Ok, so I don't fit in the demographic of Linux desktop users from the survey. They're in their 20s...but if you want to think of me as in my 20s, you can indeed think of me as that.
I've been interested in Linux for some time. Ever since the first commercial version of Linux appeared on the Egghead Software store shelves for a lot under $100 and included everything you needed to set up a web server with a web store, including credit card processing...for under $100.
And there were these rumors that Linux could run on PCs much too old to run the current version of Windows.
So I picked up the box and took the little penguin home with me. And I TRIED...let me say that again...I TRIED to load it on a PC. I got so far, then couldn't get further.
Turned out that all the instructions were written by pimple-ridden fifteen year olds who constantly reminded you in their instructions to be sure to "read the instructions" before asking questions. The implication was that they would find you and do something monsterous to your computer or email if you dared to ask a newbie (uninitiated user) question.
Well, you can be sure that I wasn't likely to put my own business on the line for support by fifteen year olds...OK, maybe some of them were in college and maybe they didn't have pimples...I was just being facetious (don't send me an email unless you know what this word means without looking it up in a dictionary...and don't comment on the blog entry for this post if you even THOUGHT about looking it up...OR if you're under 40...OR if you own an Apple computer...OR if your mother lives in the house with you...OR worse still, if you live in the house with her).
See what I mean? It's nasty to be reminded that you're ignorant with the insinutation that you might just be stupid or have sub-human intelligence.
Anyway, that has nothing to do with Linux. Except for the sub-human intelligence part.
Linux was too risky, to put it mildly.
Today, several years...maybe a decade later...I realize something. I don't know much more about the innards of Windows XP and Windows Vista than I do about Linux. And when I need to know something about the innards of them, I look it up on the Internet.
It takes a different midset and a different set of skills to look up the answer for Linux. But, frankly, I'm not finding it too difficult. And I'm impressed with the ease of use.
So I went out and bought a $400 laptop. I spent three days downloading the DVDs of Debian (only the first of which I have used). I loaded Linux the first time on my PC. I figured out how to review disk partitions and configure things and look at network configurations. I've loaded a new browser...FireFox. I'm relearning vi -- the text editor -- and learning bash as well as Linux command language.
I'm reading Thomas Merton at the same time. And Linux hasn't yet made me want to become a hermit like Merton. That time may be just around the corner. Who knows.
For now, I think Linux is pretty neat.
I'm not ready to run a business with it or to propose it for any clients. But I'm thinking and learning.
What do you think about Linux?
Comments (2)
I'm 55, I know what "facetious" means, I live alone but have a real girl friend, I have never owned an Apple computer (and most likely never will) and I'm typing these words on a computer that has had Linux on it since February 2005. Ok, do I qualify?
Part of the "shock" of changing over to Linux is something that rarely gets mentioned. It's the culture. Unfortunately there are those in the Linux community (I think you may have encountered some in the past) who would like us to remain an elite group and will heap scorn and ridicule on anyone who dares to enter. I sometimes wonder if some of that scorn is being dished out from computers running XP. Anyone who has a stake in Microsoft be it stockholders, partners or employees has nothing to gain and a lot to lose from Linux. There are some blogs appearing who's sole purpose appears to be to bash Linux. But I'm drifting off the subject. One of the aspects of our culture is that we love an nurture variety and choice. That's why there are hundreds of distros. Independence and freedom are another aspect. That's why people will often say "Google" the problem. The freedom to tinker is another. This is sometimes mislabeled as Linux is "too hard", as I heard John C. Dvorak mention once. When the immigrants stepped of the boat from Ellis Island, they must have thought all of America looked like New York City. What would they have thought if they had been plunked down on the plains in Kansas? It's a similar situation with Linux. Because it's possible to walk up to almost any computer across the country and see the same desktop, often with the same "grassy knoll" wallpaper, people get confused when Linux isn't like that.
So what are your options. I wish I could give you some professional advice but since I have never owned a business my words don't carry much weight. But that never stopped me from saying them before so here it goes. I would try as many of the top 10 distros as possible. They didn't get to be there for nothing you know. Some distros are more geared for the home user like Ubuntu and PCLinuxOS, others for work-a-day installations like Fedora and CentOS. Others still are for people who like to sink their fingers deep into the mechanics of Linux like Gentoo and Slackware. If you have several computers you should consider a server/client setup. I think Fedora for the server and PCLinuxOS for the clients would be nice. But the more you research by playing with the distros the better off you'll be when it come time to switch. Also, if there is no compelling reason to switch, then use as much time as you need to educate yourself.
Posted by Richard Chapman | May 11, 2007 4:59 PM
Posted on May 11, 2007 16:59
Richard,
Yep, you qualify.
I think you've captured the essence of what I'm dealing with. I agree that many players have much to lose from Linux.
However, as an owner of a technology business, I have much to gain from keeping my eyes open to all new technologies.
I am very enamored of the way in which Microsoft integrates products. Having a group of tools that work together from programming to email to web services to communications, etc. is important conceptually.
However, few of our clients do much more than issue invoices and write letters with all of that technology.
We sell help in the form of time; that's what we're good at, and what I've made my living at for (oh my goodness) 20+ years. So whether my client buys the MS Office suite or not doesn't make a whole lot of difference to me. I just want a happy client with a prosperous business.
As of now, there is more in the Windows world to offer the business user. That may not be true in the next 10 years...
So I'm keeping my eyes open. Thanks for your comments.
bp
Posted by Bob Palmer | May 11, 2007 5:36 PM
Posted on May 11, 2007 17:36