[KLUG Advocacy] Linux tutor.

[Adam Williams]

>I got involved with Linux more as software developer. As a working pro
>for about 30 years now, I can say that Lunux represents the *BEST* value I've 
>ever seen for software development activity. If I didn't think so, I would
>simply WALK AWAY from Linux, since whatever it costs to buy software to do my 
>job is a cost of doing biusiness, and will either be funded by a client/
>employer or passed along to them.

Roughly the same thing here.  I'm not a developer, but I started out as a 
data-processor (if that is a job description).  Take data set A, B, and 
C, and make information.  Windows didn't (and doesn't) out-of-the-box 
provide much in the way of useful tools.  The tools provided with the 
$300 Borland C compiler, $199 database, $200 Office suite weren't that 
impressive either.  And on a 80386 you needed a program to run for *hours* 
in order to process any meaningful data - and the database + ODBC + 
Borlands data-aware widgets + that *SAD* excuse for an IP stack - running 
for hours under load was a bloody miracle.

>To me, what is impressive is how robust the tools are, and how complete the 
>coverage of disciplines and functions are as well. I've come to notice the
>amount of extra effort that is required to maintain licence files and licence
>servers, and if it were broken out as a seperate cost people would be quite 
>surprised at that sum, IMO.

Fortunately for me,  most licensing stuff is handled by purchasing. SEP! 
(someone else's problem).

>I come from a commercial UNIX and IBM mainframe environment, with a smattering 
>of Windows-based work. ki found Linux VERY EASY to get used to, since it is 
>very much like the commercial UNIX systems from the point of view of the user 
>and developer.

It does make it easier,  I think coming from a 8 bit CP/M home computer 
made UNIX easier.  With that old hardware you got pretty familiar with 
what was really going on,  every operation was a discrete step that 
involved intervention.  UNIX abstracted alot of that away, or had by the 
time I came to it - so it seemed easy.  Windows (or to some extent 
something like GNOME) buries that under another level.  I think starting 
at the bottom and evolving with the technology has been an advantage, 
where as someone coming from Windows who really wants to do net/sys-admin 
really needs to (in a sense) descend/devolve - which is probably harder 
since your bucking all kind of unconsious assumptions and preconcieved 
notions manifested not from how the system works but from the abstraction 
layer your familiar with.

>The reason I wrte that it will take years is that it has ALREADY taken years,
>and it takes time to reach everyone and overcome the advertising juggernaut
>that some software/OS vendors can fund. However, I also expect that Linux
>will become a lot more popular a lot more quickly than it has until now; it
>has already acheived acceptance in many key communities (Academia, R&D, pro-
>duction servers, engoneering and finance) and is ready for additonal growth,
>into additional areas...
>>> Oh wow.  So how long do you think it will be until people catch on that 
>>> they don't have to spend $300 a year on an operating system and
>>I caught on when they wanted me to pay $149 for Windows 95.  Yeah
>>right!  And then $300 for a compiler!  Oh, and $199 for a barely
>>functional database package.  And $200 for a word processor!  Yikes!!!
>>I got an Iggrasil Linux CD for $10.00 and a copy of Word Perfect for
>>Linux for $189.  The compiler and the database - well, it was a choice
>>of which one, for a cost of $0.00.
>Yggrasil. Didn;t change the price, but made it harder to figure out how to 
>pronounce! :)

Actually I don't think you can pay for it now if you wanted to.  They 
appear to have sailed into the west.

>>If you install Ximian take a tour of System->"Administrator Settings", 
>>alot can be done their without resorting to the command line.
>>This probably belongs over on the advocacy list now. :) [Preempting the
>>list master].
>Here we are.

Yep.

>>>  $1500 a year on a computer system?
>>Hey, but that part is fun.  At least I get something for my money.
>Right, and you can recycle the hardware after losing the toy software.

Right, the monetary value of the hardware may decline rapidly, but it 
retains alot of utility - unlike old proprietary software.