What is the lamest reason for giving up on Ubuntu/Linux you've ever heard?

[Arenlor]

"I'm scared I'll make my computer blow up" I hear that alot.
Once you set a computer on fire or make it arc you tend to worry about that, which until I got forced Vista I was afraid to mess up my computer. Vista is so screwed up that I was willing to try Linux, after many flavors and two weeks got Feisty, it worked with almost everything out of the box, and Gutsy does work with everything out of the box, so I'm happy.

[sci-fi guy]

Haven't you tried to manually install ALSA, ALSA LIBS, and ALSA UTILS? I mean, from source, not synaptic. That might help.

Sound works now, but it did not for the first three months and Vista had come with drivers preinstalled. Not that I used Vista even when it was on dual-boot.

[ryanVickers]

"I'm scared I'll make my computer blow up" I hear that alot.

Yeah, "A meteorite hit my house while running Linux - I blame it!" :p

[Frak]

Yeah, "A meteorite hit my house while running Linux - I blame it!" :p
:lolflag:
You know that linux, its a magnet for flying peices of iron. ;)

[Arenlor]

/me is an evil genius. My only thought reading that was, I wonder if I make the HDD work hard enough if it would do that.

Ok I have a nice lame excuse now, I'd have to put in the disk and follow the instructions.

[jpittack]

I told my dad that my little brothers computer was having the most awful time trying to have windows installed on it, via a cd that I later found out was error filled due to bad download. So I said I would put Ubuntu on it, (interrupted here, with the intent of saying that I would have it on there temporarly until I got a vaild xp cd, which I still don't have, two weeks later).

No, you are putting Windows on it. You can play with linux on your own computer.

Thanks dad, for listening to the guy that is giving you free tech support on everything widnows related, including reinstalling the os a total of five times.

Geeks like me don't get any respect, unless it is from my most wonderful girlfriend! Bless her love for nerds.

[Arenlor]

Geeks like me don't get any respect, unless it is from my most wonderful girlfriend! Bless her love for nerds.
Gotta love girls that love geeks. Seriously, if you don't love them you are like the biggest masochist I've ever heard of.

[GepettoBR]

Gotta love girls that love geeks. Seriously, if you don't love them you are like the biggest masochist I've ever heard of.

Hear, hear

[terry_gardener]

lamest excuse:

you cant do anything in it.
from someone at work.

[Crandom]

misguided friend: It's illegal and text based like DOS. ](*,)](*,)](*,)

[sci-fi guy]

...text based like DOS.

Technically, it is.
If I am not mistaken, Gnome and KDE are to Linux what Windows 3 was to DOS (but much more advanced, of course)

[NightCrawler03X]

"I like the way my computer is set up, I don't want to ruin it"
- My mother, who has a 3 ghz Pentium D, 512 mb RAM, running as if her computer is 40 years old, even when I show her my computer (which is much weaker) running 10 times faster.

Me - Arch GNU/Linux user

[ryanVickers]

:lolflag: so true... :D

[Crandom]

Technically, it is.
If I am not mistaken, Gnome and KDE are to Linux what Windows 3 was to DOS (but much more advanced, of course)

Have you ever used Windows 3? It's more like xp to DOS, although DOS was more fun. He thought it was illegal because the creator (unkown to him, the great Linus Torvalds) had stolen how to make and OS from microsoft as they invented computers.

[sci-fi guy]

Have you ever used Windows 3? It's more like xp to DOS, although DOS was more fun. He thought it was illegal because the creator (unkown to him, the great Linus Torvalds) had stolen how to make and OS from microsoft as they invented computers.

No, I've never used Windows 3. I have seen it, once. I make the comparison because both are, at their cores, basically a graphical front for a text-based OS.

[Can+~]

"I like that glassy borders on vista"
(It's like "It's shiny").

"Why?"
(Although, this is the most hard to answer, there must be 100 reasons to do it, but none of them convince them to abandon their "windows nest").

[sci-fi guy]

"I like that glassy borders on vista"
(It's like "It's shiny").

Install Emerald. With a Vista-like theme if they insist.

[Yarbo]

It plays css?

Counter-Strike Source.

[SomeGuyDude]

The standard "I don't want to lose my stuff" excuse.

Of course, you can sympathize with people. We're in an age where computers aren't just something to toy with during downtime, most people practically live on them. Especially notebook users. I myself have mine with me almost perpetually.

ANY of the above excuses are just rationalization for why they're nervous to make such a big switch. It's like trying to get someone to switch wireless services or go from Dish to cable. Even if it's not perfect, people are afraid of changing what they've known so well.

They probably know that there are alternatives, the fact is that they know that their current system CAN do what they want, and they're hesitant to chance moving to something that has any possibility of not being able to. Y'know, stick with the devil you know.

[ardchoille42]

Lamest excuse?
"Linux is too hard"

Go ahead and laugh, but I've actually heard that excuse more times that I care to admit.

Funny how my 8 year old niece seems to be doing fine in Ubuntu (all by herself) since Breezy was released.

[sci-fi guy]

The standard "I don't want to lose my stuff" excuse.

Of course, you can sympathize with people. We're in an age where computers aren't just something to toy with during downtime, most people practically live on them. Especially notebook users. I myself have mine with me almost perpetually.

Haven't these people ever heard of flash drives/CD-Rs? My brother's comp succumbed to malware last week and finally consented to having Ubuntu installed on his system (until he gets an XP CD next week). I simply booted into the LiveCD and transferred all of his pics/docs/music onto a few flash drives(I have had issues simply transferring into the LiveCD desktop and copying those files to the new OS in the past). The only things that I was unable to save were his playlists (didn't even bother to try transferring since they were WMP) and his bookmarks (Windows was too unresponsive to consider an export). He still seems to plan on installing XP, but he now appears to be entertaining the thought of at least running Firefox.

Lamest excuse?
"Linux is too hard"


Heh, my elementary-school siblings demanded admin rights on their box, and my parents agreed (despite the fact that the kids have abused this power in the past). They have, on occasion, demoted my sister's account to normal status, and even changed her password a few days ago.

[terry_gardener]

i would like to change the lamest excuse that i posted earlier to:

linux is just for hackers/programmers and scripters and cant do anything.

from the same person at work.

i said that i dont have a clue how to do any of these and i use easily enough,

then he said that you cant do things like play games or anything.

This person the only games he plays is WOW (world of warcraft). i said that it can play wow with wine or crossover. he said that it runs slower on linux, personally i dont know if it does, i dont like wow played it for the free 10 day trial while i was a windows user, didn't like it (dont like that sort of game)

so i said that you can do all the normal stuff (ie movies, dvd's, music, internet/email etc including HD content)

i think it is the lack of knowledge of linux. he has started to use vista and loves the desktop affects.

[SomeGuyDude]

linux is just for hackers/programmers and scripters and cant do anything.

That's a big one, there. I thought Linux was for people who just like to tinker with their system, and that it can't actually do anything useful. And the first handful of distros I tried proved it. Wasn't until this one that I saw how it really is just another OS.

[GepettoBR]

linux is just for hackers/programmers and scripters and cant do anything.

Most mortals don't yet know that Linux is no longer exclusively CLI. They kind of picture it as a fancy DOS with green Matrix-like fonts.

I still think the lamest excuse I've heard is the one I posted earlier (Linux not sorting partitions by letters) but I've also heard "I want to double-click". The girl thought I was lying when I said Linux has a Desktop just like hers, yet when I showed her my notebook running KDE she said "That's just an XP theme, I've seen it before" o.o

This from a person who has asked me if Windows Movie Maker can download Youtube videos.

[Frak]

Most mortals don't yet know that Linux is no longer exclusively CLI. They kind of picture it as a fancy DOS with green Matrix-like fonts.

I still think the lamest excuse I've heard is the one I posted earlier (Linux not sorting partitions by letters) but I've also heard "I want to double-click". The girl thought I was lying when I said Linux has a Desktop just like hers, yet when I showed her my notebook running KDE she said "That's just an XP theme, I've seen it before" o.o

This from a person who has asked me if Windows Movie Maker can download Youtube videos.
I'm a big preacher that "If they don't want to learn, then there is no reason to pay attention to them; they just slow down the rest of the group"

Bad mentality, but it has worked so far...

[GepettoBR]

I'm a big preacher that "If they don't want to learn, then there is no reason to pay attention to them; they just slow down the rest of the group"

Bad mentality, but it has worked so far...

Yeah, after hearing the girl I mentioned, I'm starting to agree. I'm still up for making the OS as easy to use as possible without sacrificing functonality for the more advanced users (and note that I myself only know the very basic - but I would rather spend time learning than go look for an alternative that insults my intellect by being too limited)

[SomeGuyDude]

Haven't these people ever heard of flash drives/CD-Rs? My brother's comp succumbed to malware last week and finally consented to having Ubuntu installed on his system (until he gets an XP CD next week). I simply booted into the LiveCD and transferred all of his pics/docs/music onto a few flash drives(I have had issues simply transferring into the LiveCD desktop and copying those files to the new OS in the past). The only things that I was unable to save were his playlists (didn't even bother to try transferring since they were WMP) and his bookmarks (Windows was too unresponsive to consider an export). He still seems to plan on installing XP, but he now appears to be entertaining the thought of at least running Firefox.

I think it's a matter not of losing data, but thinking they'll somehow blow up the computer and render it unusable.

A friend of mine is one of those people who knows just enough to be dangerous, and he's aware of it. So one reason Linux makes him nervous is he thinks that since the OS requires you to get into the nuts and bolts, that he'll accidentally destroy everything.

It's that a lot of people know that Windows doesn't do everything particularly well, but they know that it DOES them. They don't want to risk porting to an OS and finding it doesn't do what they want it to.

That and laziness. Think about how many decisions you have to make when you first start up, the codecs and libraries you need to install. A lot of people simply want a machine that requires zero configuration. Ubuntu's close, but there's still the stigma of a nerds-only OS that'll require you to nearly hard-code the OS yourself.

It's why I've started keeping a LiveCD in my backpack at all times. Just in case I need to show someone the light. :)

[Guitar John]

I have no problems with Vista and Linux is only good with old PC's.
-from an RV forum where I mostly lurk and occasionally post.

I loved Ubuntu, but I can't be without my iTunes.
-a co-worker explaining why he dumped UBUNTU for Vista

[ryanVickers]

That was a big thing for me at first too, but after I had a look around for about 5 minutes, I had it all figured out and decided to use Exaile, and love it! :p

[dpar]

Kinda sad Windows newbs need a button that tells them to "start."

But does it make sense to"Start" in order to Stop???

[ryanVickers]

yeah, it's like "start" and the tooltip is "click here to begin", and say your task is to shutdown. Now, does this make sence?:

Start (click here to begin) --> Shutdown

:lolflag:

[bobpur]

I think the lamest reason was; " I hate all that brown."

[sstusick]

But does it make sense to"Start" in order to Stop???

Of course not.

[sci-fi guy]

"It's too easy too customize. Customizing XP is hard" -- Classmate with a skin applied on his system (I think that is what it's called. It wasn't just a generic theme)

"I like Windows Media Player and it's visualizations" -- Brother with the hosed system I mentioned earlier in this thread. He is cautious to the point of paranoia about updates and new software, so I can't install Amorak. He isn't even willing to let me turn off notification about updates, much less install any. He'd rather have the "New Updates Available" message every time he logs in than let me touch his machine. On the upside, he is considering allowing me to make his system a dual-boot when he finally gets hold of a Windows disc (our "supplier" has been unavailable for a few weeks). He is just not confident he'll ever use the Ubuntu partition(s). On a side note, if I copy the entire contents of his home folder to an external disc, install Windows, install Ubuntu, and copy the home folder contents back (including hidden folders), all of his settings will be preserved, right?

