Microsoft Pushes Windows To Battle Linux In Africa 248
ThousandStars writes "According to the Wall Street Journal, Microsoft has been making a concerted effort to promote Windows in Africa, pushing Windows over Linux in very poor countries that haven't been locked into a single operating system. From the article: 'To that end, it has established a presence in 13 countries, donated Windows for thousands of school computers, and funded programs for entrepreneurs and the young. It also has used aggressive business tactics, some aimed at its biggest threat in the region: Linux ...'"
Just like a drug dealer (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Just like a drug dealer (Score:5, Insightful)
Actually, I thought, "Wow, good old colonialism, just like the Opium Wars (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium_wars)!"
Move into a developing country, and get the masses addicted to something that only you can provide.
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are you saying that there will be no software piracy in Africa?
I suppose, like China, MS will be sending all its lawyers in to enforce software copyrights... eventually.
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Can't blame them going for Africa. Those three extra armies at the beginning of every can come in really handy.
But with Linux ALL the hits are free (Score:2, Funny)
And then you end up addicted to freedom and all you can play is tux racer.
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I've heard that for years but have never seen it in practice.
Dealers seem content to charge noobs and repeat customers.
A better analogy would be an interest only adjustable rate mortgage.
It starts off cheap then progresses to indentured servitude, and it's all perfectly legal.
What a minute . . . (Score:5, Informative)
Don't worry... (Score:4, Funny)
It's Microsoft, nobody expects you to RTFA.
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More importantly, it's slashdot.
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Seriously, this is all the article I could get:
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What?!? The articles are meant to be read!!!
I thought that the links were only provided to see if we could slashdot the servers that they are hosted on.
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Is it possible to read the entire story without subscribing to the Wall Street Journal? How am I supposed to RTFA if I don't have a subscription?
I hear in Africa the Wall Street Journal is giving the article away for free. It's apparently doing this to combat its biggest competitor in the region: African talking drums [wikipedia.org]
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You must be new here, nobody RTFA.
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I tried doing it once, only to discover that the nasty article just contradicted everything in the summary and the comments. NEVER RTFA, those things are lying pieces of shit.
Re:What a minute . . . (Score:5, Informative)
I know why.... (Score:5, Funny)
Wait... (Score:5, Funny)
...Microsoft is using underhanded business tactics to ensure that their operating system is the most widely used? This is new.
Re:Wait... (Score:5, Interesting)
but they are now willing to pay millions going after a market so poor they have little to no computer infrastructure. THAT is somewhat new to them. Typically, the left these markets alone and dumped billions into marketing to markets where there was a support system and more of a chance of an ROI out 5 years but probably under 10 years.
Sub-Saharan Africa? They're probably looking out 20+ years if even that. But mostly, I think what they are doing is blocking as many public successes of GNU/Linux in these areas. Did you notice how quick they got on the anti-OLPC marketing campaign? They dumped $25 million into Egypt alone so that they'd be a Windows-only government and there are dozens more around the world.
So this is somewhat new for them and it's probably costing them something close to $1 billion annually in these marketing/services/training/etc "partnerships". All to keep GNU/Linux from finding a home in a hut or two in areas like sub-Saharan Africa. IMO
LoB
Underhanded? (Score:2)
What exactly was underhanded here?
Re:Underhanded? (Score:5, Informative)
Frankie70: the highlights? hiring relatives of government ministers, and offering $400,000 in "marketing funds" to a reseller in order to persuade them to replace Mandriva ($3 per machine) with Windows ($45 per machine) on a large order of Intel Classmate PCs.
Re:Wait... (Score:4, Insightful)
So Microsoft aren't religious OS fanatics because they're doing it for a long term profit? Open your eyes.
WSJ gets it wrong again (Score:2, Insightful)
WSJ get it wrong again:
Wrong. Linux is not a Windows alternative. Windows is a poor imitation [microsoft.com] of GNU/Linux.
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Re:WSJ gets it wrong again (Score:4, Interesting)
Hmm. I use both Powershell and bash, and Powershell is rather good ; easier to use than bash in many respects.
It does have it's downfalls ; because it's primary design is to pass objects and not bytestreams down the pipeline, getting the output formatted exactly how you want it can end up with you writing a little more code than you wanted, if you have strict format requirements.
