47:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? Great article, one of the sort I would never expect on this site. It points out a very valuable aspect of computers: they show you with blinding obviousness that the source of all your frustrations is actually between your ears... Thu, 13 Jan 2005 09:08:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? Thanks for sharing. Thu, 13 Jan 2005 10:04:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? The kind writer could makehis linux answers available to all? Thu, 13 Jan 2005 13:42:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? I don't think you understood the article. Read it again. The mountain of Linux answers doesn't exist, because the answer is for you to climb the mountain, not read a story about it.

Once you do it all on your own, google the answers, solve the problems, etc. Then you will know the truth. That there really is no mountain, it was all in your head. Thu, 13 Jan 2005 16:22:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? Was posting this really needed?

Yes it was. I was acutally move to tears by this text. The most beautiful thing I have read in a long time.

A big thanks to James for that. Thu, 13 Jan 2005 23:25:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? oh wait, we just post from someone's blog now.... Fri, 14 Jan 2005 00:11:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments http://www.osnews.com/thread? http://www.osnews.com/thread? Nice article! Having a great deal of facination with Eastern philosophy myself, I found the article very "enlightening." I liken Linux to a Harley: if I have to explain, you wouldn't understand. Not sure why others didn't like the article. Some people are just hard to please. Fri, 14 Jan 2005 17:41:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Anonymous) Comments