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Operating Systems Software Linux

Rickford Grant Interview 116

Posted by ScuttleMonkey from the geek-to-non-geek-translation dept.
An anonymous reader writes "An interview was recently conducted with Rickford Grant, the author of "Linux for Non-Geeks" and the new "Linux Made Easy". Grant is outspoken in his opinions and offers a number of unique views on topics as diverse as Windows Vista, desktop Linux, GNOME vs. KDE, and lots more. Part of the interview is spent talking about his new book but the bulk of the interview is a discussion of his views on pertinent topics and news. The author is a strong supporter of desktop Linux and has been getting quite a bit of attention for his views on the subject."
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Rickford Grant Interview More

Rickford Grant Interview

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  • Yin and Yang (Score:5, Insightful)

    by ackthpt ( 218170 ) * on Wednesday September 14, 2005 @01:15PM (#13558599) Homepage Journal
    As for whether or not there is a place for Windows in the computing world... well, I would definitely say yes. I don't like Windows, and, from what I've heard and read, I don't particularly like Mr. Bill [Gates], but you have to give credit where credit is due. If it weren't for the Gates gang, I really doubt the personal computer world would be where it is today.

    This is also is a strong reason why Linux, MacOS, etc, get better. Without Microsoft's machinations there wouldn't be much motivation for innovation. Imagine a world where the PC actually died out due to the superior interface and usability of the Mac, yet the Mac remained expensive and advanced slowly, painstakingly.

    [On the arrive of Vista/IE7]Also, the fact that Vista will reportedly only work on machines with accelerated graphics might also cause some folks lacking in that department to take a second look at the Linux option.

    Or in our case stagnate at XP for years to come.

    The author is a strong supporter of desktop Linux and has been getting quite a bit of attention for his views on the subject." "Steve, hire him and put him in the office next to ESR." [slashdot.org]

    • Re:Yin and Yang (Score:3, Interesting)

      by Alioth ( 221270 )
      No, I don't think it needed Microsoft or the PC.

      When the Mac was storming ahead in the 1980s, if the PC had faded into obscurity, there were many other architectures that could have quite easily become what the PC eventually did. Capable computers like the Acorn Archimedes running RiscOS, the Amiga, Atari - any one of those could have easily burgeoned had the IBM PC failed.
      • When the Mac was storming ahead in the 1980s,

        The Mac was hardly storming ahead. The computer was seriously expensive and IIRC Apple's discounts to educators, which got them firmly inside the door with education, had dwindled. Apple was nearly complacent. If they'd been highly aggressive, Bill Gates would probably have shifted Microsoft to Office Automation.

        if the PC had faded into obscurity, there were many other architectures that could have quite easily become what the PC eventually did. Capable c

        • Atari *did* make an MSDOS clone [obsoleteco...museum.org] and it sold decently enough. As for ST's, I personally sold 100 1040's to a large financial institution in Alberta in '87, where they were used as glorified WYSE terminals. At the time, things were wide open, nobody knew which way things were going to go, and in '88 or '89 I think the Alberta government bought several hundred Next boxes for their front line DMV workers. Their app? Telnet to the mainframe! What a waste.

    • Re:Yin and Yang (Score:1, Insightful)

      by Anonymous Coward
      If it weren't for the Gates gang, I really doubt the personal computer world would be where it is today I remember OS/2 and NeXT from the early 90s. I thank the Gates gang is why we are were we are today...and that's not a good thing.

    • Re:Yin and Yang (Score:4, Insightful)

      by Bogtha ( 906264 ) on Wednesday September 14, 2005 @02:02PM (#13559033)

      If it weren't for the Gates gang, I really doubt the personal computer world would be where it is today.

      So true. It would be much further along.