"Whoever is in charge of Linux is just exploiting idealistic developers to get free programming" -- My father. He feels that a beta release is exploiting users because they are asking for feedback. He thinks (commercial) software organizations do all testing in-house. He doesn't believe me when I tell him that Microsoft released free betas to the public with Vista and IE7.

"If Firefox (interchangeable with Linux) is so good, why is it not installed on computers by default?" -- Father again. The explanation I gave (but didn't get through to him) was that Dell tried that once (installing Firefox by default) to gain an edge by being able to claim that their systems where more secure than the competitor's, but Microsoft raised the cost of Dell's license in retribution (at least that's what I understand happened. I was still a n00b when this allegedly took place). Father's comeback: The security advantage should have been large enough that Dell would still be profitable while taking the price penalty (or something to that effect). I can't make him understand that Windows is by far the single most expensive component in low-end systems.

OK, I've finished ranting for now.

[RJ Fighter]

"You will have too many compatibility issues. There's no point when you can just use Windows." -My father. Before I started using Ubuntu, I was getting hundreds of errors on XP and glitches across the board, along with many issues regarding software and games. Sure, I lost a good chunk of my game library by switching over, but at least my PC is STABLE now. :mad:

[NinjaTails]

"It looks like crap"
*shows him Compiz with Emerald, with fancy blue icons and all"
"It runs slower than Windows"
*shows him that Windows runs slower on the same machine*
"There are too many compatability issues"
*shows him the printer that runs crappily on Windows, perfectly on Linux*
"It's not Windows"
*slams head on desk*

(note: this really did happen. It was a brand new HP printer that needed some kind of driver to be installed, but Linux recognized said printer and autoconfigured it. Running on a 3.2 Ghz Celeron D system with 512MB RAM, 64MB shared... 'friend' was an idiot who thought he knew everything)

[-grubby]

"It looks like crap"
*shows him Compiz with Emerald, with fancy blue icons and all"
"It runs slower than Windows"
*shows him that Windows runs slower on the same machine*
"There are too many compatability issues"
*shows him the printer that runs crappily on Windows, perfectly on Linux*
"It's not Windows"
*slams head on desk*

(note: this really did happen. It was a brand new HP printer that needed some kind of driver to be installed, but Linux recognized said printer and autoconfigured it. Running on a 3.2 Ghz Celeron D system with 512MB RAM, 64MB shared... 'friend' was an idiot who thought he knew everything)

that sounds like a fanboy to me

[fedex1993]

this one was from a friend that i installed ubuntu onto "ubuntu doesnt have anything like games or anything. Doesnt have silkroad and doesnt have CSS" well the next week he wanted a cd key for windows from me so i was like buy your own:)

[Frak]

How 'bout this. I have a little thing at where I work, where I give old, but still highly usable, computers to work on, so they don't have an excuse to not get their homework completed. The all run Ubuntu.

Conversation with a student
Me: I would like to offer you this laptop to help on your studies
Student: Can I play games on it
Me: Like what
Student: WoW, Halo, or Bioshock
Me: No
Student: Then I don't want it

His loss. First, and only, denial I ever had.

[inversekinetix]

How 'bout this. I have a little thing at where I work, where I give old, but still highly usable, computers to work on, so they don't have an excuse to not get their homework completed. The all run Ubuntu.

Conversation with a student


His loss. First, and only, denial I ever had.

whatever happened to doing homework with a pen and paper? do people still know how to use libraries?

[Frak]

whatever happened to doing homework with a pen and paper? do people still know how to use libraries?
Most of the work done here is by computer via edline announcements and email. It is recommended that students have their own computer for non-interrupted use, but if a student denies this oppurtunity, then, yes, the student can use non-personal computers, but will be required to meet the same deadlines. Hand-Written documents are generally NOT allowed.

[Clip]

"Linux is just a new front end for windows, and is illegal because it uses microsoft software to support it..."

Paraphrased, i read this on some tech forum i think. It was so long ago that i can't remember then name of the person who wrote it, but it was so good i could never forget it.

I guess ignorance truly is bliss.

[ryanVickers]

It;s like that old saying that no one has ever heard because it's from a TV show; "Dumb people are always blissfully unaware of how dumb they really are! *dozes off making drooling noises...*" -Patrick :lolflag:

[Clip]

Paraphrased, i read this on some tech forum i think. It was so long ago that i can't remember then name of the person who wrote it, but it was so good i could never forget it.

hehe i found it or atleast one of the comment he made

one jereeleecooper of zdnet

http://talkback.zdnet.com/5208-12355-0.html?forumID=1&threadID=31199&messageID=579806&start=43

[Spike-X]

I remember that guy!

Wow. Wotta maroon.

[de_valentin]

That was A good read for a monday morning in the office while waiting for my XP to finish a simply task (normally I would just reboot but i couldn't risk loosing data this time)

My wife thinks its difficult to learn after using windows for so long, and that is not that lame an excuse in my opinion, but she also doesn't want to try linux because she sees me tinkering more with it than succesfully using it. Off course to me the tinkering is part of the fun.

[GepettoBR]

hehe i found it or atleast one of the comment he made

one jereeleecooper of zdnet

http://talkback.zdnet.com/5208-12355-0.html?forumID=1&threadID=31199&messageID=579806&start=43

I haven't had a good laugh like that in a long time.

[Nano Geek]

hehe i found it or atleast one of the comment he made

one jereeleecooper of zdnet

http://talkback.zdnet.com/5208-12355-0.html?forumID=1&threadID=31199&messageID=579806&start=43LOL! That's great.

[ticopelp]

That Jerry Lee Cooper fellow is simply unbelievable. Wow.

that wont work without THEFT of intellectual property
Linux looks very interesting, even if some of the screen colours and menu options appear to be a little out of the ordinary.

But you are missing a vital point, a point which takes some experience and depth of knowledge in the field of computers. You see, when a computer boots up, it needs to load various drivers and then load various services. This happens long before the operating system and other applications are available.

Linux is a marvellous operating system in its own right, and even comes in several different flavours. However, as good as these flavours are, they first need Microsoft Windows to load the services prior to use.

In Linux, the open office might be the default for editing your wordfiles, and you might prefer ubuntu brown over the grassy knoll of the windows desktop, but mark my words young man - without the windows drivers sitting below the visible surface, allowing the linus to talk to the hardware, it is without worth.

And so, by choosing your linux as an alternative to windows on the desktop, you still need a windows licence to run this operating system through the windows drivers to talk to the hardware. Linux is only a code, it cannot perform the low level function.

My point being, young man, that unless you intend to pirate and steal the Windows drivers and services, how is using the linux going to save money ? Well ? It seems that no linux fan can ever provide a straight answer to that question !

May as well just stay legal, run the Windows drivers, and run Office on the desktop instead of the linus.

I really want to believe he's not serious, and is just having people on. But...

[jinx099]

Hehe, I remember that thread on zdnet. Good read. I almost signed up to that to make a reply.

I thought that guy was serious at first, but I'm not so sure anymore. After rereading his posts, I stumbled on another thread that this jerryleecooper guy makes a reply. He is talking about writing random data to a hard drive to erase it.

http://talkback.zdnet.com/5208-12694-0.html?forumID=1&threadID=35046&messageID=646740&start=-9968


Secure erase not so secure
When writing finite bits to the disk sector, there is a finite probability that the resultant string of randomised bits MAY in fact generate something incriminating.

For example: (regardless of how unlikely this may seem), any string of random characters may well create a brand new wordfile on the computer by pure chance .. which contains legible words, which string together to form sentences which may in turn connect the previous owner of the hard disk with Al-Qaida, the Mafia, insider trading, un-patriotic activites, Linux 'development', or any manner of unsavory activities.

The larger the hard disk being randomly 'wiped' in this fashion, the greater the probability that some new and undesirable content would be created by chance.

I for one would NOT place my trust in such a tool, risking a lifetime of torment in Guantanimo Bay in exchange for the 'security' of having my hard disk cleaned prior to resale.

The solution ? One should purchase a new copy of the Vista for the said hard disk, and install this on the disk. This would effectively wipe clean the disk of any previous content. The disk could then be disposed of cleanly, with a note that the new owner must purchase another legal copy of the Vista before installing the disk.

In this situation - everyone wins.


So either this guy is a total idiot, or he is an eccentric sarcastic guy. I'm leaning towards the latter now.

[atomkarinca]

I hope that guy is high, otherwise he's just dumb. It's perfectly normal not to know about linux -or other OS's for that matter- but thinking only Microsoft can build an OS is just plain silly. What does he think linux is?

PS: Just noticed; he thinks Windows is something starts up before the actual OS so I think he's just messing around?? (hopefully)

[smithman89]

"Cant get extra mouse buttons to work in Firefox"

"Wireless card issues"(When his desktop is right next to the router)

[sci-fi guy]

.

[gumbi18]

"The cursor is funny looking"

[sstusick]

hehe i found it or atleast one of the comment he made

one jereeleecooper of zdnet

http://talkback.zdnet.com/5208-12355-0.html?forumID=1&threadID=31199&messageID=579806&start=43
I rememeber that guy ROFL

First time I read it, I was wondering if he was serious or not. I hope not...if so, there really are some ignorant people out there!

[ryanVickers]

oh my, that's worse than that guy on this one site talking about removing the 286 processor and switching to a 486 (bu the way, the 286 is soldered to the motherboard, and the 486 has many more pins... :lolflag:)

[Arenlor]

I hope that guy is high, otherwise he's just dumb. It's perfectly normal not to know about linux -or other OS's for that matter- but thinking only Microsoft can build an OS is just plain silly. What does he think linux is?

PS: Just noticed; he thinks Windows is something starts up before the actual OS so I think he's just messing around?? (hopefully)
I think he's just seeing who he can get to believe him. Just like Scientology.

[esaym]

This thread fills me with lots of anger and hate.

[AusIV4]

Some of these comments really take the cake for stupid reasons to give up on Linux, but here are a few I've heard (and my thoughts on each):It's too hard to install programs
Synaptic? Add / Remove Programs?
I need iTunes because of Last.FM support
iTunes requires a separate program for Last.fm, several linux players have it built in.

[ryanVickers]

wow, people are getting so stupid they are stating the opposite of what's true... :lolflag:

I've never found it easier to install programs, and I didn't even know what Last.FM was, nor had even heard of it until Linux!!! :lolflag:

[TeaSwigger]

"It boggles the mind!" but I think that fellow was serious.

Heck, I get similar experiences from folks making comments about my car (an XJ-S). I've had people telling me how I oughtta rip out "that Jag boat anchor V12" (running great for 20 years now) and replace it with a "real engine," namely a Chevy 307 or 350 V8. Well I own one of those too. Okay, 4th one. It's the latest replacement in my old pickup truck, where they belong. Darn fine truck engine. Some folks seem to think it's also a superior luxury sport car engine to the Jag. Never mind the inferior efficiency, inferior upper end performance, inferior driving manners, greater pollution emissions, less even power band, lumpy idle, greater bottom end wear, increased noise and poor quality control of that old cast iron pushrod V8. Details eh? The attraction evidently lies in the fact they already know how to fix it, having learned all about 'em in their teens. To fix the V12 to run reliably, they'd have to learn something new and nobody they know can tell 'em anything but "eh er, install a Chevy in there."

