Mailinglist Archive: opensuse (3627 mails)

["Briggs, N. - Neil -" <N.Briggs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dear List members 

I just thought that I would post some of my thoughts after struggling with
Linux for the last couple of months. The reason for giving linux a go came
as a request from my manager as we thought it would be ideal for some of our
computing requirements, cost I believe was the major issue here. 

So SUSE 7.1 professional was purchased and installed on a HP vectra machine.
Installation was straight forward and connection to the network a zip. Well
straight forward, hmmm, the sound card is not configured, a generic driver
was automatically selected for the video card. I tried install the correct
driver for the g450 card. The driver didn't work. So I cannot use the full
functionality if the card:-(. 

The first thing I tried was surfing the webb using Konquerer. What a pain.
Some sites caused the browser to crash (aarrgghh!!), playing movies and
streaming sound have proved too difficult to achieve. Installed real player
8 (couldn't get it to work).
So I have found linux not very multi media friendly. 

I then started to use the Netscape browser instead. Arrgghhh !!!! some webb
sites the text is displayed so small you cant read the information. I have
tried increasing the font size but to no avail. If I click on an image to
display it with the browser I get an error saying that without xv it can't
be displayed ?????? I have been unable to connect to chat rooms. I would
like to use ICQ but have been unable to get it to work. 

So not to be deterred I thought I would try and install some work related
software. The first thing I tried was to install IBM's DB2 for linux. I
followed the installation process exaclty. Guess what it didn't work. No DB2
very bad.

We do alot of REXX programming here so I thought I would install REXX from
the ibm site. Even had the help of a Unix body who knows linux well. We
performed the install steps. Guess what - we could'nt get it to work. As an
alternative I was given oracle on a cd. Ran the program to perform the
install. Guess what it didn't work.

Bought a Linux magazine because it contained Sun Forte for Java. I follow
the easy install steps as instructed by the magazine. Ran the executable
that was supposed to start the program. All that happened was after pressing
enter I saw the prompt again. So guess what it didn't work. 

Thought I would give linux one last chance. For fun I decide to install
Achilles artificial life program. Downloaded the tar ball. Then went the
whole hog of installing SDL (failed couldn't locate the header file ???? I
could'nt find these either) continued regardless and tried to install the
graphic environment from www.mesa3d.org. Performing the install failed
because it could'nt locate the GLUT files ???? Gave up ....

I have now given up on linux. Other than the applications supplied with the
SUSE cd I have not been able to install anything successfully. Even some
apps installed from the cd don't work. I have read so many manuals and how
to's that my head spins. Not knowing what the author is referring to half
the time. 

At work we have decided not to go ahead with linux, we are finding it just
too difficult, frustrating and time consuming. Two days spent trying to
install DB2 to have it not work is man hours we can't afford to waste. I
will continue to learn about linux and increase what little knowledge I have
already.  I take some comfort from the fact that somebody who is familiar
with linux has not been able to help. So perhaps I am not the idiot I was
beginning to think I was. I still have it installed on a second partition
and use Linux as more of a hobby machine. The real work stuff is done on
windows. With time and a little more knowledge I hope to try linux again as
with linux you feel that you are actually getting your fingers dirty. 

Sorry for such a long winded vent. I know people here think linux is great,
but this has not been my experience. I hope I dont get flamed too much for
this email. 

Kindest regards
Neil