      If Microsoft hadn't crushed DR-DOS, perhaps Digital Research would have come out with something better than Windows. If Microsoft hadn't crushed Netscape, perhaps Netscape's vision of network applications in the vein of XUL would have come along years earlier. If Microsoft hadn't included illegally copied software in DOS from Stac Electronics, perhaps Apple would have been able to compete more effectively and brought us a stable operating system years before Microsoft managed to do it. If Microsoft hadn't conned their way into a cheap deal for Mosaic, perhaps Internet Explorer wouldn't have the death grip it has on the market, and perhaps web developers would be able to use CSS, PNG, HTML, HTTP, etc without being held back by Internet Explorer's flaws.

      Without Microsoft's machinations there wouldn't be much motivation for innovation.

      Without Microsoft's machinations, there would be much more possibility for innovation. It's pretty hard to innovate when the biggest software company in the world is willing to break the law and use all of its resources to crush competition.

      The number of things Microsoft have done to destroy and hold back competition is mind-boggling. I have no problems believing that if another company, run by people who weren't quite so willing to break the law, had been in the same position as Microsoft, the computer industry would be much further along.

      • If Microsoft hadn't included illegally copied software in DOS from Stac Electronics, perhaps Apple would have been able to compete more effectively and brought us a stable operating system years before Microsoft managed to do it.

        You're kidding right? What in the hell does stealing a drive compression routine for DOS, a 16-bit, non-protected, single threaded operating system have to do with Apple delivering us a stable operating system? Or Microsoft for that matter? More likely, if Mac customers had b

        • Re:Yin and Yang (Score:4, Insightful)

          by Bogtha ( 906264 ) on Wednesday September 14, 2005 @02:42PM (#13559411)

          What in the hell does stealing a drive compression routine for DOS, a 16-bit, non-protected, single threaded operating system have to do with Apple delivering us a stable operating system?

          Did the drive compression add value to Microsoft's operating system? Could the added value conceivably have cost Apple sales? If Apple had a better position in the market with more money, could they have done better?

          My point was that Microsoft broke the law numerous times in order to gain an unfair advantage over companies that could have outperformed them if Microsoft hadn't have broken the law.

          standards don't mean shit. They really don't. No for profit entity has ever strived for interoperability unless it was in their absolute best interest.

          Before Internet Explorer came on the scene, there was at least a little healthy competition in the browser market. With no browser having 90%+ market share, interoperability was in everybody's best interests.

          He who has the money and the marketshare makes the standards. Period. It's that way in every facet of capitalism, whether it be computers or prosthetic limbs.

          Rich people and rich organisations are not above the law and should still be held accountable for their actions.

          Some of the things in our society make Gates & Co. seem like angels.

          Completely irrelevent. Transgressions of unrelated organisations do not have the slightest bearing on whether or not Microsoft held back the computer industry.

      • If Microsoft hadn't crushed DR-DOS, perhaps Digital Research would have come out with something better than Windows

        And perhaps they wouldn't have. Given that Digital Research wasn't exactly going anywhere with graphical UIs, I rather doubt it.

        DR-DOS was vastly superior to MS-DOS, no question. But it came out toward the end of DOS's lifespan.

        If Microsoft hadn't crushed Netscape, perhaps Netscape's vision of network applications in the vein of XUL would have come along years earlier

        Or, more likely, we'd still

        • Given that Digital Research wasn't exactly going anywhere with graphical UIs, I rather doubt it.

          DR-DOS 5 had a cut down version of the GEM GUI. [wikipedia.org] There's no reason to assume that wouldn't have led anywhere.

          If Microsoft hadn't crushed Netscape, perhaps Netscape's vision of network applications in the vein of XUL would have come along years earlier

          Or, more likely, we'd still be stuck with the craptacular Netscape 4.x and 6.x releases that were so godawful bad that Internet Explorer was an massive

    • I find many people seem prone to categorizing everything as either good or evil:

      Good Companies: IBM, Google, Apple

      Evil Companies: Microsoft, SCO

      And let's not even start with people's opinions on George W. Bush.