Given the above, ya might guess that hearing some of the Windows vs Linux feedback is a sort of "dejavu" to me sometimes... the same sorts of forces at work.

wow, people are getting so stupid they are stating the opposite of what's true... :lolflag:

Kinda like watching the media sometimes... :p

[Nunu]

"It boggles the mind!" but I think that fellow was serious.

Heck, I get similar experiences from folks making comments about my car (an XJ-S). I've had people telling me how I oughtta rip out "that Jag boat anchor V12" (running great for 20 years now) and replace it with a "real engine," namely a Chevy 307 or 350 V8. Well I own one of those too. Okay, 4th one. It's the latest replacement in my old pickup truck, where they belong. Darn fine truck engine. Some folks seem to think it's also a superior luxury sport car engine to the Jag. Never mind the inferior efficiency, inferior upper end performance, inferior driving manners, greater pollution emissions, less even power band, lumpy idle, greater bottom end wear, increased noise and poor quality control of that old cast iron pushrod V8. Details eh? The attraction evidently lies in the fact they already know how to fix it, having learned all about 'em in their teens. To fix the V12 to run reliably, they'd have to learn something new and nobody they know can tell 'em anything but "eh er, install a Chevy in there."

Given the above, ya might guess that hearing some of the Windows vs Linux feedback is a sort of "dejavu" to me sometimes... the same sorts of forces at work.



Kinda like watching the media sometimes... :p

Dude i have the same problem. I have a 1971 XJ6 and if one more guy tells me to drop in a one of them Truck engines i am going to shove that V8 right up his a hole

[furlian]

"Ubuntu is not ready for the desktop."

oh yes, goes like

thanks linux for saving me from windows, thanks OS X for saving me from linux and then nagging how ubuntu isnt "working" out of the box

[de_valentin]

Al-Qaida, the Mafia, insider trading, un-patriotic activites, Linux 'development'.

I especially like the list of criminal organisations :)

[brjoon1021]

I have not given up yet but I have a pretty good reason to do so.

Search for Firefox crashes and see how many people have posted about Gutsy locking up, greying out, firefox crashing, etc... We all have different hardware, different configurations, compiz on and off, different video cards, etc... etc...
and we all have the problem.

Windows does not have this problem. I still prefer Windows XP to Ubuntu or PCLinuxOS, though they are getting close.

[Adam4491]

I had ubuntu on my laptop up until yesterday

so this is my excuse for getting rid of it

"my mum said the battery ran out too fast with ubuntu"

my personal excuse for not using it on my desktop

"I have a pretty decent PC with a decent graphics card, why should I use something that requires me to add lots of things to it to make it look pretty unlike vista? Also, vistas faster for me because of things like superfetch. Also, the ATI drivers for linux suck" (keeping in mind I haven't tried the new ATI drivers)


but yea

ubuntus a great OS, but it just isn't for me.

I really hate gimp, BTW
it's so messy. Why does it open so many different windows? I'd much rather have it all in one window with lots of widgets like photoshop

I personally like open office more than microsoft office though

and finally, my college uses C# for some of our assignments, so I can't use C# on ubuntu


edit
I personally think ubuntu is ugly out of the box, but I don't mind because I can make it look however I want. I don't know why people complain about it being ugly when it's so customizable


Oh, another thing

banshee/iLinux > itunes and ilife, all the way

[original_jamingrit]

[...]many people have posted about Gutsy locking up, greying out[...]

I think the greying out thing was intended as a feature to alert the user when a program in Ubuntu is hanging, but I guess it seems like it does it job too well, it's easier to notice when a program is hanging. And rather than be patient about it, users are more alarmed by it...

[stchman]

IE now has tabs.

[Arenlor]

Looking over these recent ones, FF crashed all the time for me in Feisty, and is fine unless I purposely mess with it to make it crash now that I've been in Gutsy, the new ATI drivers rule, my battery lasts about 1.5 of the time as in Vista, it's faster and uses less resources than Vista for me. I like to be able to customize the pretty, and the look which you can't do as well in Vista. Also moving the windows in the tab bar, it's like an orgasm every time I do it (ok no it's not but you get the point of it). The windows greying out when they hang, I panicked the first few times too, why you ask? Because in windows a greyed window means press Ctrl+Alt+Del and kill this program as fast as you can or else your whole system will freeze, can you beat the clock in the new game of save your data?

[artvds2708]

I miss Windows

[pjkoczan]

"Linux is gay"- some deuch in my english class.

I agree, I think Linux is FABULOUS!!!

[sajro]

"Its to complicated. . . . . . and you need to learn a whole new system and its hard"[/B]
Well you have to learn a new system because you switched to it :p.

Did he just naturally by instinct understand Windows? Because if not, when he began using that he had to learn a whole new system.

[ryanVickers]

Did he just naturally by instinct understand Windows? Because if not, when he began using that he had to learn a whole new system.
My grandma learned the "whole new system" in one day - we agreed to a format, switch to feisty, evolution, firefox, and openoffice, and did it over the weekend... lol

[inversekinetix]

The best I heard was,

*there are too many condescending linux users who laugh at people who don't agree that linux is the best thing to happen to mankind, these same linux users will also make fun of people who choose to use a non linux system because it better suits their needs*

[Takster]

"Microsoft Windows is a superior product etc etc"

The words of some dude i know, i was half expecting him to run away after the conversation dancing and shouting "developers, developers, developers, developers," or similar.

Actually it's a bit of a role-reversal, because i would love to throw chairs at this guy.

[jflaker]

It is all lame. I have told a few people that everything is new or difficult the first few times. But yet you are walking and talking and Driving a car...All feats that was almost impossible the first time you tried.

[runemaste644]

Well, my friend didnt give up on Ubuntu, but this is funny anyway.

I had to use the old CD you gave me, its on a system with terrible specs, and it doesn't have enough ram to run Firefox.
BTW, the CD was Ubuntu 5.10. The system had only 64MB of ram. In fact, its so dreadfully old the battery wont last for any longer than a few milliseconds unplugged (If it even LASTS for a millisecond!)

[p_quarles]

Well, my friend didnt give up on Ubuntu, but this is funny anyway.


BTW, the CD was Ubuntu 5.10. The system had only 64MB of ram. In fact, its so dreadfully old the battery wont last for any longer than a few milliseconds unplugged (If it even LASTS for a millisecond!)
Probably be better to set him up with a light distro (Puppy or DSL) rather than let him use an unsupported version of Ubuntu.

If the battery issue is a big deal, he could always just replace it. Those things don't last forever, and I'm sure that a new battery would be able to get at least an hour of life on a light version of Linux.

As for a web browser, he could always try Opera Mini (jk).

[scyhe]

I
If you consider this a lame excuse then you must not use your computer for professional work. Some people have real lives and real uses for software. Again, this makes Linux users sound like pushy salesmen, "But but... it's BETTER!!!". Let me ask you, what is your favorite console video game? Let's say for the sake of argument that it is a first person shooter like Halo. How would you feel if a pushy N64 fanboy pushed Goldeneye 007 as an alternative?


Are you saying that there aren't ppl that work on linux? Dude, i'm on my masters of informatics engineering and i use linux all the time for WORK. the excuse that photoshop doesnt work on linux is just really bad. Most knowledgeable professional ppl i know use linux and they actually use gladdly linux for all kinds of work, even graphical.
In a OS discussion it's all about for what you need. If you just want to talk with msn, sure you can do it using windows but you can use linux for free and with the same conditions(amsn for example). Personally, next time i buy a laptop i will buy it with a HDD empty and i'll use linux permanently cuz i dont want to waste about 250€ / $ for a Vista that it's a pain in the ***(Are you sure that you want to do this? -> Are you sure that you are sure that you want to do this?) ](*,)
Next time, plz dont assume that ppl that use linux don't work or are just geeks who like to waste time.

[Darkhack]

Are you saying that there aren't ppl that work on linux? Next time, plz dont assume that ppl that use linux don't work or are just geeks who like to waste time.

I'm not saying that at all. If anything Linux does more important work than Windows; running high-end servers and systems that need 100% uptime. I'm just saying that it isn't for everyone. Some people really do need Photoshop or really do need Microsoft Office; if for no other reason than the fact that they're place of employment sends them proprietary files and they need those programs to work with them and I don't consider WINE reliable enough for performing those tasks. Too many changes and programs that will work in one release and break in another. I just feel sorry for the poor souls who are trying to get work done on their Windows machine and they have somebody standing over them, absolutely falling all over themselves to proclaim Linux as the ultimate solution to every problem ever instead of letting people use what works.

[joe.turion64x2]

I'm not saying that at all. If anything Linux does more important work than Windows; running high-end servers and systems that need 100% uptime. I'm just saying that it isn't for everyone. Some people really do need Photoshop or really do need Microsoft Office; if for no other reason than the fact that they're place of employment sends them proprietary files and they need those programs to work with them and I don't consider WINE reliable enough for performing those tasks. Too many changes and programs that will work in one release and break in another. I just feel sorry for the poor souls who are trying to get work done on their Windows machine and they have somebody standing over them, absolutely falling all over themselves to proclaim Linux as the ultimate solution to every problem ever instead of letting people use what works.
And Linux works, in fact it could be easier for people to stop dealing with viruses, and what better if they only use office apps. The problem appears when dealing with Windows-only programs that admit no workaround.

Fortunately, for me, all MY work can be done in Linux. At job I have to use Windows sometimes due to windows-only programs.

Thanks.
Joe.

[klange]

Some people really do need Photoshop or really do need Microsoft Office;
I'll admit that the MS Office developers may require a working copy of it, so, yes, I guess some people really do need MS Office.

And Photoshop 7.0 runs fine under Wine, and I've seen tutorials for getting CS2 to work [and CS3 will soon fall into line]. In fact, Photoshop has been gradually improving in Wine. Back when I first installed Ubuntu 6 months ago, the dialog boxes wouldn't resize without crashing and they were sticky across workspaces. All of that has been fixed. Seems to me like the only remaining bug to fix would be the splash image doesn't work properly.

[ryanVickers]

And Photoshop 7.0 runs fine under Wine, and I've seen tutorials for getting CS2 to work [and CS3 will soon fall into line]. In fact, Photoshop has been gradually improving in Wine

In feisty, I never got it to work, but now under gutsy, CS2 works perfectly out of the box (starting it up is painfully slow, but once running, it's just a little slow ;))

[hanzomon4]

...[snip] I just feel sorry for the poor souls who are trying to get work done on their Windows machine and they have somebody standing over them, absolutely falling all over themselves to proclaim Linux as the ultimate solution to every problem ever instead of letting people use what works.

I feel sorry for the people who have to to constantly stand over relatives' broken windows boxes and listen to complaints about freakishly huge start menus, too many icons on the desktop, applications that won't die, programs that refuse to be removed, systems that won't validate as "genuine", and on and on and on.....

Being the techno-geek in the family can be a curse... in a windows world.(j/k)

[ryanVickers]

thank you! ;)

[prizrak]

The fonts is the lamest reason ever.

[santiagoward2000]

Well, I've just read a thread called: Compiz Fusion is Junk...M$ Vista Aero Wins!!!!
He just gave up trying to get Compiz-Fusion working with his card...
Don't bother to respond.
I won't...

[applehead]

it looks diferent

[popch]

The fonts is the lamest reason ever.

Not if you're reading a lot of text. Some of the Linux installations come up with fonts that are simply frightful. They often look blurred, do not scale properly (come in two sizes: too large and too small), are unevenly spaced up to the extent of characters touching or even overlapping.

What it amounts to is that reading becomes much slower and documents are formatted differently, with text using more or less pages than in other environments.