While *nix does have shells that can use objects (because they are Python flavoured), it doesn't have anything quite like Powershell. IMHO the syntax is easier to grok than bash, and you don't have to learn at least one text-processing language (sed, grep, awk) to make it useful[1][2], because the data you want is most often accessible as a property.
I find *nix to be a far more flexible and powerful operating system than Windows, it beats it on plenty of criteria, but Powershell is not one of them.
[1] although regular expressions are useful to learn, as they are for most shells. .NET programmers in particular can leverage their existing knowledge of the .NET APIs
[2]
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One of the things I always hate about using the cmd in windows is that tab doesn't auto complete to more then one directory deep.
So you can type f + tab and it will auto complete to "foo/" but if you type "foo/b" and press tab it won't auto complete to "foo/bar". Annoys the hell out of me.
Another thing that pisses me off is that the cmd box never exceeds 80 characters. In bash I can maximise the whole window full screen and it will take up all the room with text, not possible in cmd.
Does power shell fix tho
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So you can type f + tab and it will auto complete to "foo/" but if you type "foo/b" and press tab it won't auto complete to "foo/bar".
So try "foo\b" + tab. It works for me when I do it.
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Thanks, I'll try that next time I'm on windows, obviously I'm doing it wrong.
Dear poor schools..... (Score:5, Insightful)
Sell your MS licenses and most of the other tech on ebay. then use that money to buy books and pay for teachers.
It's far more important to teach basics like math, reading, basic science, hygiene, and life skills, than how to move and click a mouse.
What is it with people thinking that what the 3rd world needs are computers? What they need is clean water, learn better agriculture, and to get an education that will allow them to live a better life.
Re:Dear poor schools..... (Score:5, Interesting)
What is it with people like you? Have you been there? no!
The reason for poverty is not lack of resources, it is lack of a legal structure that delivers contract enforcement. This means that it is impossible to ahve organisations bigger than a small family with any degree of confidence, except by the use of force.
This is a cultural problem. (Helped immensely by the spread of Christianity and democracy).
Computers are immensely powerful in the 3rd world becausee the enable family-sized organisations to do massively bigger projects.
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The reason for poverty is not lack of resources, it is lack of a legal structure that delivers contract enforcement.
This point can't be stressed enough. If resources were the sole cause of great wealth, Africa would be the wealthiest continent on the planet, and Nigeria would be the wealthiest nation. But because the legal systems for most African countries don't provide protections for property rights or contract enforcement, their people languish in abject poverty. And that's a problem that only the Africans can fix, no one can do it for them.
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The reason for poverty is not lack of resources, it is lack of a legal structure that delivers contract enforcement. This means that it is impossible to ahve organisations bigger than a small family with any degree of confidence, except by the use of force.
Couldn't agree more. There are contries (well, at least one) that were able to create a wealthy society from desert. Even transform parts of the desert into woods and arable land. All they had was the right attitude.
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Might I point out here that Africa already has religion (and probably has since prehistory)?
Specifically, Islam is the dominant faith north of the Sahara. Christianity in various forms dominates most of central and southern Africa. Judaism has adherents, particularly in Ethiopia. And of course there is also considerable influence of African traditional religion that predates the various European invaders.
Any idea that Africans are ignorant of Western faith is simply ignorant. Also, the majority of governmen
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So how did the whites manage to colonise them in the first place? Perhaps they cheated by attacking while the locals were having a tea-break?
Re:Dear poor schools..... (Score:4, Informative)
The speaker begins by noting that technology has marginal impact where schools are already good, but huge impact where schools are bad or non-existent. He then discusses how his work shows that children collaborate in learning.
Also http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/hans_rosling_shows_the_best_stats_you_ve_ever_seen.html [ted.com] which in addition to some super cool eye candy graphs, points out the growing convergence of first-world and third-world problems.
A big ask where respondents are notorious for not RTFA, but I found both talks fascinating and hope that you do too.
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In an old M*A*S*H episode, one of the guys gives expensive chocolates to an orphanage at Christmas, to discover that they sold them to buy a month's worth of food. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_M*A*S*H_episodes_(Season_9) [wikipedia.org]
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What they need is clean water, learn better agriculture, and to get an education that will allow them to live a better life.
And how do you propose they will get that?
Computers, especially internet enabled ones, provide knowledge and information, which is exactly what you need in order to get clean water, learn better agriculture, and an education. They also let your children learn other means of supporting themselves, which gives them more opportunity to improve their lives than clean water alone can provide.