      The idea that such categorization is not only wrong, but actually harmful to clear thinking, seems to send some into apoplectic shock. It's refreshing to hear from a Linux advocate who doesn't view Bill Gates as The Great Satan.

    • [On the arrive of Vista/IE7]Also, the fact that Vista will reportedly only work on machines with accelerated graphics might also cause some folks lacking in that department to take a second look at the Linux option.

      Wrong. If you don't have an accelerated graphics chip, then you'll just use the software accelerated gui instead of it being hardware accelerated. It's optional, not a requirement. Not even the latest Mac OS X, doesn't require you to have a accelerated graphics chip for its gui.

  • Technical Subjects (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Brainix ( 748988 ) <brainix@gmail.com> on Wednesday September 14, 2005 @01:23PM (#13558674) Homepage
    My dad doesn't know as much about computers as I do. Whenever he asks a technical question, he reminds me, "Simplify, but don't over-simplify."

    From this interview, it looks like Rickford Grant knows what he's talking about, but crosses the line into over-simplification.

    I don't think I'll recommend this book.

    • Re:Technical Subjects (Score:4, Interesting)

      by mblase ( 200735 ) on Wednesday September 14, 2005 @01:42PM (#13558862)
      Whenever he asks a technical question, he reminds me, "Simplify, but don't over-simplify."

      I think he's paraphrasing Einstein: "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler."
    • Quote: "From this interview, it looks like Rickford Grant knows what he's talking about, but crosses the line into over-simplification. I don't think I'll recommend this book."

      Why don't you try making a recommendation after actually reading the book? And to the person who modded the parent "insightful", do you not understand the difference between reading an interview and reading a book? His comments make no didilo sense at all.

  • Nice interview (Score:5, Insightful)

    by MaestroSartori ( 146297 ) on Wednesday September 14, 2005 @01:27PM (#13558709) Homepage
    It's always interesting to hear other people's opinions. One bit I felt a need to comment on was the following:
    Interviewer: Why is every Windows user not on Linux?

    Grant: Some don't care, others don't know, others are afraid to try.
    Some of us do care, know all too well, and haven't been afraid to try - but our apps just aren't on Linux. In my case, one remarkably lovely music app [ableton.com] keeps me using Windows. I also have no idea if Linux supports my Terratec sound card, but it probably does. Last time I used Linux audio was problematic to say the least, but that was around Mandrake 9 and with a Soundblaster, so it may well have changed for the better.

    It's all about the apps, sometimes people seem forget that. If all the apps that a given person needs are available, and are easy enough to use, they'll probably be entirely happy on whatever OS they end up with. For someone with a specific itch to scratch, that isn't always the case...
    • Check to see if your Terratec card is listed here [alsa-project.org]. However, I will admit that getting sound "right" under Linux with some of the high-end cards can be tricky (my brother's machine has an Envy24-based card).
    • And also some people believe that Windows offers a better solution for them than any Linux distribution. The main reason though is that Windows ships as the default OS on most computers. Until that situation changes there is hardly any opportunity for Linux on the desktop.
    • I don't use Windows, but I don't use Linux either. The reasons are pretty much the same. If Windows is the benchmark standard by which all configuration pains in the ass are measured, then Linux is at least a 3xWindows on that scale.

      At least, if I were to use Windows, I could play games.

      • Dunno what you're talking about, I can play all kinds of games on my linux box, NWN, Unreal Tournament, Majesty, Most of Lucas Arts storyline games(sam n max, full throttle, etc), many of the Humoungous storyline games(Pajama Sam, the fox set, Freddi Fish, etc) at least it's not like a mac, where you get to play Photoshop, and that number game.
        • Oh, so you can play all the latest PC games on your Linux box? Sure, when you reboot it in Windows.

          I don't think anyone would confuse Linux with a good gaming platform. That doesn't mean that some old games haven't been ported over, it just means you can't play all the latest and greatest.

          Believe me, I'm not touting the Mac as a good gaming platform either, but it is at least as good as Linux.