Presumably, those problems can be fixed. However, some people rather use their computers for something other than fixing self-inflicted problems.

BTW, after installing Gutsy the fonts in Firefox looked quite decent. After installing one of the updates, it all changed, and now some pages are scarcely legible in Firefox. I have not gotten around to fixing that yet.

[billgoldberg]

I tried to convert my mother once because she called me to fix her computer (again).

Instead of fixing it, I installed ubuntu, made it look like xp.

She only looks at the icons on the desktop anyway so, that was easy.

The reason she didn't want to use it:

no windows live messenger.

When I installed amsn (closest to wlm), she could use it, but then the excuse was "I don't want to use that "buntu").

I installed xp (for the 15426 time) and said never to ask me to help her with her pc again, and left. (i went back the next day, she couldn't figure out how to connect to the internet)

I just think most people are afraid of change. They don't know it, haven't heared of it so its by default not as good as xp or vista.

[prizrak]

Not if you're reading a lot of text. Some of the Linux installations come up with fonts that are simply frightful. They often look blurred, do not scale properly (come in two sizes: too large and too small), are unevenly spaced up to the extent of characters touching or even overlapping.

What it amounts to is that reading becomes much slower and documents are formatted differently, with text using more or less pages than in other environments.

Presumably, those problems can be fixed. However, some people rather use their computers for something other than fixing self-inflicted problems.

BTW, after installing Gutsy the fonts in Firefox looked quite decent. After installing one of the updates, it all changed, and now some pages are scarcely legible in Firefox. I have not gotten around to fixing that yet.

Never had font problems. There is always installing MS-Core Fonts to correct the issue. If a simple problems stops someone from using an OS they shouldn't be using Windows either. I mean it all comes down to "risk vs reward". If you can live with reinstalling every few months, running 3rd party software just to keep the machine alive, doing maintenance every once in a while then Windows is fine. If you have the money for a Mac then you will be fine as well.

[Glenn1337]

"91% of the world uses windows... they must be doing something right... right?"

-a good friend of mine

[Glenn1337]

"there is no GUI"

[sci-fi guy]

"91% of the world uses windows... they must be doing something right... right?"

Becoming the default choice for all major OEMs was a good move on their part.

[Jeanpaul145]

Too easy to use...#-o

[stoodleysnow]

Too easy to use...#-o

YUP :-P

[Jeanpaul145]

YUP :-P

It's an actual response from someone I asked why he wasn't using Ubuntu:)

[sci-fi guy]

It's an actual response from someone I asked why he wasn't using Ubuntu:)

Throw Gentoo or Slackware at him.

[smartboyathome]

Someone told me they didn't use ubuntu because AOL didn't come for it. [-X

[ryanVickers]

Throw Gentoo or Slackware at him.
:lolflag:

Well, I can argue either side of this actually :p

In defense of Ubuntu: this is just pathetic; it should be easy, this is a GOOD thing... duh lol
In defense of windows: Customizing things like the theme and changing the start button text is no fun in Linux because it's designed to be easily customizable, but in windows, it's a challenge :p

[Jeanpaul145]

Throw Gentoo or Slackware at him.

Ghe indeed...

imho those distros are a little overkill...:popcorn:

[GepettoBR]

:lolflag:

Well, I can argue either side of this actually :p

In defense of Ubuntu: this is just pathetic; it should be easy, this is a GOOD thing... duh lol
In defense of windows: Customizing things like the theme and changing the start button text is no fun in Linux because it's designed to be easily customizable, but in windows, it's a challenge :p

Yup. Having a customized Windows interface is something you can be proud of and brag about to friends. Bragging about a customized Linux interface is like a bird that feels really special because he can fly.

[Frak]

:lolflag:

Well, I can argue either side of this actually :p

In defense of Ubuntu: this is just pathetic; it should be easy, this is a GOOD thing... duh lol
In defense of windows: Customizing things like the theme and changing the start button text is no fun in Linux because it's designed to be easily customizable, but in windows, it's a challenge :p
Duh, have you heard of Stardock? ;)

P.S., I'll upload my XP w/ Windows Blinds up later. I got it done pretty well IMHO.

[hvac3901]

I was apprehensive about switching, a really smart girl i know said

"guys that use linux, don't get laid too often"

Almost gave me cold feet and had me running back to MS HAHAHAHA

[rbprogrammer]

friend: so you use linux?
me: yes
friend: why? its all command line..

And I also heard

"i dont want to use linux because of all the matrix like text"

oh... my... god!!!

[Fonon]

I was spreading the word around to my friends, and some are all like "What's an operating system?"

Others are all like "**** computers. Go out and skateboard."

One of my friends actually told me "**** linux, Windows costs money. It means it's good. No costing money means it sucks. Hey, have you tried OperOffice.org?"

[rbprogrammer]

...
"**** linux, Windows costs money. It means it's good. No costing money means it sucks. Hey, have you tried OperOffice.org?"

oh i if had a nickel everytime i heard that one..

[GepettoBR]

I was apprehensive about switching, a really smart girl i know said

"guys that use linux, don't get laid too often"

Almost gave me cold feet and had me running back to MS HAHAHAHA

There was a meme about that. It showed a geeky kid with glasses saying this:

"I use a UNIX-based OS. That means I get laid about as often as I have to restart my computer."

I, for one, can attest to the falsehood of that. My gf also uses Ubuntu and we barely ever restart :wink:

[arqbrulo]

Most people that I've tried to get into using linux have said that they will try it just becasue (vista) is running slow or (xp) is giving them too many errors (my cousin and my parents). True, I have not promoted it all that much, but it's a start. Also:

me: you should really use linux (ubuntu)
co-worker: is it good
me: yeah, it's the best, it's great
co-worker: alright.....well i don't know
me: why not?
co-worker: well, i don't know
me: what's wrong
co-worker: well, i don't know

It was just a broken record after that.

[Portable_Jim]

Some of these comments really take the cake for stupid reasons to give up on Linux, but here are a few I've heard (and my thoughts on each):
Synaptic? Add / Remove Programs?

iTunes requires a separate program for Last.fm, several linux players have it built in.
I think most windows converts have the wrong idea about "Add/Remove Programs" because they see it as doing the same thing as Windows - remove programs. (Yes, in windows it can add programs, but how often is it used for installing programs?)

[jperez]

I think most windows converts have the wrong idea about "Add/Remove Programs" because they see it as doing the same thing as Windows - remove programs. (Yes, in windows it can add programs, but how often is it used for installing programs?)

That's good thinking. You're right when you say most Windows converts expect Linux to work like Windows, but that's just never the case.

Now, there COULD be a way to make all installs automated, BUT, seeing as every Linux distro works differently and that there are hundreds of other Linux distros out there, even ones we don't yet know about, then it's hard to come up with a system like that and for all developers to go that route.

You'd have to have all developers make all their source-code programs or even compiled programs do a sort of auto-run install just by clicking the installation file like Windows does to make it easier for most Windows user to feel comfortable.

Only excuse was from my boss at the Boy's & Girl's Club and it was because they had a deal with Microsoft for technical support and they got LOTS of programs from Microsoft, Macromedia, Adobe, Sony and others for either dirt cheap or free.

Beating a deal like that is kinda hard, especially with proprietary software at those kinda deals.

Anyway, I think Ubuntu/Kubuntu is great the way it is, even if sometimes you need to do so extra added work to get it customized. It just makes you like the system even more, seeing as a lot of options of customization are open to you.

Jesse~

[siciliancasanova]

From what I've seen in this post and all over is most people are leaving because they are sold on a certain aspect of Windows. Not fully understanding that the Linux way is not worse, or better. Just different.

Personally I do not care whether Microsoft has most of the market share or whatever. I don't argue that. What is the point? I do what's best for me. I enjoy Linux, it does everything for me that Windows could achieve. If you just bought a new computer and Windows achieves your goals then don't **** away your time trying to get Linux installed.

At the same time these people should have never installed Ubuntu in the first place. If they can't get over that a piece of software doesn't work the same in Ubuntu or they can't get used to the difference of the alternative then my God how were they ever considering even thinking about switching to Linux. Being in the mindset of "this program doesn't work like MSN Messenger" then how in the hell would they ever get over "this operating system doesn't have the Microsoft start up sound"

[popch]

I think most windows converts have the wrong idea about "Add/Remove Programs" because they see it as doing the same thing as Windows - remove programs. (Yes, in windows it can add programs, but how often is it used for installing programs?)

About as often as the 'Start' button is used to start the computer.

[coolen]

I hate when someone complains because a piece of software designed for Windows doesn't work in Linux.
Of course it doesn't work in Linux! When you installed Linux, thinking "well, this should be good for a laugh" it didn't occur to you that you may have to find an alternative for iTunes?
Seriously, iTunes sucks. Be glad it doesn't run in Linux. You iPod doesn't work? Fixable, but a valid complaint. Won't turn on? Don't whine to me, however, when the Mac's monstrosity won't run.

[Portable_Jim]

(I posted too fast and posted something completely off-topic)

[Lostincyberspace]

Because they couldn't get windows explorer to work.

[staticvoid]

Because...

It was brown. And to them, looked lame-o

haha





sv

[mmb1]

"where's the start button?"

[sstusick]

I heard some Windows users are upset that they "removed" the start button (in Vista) and replaced it with a Windows logo button instead :rolleyes:

[Frak]

I heard some Windows users are upset that they "removed" the start button (in Vista) and replaced it with a Windows logo button instead :rolleyes:
Much of my family who asked me to upgrade their computers to Vista (hardware and all), griped at me for changing their start button.

Proof: Common people seem not to like change... even the very small detail kind...

[big man]

Hehe i told my mate it would be faster on his machine, he said, "windows is fast enough" ... it takes him 30minutes to start up windows.... then another 10minutes to open up internet explorer..... He says there are viruses on there he cant get off..... Darn windows lol :)

[diatribe]

Hehe i told my mate it would be faster on his machine, he said, "windows is fast enough" ... it takes him 30minutes to start up windows.... then another 10minutes to open up internet explorer..... He says there are viruses on there he cant get off..... Darn windows lol :)

I seriously doubt it takes him 30 minutes to boot his computer

[ntowakbh]

"Linux costs nothing. Ever heard of 'you get what you paid for?'"

He says that every time that I mention that I use Ubuntu. I've come up with a response.

"Yes, and with Windows, you pay for crap. And we both know that nothing is better than crap."

And to be honest, I don't really care about Windows, I do prefer Linux, but still, I don't constantly bash it. I can't stand it though, when people bash something that they haven't even tried.

[ntowakbh]

-removed accidental double post-

[sstusick]

Much of my family who asked me to upgrade their computers to Vista (hardware and all), griped at me for changing their start button.

Proof: Common people seem not to like change... even the very small detail kind...
I think having a button in the left hand corner named "Start" was kind of stupid.

I think the button with the Windows logo is a better idea.

[Portable_Jim]

Because they couldn't get windows explorer to work.
IEs for Linux (http://www.tatanka.com.br/ies4linux/page/Main_Page)

[bruce89]

I seriously doubt it takes him 30 minutes to boot his computer

It takes a bit longer after you resize its partion with GParted, I can tell you.

[Frak]

I think having a button in the left hand corner named "Start" was kind of stupid.

I think the button with the Windows logo is a better idea.
Not to people that have used something for 5-6 years on-end.

Don't fix something that's not broken.

[sstusick]

Not to people that have used something for 5-6 years on-end.

Don't fix something that's not broken.
Why is it a big deal to begin with? They didn't move the button...they aren't smart enough to know it's the same thing?

