Subject: RE: New to linux. Can you....
From: Jan Zumwalt (jwzumwalt@neatinfo.com)
Date: Wed Dec 18 2002 - 22:43:54 AKST
First let me warn you that you are opening up a real can of worms. If you
went to an auto show and ask, "...what's the best old car?", there would be
a riot in the parking lot! Computers are no different, each has good
features and bad weaknesses. Most people get real emotional and forget that
man made things are designed with a general purpose and we tend to overlook
that. OK! Enough of that - my opinion is (drum roll please)....
1) A house is no better than the foundation it is built on. The OS is the
foundation to all programs, a weak OS means weak programs. Linux/unix has
strong roots as far back as 40yrs ago. Major problems have been found and
worked out by now.
2) Each version of windows/apple is essentially a brand new effort. Had
Apple or MS stayed with a product at least 10yrs we would see a substanialy
stable product. Stable products don't sell. Imagine how many cars Detroit
would sell this year if they built cars that would last 30years?
3) Programs have the same inherent problems that an OS does. The longer it
has lived, the more bugs get worked out. Most Linux graphical programs are
newer than perhaps three years. And yes, they are buggy - but no worse than
MS. Linux programs will eventually be fixed if people like and use them.
4) Most MS programs are newer than 6mo. They also will not had time for bugs
to be worked out. They will be throne away in about one year. But, that does
not mean that all the story is being told.
5) Linux programs generally are assured a long life span. If you and I write
a popular program, it just might make us famous and it will be used for many
years to come. We will tend to program it accordingly. For example a
powerful programming tool called "emacs" is over 25 years old. Some folks
have written a graphical GUI for it (xemacs) that is over 10 years old. It
will probably be here for as long as keyboards are the primary writing tool,
perhaps another 20yrs. Emac/Xemacs total life may well come close to 50yrs.
No program that has been written for MS has an expected life expectancy of
more than about 3 years.
6) Folks know a program written for MS or Apple will be pretty much
worthless 2 yrs from now and so no effort is put into overcoming any of its
short comings.
7) As of about two years ago, Linux offers the same or better Office
programs that can be had with any other machine with one small difference.
Linux programs are free and there are well over 10,000 more free programs
under development that will be ready by the end of 2003. (Doubters may want
to visit the Source Forge page.)
So, would a wise person spend $2000 for an OS & programs that will be pretty
much useless in 5 years or should they spend $100 for an OS that will have
just as good programs for $free and the programs will still work 20 years
from now (hey, maybe even bug free)? The choice is yours....
Jan Zumwalt
-----Original Message-----
From: aklug-bounce@aklug.org [mailto:aklug-bounce@aklug.org]On Behalf Of c m
Sent: Wednesday, December 18, 2002 10:01 PM
To: aklug@aklug.org
Subject: New to linux. Can you....
1) run most games with the same or slightly more bugs then windows XP
2) Run your own email server(no more hotmail)
3) run basic office programs (able to handle things like word and excell(or
equivlents))
Anyway.. I curently have a friend that is running a version of linux and has
had non stop trouble with it... is this the norm or the rareity.. I know
that linux has a reputation for stability but that will do me no good if all
the programs are all bugged to bit.. also it does me no good if my work is
not transferable to others...
Deneb
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