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My dad unexpectedly uses my Linux laptop to get real work done

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Re: My dad unexpectedly uses my Linux laptop to get real work done

#111

Post by skuunk1 »

awesomerly wrote: post #16
skuunk1 wrote: post #8

The only real trouble with Linux is possible driver issues (caused by trying to shoehorn an OS onto hardware for which it wasn't initially designed). If more OEMs would put Linux onto laptops directly this wouldn't be a problem. It's still tough to find a good, decently priced laptop OEMed with Linux though. I can't get my hands on the Dell XPS with Ubuntu pre-installed in my current country of residence...

Please define "shoehorn an OS". Linux generally runs on most modern hardware and arguably is a better general purpose OS than Windows.

I am a huge Ubuntu fanboy (I am even installing it on my old Vaio as I write this), but I would love to have it running on hardware that was designed from the ground up for Ubuntu instead of having to patch together various drivers and troll through forums looking trying to find out how to get the mic and camera working (etc...).

Re: My dad unexpectedly uses my Linux laptop to get real work done

#112

Post by jrs99 »

skyebook wrote: post #101
jrs99 wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

if you have a paper to write or something, some younger people i've seen, they've really gotten accustomed to Word and Powerpoint. If you're not an expert on the one program you need that's only on Windows, I think you can get comfortable quickly with Linux without missing anything.

As much as I cringe to say this, you can get into a pretty decent groove with Word as far as footnotes/endnotes go. I remember in College hating the knowledge that I was using Word but being able to fly through citations pretty quickly without losing my train of thought as I wrote.

is it because you got used to using Word or because you found Word better? I'm pretty dependent on Photoshop and Illustrator. Most likely because I've used them for so long. I get really frustrated using GIMP. I figure that's the frustration most people feel when they switch to Linux... that one program that you're so productive and "automatic" in is no longer the same.

Re: My dad unexpectedly uses my Linux laptop to get real work done

#113

Post by jrs99 »

piratejon wrote: post #104
_qhtn wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your brother is 25 and has shit to do. I'm sure that once he's old and retired he'll be glad to have learning a new system to take up his time.

I wanted to voice my concurrence with the sentiment ensconced in the rudeness you are probably being downvoted for: I am in my twenties, generally operate from the perspective of one who thinks he "has shit to do" (in fact I use that very phrase frequently to characterize my obligations and commitments), and don't see myself having time to learn a new tool, method, or technique every time I have a need to express mys…

it's a strategy that Ubuntu should use, i think... that "killer app" strategy.

Re: My dad unexpectedly uses my Linux laptop to get real work done

#116

Post by smcnally »

My mom's 81. Ubuntu's been her primary OS for 3+ years. Started with Windows on a low-end Dell laptop. When any of her 19 grandkids played on it, they'd leave new toolbars and malware behind. The machine got so slow, she was happy to see her email and browser on Linux.

Re: My dad unexpectedly uses my Linux laptop to get real work done

#117

Post by dredmorbius »

cyborb wrote: post #109
mataug wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My mom 50+, No technical knowledge, uses ubuntu for email, youtube, and general browsing, and occasionally makes presentations. My colleagues at work, Programmers, aren't able to get out of Windows, even though they are just writing python. They would rather stick with the pain of having to use git in a crappy console, and suffer loads of pain when shell-ing into ec2 linux boxes, Than learn a new UI and file-system

That's what drives me craziest about programming in windows, the freak'n console is awful

Among the first things I wanted to find when I bought and paid for (yes) Windows NT ... over 15 years ago now. I'd heard it was all multi-user and powerful like Unix.

The terminal _sucked_. It was the same crappy DOS box I'd seen since, well, DOS days and Win3.1.

That lead me on an exploration of MKS, UWIN, Cygwin, and finally, Red Hat, over the course of a few months. And I realized Linux Didn't Suck.

Another few months and I wiped NT off my hardrives and repartitioned with RH. Never looked back.

Re: My dad unexpectedly uses my Linux laptop to get real work done

#118

Post by bartkappenburg »

As I'm reading through the comments I see only two types of users:

- the hackernews audience - 60+ low level users (no offence)

The former group has enough experience and knowlegde to get the system (linux) adapted to their needs.

The latter are only using it for either browsing, checking email or watching movies.

I think we're forgetting the important 'middle' group: the ones that aren't in IT but are working with a PC daily for their work. Linux is getting no real traction there (yet!) because of the poor native support of tools that are pretty common the in corporate world.

Think: - vpn software - voip tools - login procedures - custom software - etc etc

I'm not seeing this fixed in the near future...

Re: My dad unexpectedly uses my Linux laptop to get real work done

#119

Post by mkmkmmmmm »

cyborb wrote: post #109
mataug wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My mom 50+, No technical knowledge, uses ubuntu for email, youtube, and general browsing, and occasionally makes presentations. My colleagues at work, Programmers, aren't able to get out of Windows, even though they are just writing python. They would rather stick with the pain of having to use git in a crappy console, and suffer loads of pain when shell-ing into ec2 linux boxes, Than learn a new UI and file-system

That's what drives me craziest about programming in windows, the freak'n console is awful

That's what I never got about Windows and especially Windows devs. How can you get anything done with all that clicking and no unix tools?

Re: My dad unexpectedly uses my Linux laptop to get real work done

#120

Post by ilyanep »

arbuge wrote: post #39

This is one way to look at it. Here's another: I have Ubuntu on a couple of machines at home and still can't get them to talk to my Brother MFC-685CW printer. I'm a PhD in EECS.

In my experience, PhDs in EECS are actually worse at day-to-day computer operation than many other people (Source: All my profs who couldn't get their laptops connected to projectors) :P

But yeah, your point is valid. I just couldn't resist the urge to poke a little fun.

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