[SoberWarlock]

'All my friends use windows, and it doesn't have itunes/AIM/IE' (doesn't like the alternatives)
-sister



'I've tried "linux" before, like 5-6 years ago'
-My Friend


"It runs kinda slow..."
-Same Friend When I showed him Ubuntu on the Live Disk

:lolflag: Linux runs VERY well on my old Pentium system and ancient Geforce4 video card. I can get like 1 min boot up to desktop and play half-life 2 with 80 FPS. :)

[gnomeuser]

"This Fedora is good, it is more secure, it runs all my applications, it's faster and it's prettier than Windows.. but yours is always broken honey"

- Ex-girlfriend, who despite having a Masters degree in data economics after 7½ years in the relationship didn't get that as a QA team member I broke it on purpose and my machine should not be seen as a typical scenerio.

[karellen]

maybe no reason should be labeled lame if it matters for that person...

[daimaru]

linux? don't you have to do all that tedious install stuff that takes more than an hour? I don't have to do that under windows... (guy has a computer with windows preinstalled) doh.

my question to him: have you ever installed or re-installed windows?
- No...

[MONODA]

LAmest reason i've ever heard is "It's free, so it must be retarded"
I have heared that SOOOO many times and it pisses the hell out of me!!!

[SparklingWater]

"I never heard of Linux before so it must be bad."

and also

"It's not a mac"

and also

"Ubuntu imitated so many things from Leopard"

(a mac lover).

[Nephersir7]

I got a funny one!

"Palliser Furniture finds comfort with Windows server over Novell Suse Linux"

-Microsoft ad on linux.com



http://www.linux.com/feature/c4206 VS http://www.microsoft.com/canada/getthefacts/default.mspx

[klange]

I seriously doubt it takes him 30 minutes to boot his computer
You'd be amazed at how long it can take for Windows to boot. I once had a machine that did, literally, take a half hour to boot, and this wasn't exactly the lowest of lows when it came to specs.

[sstusick]

I was working on a 256 MB 1.2 Ghz Celeron Windows XP Home...it took that machine 20 minutes to boot, and 10 minutes before you could literally do anything on the desktop.

[kiddo]

I really hate gimp, BTW
it's so messy. Why does it open so many different windows? I'd much rather have it all in one window with lots of widgets like photoshop

I wrote an article about that: http://open-source.ecchi.ca/?voir=articles/gimp_ui Please let me know what you think.

[coolen]

I've run XP on less, and it didn't take nearly as long to boot. It was a 500 MHz Celeron with 128 Mb RAM. It didn't take much longer than this machine does, actually...

[Mr. Picklesworth]

I love how "Get The Facts" has an imaginary newspaper article as its banner image. Really a great sign of accurate "factual evidence" to follow...
(Granted, the quote is a real quote).

[daverich]

lamest I heard.

"I'm going back to xp because facebook wont let me upload a folder of pics in ubuntu, you have to do them one at a time"

I can undertstand the little frustrations add up though.

Kind regards

Dave Rich

[Matej_C.]

"Because"

thats whole. My classmate even wasnt able to think of some reason and he has never seen any version of linux, what can i say?
he doesnt like it just because of his ego

i think there is no lamer excuse than this

[tille]

OMG, saw this thread went pretty big! Well keep posting new lame excuses xD

[z0mbie]

Can't nudge people on MSN.

[misfitpierce]

Honestly I dont care what peoples reasons are for leaving Ubuntu. It may be a lame reason but i'm not here to say Ubuntu is for everyone. Some people just like windows and to them more power. Everyone has their opinion or choice :)

[Dr. Octagon]

"I just want it to work" -roommate

Not acknowledging the fact that he's had to reinstall (Windows) twice in the past month

[klange]

Can't nudge people on MSN.

Which is why I love the kinda-recent update to Pidgin that added the /nudge command.

[joe.turion64x2]

Which is why I love the kinda-recent update to Pidgin that added the /nudge command.
Kopete can nudge as well.

[Fixman]

Kopete can nudge as well.

And so can aMSN.

[barbedsaber]

lamest reason to not even look at linux.

no gui :lolflag:

[cprofitt]

I never consider any reason 'lame' because I respect people's need to be unique. Also, if I want them to 'trust' me in the future I have to respect their reasons.

[Vaelrith]

"It's not user friendly" This was compared to using my Linux Mint install vs her usual Windows Vista install. Blew my mind.

"I couldn't figure out how to close the window" Same person, clicked the quit icon in the top right corner as opposed to just below it, the actual window that has the "x" to close.

She said it was stupid to have a panel at the top. I told her she can remove it if she wants, she can do whatever she wants. That's when she told me it wasn't user friendly.

[approaching]

my touchpad doesn't work right

**i bring up the mouse options dialogue

i don't want to mess with it.



that was the end of his attempt

[sstusick]

lamest reason to not even look at linux.

no gui :lolflag:I would bet the person that said that doesn't even know what GUI stands for.

[sstusick]

"It's not user friendly" This was compared to using my Linux Mint install vs her usual Windows Vista install. Blew my mind.

"I couldn't figure out how to close the window" Same person, clicked the quit icon in the top right corner as opposed to just below it, the actual window that has the "x" to close.

She said it was stupid to have a panel at the top. I told her she can remove it if she wants, she can do whatever she wants. That's when she told me it wasn't user friendly.There really are people like this out there? :lolflag: :lolflag:

[hhhhhx]

"It's not flexible (modifiable) like windows is"

:lolflag:

[sstusick]

"It's not flexible (modifiable) like windows is"

:lolflag:
:lolflag: Windows is modifiable?

[mouseboyx]

Someone saying that they don't like penguins.

[Vaelrith]

There really are people like this out there? :lolflag: :lolflag:

Yeah, these are the people better off sticking with Windows.

[Pethegreat]

My brothers say it is too much work. Ha, once their windows install goes all funky(they don't have any windows discs), they are going to have a fun time.

I may try to talk some people into trying it. I may get some dumb reasons then.

[klange]

I heard a wonderfully lame excuse today:
It's not mainstream.

[omega_user]

"Mac OSX is just sooooo much better"
-my buddy

Haha, ate his words soon later. He can't afford a mac and only has a crappy dell. His plan to make it a Hackintosh failed so feisty was his only choice. After he upgraded to Gutsy, he took back what he said about it being "sooooo" much better. He still thinks OSX tops Gutsy, but eventually it'll grow on him. After I show him how to do stuff for himself and not have to call me for every little thing he'll enjoy it.

[iamah]

I love Linux but still not enough to not have Windows XP on dual boot... right now I have the latest Ubutnu, 100% updated, effects disabled, Yet I can't use firefox without it closing misteriously... win_xp deals everything just fine, I mean, I have computers where Firefox was ok in ubuntu, but now its just bugged, and thats it...

[ctyc]

"Its too hard"

[corney91]

I brought my laptop in to school the other day:
"It's stupid, it doesn't do what you tell it to" (out of all the things to say... :))
"What? And windows does? How does it not do what you tell it to?"
"In Windows, to change stuff you right-click the desktop and click settings" (OK, nothing to do with the previous comment)
So I went to fluxbox and he shut up and walked off

[roaldz]

Only some lower educated people at my school reject Ubuntu for false reasons like ¨I don´t like the way it looks¨, and sometimes even without reasons.
My girlfriends dad thinks I broke her PC by installing Kubuntu. My girlfriend loves it even more than she loves me, and he thinks I broke it? Come on! It won´t turn on anymore because the PSU is broken! I hate those stupid ignorant people who think they know best, but actually know NOTHING but what the media tell´s them..

[Mazza558]

I brought my laptop in to school the other day:
"It's stupid, it doesn't do what you tell it to" (out of all the things to say... :))
"What? And windows does? How does it not do what you tell it to?"
"In Windows, to change stuff you right-click the desktop and click settings" (OK, nothing to do with the previous comment)
So I went to fluxbox and he shut up and walked off

I was there. After saying "it doesn't do what you tell it to", I responded by asking him why, in Windows, you have to press Start to Shutdown. He replied, justifying it with "you press start to start the process of shutting down...". I then showed him how you'd shutdown in Ubuntu. "Isn't this more logical, System > Quit?" he then told me he didn't see how this was logical. WHAT?

[cipher_nemo]

Someone mentioned to me why they did... "I don't like the brown colors" lol!

[coolen]

:lolflag: Windows is modifiable?

I used to think that, but when I had to install Windows recently, I found myself eating my words. After only two short days of frantic tinkering, I'd not only changed several icons, but also enabled an entirely new theme, and changed my login screen!
On Ubuntu, I have to go into System, then to Preferences, then to Appearance...who needs it? With Windows, all I need is to download a replacement system file, a program to cleanly swap it with the old one, and two extra, third party programs to do all that! Talk about convenience!

[cipher_nemo]

I used to think that, but when I had to install Windows recently, I found myself eating my words. After only two short days of frantic tinkering, I'd not only changed several icons, but also enabled an entirely new theme, and changed my login screen!

HAHAHA, yeaaahhh. Good luck trying to edit the code of anything developed by Microsoft. You're obviously a user, not a developer, or you'd understand why you can't modify anything on Windows. :P It's all about open-source and software freedom, not about eye candy and changing the look of your O/S to match your mood. Eye candy is cool, but it doesn't define an O/S.

[coolen]

I'm not a developer, but I understand enough about the process to appreciate the open source model.
This wasn't about eye candy so much as just simple customisation. I didn't want my wobbly windows or desktop cubes: I just wanted to get something that looks halfway decent as of 2007, not 2002. I want my computer to show a little bit of my tastes, and I like to think that, in some small way, it now does...I just wish it had been easier to do (and not required me probably violating my EULA).

[theonhighgod]

"everything works on vista, apart from vista its self of course"

sed by my little brother,

he liked the idea of ubuntu liked using it, but he couldn't use the games on msn with it, and couldn't get dual monitors on his obscure intel graphic card, now i think he tries to boot vista, is it fails twice he uses ubuntu, i think he's mainly been using ubuntu ;)

[Praadur]

"I find Linux offensive on moral and economical grounds, and it's not efficient enough."

I actually had this said to me by an acquaintance after merely mentioning that I ran Ubuntu, and I found afterward that he had tried Linux at one point but he had nothing else to say on the matter other than what he'd told me.

Okay, economical grounds I can understand, because Linux becoming a success is probably an economist's nightmare, but moral grounds and not being efficient enough?

Anyway, I actually asked him to describe his dream OS, and everything he checked off was something that Ubuntu does and has done for a very long time. Though I really couldn't be bothered to argue the point with him, he had his mind set and that was that.

To be honest, this is often why when a person asks me whether I'd be uninformed or misinformed, I'd happily choose uninformed. Every time.

[p_quarles]

Okay, economical grounds I can understand, because Linux becoming a success is probably an economist's nightmare, but moral grounds and not being efficient enough?.
Why not on economic grounds? After all, IBM, Sun, Novell, Red Hat and Google all seem to be doing pretty well despite their massive financial support for open source software.

[sajro]

I brought my laptop in to school the other day:
"It's stupid, it doesn't do what you tell it to" (out of all the things to say... :))
"What? And windows does? How does it not do what you tell it to?"
"In Windows, to change stuff you right-click the desktop and click settings" (OK, nothing to do with the previous comment)
So I went to fluxbox and he shut up and walked off

You'll have to excuse me, I haven't used Fluxbox much. However, isn't most FB config done by editing files? That's how I had to add/remove icons on my Damn Small Linux install on my old ThinkPad 380XD.