          • *all* of the latest games? no, again, Unreal Tournament ships with binaries on the CD(and I mean 2004 and 2005, not the original) ID ships linux binaries on their stuff too. World of Warcraft isn't exactly old either. Yeah quite a few of the games I are older games, but that doesn't mean they're not fun.
            • No argument about old games not being fun. I still like Ultima II. But, being able to play old games doesn't make Linux a gaming platform. Neither does a handful of new games. For that matter, neither does sucky sound support. LOL
    • Yeah... I would say that the ALSA [alsa-project.org] (Advanced Linux Sound Architecture) project being intergrated into the Linux kernel is going a long way to improving the audio experience beyond what Windows can ever offer. (With the exception of audio boards that aren't supported by ALSA for the usual corporate non-disclosure reasons) I have a semi-pro audio system (Echo Layla 20) that wasn't supported fully (I needed MIDI, not just audio) for a while so I still had to run XP. But now, I've been able to ditch it and th
    • Some of us do care, know all too well, and haven't been afraid to try - but our apps just aren't on Linux. In my case, one remarkably lovely music app keeps me using Windows.

      You know, to be honest, many apps with great usability run on Mac or Windows, and those developers need to be convinced to go cross-platform. The open source "clones" usually miss out on a lot of the usability issues and only succeed when cloning so well as to get sued for it. :) Right now developing and packaging for Linux distros is

    • Re:Nice interview (Score:3, Informative)

      by slashflood ( 697891 )
      I know, that nothing comes close to Ableton Live, but I like the combination of seq24 [filter24.org], ZynAddSubFX [sourceforge.net] and LinuxSampler [linuxsampler.org]. I haven't tried FreeWheeling [sourceforge.net] so far, but it looks very interesting. Absolutely not comparable to Live, but a very interesting approach.

    • Re:Nice interview (Score:4, Insightful)

      by kfg ( 145172 ) on Wednesday September 14, 2005 @01:58PM (#13559002)
      One of the issues here is not to ask "does it run my app?," but rather to ask "does it do this?"

      Often the answer is, "Yes. Yes it does; and here's how."

      Since Linux is structured as a workplace for engineers, rather than as a platform for application sales, it uses the "tool" metaphor, rather than the "app" metaphor. It doesn't have a machine that cranks out chairs at the touch of a button. It's got table saws and drill presses and screw drivers, but. . .

      it's also got the means to automate the tools to be a machine that cranks out chairs at the touch of a button.

      It doesn't have a machine to crank out chairs, it's a machine to crank out machines.

      But here's the kicker; we share the machines.

      And the tools, which, since they are independant of the "app" are independantly upgradable. You only have one spell checking tool on your system which all of your "apps" share. Only one dictionary to maintain, only one set of commands to learn, and if a better one comes along you just swap it out and every "app" instantly has a better spell checker. Just like buying a better table saw instead of buying a new chair making machine to make squarer cuts, although perhaps drill poorer holes.

      But if you ask if a particular "app" has spell checking, from the Windows user point of view the answer will be "no."

      The problem is that from a Windows user point of view they don't look like what you expect an "app" to look like, although they perform the same function.

      Think function, not app.

      But sometimes, you're right, the answer is also,"No, Linux does not perform that function yet, because the function is a Windows app."

      Just not as often as most people think.

      KFG
    • Did you have that fancy software back when everyone used word perfect? The word processing craze got people hooked on the PC. After that we got more elaborate 'fancy' apps like the one you want.

      And right now we have open office and it kicks serious ass. With version 2 of Open Office, it's becoming less apparant that you need Microsoft Office. Eventually it will smother MS Office and people will slowly switch to linux because as you said, it's all about the apps. The pieces are slowly coming together, giv
      • Why would you want to merge kde and gnome? It seems to me that the reason KDE and Gnome exist as separate options is because enough people want different things from their desktop. Cross-compatibility would be nice enough, but it would likely come at the expense of "bloat" in both desktops. I say they're fine as-is, since there aren't really any KDE-only tools that don't have gnome-equivalents nor vice-versa. Eliminating diversity of choice is not a good thing for anyone.
        • Right now you have menus which only appear in KDE and not gnome and other inconsistencies. The KDE control center is amazing. If someone switches from KDE to gnome, they'll be lost when customizing their desktop and navigating around.

