Comments on The tech and other cents: There's more to Linux than Ubuntu

OK, that's enough.Moderation is on.

2008-02-03T12:11:22.927-08:00

OK, that's enough.

Moderation is on.

YeaOr you start posting such comments after 200 pe...

2008-02-02T21:36:22.658-08:00

Yea

Or you start posting such comments after 200 people a month ago already have said everything that was there to be said.

And you don't sign, which another way of hiding yourself.

I like these comments.

John Macey,My bad, but it just pisses me off when ...

2008-02-02T19:27:50.330-08:00

John Macey,

My bad, but it just pisses me off when someone types before thinking. ALWAYS, ALWAYS THINK BEFORE PUTTING YOUR FINGERS TO THE KEYS. Also, don't forget to proof read your crap before hitting submit. You'll start to sound like the dick that started this post.

Anonymous,Jeez, don't hold back!That was quite a r...

2008-02-02T10:24:39.484-08:00

Anonymous,

Jeez, don't hold back!

That was quite a rant. LOL!

JJMacey
Phoenix, Arizona

Choke on it. Maybe you have two machines, or you d...

2008-02-01T19:02:30.105-08:00

Choke on it. Maybe you have two machines, or you don't use your computer enough to give a shit, but some of us need/want to be able to use our computers. Installing Gentoo with everything and compiling it all from source can take 2.5 days. Compare that to the 30 minutes most binary distributions take to install, and you have a whopping fuck off.

If you have two machines and don't need one of them for a long time, then maybe Gentoo is a good idea, but then you have to think about bandwidth. Some people have limited bandwidth. Things that take a day to download are generally going to be large. (the extra 1.5 day being compiling...)

Now you have an even bigger fuck off.

Compiling all this from source gets you what exactly? four seconds less than an average distribution to boot up, and a few milliseconds on opening an application? Not to mention it's unstable as shit.

Binary distributions are the way to go. I know Gentoo has a choice of using binarys during install, but then, why not use a binary distribution which is probably more stable?

Nice to know your operating system is the linux kernel, by the way. No GNU tools, no shells, just the kernel?

Really. Take your head out of your ass. "I'm using linux" "what version?" "linux 2.6" "which distribution?" "linux." is the conversation you'd be having if you referred to ubuntu as linux.

Take your zealotish shit and go fuck yourself.

Hail Linus Torvalds :)Radu,I have to agree. His wo...

2008-01-26T04:27:18.257-08:00

Hail Linus Torvalds :)

Radu,

I have to agree. His work is amazing! And, look what has happened. A free alternative to Microsoft.

Regards,

JJMacey Dot Net

i first tried FC 5, then FC 6, Mandriva, SuSe, PCB...

2008-01-26T03:40:44.034-08:00

i first tried FC 5, then FC 6, Mandriva, SuSe, PCBSD, and lastt bu not least Ubuntu. Well...i'm still using it now. I am not saying that it's the best distro out there, but it's the best distro for me. All the people are different so it's in their nature to use different things. I don't think that there should be such a fuss about what Ubuntu has to be called. I don't give a damn if it's Linux or if it's GNU/Linux. All i care is that it gets the job done. I totally agree that this competition between distros is the best way to make more applications, better applications so that more people will dump Windows for a better OS (whatever you may call it). Hail Linus Torvalds :)

JohnIt's been an ad from Entrecard.But it's now go...

2008-01-06T11:05:39.583-08:00

John

It's been an ad from Entrecard.

But it's now gone. In the future I will try and make a better effort by selecting more appropriate ads.

Hi All,I have to think that "Snatch Ad" was a bit ...

2008-01-06T10:02:24.596-08:00

Hi All,

I have to think that "Snatch Ad" was a bit out of order.

Hey, what was the purpose there any way?

JJMacey Dot Net

@Greg K. NicholsonOff topic indeed. I checked the ...

2008-01-06T05:55:10.395-08:00

@Greg K. Nicholson

Off topic indeed. I checked the site in advert before approving it to be shown here, and decided that it is one of the subjects I could possibly write on my blog. The choice of the picture on the advert is the choice by the author of the corresponding site, so I don't intend to remove it.

My choice of a cow as a picture may be seems by vegetarians as offensive. But it is not good enough reason for me not to use it.

I do it because of my association with Gentoo Linux, who's Larry the Cow is the official symbol.

I'm sorry you're offended by the advert, but I assure you I only approve the adverts in those segments that are relevant to my blog.

Off-topic, I'd like to point out that the “Article...