I had to delete unwanted .lnk files from my ~/.xtdesktop directory and set up a new one (and an icon in Xpaint) there. It was for xkill because I keep running tasks haphazardly that won't interrupt. Example: I was in Emelfm and accidentally typo'd and executed "find / *" on a 233MHZ processor w/ 64MB RAM. Thank God for xkill.

[corney91]

You'll have to excuse me, I haven't used Fluxbox much. However, isn't most FB config done by editing files? That's how I had to add/remove icons on my Damn Small Linux install on my old ThinkPad 380XD.

I had to delete unwanted .lnk files from my ~/.xtdesktop directory and set up a new one (and an icon in Xpaint) there. It was for xkill because I keep running tasks haphazardly that won't interrupt. Example: I was in Emelfm and accidentally typo'd and executed "find / *" on a 233MHZ processor w/ 64MB RAM. Thank God for xkill.

Well, yeah. I really like it though and had everything set up nicely. I only used it to show the right-click on desktop can get to ANYTHING, including the settings which he was looking for.

But if he saw the config files, I would probably have conceded that fluxbox isn't the most user-friendly, even if some people prefer it done that way.

[Praadur]

Why not on economic grounds? After all, IBM, Sun, Novell, Red Hat and Google all seem to be doing pretty well despite their massive financial support for open source software.

This is an entirely fair point.

For a sane company, open-source software is not a threat to them, nor is the free market. However, it all depends on which side of the fence one sits, and therefore my comment was more of a snipe at the fellow who made the statement I mentioned, as I believe he was speaking in support of monopolies. It was likely a snipe I shouldn't have made though, but I'm still mildly irritated at him for spouting such nonsense, as I thought of him as being smarter than that.

So indeed, for the everyday and more ethical business outlook, there's no reason to be economically opposed to Linux either, you're quite right.

[Jhongy]

"Because it's not a full OS"...

I even recently read an Asus eeePC review (wish I could find the link), that said something along the lines of "Since I did not get a version with the ubiquitous Windows, I'm unable to rate the eeePC yet. Once Asus provide a proper full review version, I'll write a full review."

This kind of crap makes me mad.

[dustman]

1.because the USB mouse was stopped working after a few minutes from log in.

2. sound not working, tried everything ->went to vista, but that is still microsoft, so back to ubuntu :D

[Joeb454]

I can't install my myspaceim*


*insert rubbish malware giving windows app of your choice

[Lysander10]

"It's booting too slowly, it has problems(even though he couldn't reproduce them), and if it breaks, there's no place to go to pay for help."

[Lysander10]

"It's booting too slowly, it has problems(even though he couldn't reproduce them), and if it breaks, there's no place to go to pay for help."

Really, I think my friend is just adverse to change, and learning new things. Sigh... typical anti-progressive American... social inertia really is the bane of Linux.

[swoll1980]

Why not on economic grounds? After all, IBM, Sun, Novell, Red Hat and Google all seem to be doing pretty well despite their massive financial support for open source software.

morally I believe he's referring to the fact that 99.9% of Ubuntu users in the US have illegal codecs installed on there computer and I don't care if people come on here saying they don't for every one person that doesn't there's 100 other that do.
Ubuntu is just not functional unless your willing to break a couple rules.

[Xavieran]

It doesn't have a pretty blue screen with strange words on it every five days...
(Blue Screen of Death):)

[Joeb454]

Yeah but I'm guessing that's the same with every Linux distro

[bufsabre666]

morally I believe he's referring to the fact that 99.9% of Ubuntu users in the US have illegal codecs installed on there computer and I don't care if people come on here saying they don't for every one person that doesn't there's 100 other that do.
Ubuntu is just not functional unless your willing to break a couple rules.

to own the rights to a period and 3 letters to me seems stupid, i dont think that should be copyrightible

[swoll1980]

niether do I but laws are laws some where out there someone doesn't think raping woman or linching people should be illegal either witch is why we can't let people decide what laws
they are going to follow or witch ones there not

[swoll1980]

Yeah but I'm guessing that's the same with every Linux distro

exept freespire

[Lysander10]

niether do I but laws are laws some where out there someone doesn't think raping woman or linching people should be illegal either witch is why we can't let people decide what laws
they are going to follow or witch ones there not

That is a good point, but when a vast majority of people disagree with a law, perhaps it shouldn't be a law. We do live in a democracy after all(assuming you live in the U.S. or most other developed nations in the world). And speaking of which, in some parts of the world, installing those codecs isn't illegal at all,

[swoll1980]

That is a good point, but when a vast majority of people disagree with a law, perhaps it shouldn't be a law. We do live in a democracy after all(assuming you live in the U.S. or most other developed nations in the world). And speaking of which, in some parts of the world, installing those codecs isn't illegal at all,

Also a good point. with all the technology we have now to leave law making in the hands of a few easily influenced people almost defeats the purpose

[GepettoBR]

to own the rights to a period and 3 letters to me seems stupid, i dont think that should be copyrightible

No one copyrights an extension, buf, they copyright compression algorythms.

[Circus-Killer]

because vista is prettier :P

[Praadur]

This discussion on codecs has been very interesting to me...

I say this because it started off in a less than circumspect manner, it was all very US-centric, even though it was my quotation that was the cause of someone to run off with this topic... and I'm a Breton (and the person whom I was quoting is an Aussie).

It's also worth considering that these codec patent laws are by far the most dominant and notable in Australia and the United States, this was an interesting fact for me to learn, after a little research.

Considering this, I thought it would be a fair point if that acquaintance had taken the moral high-ground regarding codecs, patents, and the suclike so I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and I asked him.

Apparently his moral concern derives only from some Linux users being too pretentious. To paraphrase; "They're /root this, and /root that, it grates on the nerves after a while."

So there you have it, even though his home country was applicable to the argument, that wasn't something he'd considered at all. I'd say that this might be because Oz and the States are but two countries in a very big World, and they don't reflect primarily on the moral habits of the World as a whole. What's illegal in two countries might not be illegal everywhere, after all.

[stalker145]

I can't install my myspaceim*


*insert rubbish malware giving windows app of your choice

Good thing the Pidgin developers have coded in support for MySpace IM now :D

Make sure to let them know that one... one less argument for them ;)

[Spike-X]

Installing MP3 codecs in Linux is illegal in Australia?

Oh dear. How ever will I sleep at night?

[bufsabre666]

cause exe is alot less confusing than deb

they do they same thing essentually, its stupid

[cipher_nemo]

I had my supervisor and friend tell me recently when I suggested Ubuntu and explained it as a Linux distribution: "Linux? Isn't that for hackers? (...) it's not safe."

*snicker*

[lisati]

No start button
Ha ha ha
"I can afford Vista," in an insulted tone. (well, it's your money...)
(and can afford to fix it)
"We have to use Microsoft Word in school."
Ever heard of "Open Office"?


:):):):):):):):)

[DoctorMO]

they do they same thing essentually, its stupid

No they don;t, one is an executable binary in which each byte of code of instructions are sent to the processor. a deb on the other hand does not execute, it's a list of files to be installed on any given computer, dependencies, meta data and security information.

Now if I was going to design an install system I wouldn't do something a silly as create an exe for it, it's just too insecure and your really just trying to take control away from the host operating system. Why do people think Microsoft invented MSI?

No one copyrights an extension, buf, they copyright compression algorythms.

You can't copyright an idea, only the form an idea takes. Just like you can't patent an end result, only a process of achieving the result and even then there are exceptions such as mathematical algorithms and metal feats. Thus compression algorithms can't be copyrighted or patented.

[bufsabre666]

No they don;t, one is an executable binary in which each byte of code of instructions are sent to the processor. a deb on the other hand does not execute, it's a list of files to be installed on any given computer, dependencies, meta data and security information.

Now if I was going to design an install system I wouldn't do something a silly as create an exe for it, it's just too insecure and your really just trying to take control away from the host operating system. Why do people think Microsoft invented MSI?

thats why i said essentially, how many end users do you know that know this fact? they both install the program, there for are essentially the same

[M$LOL]

MSIs/EXEs use different methods to achieve the same thing, and appear virtually identical to the end user.

Without a doubt, the lamest excuse I have ever heard comes from a thread another user posted:

http://talkback.zdnet.com/5208-12355-0.html?forumID=1&threadID=31199&messageID=579066&start=-9607


Linux looks very interesting, even if some of the screen colours and menu options appear to be a little out of the ordinary.

But you are missing a vital point, a point which takes some experience and depth of knowledge in the field of computers. You see, when a computer boots up, it needs to load various drivers and then load various services. This happens long before the operating system and other applications are available.

Linux is a marvellous operating system in its own right, and even comes in several different flavours. However, as good as these flavours are, they first need Microsoft Windows to load the services prior to use.

In Linux, the open office might be the default for editing your wordfiles, and you might prefer ubuntu brown over the grassy knoll of the windows desktop, but mark my words young man - without the windows drivers sitting below the visible surface, allowing the linus to talk to the hardware, it is without worth.

And so, by choosing your linux as an alternative to windows on the desktop, you still need a windows licence to run this operating system through the windows drivers to talk to the hardware. Linux is only a code, it cannot perform the low level function.

My point being, young man, that unless you intend to pirate and steal the Windows drivers and services, how is using the linux going to save money ? Well ? It seems that no linux fan can ever provide a straight answer to that question !

May as well just stay legal, run the Windows drivers, and run Office on the desktop instead of the linus.

[quinnten83]

MSIs/EXEs use different methods to achieve the same thing, and appear virtually identical to the end user.

Without a doubt, the lamest excuse I have ever heard comes from a thread another user posted:

http://talkback.zdnet.com/5208-12355-0.html?forumID=1&threadID=31199&messageID=579066&start=-9607

Yeah, that one was a hoot!

EDIT: hmm, wrong quote. I meant the linux needs windows to load the services prior to boot.....!
what a moron.

[coolen]

That's the funniest thing I've read so far this year.

[GepettoBR]

You can't copyright an idea, only the form an idea takes. Just like you can't patent an end result, only a process of achieving the result and even then there are exceptions such as mathematical algorithms and metal feats. Thus compression algorithms can't be copyrighted or patented.

Compression algorythms aren't "ideas", they're "productive processes" - or at least that's the justification given by the copyright holders.They are copyrighted when they should be patented, according to that logic, but corporations stopped feeling the need to make sense when the Cold War ended. Since (re)compressing audio and video streams with specific algorythms essentially creates something new, the courts hold these claims in good faith. As for me, in Brazil, it's not illegal so long as I'm not pirating software, so LAME is a-ok (and saying "a-ok" is lame).

[darkstar8]

lol this thread is so funny, and infuriating, that I just had to read every post.

Somewhere along the line someone said something about monitors "exploding" with Linux... (too lazy to go back to find the original post).
Not even the almighty Microsoft can mitigate this...

Several years ago when Starcraft first came out (many years ago I guess) my friends and I held LAN parties to play games, and one of my friends decided to try to increase the resolution of his monitor. We were all running Windows 98 at the time...
He was running a Compaq Pentium 200 (which looked like a bread-making machine...we always bugged him about that) and had bought a second-hand monitor.
For some reason Windows had the option to increase his res to something it couldn't handle.
Sure enough, moments after he tried the new setting his monitor started smoking.
Fortunately I had a spare monitor that he could use.

And that's my story (!).

[sstusick]

lol this thread is so funny, and infuriating, that I just had to read every post.:lolflag: You must have done a lot of reading then.. how long did it take you?

[karellen]

Linux looks very interesting, even if some of the screen colours and menu options appear to be a little out of the ordinary.

