"Red Flag Linux has turned out to be little more than a key bargaining chip in a high stakes game of commerce between the Chinese government and the world's largest software maker. Thanks to some major concessions on source code and a precipitous price drop, the Chinese government has now thoroughly embraced Windows and Office. And thanks to a major about-face in the way that it deals with piracy, Microsoft has also won over the Chinese people."
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Member since:2006-07-04
"Your childish arrogance won't hide the fact that most Windows users are hopeless when the time comes to administer their machines. That's when they call me, usually, and have done so for the last 20 years."
As I write this, the above comment has been modded up to a 7! I thought OSNews's mod-limit was 5. Maybe that's changed, but how in the world can the above qualify as a 7?? It's not particularly insightful, informative, or interesting, and even includes a personal attack. A "7"? Give me a break.
Edited 2007-07-30 16:29
Member since:2005-07-02
While I also don't think it deserved a "7" (I guess there's either a bug or a new upper limit for comments), I disagree that it includes a personal attack. What Duffman said was both childish and arrogant ("lol", "linux zealots"), and so the epithets were warranted. I was not attacking him, but what he said.
Member since:2005-07-24
"""
That's when they call me, usually, and have done so for the last 20 years.
"""
Serious question. Why do you help them? To me, everyone, including me, has helped create, nurture, and support the problem that we now have.
I'm in the IT business professionally, and although I have resisted, I've done my part as well, because it made short-term sense. That's how MS operates. By making their "solutions" make short-term sense.
I finally decided that while I can't stop the problem, I don't have to be a part of it. I've made it clear to my Windows-loving employer, (whose philosophy is that a Windows support dollar is just as good as a Linux support dollar and easier to sell) that I won't do it anymore. There are still times that it makes sense to me to support Windows. E.g. when I can edge OSS onto a Windows machine. But I still don't like it. These days, there almost has to be a Linux server involved, carrying the future possibility of moving the Windows boxes to thin client status, before I can support Windows and actually feel good about what I am doing.
That's just me, of course. I respect the fact that different people can have different ethical systems which are just as valid as mine.
But I find that as time goes on, I have become less and less comfortable aiding and abetting the MS Windows/ MS Office monopolies. And so I ignore the carrot hanging from that stick and do what I feel is right.
I would encourage others to join me if their ethical leaning are similar, and if they can do so without compromising other, more important, ethical responsibilities.
Edited 2007-07-30 16:32
Member since:2005-07-02
"Serious question. Why do you help them?"
That is a good question...because they would be helpless without me. That said, I *have* succeeded in convincing at least three persons to switch to Linux, and only one of them has continued to have problems since then (turns out it's a memory compatibility problem, he didn't buy the right kind of RAM for his motherboard).
Note that I only offer this support to family and friends, and they know they can't abuse it, because it makes me grumpy... :-)
Member since:2006-02-05
I got a family member on linux once. Never again. Sure, twice a year you go over and spend an hour being amazed by the sorry sight of their "computer", as you format and reinstall windows. But that is a far cry from a phone call every day or two, and semi regular visits to do things I can't walk them through over the phone. It's pretty ok now, but I really won't put myself through that again.
The only thing linux really has going for it for non-techies is that its free. The whole lack of malware is seriously outweighed by the overall complexity of the system. And if you tell me its not complex, get your mom using it, and it will completely change your way of thinking.
Member since:2005-07-02
It seems you haven't tried Linux in years. I *have* put non-techie users on Linux, and they have found it as easy as Windows (in fact, there were studies that showed common tasks were as easy under Gnome/KDE as they were under Windows).
What version was it? Gnome or KDE? Did you explain the basics to them?
You know you can set them up with SSH/remote desktop so you *don't* have to go there in person, right (this applies to many Windows issues as well).
Try a pre-installed Ubuntu PC one of these days.
Windows is too complex for my mom, so I wouldn't see any difference. However, I did set up two non-techie users with Linux, and after a short acclimatation period they found it just as easy as Windows.
It's power users that have a hard time getting adapted to Linux (and then badmouth it every chance they get).
Member since:2007-05-28
Yes, most Windows users are ignorant to the point that they do not know what a browser is and what an OS is.
At my workplace most of the dumb-as*es need help even to make a new Internet Connection and install a printer with the "click the .exe file" functionality of windows.
I help them all the time even though I am not a system administrator and use MacOS X and GNU/Linux at home.
Member since:
2005-07-02
Your childish arrogance won't hide the fact that most Windows users are hopeless when the time comes to administer their machines. That's when they call me, usually, and have done so for the last 20 years.