The computers are a means to an end, not the end itself. They won't give you clean water, but they can teach you about w
Mandriva in Nigeria (Score:5, Interesting)
Later on, the article covers the Mandriva / Microsoft in Nigeria battle that was covered here before:
"TSC approached Mandriva SA, a French company that sells a Linux version. Believing Microsoft had offered its $3 package, Mandriva proposed a $3 price for a Linux operating system, plus about $2 for other software, say people familiar with the situation. In August 2007, TSC issued a purchase order for Mandriva Linux, and the laptop's Taiwanese manufacturer began loading it.
Microsoft continued to push Windows. It offered its XP and Office software for about $45 per machine, says Nyimbi Odero, then TSC's chief executive.
Mr. Odero says Microsoft wanted TSC to delete Linux from the initial shipments of Classmates. He says Microsoft proposed a way to "make it worth your while" through a joint-marketing agreement. According to a draft agreement Microsoft sent to TSC last Sept. 13, Microsoft would pay TSC to fund "certain marketing activities to encourage the sale and distribution" of Microsoft products. Mr. Odero says Microsoft made it clear that TSC wouldn't really be expected to market the products, but could keep the money as an incentive to replace Linux with Windows."
(for anyone who doesn't know, I work for Mandriva).
The Apple ad (Score:5, Funny)
I can't wait to see how Apple takes advantage of this:
PC: (pushing computers into African kids (starving))
Mac: Oh that's nice PC, I see you're donating to the needy in Africa
PC: Uh, yeah (suspiciously). This has nothing to with Vista finding a user base that is happy to have it.
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Mac: Don't you think, they'd rather have.... an apple? *tosses a shiny red apple to PC and walks off screen*
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What is Microsoft's intent (Score:2)
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Piracy (Score:2)
I always thought that MS gained marketshare/dominance through piracy. And I sill believe that that piracy is much more relevant in the adoption of Windows in emerging markets than anything else by a long shot.
Even if other systems come pre-installed. I guess the situation is now different because a large number of machines will come preinstalled with a very useful and useable os, which could prompt people to not just install pirated version of Windows on these machines as soon as they get them.
Tell me again (Score:2)
how Bill Gates and his "Foundation" (read: stock laundering scheme) are oh so concerned about the poor areas of the world - while the rip-off outfit that funded that Foundation steals the entire world blind.
It's a joke.
Windows is/are not the answer!!! (Score:2)
Microsoft pushes Windows in Africa...
Microsoft should be pushing mosquito netting in Africa - Windows will just let the Malarial mosquitoes in.
Hrrrm. (Score:2)
Here are some statistics that might bring Microsoft's "charitable marketing" into perspective:
African GDP/capita (Currency): $671
African Population livingon under $1 per day: 36.2%
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Africa [wikipedia.org]
Geographical Distributions:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:GDP_PPP_Per_Capita_Worldmap_2008_CIA_Factbook.svg [wikipedia.org]
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On the other hand, although the motive seems greedy, at least they _are_ giving.
Who among _us_ gave to anyone from those areas?
A fight in Africa, huh? (Score:3, Funny)
"My name is Ballmer. Just...Ballmer. From God, to Gates, to Ballmer. I am his right hand, and I have a task for you. This is Stallman. He has caused the Corporation much grief. His views do not coincide with ours, and that makes him dangerous. Silence him."
Hiring Mercenaries? (Score:2)
Perhaps Microsoft will hire the Janjaweed to drive Linux out of Africa. At least then they will leave the Darfur region alone.
Anti-dumping laws ? (Score:2)
How a poor country can make some money (Score:2)
Phase 1) Allow Microsoft to indulge in their usual anti-competitive behaviour.
Phase 2) Prosecute them.
Phase 3) $1.4bn profit!
Re:p00r Linux (Score:4, Insightful)
Less like "gas" but more like "milk powder"? (Score:3, Informative)
And so MS is doing just like the gas companies: make the world addict to their product, brignin' the price VERY high, and when everybody is thinking about alternatives, lower the price or, in the case of MS, paying people to use the product.
I would have thought it's more like when Nestle pushed milk powder in Africa. [man.ac.uk] (see second item) and here [blogspot.com].
Re: p00r Linux (Score:5, Insightful)
Linux is like the electric car, not a chance and only in a few places..