But you are missing a vital point, a point which takes some experience and depth of knowledge in the field of computers. You see, when a computer boots up, it needs to load various drivers and then load various services. This happens long before the operating system and other applications are available.

Linux is a marvellous operating system in its own right, and even comes in several different flavours. However, as good as these flavours are, they first need Microsoft Windows to load the services prior to use.

In Linux, the open office might be the default for editing your wordfiles, and you might prefer ubuntu brown over the grassy knoll of the windows desktop, but mark my words young man - without the windows drivers sitting below the visible surface, allowing the linus to talk to the hardware, it is without worth.

And so, by choosing your linux as an alternative to windows on the desktop, you still need a windows licence to run this operating system through the windows drivers to talk to the hardware. Linux is only a code, it cannot perform the low level function.

My point being, young man, that unless you intend to pirate and steal the Windows drivers and services, how is using the linux going to save money ? Well ? It seems that no linux fan can ever provide a straight answer to that question !

May as well just stay legal, run the Windows drivers, and run Office on the desktop instead of the linus.

this is priceless. I can't believe it...:lolflag:

[sstusick]

:lolflag::lolflag:

I have to wonder if that person was serious when he wrote that?

[ryanVickers]

wow, sad there are people actually that stupid in the world :p

[ryanVickers]

“Are you saying that this linux can run on a computer without windows underneath it, at all ? As in, without a boot disk, without any drivers, and without any services ?
That sounds preposterous to me.If it were true (and I doubt it), then companies would be selling computers without a windows. This clearly is not happening, so there must be some error in your calculations. I hope you realise that windows is more than just Office ? Its a whole system that runs the computer from start to finish, and that is a very difficult thing to acheive. A lot of people dont realise this.Microsoft just spent $9 billion and many years to create Vista, so it does not sound reasonable that some new alternative could just snap into existence overnight like that. It would take billions of dollars and a massive effort to achieve. IBM tried, and spent a huge amount of money developing OS/2 but could never keep up with Windows. Apple tried to create their own system for years, but finally gave up recently and moved to Intel and Microsoft.Its just not possible that a freeware like the Linux could be extended to the point where it runs the entire computer fron start to finish, without using some of the more critical parts of windows. Not possible.
I think you need to re-examine your assumptions.”

LMFAO :lolflag::lolflag::lolflag::lolflag:

[Matej_C.]

Quote:
“Are you saying that this linux can run on a computer without windows underneath it, at all ? As in, without a boot disk, without any drivers, and without any services ?
That sounds preposterous to me.If it were true (and I doubt it), then companies would be selling computers without a windows. This clearly is not happening, so there must be some error in your calculations. I hope you realise that windows is more than just Office ? Its a whole system that runs the computer from start to finish, and that is a very difficult thing to acheive. A lot of people dont realise this.Microsoft just spent $9 billion and many years to create Vista, so it does not sound reasonable that some new alternative could just snap into existence overnight like that. It would take billions of dollars and a massive effort to achieve. IBM tried, and spent a huge amount of money developing OS/2 but could never keep up with Windows. Apple tried to create their own system for years, but finally gave up recently and moved to Intel and Microsoft.Its just not possible that a freeware like the Linux could be extended to the point where it runs the entire computer fron start to finish, without using some of the more critical parts of windows. Not possible.
I think you need to re-examine your assumptions.”
LMFAO

i was laughing so hard, that I couldn't breathe :lolflag:

[sstusick]

That article really is priceless LOL

[DaymItzJack]

My grandama just died.

[Alberio]

so... I just spent a long time reading through the WHOLE thread

yes, every post, every word, and the links to the "cooperisms" and the wiki


This is both incredibly hilarious and depressing. (in a more depressing mood because these builders keep messing up my house)

but anyways

we actually do have a LUG at our school. Sadly, it's inactive. It was kind of cool though, for spirit week we got hundreds of kubuntu and ubuntu CDs and taped them to the walls of the hallways. They were all gone. (along with some tux printouts)

Here is what I think, is one of the huge differences between windows and linux.
the story:
I gave my kubuntu gutsy live-cd to a friend, for him to try out. He liked the system, said it was fast on his old hardware. BUT, he was using dailup. (the poor *******. at least he's on cable now)

So, basically when he tried to configure it, he got lost in all the options of protocols or of modems (from what I understand of his descriptions, I've never used linux and dailup)

The windows approach would have been: try a few, without notifying or questioning the user. When it can't find a way, tell the user it doesn't work and send them on their jolly way to tech support, or to some store to buy a new modem.


By the way. The photoshop reason is excusably valid..

I've been using photoshop for 4 years. Yes, as an active user. I did graphics work for clans, individual sigs, team banners, some web sites, yada.

I'm very comfortable with it, know how to do most of the stuff. This is the main reason I keep windows around. (that and Civ, maybe some other odd games)

GIMP, is yes, different. I am not afraid that it's different. I have used it for simple projects and find it adequete. But, I would rather use photoshop. trust me, I am not a microsoft supporter at all, but photoshop is a nice program.

When I say excusably valid, I mean it. It's a decent reason, but there's no reason why people can't dual boot (as I'm doing) except for ignorance, laziness, or lack of time.

Seriously, I have a 40 gig hard drive. To me, and most people AFAIK, that's pretty small. I still managed to clear out 9 gigs of space, split off 7 for linux (/ + swap) and install ubuntu on that. Was it easy? no, not exactly. I had fdisk instructions given to me by a friend. (I'm pretty sure this was before there was decent write support to NTFS)
But, It was done. and once it's done, it's set until you wipe the hdd. I've been reinstalling new distros over my small 6 gig chunk over and over again, as I like.

I actually didn't even have much reason to complain about windows, other than it's overwhelming slowness. I've only gotten the blue screen a few times, at most. (like, 7).the physical memory dump. Of 4-5 years of use. But, (K)Ubuntu is good enough that I still stick with that over windows. (partly for it's great speed compared to XP)

It's much easier for me to learn C++ here, than in MSVC++. (And Qt is much nicer than the WINAPI as far as I've seen of both)

But, when I try to explain Ubuntu to others, the most common answer is :

"dude, vista is so nice though"
they don't want any more than what comes easily. They're not inquistive, they're not curious, they're lame, boring and their vision stops at the tip of their nose. They don't see things right in front of them, as I'm explaining to them handing them a live-cd which I know they won't use.
er... sorry. I'll stop my rant on willful ignorance. That could be long.

anyways, this is a nice thread :P

[GamingMazter]

The worst reason I have ever heard was on a website for 'haters' of ubuntu (thought i'd check it out just for the sake of it...I always do stuff like that) and this guy said he had it once then he quit straight away and now he is a 'hater' simply for the reason that it had 'tu' at the end of the word...I MEAN WHAT THE HELL?!?!?!?

[DaymItzJack]

simply for the reason that it had 'tu' at the end of the word...

What the hell? I feel the same way, stupid 'tu's.

[Glu3]

From a site called "Is your son a computer hacker?"

It is quite an old article by internet standards but it is a great read.
http://www.adequacy.org/stories/2001.12.2.42056.2147.html

"8. Is your son obsessed with "Lunix"?"

"BSD, Lunix, Debian and Mandrake are all versions of an illegal hacker operation system, invented by a Soviet computer hacker named Linyos Torovoltos, before the Russians lost the Cold War. It is based on a program called "xenix", which was written by Microsoft for the US government. These programs are used by hackers to break into other people's computer systems to steal credit card numbers. They may also be used to break into people's stereos to steal their music, using the "mp3" program. Torovoltos is a notorious hacker, responsible for writing many hacker programs, such as "telnet", which is used by hackers to connect to machines on the internet without using a telephone.

Your son may try to install "lunix" on your hard drive. If he is careful, you may not notice its presence, however, lunix is a capricious beast, and if handled incorrectly, your son may damage your computer, and even break it completely by deleting Windows, at which point you will have to have your computer repaired by a professional.

If you see the word "LILO" during your windows startup (just after you turn the machine on), your son has installed lunix. In order to get rid of it, you will have to send your computer back to the manufacturer, and have them fit a new hard drive. Lunix is extremely dangerous software, and cannot be removed without destroying part of your hard disk surface. "

[ryanVickers]

wow... LMFAO :lolflag::lolflag::lolflag::lolflag:

[cipher_nemo]

...but there's no reason why people can't dual boot (as I'm doing) except for ignorance, laziness, or lack of time.

Many Linux users don't dual boot for reasons apparently lost to you: they insist on using free, open source software and will not touch anything with licensing ties such as Microsoft products. It is both an ethical and political choice for these individuals.

This is the only reason I'm using Ubuntu on most of the PCs I use. I never dual boot, because if I am using XP on one system, I'd rather take the time to switch completely to Linux and never look back to Windows. The fact that Linux is more stable, more robust, installs faster, boots faster, etc. are only bonuses to me.

If I ever wanted to be lazy in using proprietary, copyright software (ie: Photoshop), I'd still eventually switch to open source software (ie: GIMP) even if it wasn't as slick or as familiar a package. Just for the sake of using free, open source software. If I didn't like the way something worked, and if I cared enough, I'd join the dev team and help.

But open source is more than just programming freedom. It's a peace of mind that transcends all other forms of computing. It gives people the power to oust companies who abuse consumers through their overly restrictive licensing (ie: Microsoft), and mock them all while enjoying and succeeding with 100% free software.

Of course not everyone is or wants to be involved in software development, so open source doesn't mean much to some. Still, I hope this helps you understand why using only this type of software is important to many others.

[cipher_nemo]

From a site called "Is your son a computer hacker?"

It is quite an old article by internet standards but it is a great read.
http://www.adequacy.org/stories/2001.12.2.42056.2147.html

That's an old article, duplicated many places on various sites that was originally written as a joke. It even got slashdotted quite a while ago.

[inversekinetix]

the backslapping here is akin to the masons, how much longer can you make fun of obviously derranged people? people speak like linux users are on another level to everyone else. If you read the religion threads you will see there are just as many linux users with nutball ideas about things as there are non linux users with nutball ideas about linux. but anyways. enjoy....

[Alberio]

Many Linux users don't dual boot for reasons apparently lost to you: they insist on using free, open source software and will not touch anything with licensing ties such as Microsoft products. It is both an ethical and political choice for these individuals.

This is the only reason I'm using Ubuntu on most of the PCs I use. I never dual boot, because if I am using XP on one system, I'd rather take the time to switch completely to Linux and never look back to Windows. The fact that Linux is more stable, more robust, installs faster, boots faster, etc. are only bonuses to me.

If I ever wanted to be lazy in using proprietary, copyright software (ie: Photoshop), I'd still eventually switch to open source software (ie: GIMP) even if it wasn't as slick or as familiar a package. Just for the sake of using free, open source software. If I didn't like the way something worked, and if I cared enough, I'd join the dev team and help.

But open source is more than just programming freedom. It's a peace of mind that transcends all other forms of computing. It gives people the power to oust companies who abuse consumers through their overly restrictive licensing (ie: Microsoft), and mock them all while enjoying and succeeding with 100% free software.

Of course not everyone is or wants to be involved in software development, so open source doesn't mean much to some. Still, I hope this helps you understand why using only this type of software is important to many others.