          I feel the same as you: diversity is good and both compete with eachother resulting in more choice for all of us, a sort of darwinian process. There is also the aspect of uniformity. If we are to appeal to the common joe shmoe who expects a uniform interface, then we should m

    • It's all about the apps, sometimes people seem forget that. If all the apps that a given person needs are available, and are easy enough to use, they'll probably be entirely happy on whatever OS they end up with.

      I'm going to have to disagree with you. I run many apps on many OS's. Sometimes I run the same app on several OS's and sometimes I run different applications to do the same thing on different OS's. Saying it is all about the apps, however, is discounting all the functionality included in OS's. T

      • Fair points, but some of them seem to miss what I was getting at...

        I understand that each OS has its own strengths and weaknesses, but I think you overestimate exactly how much difference there is in some respects, and oversimplify others.

        The networking aspect, yes, you're entirely correct.

        Searching is, I think, a red herring - there are advanced search applications of the type you discuss on both Windows and MacOS, I don't know about Linux et al but assume there is. I'd also say that file systems optimised

        • Windows doesn't make it much more impossible to copy apps around than any other OS. Developers might choose to use things like the registry instead of config files which make it considerably harder, but it's wrong to say that the OS doesn't allow it. With many apps, you *can* just copy them somewhere else and have them work.

          As far as I know this only works for java and very simple programs. The truth of the matter is, windows does not allow for the practical encapsulation of resources within a program e

  • Linux vs Windows (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Daveznet ( 789744 ) on Wednesday September 14, 2005 @01:34PM (#13558780)
    It sounds like he knows what hes talking about, even though he is not a fan of Microsoft he knows when to give credit when its due. Microsoft did help revolutionize the Computer Industry as we know it today whether it was for the good or bad. What I belive is that use an operating system that meets your needs, if you are gonna be playing alot of games and watching movies and surfing the web then sure go with windows , if you are going to be doing some hardcore development where you need access to alot of open source applications and need more control of your system then Linux is the way to go. Its all about going with what suits your needs.

  • by whos book? (Score:3, Interesting)

    by myspys ( 204685 ) on Wednesday September 14, 2005 @01:41PM (#13558848) Homepage
    "topics as diverse as Windows Vista, desktop Linux, GNOME vs. KDE"

    i can think of things that are WAY more diverse

  • Why? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by mblase ( 200735 ) on Wednesday September 14, 2005 @01:49PM (#13558926)
    Why is every Windows user not on Linux?

    • Because of the pervasive (mis?)conception that Linux requires a lot of geeky tweaking to get it to work.
    • Because Linux on the desktop has been chasing Windows for years, feature-wise, and has yet to get ahead.
    • Because they like to play games they can buy at Wal-Mart.
    • Because they have to use Microsoft Office to be fully compatible with the .doc files they get from work.
    • Because they haven't heard of it.
    • Because Windows is already bundled on the PC they bought at Best Buy.
    • Because they're used to Windows.
    • Because they don't know the difference between GNOME and KDE, and honestly don't care.
    Or something like that.

    • Re:Why? (Score:3, Interesting)

      by jedidiah ( 1196 )
      The bulk of your bulletpoints can be summed up in one phrase:

              "it's gotta be DOS compatable"

      This is why we're not complaining about the Apple hegemony despite the fact that their product is vastly superior (to windows) and has been for over 20 years.

      Whether or not KDE & GNOME have eclipsed windows doesn't really enter into it. DOS and Win3x both demonstrated this rather well.