Well in this case, Africa might be just one of those places. I mean ,what is MS going to do? Give away Windows licenses for free, and throw in Vista-capable PC's as well? (sorry, didn't read the TFA).
Another thing Linux has going here, is that it is -relatively- easy to produce local versions. I mean, does there even exist Windows XP or Vista in Swahili? If not, that may be just what Linux needs to get picked over Windows (or other candidates). And let's not forget the educational aspect: having a system where you can see how it works, how it's put together & how to adapt it to your own requirements, is great when you're in a place where the IT industry is often just starting.
Re: p00r Linux (Score:5, Interesting)
Well in this case, Africa might be just one of those places. I mean ,what is MS going to do? Give away Windows licenses for free, and throw in Vista-capable PC's as well? (sorry, didn't read the TFA).
What is MS going to do? Bribe high-ranking government officials, that's what. Sorry to say this, but I think MS is going to have a very easy time in most african countries, to have Linux replaced by MS in all schools and government institutions.
Windows problem: patches (Score:4, Insightful)
We had a guest speaker here at my university just last week talk about this. He's setting up wireless mesh networks in rural Zambia. It's essentially the only communication system they have. Cell phones cost 66 cents/min and the locals make $1/day..
Anyway, they have very limited internet access, with a few hundred machines behind a 128 kbps link. They pay $1100/month for it. No way in hell are they gonna keep downloading all the patches needed on Windows. As such, a Windows machine is only useful for about two months (tops) before the worms eat it.
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I mean, does there even exist Windows XP or Vista in Swahili?
Yes, there is. [microsoft.com]
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Re:The Microsoft ads did say they were PCs... (Score:5, Interesting)
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I think they already know, that's exactly why they're going there.
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Steve Ballmer's got balls because he's got monopoly money to spend and he knows exactly what Ubuntu is and where it came from. He also knows that when that monopoly money runs out, they are in deep Elephant dung because their products have always stood on emaciated legs.
He also knows he's got more money than Mark Shuttleworth.
LoB
Re:The Microsoft ads did say they were PCs... (Score:4, Interesting)
Looking at some Microsoft dlls you can see they're signed by Thawt which is the company Mark Shuttleworth sold for millions, so in a round-a-bout kind of way Microsoft funded the ability for Mark to start Ubuntu which is now competing with Microsoft in Africa. Woops.
Full Article here (Score:5, Informative)
See full article here
http://www.mediainfocenter.org/story.asp?story_id=122760705 [mediainfocenter.org]
Re:Full Article here (Score:4, Funny)
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Nobody wants to use Windows. It just comes "free" with the computer, just like MS-DOS before it.
The 90s? You mean back when Windows literally was just an MS-DOS shell?
It's almost the "teens" here. It's time to update your FUD.
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Quit using Gentoo and Slackware and get a distro where people actually help on the forums. ;-)
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Wherever I looked for answers on forums for technical issues, I always was met with vehement hostility. Everyone adopt Linux, where we hate all newbs.
Did you try searching the information you need, before posting to a forum?
What often happens is that a person - one who never bothered to search for the information he/she needs - simply post their problems and expect to be served as if they were paying for something.
Sorry, but such person is not expecting community support, that person is abusing it.
I don't know your case specifically, but if the hat fits in...
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That's not true, actually. I -chose- Windows for my Tablet PC because Macs cost too bloody much (Modbook) and Linux doesn't handle Tablet PCs well.
I also -chose- Windows for my gaming machine, since Mac and Linux don't handle those well, either.
However, for my 'work' machine at home, I chose Linux because it does what I want best.
So yes, people do -choose- windows for things. It's not just that it came with the computer.
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Linux handles gaming just fine, and Mac isn't bad at it either. What sucks is game developer support for those platforms, not the support of the platforms for graphics, networking, and simple AI.
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I tried installing redhat a few times back in the 90s
Replace redhat with Ubuntu, and 90s with 2008, and I think you'll have a much different experience.
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OK, I did, except my replaced OS was Slackware.
Ubuntu is worlds ahead, but it still has a steep learning curve.
Like, it took 2 days to get it to reliably connect to my wireless AP.
And that was after having to go get a project, compile it, take a "reading" of my wifi cards bios (or whatever FWCutter does), and get it to run.
Thank GOD I had a working WinTel machine to sit next to the Ubuntu machine.
