-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 On Sunday 06 July 2003 09:11, Derek Fountain wrote:
? Windows has very poor D&D. Linux isn't always better, but the middle-click paste is universal and far more flexible than Windows.
I suppose it depends on how one defines sensible behaviour. On Windows I open Word, then drag and drop a .doc file from Explorer onto it. Word opens the file ready for editing. Do the same onto OO Writer from Konqueror and the path to the file is entered into the document! Do it from Konqueror onto Abiword and the drop is refused. Try explaining this to someone who just wants to get their work done.
Yes, but what he said was that the middle-click copy and paste works extremely well. It's no different from the D&D, since one still has to open the other app and on and on. In fact, it may be easier with the middle-click, since one can have to most oft used apps sitting in different virtual desktops, ready to do what you want.
That's a little harsh - I don't fall into either group and yet SuSE is perfect for me. I am a self-employed editor, using my computer heavily for web, MSWord, email and many other things that aren't "a predictable set". But I agree that linux isn't really ready for Joe User yet.
So how do you differ from Joe User? Why is it ready for you, but not him?
In your case I'd say that web, email and word processing make for a pretty limited work area. How about things like DTP or press ready CMYK graphics? How about web site development? Or CAD? How about a programmable graphical database front end? Or a decent XML/XSL editor? I need all of those on a regular basis.
I have absolutely no clue about DTP(D?), yet I'm working on cleaning up the FAQ some (I'm tryin' to hurry Togan, heh). I won't even get into making my own graphics, since I can't draw a stick man straight, but what's that got to do with anything anyway? One would still have to *learn* the app and if one already has some training/experience, it doesn't take much more to learn a 'new' app. I have my own website, and have absolutely no training/experience with HTML or any other of them languages, but Quanta did what *I* needed juast fine (just fine meaning of course what each individual thinks it is that sees it, heh). The apps are out there if one searches (except maybe the CAD, but it's getting there too, just slowly). Anyway, as I see it, Linux is ready for anyone willing to put the same amount of time in to learn what each individual needs to do with it as they did with a Windows OS. You gotta remember...(most) of mankind is a creature of habit and abhor 'change', even if the change *is* better for them.
Linux on the desktop has only solved a small subset of the problems users face. It needs time to mature.
Nah, it's ready for Joe user as far as I see it. M$'s main users are 'Joes'. For example, one of my best friends is almost illiterate (computer and schooling...he left school in the fifth grade), but he dual-boots W98 & SuSE 8.2, he's in both of them an equal amount of time (mainly right now because he can't afford a new external modem at the moment since his other one just crapped out on him), he doesn't do much but maybe IM a little bit, e-mail, surf, and check out Ebay for motorcycles...he does all this on his Linux side too, and loves that he doesn't have to fret so much over all the problems that windows gives him. So, this is *my* view of it. I do computer repair in two counties, for 'Joe' users, and see that 95% of all my customers don't do anything more than my friend does. Of course I've tried to get them to at least 'try' Linux, but the biggest wall I run into is the 'fear of change', even with all the problems windows gives these people, they're either too lazy or it's the 'unknown' that keeps them from trying anything different. I've got Linux dual-booting on 4 customers (5 with my friend), and they really like their Linux, but they're just going very slow with 'converting' because of the reasons I gave above. Oh well, just my take on it all, heh. John -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.2.2 (GNU/Linux) iD8DBQE/CE4OH5oDXyLKXKQRAgXYAJ9BWAg97z5mwLsYteCHUbwyuSjutQCgr9oz QjIn+dNYq7Gfk7pglRL83Gk= =J4xx -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----