2008-01-06T03:10:06.279-08:00

Off-topic, I'd like to point out that the “Article Snatch” advert to the right is thoroughly disgusting and offensive. It should be removed immediately and whoever's responsible for it should feel ashamed of themself.

I guess you haven't looked. PCLinuxOS has been at ...

2008-01-04T11:55:02.885-08:00

I guess you haven't looked. PCLinuxOS has been at the top of the Distrowatch page rankings for about 5 months ahead of Ubuntu.

Also, you think the Ubuntu community has pushed their distro forward. Think again. Billionaire Mark Shuttleworth has pushed Ubuntu forward with his millions of free CD's

Anonymous,"If something does well don't slap it do...

2008-01-04T02:23:59.112-08:00

Anonymous,

"If something does well don't slap it down, do better instead".

I think that Ubuntu has been great, but others are doing it better e.g. Linux Mint.

JJMacey
Phoenix, Arizona

Ubuntu are currently reaping the benefits of their...

2008-01-04T02:01:10.152-08:00

Ubuntu are currently reaping the benefits of their hardwork in pushing out their distro. So what if they currently overshadow XYZ; instead of fearing them shouldn't others learn from their efforts and try to over take them? If something does well don't slap it down, do better instead.

what happens when ubuntu becomes so popular that h...

2008-01-03T19:06:51.064-08:00

what happens when ubuntu becomes so popular that hardware/software companies or isp's start officially supporting "Ubuntu?" I see the same thing that happens now when you tell them you are trying to use linux or (insert distro here).

And also, Ubuntu's hardware detection makes it no easier than any other distro. Ubuntu cd's won't even boot on my computer in graphical mode but fedora works and actually gets my resolution right. On my other computer, ubuntu doesn't get the resolution right and is was a battle to make work.I started with linux with ubuntu and moved on to suse.

In far of ease of use, most every major distro about matches it. opensuse, fedora, mandriva and others i probably am forgetting are just as easy. From the way people talk about ubuntu, it seems they think every other distro is some intimidating process for a new user requireing a command line installer and manually configuring every device and setting in the system which is just not true.xtfamie

I think it's a great thing. And not just because I...

2008-01-03T17:15:49.494-08:00

I think it's a great thing. And not just because I'm a (K)ubuntu user. The word "Linux" has severely negative connotations with many people. Justly or unjustly, that's not just going to change overnight. People who would be scared to death of installing "Linux" might just be persuaded to try this "Ubuntu" thing they've heard so much about. And they will learn that Ubuntu *is* Linux, and they will also learn they have choices between different Linux distributions. But the important thing is to get them using Ubuntu(Linux).

Ubuntu is cool, I'm a Debian user though. I person...

2008-01-02T07:41:34.931-08:00

Ubuntu is cool, I'm a Debian user though. I personally like what Ubuntu has achieved for Linux in general. The publicity is mindbending.

When it come to Debian based distros, you probably won't find an Xfce distro as attractive as Dream Linux. Really, it puts Xubuntu to shame.
http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=dreamlinux&a=1

If you other distros are jealous of ubuntu's thriv...

2008-01-02T06:11:17.613-08:00

If you other distros are jealous of ubuntu's thriving install base, SUPPORT AND EMBRACE it and help make ubuntu into what you want, the source is available go do it.

Well, some distributions that aim to the same people (especialy commercially-driven ones, like SUSE or Mandriva) might be jealous, but I can assure you that many other major distributions (like Gentoo, Debian or Slackware) are NOT. There are many things in the way that Ubuntu works that annoy the users of other distributions (and, more importantly their developers), just like there are things in the way other distributions work that annoy new users.

Ubuntu might be simpler and more attractive to some, but it's also limiting and encumbering to some others. It's not *the better* way to go, it's just an other way appealing to many. I'm glad it exists, it's nice to have many possible ways to go. The more ways, the better. But personally I don't like using Ubuntu and I wouldn't want to see all other distributions pick the same orientation.

Fortunately that's not going to happen: many other distributions don't have at their top priorities to increase their user-base or to be attractive to new users, so they gladly opt at the cost of the above and in benefit of stability, choice and ease of use for the more advanced users. I'd like it to remain this way ;)

Ubuntu is easy to install and easy to use = mass m...

2007-12-31T17:45:05.493-08:00

Ubuntu is easy to install and easy to use = mass market product.

If you other distros are jealous of ubuntu's thriving install base, SUPPORT AND EMBRACE it and help make ubuntu into what you want, the source is available go do it.

The major think linux/gnu and all other distros miss is "ease of install" and "ease of use".

"base" driver support is something that ubuntu saw as a pitfall of massmarket and changed and added to the product. EASY.