In Ubuntu's favor, I DID have 100Base Ethernet working "out of the box".... That was something I DIDN'T have in
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Thank GOD I had a working Ubuntu partition that could actually communicate to the ethernet card so I could actually search for the proprietary Windows drivers on the net.
Have you ever actually tried to get a Windows installation to work without the benefit of the proprietary driver discs? Starting from the same clean slate (an OS ISO), I'd wager you'll have better
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Windows Vista Ultimate, SP1.
HP Turion X2 based system. I had NO driver disks, as originally it had x86 based os on it, and I upgraded to Vista Ultimate X64.
Machine booted after install, no problems, touch pad worked, quick keys worked, remote control worked.... Come to think of it, everything worked.
So yes, I have. Ubuntu, I actually had to compile a program to get the drivers to the wifi card. Complete rediculousnous.
Don't get me wrong, I am a HUGE fan of *nix, cut my teeth on SCO XENIX (on a x86 based
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You do know there is a lot of hardware supported out the box with Linux, and some that isn't.
You tend to have more success when you buy hardware that is supported.
(assume samual jackson voice)
Did your computer come with anything that said it was designed to work with Linux or any particular version of Linux Brad? No, So why did you decide to treat it as if it was.
Now Brad it said designed for Windows Vista, didn't it Brad and when you gave it Vista it ran perfectly fine, now why are we not surprise
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Slipstreaming DriverPacks into the install disc......
I thought the discussion was about setting up Linux is for geeks, while Windows can be done by anyone?
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Most users here have no ideas about women, as most common computer users have no idea how to make Linux work. Just ask my roommate. He gets laid CONSTANTLY, but couldn't get Ubuntu to install and work.
disclaimer: I was able to get Ubuntu to pretty much work, and I have 3 kids, so I've been laid. I'm one of the minorities here lolol.
Er... What being laid has to do with the ability of installing Ubuntu or any other Linux?
A working Windows is pretty much a pain in the ass to install (reboot, reboot, install drivers, reboot, driver fail who-knows-why, reboot, install program, reboot etc etc).
About the fact you have a "roommate" and the ending "lolol"...
How old are you? And you have three kids?
Did you forget the condom or are you simply idiot?
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Yeah, it's really a shame that they can't sell it [amazon.com].
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It amuses me that you review the present state of GNU/Linux based on your experience a decade ago. Particularly "I have yet to see Linux platform blah blah blah..." followed by "tried installing in (the era that everyone already knows all the distributions were a real bitch to work with in".
You should also mind the inclusivity of your comments, not all GNU/Linux users play WoW.
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1) download Puppy
2) install Puppy
3) have working system
There is no ???.
Similarly, replace Puppy with Mandriva, Mint, Ubuntu, or Fedora.
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Why are you replying to me complaining about moderation? I can't mod you and comment at the same time.
There's plenty of games, the blockbuster hits are for Windows because Vivendi and company seem explicit on only working with other corporations who's existence can actually be dumbly understood. Ask them where the fuck the games are.
Anyone who uses GNU/Linux to be a rebel are only fooling themselves. There are some people who actually care about the nature of their software, particularly licensing.
I'll play
Re:For all the slamming of M$ (Score:5, Interesting)
I have yet to see Linux platform DELIVER ANYTHING the entire world wants to use, in an easy to manage, easy to interact with format. I tried installing redhat a few times back in the 90s and after banging my head a few times to actually get it working I thought to myself "Oh. Sweet. Free Civ and data management I DONT NEED."
The 90s? That is relevant how? It is about as useful as my telling you that Mandriva 2009 is much better than Windows 3.1. What is relevant is how current Linux versions compare to current Windows versions.
There is a lot of software for Linux, and obtainning and installing it is much easier and faster than for Windows.
I guess what Im really saying is, most Linux/open source advocates do it for the rebellion not because they have a better product to promote
Wrong. Most Linux users use it because they think it is better. Those who want to use open source have good motives to do so (avoiding lock in, auditable security). The biggest advantages of Linux are that it is easy, and that it is flexible. All your software is managed an upgraded using a single GUI interface, some distros can even do major version upgrade with a few mouse clicks - try upgrading from XP to Vista that way!
As for the flexibility you can get distros for geeks (Gentoo, Slack, Arch), normal users desktops (Ubuntu, Mandriva, SuSe), servers (Debian, Red Hat), old hardware (Puppy, Damn Small Linux).
