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Are You Ready to Switch to GNU/Linux?
Tuxman:
http://blog.milkingthegnu.org/2008/04/gpl-for-dummies.html
mahesh2k:
1. You’re Tired of Paying for Software
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No. Tired of being a freebie-sucker and i want to support myself and other develoeprs.
2. You’re Tired of Upgrading Hardware
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So that keeps me from playing upcoming games ? no thanks. i'll update hardware frequently and play games instead of pretending to live frugal life just for the sake of lazyness. :D
3. You’re Tired of Malware
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There are no malware for chrome and firefox irrespective of platform ? ;)
4. You’ve Seen One Too Many Patch Tuesdays
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There are no patches in linux software ? i wonder why gcc and other supported libs are updated frequently on every software package when synaptic finds out.
5. You Don’t Have the Time
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linux increases amount of time i spent on it to sort things out. Don't tell me linux saves time.
single drive multiple(countless) folders (linux)thinking saves time ? or multiple drives and multiple folders (windows way)save time and are easy to sort out ? ;)
6. You Like Speed
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for what ? games? let's face it. It's not profitable to write games for linux and so the speed is useless when it comes to linux gaming.
7. You Like Sharing
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share what ? music ? illegal stuff ? :coughs:
8. You Don’t Actually Love Internet Explorer
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Never used it ever since 2007. Firefox and opera is beating that child of MS for long time already.
9. You Want to Be in Control
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I'm in control.
10. You’re One of a Kind
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Writing scripts on command line to do simple tasks when 2 clicks can do job ? No, i'm not unique then. :D
f0dder:
As Linux is GPL, how does any distribution NOT become GPL? That violates the license. And if it's GPL, then it's GNU.-Renegade (December 31, 2010, 09:22 PM)
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Unless I'm really mistaken, licensing something under the GPL does not make it GNU.
There's a lot of software in every linux distribution not written by the GNU project people.
And there's a fair amount of opensource projects that aren't under the GPL license, and are included in most/lots of distributions.
Insisting on calling a distribution GNU/Linux imho equals downplaying the importance on non-gnu/non-gpl projects, and I find that rather distasteful and self-important of the GNU guys.
Renegade:
As Linux is GPL, how does any distribution NOT become GPL? That violates the license. And if it's GPL, then it's GNU.-Renegade (December 31, 2010, 09:22 PM)
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Unless I'm really mistaken, licensing something under the GPL does not make it GNU.
There's a lot of software in every linux distribution not written by the GNU project people.
And there's a fair amount of opensource projects that aren't under the GPL license, and are included in most/lots of distributions.
Insisting on calling a distribution GNU/Linux imho equals downplaying the importance on non-gnu/non-gpl projects, and I find that rather distasteful and self-important of the GNU guys.
-f0dder (January 01, 2011, 06:39 AM)
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I wasn't aware of some loopholes in/interpretations of the GPL that allowed use with non-GPL code. I'd then made another assumption and made an ass out of u and me. :) It happens. :P
Personally, I also find the OSI somewhat arrogant. I have source licenses for software, but they're not OSI approved. :-\
Edvard:
I hate these lists precisely because of the controversy they engender, the snarky remarks, the outlandish claims, the smug retorts, the arguments that go on and on and on and on...
Use Windows if it works for you.
Use Linux if it works for you.
Use both if it suits you.
Both have their merits and their drawbacks; deal with it, live with your choice, leave well enough alone, and don't feed the trolls.
That said, I apologize in advance, but I just can't let this go (and I'm not calling mahesh2k a troll, either :P)...
1. You’re Tired of Paying for Software
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No. Tired of being a freebie-sucker and i want to support myself and other develoeprs.
-mahesh2k (December 31, 2010, 11:11 PM)
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I'm a "freebie-sucker" because my income doesn't allow me to purchase software for which I find acceptable freeware alternatives?
Jeez, first you call me a cheapskate, and now this...
2. You’re Tired of Upgrading Hardware
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So that keeps me from playing upcoming games ? no thanks. i'll update hardware frequently and play games instead of pretending to live frugal life just for the sake of lazyness. :D
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I'm lazy because I can't afford the latest whiz-bang constantly slung at me by game magazine advertisements?
This has NOTHING to do with my personal motivation level and EVERYTHING to do with the fact that I can run a modern operating system on hardware that doesn't require a new line of credit every 6 months.
I can even play games.
:o
3. You’re Tired of Malware
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There are no malware for chrome and firefox irrespective of platform ? ;)
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Yeah, this dead horse has been beaten to a bloody pulp already.
Malware is not inherently Windows fault, it's the fault of the malware purveyors being aware of their market and how to exploit it.
Linux users are not completely immune to (for example) Flash and Java exploits that harvest data, but there are 90-99% more Windows machines with much more delicious data stored in the same place on every machine, which makes them an irresistable target.
Sorry.4. You’ve Seen One Too Many Patch Tuesdays
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There are no patches in linux software ? i wonder why gcc and other supported libs are updated frequently on every software package when synaptic finds out.
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Hehe... I have to agree I don't see the point here.
Updates happen quite frequently in any repository-based distribution, and they happen any day of the week.
