Windows Tech Writer Looks at Linux

An anonymous reader writes "Three days ago I accepted Linux into my life and while I'm not yet a convert, the experience has shaken my faith in Windows. It's hard to reconcile because for nearly 20 years I've mostly stayed on the one true Windows path."

20 years of windows

[Anonymous Coward]

It's hard to reconcile because for nearly 20 years I've mostly stayed on the one true Windows path.

If you were using Windows in 1984 and kept using it... you have more problems than just trying to reconcile an OS.

wow

Re:20 years of windows

[Anonymous Coward]

This must be the guy who makes up all the job ads for "required: 20 years windows 95 experience" and "required: 10 years programming in java 1.4"

It's okay Bill

[Anonymous Coward]

We hold no grudge. Just donate half your money to the free software foundation. Thanks a million.

OK we must start investigating...

[netsharc]

Let's see who can find the stock photo and the PR agency responsible for this. ;-)

Re:Have we not seen this before?

[Stephonovich]

I agree that's it's old hat, but it's refreshing to see that more and more people are realizing that commercial products are not the thing in existence.

As for people posting that Windows is better than Linux, well, that would lying, now wouldn't it?

(-:Stephonovich:-)

Favorite quote

[Rebar]

but the modem was a nightmare taking an hour or so to resolve

Sheer hell, it sounds like!

"Good" Column

[fuzzeli]

"That" was a "nice" "article" about "something".

Hm...

[Binary Gibbon]

You'd think a 'technical writer' or 'IT Editor' would be a little more knowledgeable about 'basic computing concepts' like 'disk partitioning' and maybe wouldn't use so many 'extraneous unnecessary quotation marks'.

One true windows path?

[JanusFury]

One true windows path? Where does the path lead to? Podunk, Nebraska?

Paging Dr. Evil...

[phillymjs]

From the article:

I know it sounds mad, but it's a fundamental tenet of this new religion. Here, software is not made by armies of "Microserfs" employed by a giant corporation, but by armies of volunteer programmers who "donate" their code to the public domain. By making underlying source code available to all, many hands and minds work on the software to improve it - hence "open source".

and later on:

My own installation was a breeze - at the beginning. Mandrake "partitioned" the PC's disk so it could "dual boot" to either Windows or Linux.

"People" who gratuitously overuse words in "quotes" too much these days give me Austin Powers "flashbacks" which make me "laugh."

~Philly

Linux Prayer

[robbyjo]

The author should close with the Linux Prayer:

Our PC GOD Torvalds, which art in Transmeta^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H OSDN
Hallowed be thy skillz
Thy kernel comes, in the US and all the earth
Give us this day our daily updates.
And forgive us our holes, as we apply thine patch.
And lead us not into closed source, but deliver us from Microsoft.
For thine is the kernel, the skillz, and the leetness for ever and ever. Amen.

Only THEN, he can say: "Praise the PC god and Linux open-source apostles, I'm a believer."

Re:One true windows path?

[zonix]

One true windows path? Where does the path lead to? Podunk, Nebraska?

Redmond, WA, dude! ;-)

z

Re:It's okay Bill

[Rosonowski]

Or a couple billion.

Re:One true windows path?

[plugger]

One true windows path? Where does the path lead to? Podunk, Nebraska?

To subscription services and rented multimedia, I expect.

Re:Have we not seen this before?

[Anonymous Coward]

I come here to read news for nerds, stuff that matters, not just to be subjected to "Microsoft sucks and Linux is the best".

And yet you read the comments.

Interesting indeed.

Re:20 years of windows

[quigonn]

Wanted: Programmer with at least 15 years of experience with Java and/or C#/.NET. Must not be older than 25 years.

Pathetic

[CausticWindow]

Call me a misantroph, but there's only one thing sadder than "tech writers" and that's "sport writers".

Now go back to watching "Everybody Loves Raymond".

Re:I want to believe.

[Glonoinha]

c:\>copy con ls.bat
dir %1 %2 %3 %4
^z

1 file(s) copied.
c:\>ls
Volume in drive C is C_DRIVE
Volume Serial Number is 200C-19D9

Directory of C:\Temp

06/16/2003 12:44p 241,664 GL4JavaJauGljJNI11_4725.dll
03/31/2003 01:59p 142,848 Grinder.SLDASM
02/12/2003 09:03p 150,016 Grinder Base.SLDPRT
02/12/2003 09:03p 97,280 Grinder Handle.SLDPRT
02/12/2003 09:03p 114,176 Grinder Slider.SLDPRT
7 File(s) 771,584 bytes
2 Dir(s) 3,426,000,896 bytes free

c:\>

Re:uh huh

[hhw]

Why do BSD users have to brag about how l33t they are?