      • This is why we're not complaining about the Apple hegemony despite the fact that their product is vastly superior (to windows) and has been for over 20 years.

        I disagree that Apple have offered a superior product for over 20 years. NT 4 offered a UI that was not that far off the Mac OS available at the time (7.x) and was vastly more stable - boasting support for pre-emptive multitasking and protected memory. Later, MS released Windows 2000 had similar benefits over Mac OS 9. I would say Mac OS X 10.2 w

    • I want to convert from NTFS to Reiser4, and I don't know how yet, and I don't want to deal with any other FS's.

      I know the Console Window commands for Windows. They're not that different from DOS, which is what I was using before Windows.

      For that matter, I know enough to write little programs that will run in Windows.

      I can do English and Japanese stuff in Windows.

      Getting to the point where I can do that stuff in Linux will result in significant amounts of time not doing that stuff.

      I am, however, lo
      • NTFS to Reiser4 can be a confusing task, but it's not Windows' or Linux's fault as such.
        What I did is put all my documents onto another hdd (no point keeping system files...) then completely reformatted with reiserfs 3 (for posix acls and posix extended data). The installer can do that automatically with most distros.

        If you're a console user in Windows, you'll be very satisfied with the terminal/console on Linux, since the commands are much more powerful and complete, and the basic ones aren't even a great
      • Well, DOS/Windows commands aren't that different from Linux commands as a whole. Yes, the options in Windows cmd.exe are generally given as (space) option or /option and they are always -option or --option in Linux. And the whole \ vs. / and drive letters versus mount paths.

        Give yourself a week or two and you'll adjust just fine. I did (from Linux to Windows, but I assume the reciprocal to hold about as true)
      • In my experience, reiser4, console commands, multilingual support, are all up-to-par or even better (usually) in Linux. I suggest you download and burn a knoppix [knoppix.net] cd, and boot it up. You will pretty much have a plantora of apps to play with, and you can test what it's like to program under linux.
    • Because Windows is already bundled on the PC they bought at Best Buy.

      That is the number one problem, I think. Average people aren't going to install Linux on a machine that already has a fully functional system installed.

      But strides are being made in this area. Wal-Mart sells a few models of Linspire based PC's. There are plenty of online retailers, like Sub300 (Or Sub500 for our Canadian friends).

    • Why am I not on Linux full time?

      No Photoshop
      No Reason
      No Wavelab
      No MaximDl
      No TheSky/Starry Nights or any real astronomy software at all

      and so on... That's just the begining of my little personal list. The list is actually quite large. And no, nothing on Linux even comes close on any of those fronts. Don't even bother with the tired "The GIMP is as good as photoshop" line, it isn't. And neither is most of the other "alternatives".

      All software gladly purchased and registered becuase they actually function and
      • I've always wondered how KStars does on the astronomy scale. People have been raving about it, but I haven't asked any actual astronomers I know. If you haven't tried it, perhaps you should try it before saying there's no "real astronomy software at all".

        As for the gimp vs photoshop, I find photoshop horrific to use personally and I'd rather the gimp every time. I'm also aware because I've gotten my head out of the bucket that it's not because the gimp is a better program, it's because I'm used to the
    • "Because of the pervasive (mis?)conception that Linux requires a lot of geeky tweaking to get it to work"

      You've never tried to get ACPI suspend-to-ram and suspend-to-disk working on a laptop have you?
    • Why is every Windows user not on Linux?

      1 MSDOS and Windows have been in the home and office for twenty-five years.

      The complexities of the home market are generally ignored on Slashdot. This is an environment where a $500 sewing machine can be a Windows peripheral: Singer CE-100 Futura Sewing and Embroidery Machine [amazon.com]

      2. Most of the good stuff (Half-Life) makes its first appearance on Windows or gains credibility and market share only after the Windows port (iTunes).

      iTunes for Windows is a perfect exampl

    • Let me add:

      • Because, amazingly, some people think it's solely text based, I kid you not.
  • ...but both you/you're and its/it's errors in the same article? I don't complain about that in /. posts (hell, it's an informal forum), but if you're going to write an article, at least try to appear semi-literate...

