[KLUG Advocacy] Use Linux where it fits formerly ... Lindows/"I Hate Linux" rant....

[Rusty Yonkers]

I think that this guys rant is not as much against Linux but against
militant users that he has run across.  These are the militant users
that say Linux is the best solution for everything.  I think that is
an invalid position.  

For example, if you are like into all the latest computer games and
that is your focus then you should run Windows.  There are more games
out for Windows than any other platform.  This will be true for at
least the forseeable future.  

Unless you are Industrial light and magic with your own programming
staff, and you want to do video editing and production, then the Mac
is the best platform.  Linux has cinelerra and as far as I know that
is the extent of it.  There are no special effects programs and post
production programs other than cinelerra that I am aware of.  Well
there is MainActor but it is stuck at version 3 on Linux and it does
not look like version 5 is in the works for the Linux platform. 
Windows even has a larger selection than Linux what with EVE, and
MainActor version 5 and VideoMan, and Windows Movie Maker (version 2
is actually not quite so bad - feature rich but not totally stable),
and alamDV, and Adobe premier and after affects, etc. etc. etc.
 
And on the Mac we start with iMovie which is AWESOME!!!! and final
cut and the list grows huge.  Oh and authoring a DVD... WOW  ... I
know that you can burn DVD on Linux but what about rich multimedia
content menus and such .... put together easily..... iDVD ROCKS!!!!! 
That is why the Mac is even hands down better than Windows.... and
getting a Windows system with the power and software etc to do what
the Mac can will actually cost more than the Mac (yes it is really
true!!!!).  

In the server realm Linux ROCKS like no other.  I don't think that
there is any better platform than Linux on the server side of things.
 Linux also makes a rock solid and awesome client for most business
environments, escpecially with LTSP!  Unless you have a vertical
market app that only runs on Windows and won't work in WINE (hmmm
never have liked WINE - to kludgy) then you may have to run Windows,
or at least Windows terminal server (of course you need to buy
Windows licenses for all those workstations even if you are using
rdesktop).  

For the casual home user.... hmmmmmm interesting question.... I have
seen plenty of people end up in totally awful situations in Windows
in homes.  Of course connecting Windows to a cable or DSL line
without a firewall (which most people do) is totally unforgivable!!!!
 For most people though the support when they have Linux questions is
not often there.  There are those on the Linux news groups that are
so rude that they drive away all newcomers.  Many people do not even
know what a news group is.  There will be NO help at your local Best
Buy or Circuit City!!!!!!  Of course assistance for Mac is not much
better in stores....but the Mac is so easy for the end user that is
not as much of an issue (am I showing some of my colors with that
statement???).  

The plethora of software to do all that cutezy stuff easily like
making cards and such is only available for Windows (and often Mac)
but not Linux.  Educational titles for bobby and suzy are not
released for Linux (aka Reader Rabbit).  I remember when Apple II was
king.  I was trying to sell Intel computers at Radio Shack.  You
could not sell Mom and Dad anything other than an Apple!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
In the home market software, the stuff on the store shelves, sells
computers, period!!!!  I also go back to an earlier post I made about
ease of installation of software.  It is still too hard for the
uninitiated.  It needs to be as easy as insert cd and click on
install or download file and double click on it to do the install. 
Yes I know that Windows and Mac sometimes have dependancies and such
.... but the installs often take care of that better.  And yes I
totally agree that the whole Windows DLL thing and library thing etc
is about as screwed up as it can get.  Mom and Dad do not care about,
or even know those things though.....  This is where Lindows is going
with click and run.  If the Linux community would chose one standard
(ie Red Carpet), get behind it, standardize on it, and make it as GUI
and easy as pie they would take about a thousand steps in the right
direction towards desktop acceptance in the home.

You don't fight a sub battle with a tank or a tank battle with a sub.
 I think if we can find the right solution for the problem instead of
using a hammer for everything the battle will go much farther!

=====
Rusty Yonkers
CNE, MCP, A+, CCNA, Linux+, Server+, Network+ certified
-----------------------------------------
Ubergeek -- An Atomic Supergeek with an attitude!
-----------------------------------------
Currently using SuSE 8.2, Mac OS X, and WinXP (would love to get rid of last one)

...............looking for penguin domination.....................

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