Because sometimes, they let their indignation get the better of them. Especially when they see how the exact same arguments Linux users use against Windows can also be used against Linux.

I'm sure the BSDs rock, but they are still much harder to leap into.

As someone who's used Linux, Solaris, and IRIX, it shouldn't be too difficult for you to learn FreeBSD. Some people often confuse pretty installer colours with user-friendliness. FreeBSD's ncurses installer is menu based, and in my opinion quite simple and straightforward (Definitely easier than Slackware, Debian, or Gentoo in my opinion). The FreeBSD handbook will walk you through almost anything, and is clear and easy to understand. The other BSD's are another story.

Re:Wow, this guy is a tech writer?!

[Hatta]

How lame, he should be browsing with vi.

Re:I think this was the newsworthy portion....

[Anonymous Coward]

Some 20 days ago they were distributing Bibles at my work. I commented about it and one of my colleagues said: "Yeah, those folks are from my Church, thats my religion, we do the distribution".

One hour later, we were talking about Linux and he decided to give it a try (hes just a Windows user, but works with Solaris). So he asked where he could get Linux CDs, and I answered: "I have a set, here, take these 3 CDs".

He took them and was already leaving, when he turned 180 to ask me: "So, this is your religion, then?"

I smiled, it was a funny coincidence... and, after all, he was joking only. Its not like those mindless zombies repeating over and over: "Zealot! Zealot!"

Re:Favorite quote

[andyf]

you had to log in as root in order to bring up or terminate the dial-up ppp connection

For me it was log in as root to bring up the ppp connection, and pull the phone plug out of the back of the modem to terminate. :)

Forward, Worker's Paradise!

[Erris]

In the worker's eutopia that is Microsoft, people have no need of superstitious beliefs such as religion. Everyone knows with scientific certianty that Chairman Gates will lead us all on to greater glory, if only our sacrifices match his. We do not need these elite people who publish their source code and undermine the secrets which keep Microsoft great. We need only apply binary patches and pay, and pay. We need no faith because we have money!

The thought criminal, Chris Barton, shall be shunned and punished. Users may be excused but he betrayed his costly training and has mislead many. It's outright sabotage of the sort only a superstitious mind could fathom! The New Zealand Herald shall also be punished for printing such inflamatory and false propaganda. Paladium will cure such problems and make such reform efforts unnecessary! When people can no longer be lead astray, we will all be better off.

Re:Favorite quote

[nacturation]

Why, back in my day I had to dial out by stripping the wires and alternately shorting them out to simulate the pulse dialing. And don't get me started on file transfers... we had to upload, both ways! Man, you had it easy.

Re:The Cult of OS

[TheABomb]

Why do OS converts, Mac evangelists, and Linux gurus always sound like religious fanatics? Computers are wonderful things, but they should not fill any sort of philosophical, spiritual, or political void in your life.

Well, one of the reasons I am a GNU/Linux user is that the GPL is much more in keeping with traditional Judaeo-Christian morality.

One word...CYGWIN

[MrBlack]

next "question"

Re:I believe.

[Anonymous Coward]

Master Foo discourses on the Graphical User Interface

One evening, Master Foo and Nubi attended a gathering of programmers who had met to learn from each other. One of the programmers asked Nubi to what school he and his master belonged. Upon being told they were followers of the Great Way of Unix, the programmer grew scornful.

"The command-line tools of Unix are crude and backward," he scoffed. "Modern, properly designed operating systems do everything through a graphical user interface."

Master Foo said nothing, but pointed at the moon. A nearby dog began to bark at the master's hand.

"I don't understand you!" said the programmer.

Master Foo remained silent, and pointed at an image of the Buddha. Then he pointed at a window.

"What are you trying to tell me?" asked the programmer.

Master Foo pointed at the programmer's head. Then he pointed at a rock.

"Why can't you make yourself clear?" demanded the programmer.

Master Foo frowned thoughtfully, tapped the the programmer twice on the nose, and dropped him in a nearby trashcan.

As the programmer was attempting to extricate himself from the garbage, the dog wandered over and piddled on him.

At that moment, the programmer achieved enlightenment.

-- ESR, http://www.catb.org/~esr/writings/unix-koans/gui-p rogrammer.html

Because first of all it is about philosophy

[Mensa Babe]

With Linux users it seems to be a conversion of holy nature like they are becoming a shaolin priest and can't look back....why?

You haven't read [oreilly.com] how it all started, have you?