    Not particularly impressed with the content, either. His "Why Xandros?" paragraph is somewhat insightful, but nothing others haven't been saying for ages...
  • By being the dominant force in the market, Windows stands as the ultimate target for those interested in causing digital mischief. Linux and Mac OS are virtually virus free primarily because the great behemoth, Windows, is there to take the incoming.
    Windows as Firewall for Mac and Linux. Shhhhhh..

  • "If I had never used a computer before..." (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 14, 2005 @02:08PM (#13559094)
    A friend of mine bought his first PC just a few months ago. Guess who supports it? He had it a week before I had to reload XP, as viruses and spyware had it completely unuseable.

    I reloaded XP from the Ghost disks, installed Zone Alarm, Firefox, and a couple of anti-spyware apps, removed the IE icons (I wish I could remove IE itself), and gave him a few pointers on safe computing.

    It lasted three weeks before it needed Ghosting again. Seems he let his girlfriend's click-happy kid loose on it.

    This time after installing the ghost image and safety apps, I also installed Mandrake, set up so it logged into a default user by itself on boot. No logging into "the computer," no running a proprietary DSL app to get on the internet; just turn on the computer and it works.

    Three weeks later it was hosed again - seems he "needed" Yahoo! IM, which was a Windows app. I couldn't get the Linux version working. Damn.

    Finally I remembered getting my daughter on AIM with Gaim - and lo and behold, it works on Yahoo, too.

    What sold him on Linux? "You can click on anything," I told him. I mean, between him, his porn-happy nephew and girl friend's kid, somebody was going to click on "anything" anyway.

    The next week the KDE desktop was littered with downloaded Flash installs, which the kid couldn't install. Heh, even if she'd got the Linux versions rather than the Windows version it still wouldn't install, as I'm the only one who knows the root password.

    It's been a few weeks since I've had to reinstall anything.

    The moral of the story? New users should not be trusted with Windows, or with a Linux root password. And unless you're into games (and new users aren't) there is really no valid need for Windows at home.

    • "The moral of the story? New users should not be trusted with Windows, or with a Linux root password."

      It sounds like you had them running as administrator on Win NT/2K/XP. That is akin to running as root on *nix. I've had a fair amount of success setting up WinBoxes with the owners running as non-admins without those boxes getting trashed in a couple of weeks.

    • >(I wish I could remove IE itself) www.litepc.com

  • Why windows? (Score:2, Insightful)

    by JymBrittain ( 880082 )
    I respectfully submit that it boils down to this... Windows, as an operating system, will be threatened when Joe 6 pack can go into or call a consumer electronics store and pick up a computer pre-loaded with an alternate OS that will run the games their kids want.
    • As far as the consumer, non-business sector goes, you're right on the money. Joe sixpack just wants those games to run.

      But, I see gaming moving more and more to the consoles, PS, Xbox, etc;

      What is most ridiculous is that anyone would have a total hard-on for either over the other. Both windows and linux are tools. Tools like any other, that have their uses and their place. Both have strengths and weaknesses.
  • Man, those tooltip ads on the anchors are very annoying. But fiendishly ingenius.
    • Just put "kona.kontera.com" in your /etc/hosts file with a black-hole IP address (e.g., 0.0.0.0). I do this for over 55000 hosts that are known for spyware, ads, and other nasties, so I see hardly any ads on the web anymore. :)

  • Who Rickford? (Score:4, Funny)

    by mooingyak ( 720677 ) on Wednesday September 14, 2005 @04:26PM (#13560411)
    It nice that Rickford grant interview, but who Rickford?
  • Linux exists for those of us who like to feel that we've accomplished something with our desktop other than understand the mind of some Microsoft employee. If everyone used Linux, we would have nobody to feel superior to.

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