Reminiscing Old School Linux

t14m4t writes "While the Linux experience has improved dramatically over the years (remember the days of Kernel version 2.0? or even 1.2?), Tech Republic revisits some of the more-fondly-remembered artifacts of the Linux of years past. From the article: 'Of all the admin tools I have used on Linux, the one I thought was the best of the best was linuxconf. From this single interface, you could administer everything — and I mean EVERYTHING — on your Linux box. From the kernel on up, you could take care of anything you needed. With the dumbing down of the Linux operating system (which was actually a necessity for average user acceptance), tools like this have disappeared. It’s too bad. An admin tool like this was ideal for serious administrators and users.'"

"Dumbing Up"

[KingSkippus]

I absolutely abhor the phrase "dumbing down" when used in this context.

Linux used to be something used by a tiny minority of people who were primarily interested in hard-core computer science testing and research. It was their playground in which they could work their art. By making it more user-friendly, it has gotten it into the hands of people who are brilliant in other ways so that they can work their art. Are you a graphics guru? A UI wiz? A scripting genius? A music prodigy? A 3D design master? A business star? A poet laureate? If so, then Linux is now for you, too!

It hasn't been "dumbing down" anything. If anything, it has been dumbing up--more and more people using it in smarter and smarter ways.

And the beauty of the situation? If you're a hard-core computer scientist wanting to do testing and research with new stuff, it's still there for you, too [kernel.org].

Re:Linuxconf

[nhaines]

I never had the pleasure of using it. However, making things easier in Linux isn't "dumbing down" the operating system. It's simply making things more accessible. Done properly, the fancy GUI stuff just snaps together with the existing CLI and config file stuff and then you get to choose the most appropriate way to manage and configure your system. That's a win for absolutely everyone.

And that's what will keep Linux competitive--the ability to meet novice computer users alongside having the power and the efficiency for die-hard CLI lovers.

Re:"Dumbing Up"

[Baseclass]

poppycock! I don't need your fancy schmancy graphical user interfaces and widgets.
Back in my day we did everything via CLI and we liked it..
Lynx is still the best browser out there.
Now get off my lawn!

Re:Linuxconf

[bhcompy]

Depends on what you consider easier. IIS 6 to IIS 7 decentralized an assload of config from a handful of possible locations to dozens of different applets, advanced settings sidebars, etc, and most of it isn't the most descriptive as to what settings may be contained within. Not using Linuxconf, I can't say for sure if what replaced it was better, but changing something for the sake of changing it isn't always good.

Nostalgia ain't what it used to be

[DragonHawk]

I miss not having 42 daemons running in the background to do stuff that could simply be a library or utility loaded/run when needed.

I miss having the init system being a robust, straight-forward process of calling shell scripts in sequence.

I miss only needing to reboot for kernel updates [launchpad.net].

I miss having one sound subsystem that never worked, rather than countless sound daemons which never work.

I miss having my immediately-after-logon process list fit in a single 80x25 terminal window.

I miss not having everything complain that DBUS isn't running.

I miss the Unix philosophy [wikipedia.org].

It seems like Linux is just as good as MS Windows these days. Too bad. I liked it when Linux was an improvement over MS Windows.

Meh

[smpierce]

I for one, don't really miss the 'good old days' of downloading 28 or so floppies of SLS over a 14k modem, only to find that disk 7 has a error when you're attempting an install. Or working days on writing and tweaking an xconfig file. I admit, the excitement of running this 'cool new OS' is gone, but it is infinitely more usable so now I can actually get my work done.

Re:"Dumbing Up"

[Blakey Rat]

My personal philosophy is that the instant you hear the term "dumbing down" you can ignore the speaker. They don't have any valid points to make.

"Dumbing down" is just saying, "I don't like this, but I haven't bothered to spend any time figuring out why." With a side-order of "oh and I'm smarter than all of you."

Re:"Dumbing Up"

[yamum]

When I went to see RMS at Sydney University giving a speech, I could only focus on the obese person leaning on the lectern drinking a 2L bottle of coke. Not exactly someone I'd look up to. Totally lost interest in him from then on.