Comment removed (Score:5, Interesting)
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Adobe picture and movie editing is the major things that keep me tethered to Windows. Fanboys who say Linux provides the equivalent are nonpersuasive. The only other big consideration, for me, is the ability to share MS Office products. This latter consideration is fading very fast.
I'm not much of a programmer, but I think that Linux now has the tools for even me to make stuff that I think is cool. That is why I now dual-boot with Linux and that is the very powerful pull of Linux to me.
I think that most
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Linux does offer equivalent alternatives for those apps -- for novices and low-end hobbyists. It's when you actually need certain professional features that you're SOL.
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most Linux/open source advocates do it for the rebellion not because they have a better product to promote.
No, most OSS advocates do it because the software is THEIRS; by being part of the community that develops it they are personally involved with the software, and are justifiably proud of it. "Look what we built"
What I don't understand is why Microsoft apologists like you bother. You didn't help build Windows, MS has no loyalty to you; evidence shows they do not even LIKE you. They only want you to stay on the treadmill. And yet still you sing their praises. "Look what I paid for". Doesn't make any sense.
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The thing about climbing a steep learning curve is that very soon you are higher up than the man cycling around Holland.
I agree that the slope will put many off though.
I have a very nice MythTV installation ; at the time I did it, I had to use Gentoo with bleeding-edge kernels to support my hardware. These days I suspect the same configuration would be supported by a Mythbuntu disk, which is a world easier, but still beyond the average Joe.
I didn't use MythTV because of a lack of other offerings ; I used it
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You mean if he's taller than average, his head might be above sea level?
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Yeah? Well I tried installing Windows CE a few and gave up out of frustation also, whats your point?
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In the event you are actually ignorant and not just trying to pick a fight, I can assure you that as someone who hasn't run Windows in several years, and does most of his computing on Linux (along with OS X on a laptop), I am not doing so out of any sense of "rebellion", although I don't see anything wrong with that mindset under certain circumstances.
If your primary reason for using a computer is to play games, you certainly should just stay with Windows. If I wanted to play games I think I'd rather have
Re:For all the slamming of M$ (Score:4, Insightful)
I tried installing redhat a few times back in the 90s and after banging my head a few times to actually get it working I thought to myself "Oh. Sweet. Free Civ and data management I DONT NEED."
I tried installing Windows a few times back in the 90s, and after banging my head around the TCP/IP stack to actually get it working I thought to myself "Oh. Sweet. Viruses and an annoying paperclip I DONT NEED." It may surprise you to learn that computers have advanced over the last two decades.
And then Linux users go out of their way to do things like make World of Warcraft work on their PC. Look buddy. Ya great you got it working but you are very knowledgeable in Linux, which has a steep learning curve. And most users dont want to spend 2 weeks getting their drivers to work just right to play a game.
The thing is, it only took that one guy 2 weeks to get WoW working, and now hundreds of Linux users get it working with far less effort. Open source beats proprietary not because it's easier to make it work, but because only one person has to put in the effort for everyone else to benefit.
After all if your open source was a decent product, youd be able to SELL IT
People don't sell Linux, not because nobody is willing to pay for it (people pay millions for Unix), but because people don't _have_ to pay for it. Would you pay for a car, even a good one, if you could get it for free from a different dealership?
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exactly. I was stunned when Windows Vista was released and it was not modularized like GNU/Linux or even Windows XP embedded. It did not scale down at all and that is enough evidence in my mind to see that they've bloated themselves into a big tumble downward. Pulling 8 year old tech, Windows XP, out of retirement to compete with GNU/Linux on the new-ish Ultra Mobile Devices(UMPs) was the next indicator but unfortunately, the press/media just brushed this off. It should be a big red flag showing how Micros
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Been in Africa. The threat out there, honestly, isn't Linux. 'Coze - whatever they say about it - Linux is still not ready for the desktop. Specially in places where education is still a lagwagon. Don't expect anyone who can barely read to figure out why on earth their network isn't working, because their Linux distro doesn't support their cheapo noname network card.
Funny, my own experience is quite the opposite.
More than once I had hardware which required its very specific driver in Windows (the generic one did not work, despite being the same chipset). With Linux, it simply worked.
Linux is not a threat to Windows in Africa. Pirated Windows is.
Then there's no threat at all, because Microsoft is worried about a generation growing up using Linux (or anything non-Windows).