Who wants to decide between kde/gnome? not me, id rather any standard window manager and give me customization options.

mesh the technologies and make something that works both ways.

KGnomeDE Window Manager.

When a product is marketed to a mass audience too many choices can be confusing for the customer. Take the Mc*onalds or B*rgerKing approach, #1 #2 or #3?

Amiright?

Not to forget the more customizable os/distros if linux/gnu wants to take ground STANDARDIZE it. Like Microsoft, XP-Pro and XP-Home utilize the same base for drivers/software install. Do you think people would buy XP-Pro if you had to install programs using a command line? or Home? you decide

There goes the tech guru's again. Who cares what t...

2007-12-31T02:30:25.726-08:00

There goes the tech guru's again. Who cares what the name is? I just want a functional replacement for the Micro$oft thing that has been holding me to ransom.
Since I'm not smart enough to understand all the linux terminologies and complicated ways of doing things. I opted for Ubuntu.
You won't believe that as simple as you guys claim it is, it has been a whole lot of effort for me. If you don't mind, you can read my ordeal on my post Microsoft Baby Hard to Wean
I've read tons of tutorial but it wasn't as easy as the geeks will like me believe.
So my argument is, if a linux-newbie calls Gnu/Linux Ubuntu, allow him. When he is grown up, he will know the right terminologies to use ;-) The important things is that you have successfully converted another Micro$oft baby to Linux! Cheers

Of course I'm happy that even non computer-savvy p...

2007-12-29T19:41:03.115-08:00

Of course I'm happy that even non computer-savvy people can actually manage to do their jobs with a distribution of a free operating system (Ubuntu or any other).

But I don't like the hordes of people that, not understanding the difference between GNU/Linux and Ubuntu, blame *Linux* for whatever they can't cope with by using the abstract tools, interfaces and documentation that *Ubuntu* (or any other distribution) suggests.

They should at least learn to differentiate *that* much, as to not make false allegations of the kind:

"Linux does not do that"
"Linux has problems"
"Linux is slow"
"Linux is unstable"
"Linux does have good hardware support"

If they can not understand that what they consider as their needs, priorities and problems are not necessarily needs, priorities and problems for everyone else, they will never be able to put things in perspective, never be relevant and, in the end, never be taken seriously by the people that could help them with their problems. Which are community members, not a payed support team.

Of course, the same should apply to us computer-savvy users! Besides, the above is a common, egoistical, mistake we can all make in any area of social life. So, in this particular case, we should learn to keep in mind that not everyone (not even the most) of computer users out there have the time to deal with all the technicalities, organizational or purely technical, of an operating system the spine of which was made by hackers for hackers. It is perfectly normal for those people to want (internally complex, externally simple-looking) interfaces that are adapted to their way of thinking. It is perfectly normal that they prefer shallow, step-by-step instructions, instead of thorough documentation with enough external informational dependencies the resolution of which would keep them busy for days.

Unfortunately, the real problem is that many people are too lazy to bother with thinking. So they engage in pointless arguments with similarly lazy people, none of either sides understands that they can never agree with the other because they *talk in a different context*. Each side takes different things for granted and each side makes global assumptions based on those things, those assumptions are obviously perfectly valid in their context but perfectly irrelevant in the other side's context.

And for the rest of people there is always the problem of expressing themselves accurately and objectively without crossing the "anal" line.

well,why i use ubuntu or any other GNU/linux distr...

2007-12-29T11:51:32.531-08:00

well,
why i use ubuntu or any other GNU/linux distributions ?
some say: it's better than Microsoft
some say : no money?!

i think i want to use ubntu or any other linux distr because it's free(freedom) then it's open source ..?

so ubuntu give me this chance as other distro too <
ubuntu make using linux very easy for newbie , that very good .
but note that : if the user can do everything by just a click?that well make ubuntu like windows?!and the bad thing in windows is that : you don,t have a chance to resolve your problem < windows do'nt give you the choice ?

When the operating system becomes easier, does not require the user to experience more effort to deal with the regime, and it is bad Sekonakther blunt and less need for learning and development

Discontinue your cross-scripting attempt.

2007-12-29T10:39:51.464-08:00

Discontinue your cross-scripting attempt.

"I've told a million times by now, that I am a Lin...

2007-12-29T09:43:33.181-08:00

"I've told a million times by now, that I am a Linux person."

You mean "GNU/Linux" person? Because, if it's OK to dump GNU, I can't see why it isn't OK to dump Linux?

Could be worse. Could be Red Hat.

2007-12-29T08:40:41.806-08:00

Could be worse. Could be Red Hat.