*shrug*
5. You Don’t Have the Time
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linux increases amount of time i spent on it to sort things out. Don't tell me linux saves time.
single drive multiple(countless) folders (linux)thinking saves time ? or multiple drives and multiple folders (windows way)save time and are easy to sort out ? ;)
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What does the structure of a filesystem and disk mount points have to do with the amount of your available free time?
If you're talking about setting up system parameters and application preferences that you're unfamiliar with, fine, yes, that's going to take some time.
Windows requires babysitting as well, most people are just much more familiar with the environment and the process, which translates to "faster".
OK, sure, I'll admit that at for a long while the filesystem baffled me and I spent a lot of time in the early years trying to "sort things out" before I finally learned why it is the way it is.
BUT... once I figured that out, I discovered that ~90% of the time there is no real reason to muck about with the root filesystem, so I made myself cozy in /home/edvard and occasionally /opt and I'm doing much better.
Incidentally, the same goes for Windows; it took me just as many years to figure out that the less time I spent in C:\windows\system32 and more in C:\Documents and Settings\edvard the happier I was.
BTW, in Linux you can set up multiple drives in more ways than I even know how, and I've actually found it WAY more flexible than Windows.
Just sayin'...
6. You Like Speed
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for what ? games? let's face it. It's not profitable to write games for linux and so the speed is useless when it comes to linux gaming.
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Dude, you've thrown this gauntlet down before and I've thrown it right back at you but you obviously didn't catch it.
There are MANY legitimate reasons why NOT to write games for Linux, but it HAS NOW BEEN PROVEN that profit (or lack thereof) is NOT one of them.
http://www.hemispheregames.com/2010/06/23/linux-the-numbers/
http://jeffhoogland.blogspot.com/2010/05/why-there-is-market-for-linux-games.html
Besides, WTF does this point have to do with game profitability?
This one can be demonstrated by the fact that right now I'm typing this post in Xubuntu on a single-core 64-bit 4GB RAM machine that consistently outperforms the quad-core 6GB RAM machine running Windows XP that I am forced to wrestle with at work.
Betcha the games are faster, too.
7. You Like Sharing
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share what ? music ? illegal stuff ? :coughs:
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What.
Ever.
:-\
Windows users were sharing MP3s and cracked software before Linux even had a decent desktop.
Your insinuation is illogical at best and malicious at worst.
What is referred to is the fact that when I'm done installing the latest Linux, I can hand the CD to my friend and he can also install it without worrying about licenses, validations, activations and so forth, which I could NEVER do (legally) with Windows.
That's just the nature of the game, no more, no less.
8. You Don’t Actually Love Internet Explorer
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Never used it ever since 2007. Firefox and opera is beating that child of MS for long time already.
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Agreed.
And Opera even has a Linux version :D9. You Want to Be in Control
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I'm in control.
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I'm sure you are, especially if you're a half-decent system administrator, which I'm assuming is true.
Personally, I've never felt more in control of a computer than the day I fully grasped the implications of running Linux instead of Windows.
It's not just GUI vs. command line, it's not about dealing with registry corruption, fiddly permissions, malware/viruses/etc, it's not a question of hating Microsoft or Apple or Adobe or any of that nonsense.
It's something quite nebulous and intangible that only comes with the experience of being a long-time Linux user, the moment you know you'll never turn back, that moment...
I'm sorry, I can't go on...
Inspirational music just started playing in my head and it must now stop.
:P10. You’re One of a Kind
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Writing scripts on command line to do simple tasks when 2 clicks can do job ? No, i'm not unique then. :D
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Hehe... Yeah, this one is kind of subjective.
Just because one runs Linux doesn't make one any more or less unique.
Hell, a few choice DC apps and a new desktop wallpaper and my Windows machine at work can be pretty darn unique. ;p
BTW - depending on the task at hand, a few "scripts on command line" can take your 2 clicks to the mat any time.
Seriously, keep count of how many mouse clicks and menu options you have to go through to do an average administration task.
I bet it's more than you realize, but since you're more familiar with the process, you experience it as "easier".
Since getting familiar with common tasks in Linux that require command line operations, I've found that to be much easier and more powerful.
It's all in the familiarity...
Mahesh, I fully support you in your efforts to develop software intended to provide superior functionality for an equitable price that will hopefully provide for as much of your livelihood as possible.
I understand that most often such an endeavor requires developing for and with Windows, and freeware/open source simply cannot promise to put food on the table; nobody can argue that.
However, I cannot stand by the perception that developing for Linux with commercial intent is inherently a losing proposition because "Linux users will not pay for software".
It is a flat myth that has been proven false many times over, and the sooner this misconception is put to death, the better off both worlds will be.
In fact, why not do as others have and just try developing a commercial software project that is cross-platform; something that fills a need for Linux users as well as Windows and Mac.
Something that either has no Linux software equivalent or is sufficiently advanced to render existing software patently inferior by comparison.
See if you don't profit more than you foresaw, even if it is only a small percentage compared to Windows sales (Linux is, after all, only 1-5% of desktop market share, right?).
Prove me wrong.
I DARE you...
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