In a message dated 2/26/2005 10:03:43 PM Eastern Standard Time, dylan@dylan.me.uk writes:

Subj: Re: [SLE] Sometimes Linux makes me crazy. Date: 2/26/2005 10:03:43 PM Eastern Standard Time From: dylan@dylan.me.uk To: suse-linux-e@suse.com Sent from the Internet

On Sunday 27 Feb 2005 02:27 am, Randall R Schulz wrote:

...

Dylan, Stephen,

On Saturday 26 February 2005 17:55, Dylan wrote:

...

On Sunday 27 Feb 2005 01:12 am, Stephen Furlong wrote: <SNIP>

...

Also in my opinion Linux is designed for tinkerer's/computer geek's as it is nowhere near ready for mainstream distribution, nor will it be for a long time in my opinion.

I can't agree with that at all.

I concur with you (in your contradiction to Stephen's claim). I install Linux and pretty much live with the configuration it provides. I install the provided security patches. What customization I do, and I do a lot, is all on top of the stock system, not a modification to it.

I do a fair amount of post-install configuration, but that's how I learnt about the system in the first place.

<SNIP>

...

...

...

People just aren't keyed up enough in whole on computers to be able to understand linux.

This is really not to the point. If it's true, and it probably is, it's equally true of Windows (and, possibly, MacOS, though probably less so). People sometimes compare contemporary computer technology to the automotive technology of much of the first half of the 20th century. Then, you could not just buy a car and use it to get around as you do now. You had to be prepared to deal with unpredictable and ongoing problems. I'd like to expect that we (I speak as a computer scientist and a software engineer) will be able to put information technology on a much more reliable basis, but so far, it's just not that way. The truth is that we don't have the theoretical underpinnings to make it possible.

And from a more practical POV there are not yet the necessary standards (system internal and inter-system) nor compliance with the ones we do have. Also, in addition to that, users are not yet generally aware of what systems *can* do, and how they are constrained, hence there are often 'needs' (read 'wants') which can only be partially satisfied, and systems are pushed beyond their limits in the attempt to expand capabilities and overcome constraints. That, to me, is one of the core strengths of OSS - if functionality is required or a constraint needs to be eliminated then we have the code so we can work on it.

Dylan

-- "I see your Schwartz is as big as mine" -Dark Helmet

-- Check the headers for your unsubscription address For additional commands send e-mail to suse-linux-e-help@suse.com Also check the archives at http://lists.suse.com Please read the FAQs: suse-linux-e-faq@suse.com

Yes, Linux drives me crazy too, but I blame most of it on my lack of knowledge of Linux.