I'm sorry, that's not what I meant. When I was saying that (Yeah, I really should have been more careful) I was talking about those that refuse to even TRY ubuntu. I did not meant to insult any member of the community. Just by being here you have shown you've at the least given it a chance, and many develop for it (or the open software movement in general) I did not mean you guys :P I was talking about the windows users who say they don't want to lose windows. they can keep windows, and at least give ubuntu a chance. I don't boot into windows for weeks at a time. there was a stretch of uptime for about 7 months of ubuntu. (to be careful, if memory serves me)

I respect your view on using open source software. I share your feelings about how much linux 1-ups windows. I was sharing my reasons for why it's not exactly IRRATIONAL to keep windows around while trying ubuntu. (and more)

Seriously, I see the point and yeah, they're good. But, I don't like to see something I consider a little imposing. Feel free to use only open software, more power to you, you have my blessings, and encouragement. The thing is, would you object to keeping a slice of windows around for occasional work? Those of us at school are sometimes required to use software that is on windows. While I think it's stupid and really hate how people assume there's Mac and Windows and that's it, I keep it around for the practicalities. Are there objections? I suppose one reason I'm not all that worked up (oh, I'm opposed, just not worked up) about extreme licensing is because I never really payed any mind to it.

I would love to help with software development. problem is, I'm not good enough yet. I've been learning C++ for a little while. I just made my first Qt apps over the weekend. Not good enough yet.


p.s. There's been a huge discussion going on, for quite a while on Photoshop vs. GIMP. I'd have to say that I'd rather stick with using photoshop. I'm more familiar with it, been using it for years. I use GIMP for small jobs, but for projects I switch back into my windows install for a while.

I really don't think we're saying such different things.


Though a thing that got me from your post is the act of doing something for the sake of doing it.

I'd still eventually switch to open source software (ie: GIMP) even if it wasn't as slick or as familiar a package. Just for the sake of using free, open source software

This is where I disagree. If you had said, for the sake of { Supporting the movement, or for using software with more updates, or with a large group of people on lookout for any bugs making the program generally nicer, or because you'd like to get familiar with the program in order to contribute to the code., or even just something to mess around with.} any or all of those reasons, I would have liked. If you meant something like those, instead of doing it for the sake of doing, or if you were implying those things, please say that now.

[cipher_nemo]

Thanks for the clarification, Alberio. :) Yeah, the way I read your post probably didn't align with your intentions.

p.s. There's been a huge discussion going on, for quite a while on Photoshop vs. GIMP. I'd have to say that I'd rather stick with using photoshop. I'm more familiar with it, been using it for years. I use GIMP for small jobs, but for projects I switch back into my windows install for a while.

(...)

I really don't think we're saying such different things.


Though a thing that got me from your post is the act of doing something for the sake of doing it.



This is where I disagree. If you had said, for the sake of { Supporting the movement, or for using software with more updates, or with a large group of people on lookout for any bugs making the program generally nicer, or because you'd like to get familiar with the program in order to contribute to the code., or even just something to mess around with.} any or all of those reasons, I would have liked. If you meant something like those, instead of doing it for the sake of doing, or if you were implying those things, please say that now.

I agree in that I also prefer Photoshop. I even hate the new CS versions (I prefer 7.0), but I really don't mind using GIMP if I have to. I use GIMP for quick things if I'm on my server or so, but for my XP desktop, I use Photoshop 7.0. I am looking into buying a Wacom tablet for freehand drawing, and I have a sinking feeling it will just work better with Photoshop than GIMP.

But my point isn't which software is better, but rather which is worth investing our time and support of the project/community, even if it's just using it and spreading knowledge of it. May be an important question to ask is, "if GIMP was identical to Photoshop, would you use GIMP?" and then "why?". Obviously no one would want a restrictive, commercial software license and pay a fee if given the choice. Then we build from there. If GIMP isn't as 'slick' as Photoshop, how do we get there from where we are now in development, and even, how can we make it 'better' than Photoshop.

While Adobe has who knows how many paid developers working on Photshop, GIMP has no paid developers, but an entire community working on it. The motivations are different (profit and making a living, vs. hobby or dedication to the open source mentality), the final product is often judged on the same grounds: how it performs. I think that is a very narrow, consumer-like view of software. Of course there is nothing wrong with it, but it is a lesser, more self-centered view of software that more likely than not, doesn't benefit anyone except the company selling it. I'd like to call that a "consumer view".

This is a very old argument tied to the Free Software Foundation and open source communities in general.

Speculation based on observations:

As for Ubuntu and how it plays into the open source world, we will have far more visitors and users who have this 'consumer view'. This is most likely due to the fact that more people are migrating to Ubuntu from Windows and the consumer marketplace that may not care about the wording of a software license. All they might want is free software that isn't Windows, possibly after their dislike for Vista grows.

So, promoting and supporting free software is the ultimate goal for some. Of course, even an open source community needs its user base, or it will be a pointless endeavor.

[Alberio]

:)

If GIMP were at the same level as photoshop, I'd gladly use it. Even if it was a little bit worse I would gladly use it. It's free, low use of system resources, and I don't have to boot into my sluggish XP install, and I'd have an excellent piece of open software. (I feel like these kinds of reasons should be valid ones. If you were a contributor of FOSS, I'd say to make these the reasons people should use the software, with the free license being a contributing factor, but not the main reason. That way, it encourages those with your aptly named consumer viewpoint to use open software. Sorry, I've never really been an empathic kind of guy. Honestly, I'd be more motivated to producing good, open source software, than open source software that might be good. (no implications intended, at all!))

As for the wacom tablet. I have one, and it works well under Photoshop. After following one of the excellent tutorials on this site, I've got it working under GIMP. But, it's.... "different". (not necessarily in a good way). Again, but, I feel that it could be easily solved by adjusting the pressure curve!

once that's tweaked, It should be a much more enjoyable experience using GIMP and the tablet.

edit:
(I just looked at some of the licensing restrictions and the programs running under Vista. I think I am now seeing what you mean by using FOSS for the sake of FOSS, it's not windows.)
Sorry, I have never used Vista. XP only.


to bruce: Yes, GIMP is not photoshop. Never said I wanted it to be. "same level" doesn't mean identical. you can be there in different ways.

[bruce89]

GIMP != Photoshop and that's a good thing.

If someone made GIMP a clone of photoshop people would say "FOSS just copies others". Instead we have people saying "FOSS isn't good enough, it's not like COMMERCIAL_SOFTWARE". You can't have it both ways.

[LaRoza]

GIMP != Photoshop and that's a good thing.

If someone made GIMP a clone of photoshop people would say "FOSS just copies others". Instead we have people saying "FOSS isn't good enough, it's not like COMMERCIAL_SOFTWARE". You can't have it both ways.

http://www.gimpshop.com/

It does copy others sometimes....

[bruce89]

http://www.gimpshop.com/

It does copy others sometimes....

/me waits for the non-free people to claim "FOSS is a load of copiers".

Surely having a good UI is the most important thing, not copying someone else's. That's how GNOME got to where it is today.

[LaRoza]

/me waits for the non-free people to claim "FOSS is a load of copiers".

Surely having a good UI is the most important thing, not copying someone else's. That's how GNOME got to where it is today.

Windows copied and were wary of being sued for it. Which is why Windows was originally not part of the OS.

[bruce89]

Windows copied and were wary of being sued for it. Which is why Windows was originally not part of the OS.

Got to love software patents.

[LaRoza]

Got to love software patents.

MS was afraid of IBM, and now have taken the place of them in terms of evilness, so to speak.

[ryanVickers]

:)
If GIMP were at the same level as photoshop, I'd gladly use it....

I don't know about that - I love it, and lots of people in my class who immensely dislike Linux, and justify with the all too common "Linux is gay" argument, are willing to admit that GIMP is great and for some things they prefer it to photoshop...

They've said things along the lines of its hard to learn but once you get it a lot of things are easier, and you can do a lot more stuff...
It's true - Photoshop is all visual effects, like texturing, etc, but the GIMP has real canvas modification effects like warping, etc. and some of the tools are very nice and very useful.

[Mary.Riley]

"But it won't work with Outlook or Excel..."

OR

"What about when I get a job in a corporation and I have to use Windows? I won't remember how to use it..." --- the last one was a student at the top of his class in a highly-ranked business school.

[ryanVickers]

lol I haven't really used windows beyond logging on and doing word processing (and only at school) in SO long and I still know 100x more than anyone else at school :p

[Darkhack]

lots of people in my class who immensely dislike Linux, and justify with the all too common "Linux is gay" argument

As a gay Linux user whenever I read "xyz is gay", I'm always like "yay!" then I realize, "oh wait, they meant that as an insult". I've gotten into the habit of associating gay with being cool and trendy.

[ryanVickers]

It's just sad that no one has a valid argument against it, where as I can list hundreds of real problems with windows/m$

[nickld]

Anything Apple

[AnonCat]

One of the the most common excuses I hear is how they don't like the looks of the GUI. Most people don't understand that you can customize Linux infinitely more than you can Windows. I have user accounts on my Ubuntu machine that are setup to look just like Vista and OS X so I can make a point of how customizable Linux it is, that it to can assume the "superior and professional" looks of those other OSes.

[coolen]

As a gay Linux user whenever I read "xyz is gay", I'm always like "yay!" then I realize, "oh wait, they meant that as an insult". I've gotten into the habit of associating gay with being cool and trendy.

Whenever someone calls me gay, I thank them, on the grounds that I stood out enough to them that they didn't immediately assume I was straight. I feel the same should apply to my favourite OS.

[quinnten83]

As a gay Linux user whenever I read "xyz is gay", I'm always like "yay!" then I realize, "oh wait, they meant that as an insult". I've gotten into the habit of associating gay with being cool and trendy.

LOL,
but that is only because it is cool & trendy :), those using the term "gay" for an insult just don' t know any better..)
(another gay user eagerly awaiting gaybuntu)

[quinnten83]

It's just sad that no one has a valid argument against it, where as I can list hundreds of real problems with windows/m$

How can they have a valid argument about something they never even gave a chance?
Ppl suck!

[GepettoBR]

How can they have a valid argument about something they never even gave a chance?
Ppl suck!

The most valid argument they could make would probably be on the grounds of hardware compatibility (which has been giving me headaches ever since I first installed Ubuntu) but they'd have to use the OS for at least five minutes to find that out.

[alxlabs]

I didn't give up ubuntu, but I was close - I have an all-in-one printer/scanner etc has to be shared on the network. It just took me entire weekend including nights to get it working as oppose to 10 min under win. However I'm still running winXP on the other machine as run into the problem with cenelerra in videoediting in general I cannot resolve and no one seems to be able to help.

[GepettoBR]

I didn't give up ubuntu, but I was close - I have an all-in-one printer/scanner etc has to be shared on the network. It just took me entire weekend including nights to get it working as oppose to 10 min under win. However I'm still running winXP on the other machine as run into the problem with cenelerra in videoediting in general I cannot resolve and no one seems to be able to help.

Video editing in Linux is sub-par. Windows 3rd-party apps and the OSX native programs are lightyears ahead anything currently available for Linux. I reccomend you keep an eye on Celluloid (http://celluloid.sourceforge.net/About.html), a crossplatform NLE based on AviSynth. It promises to be big, and it's Free Software. The front page hasn't been updated in a while, but the project is still under active development.

[alxlabs]

Video editing in Linux is sub-par. Windows 3rd-party apps and the OSX native programs are lightyears ahead anything currently available for Linux. I reccomend you keep an eye on Celluloid (http://celluloid.sourceforge.net/About.html), a crossplatform NLE based on AviSynth. It promises to be big, and it's Free Software. The front page hasn't been updated in a while, but the project is still under active development.

I have Premire pro installed on vmware virtual machine (premiere does not work with wine), it seems to be working OK, but sloooooooooooooow when it comes to render the video.... Video is the last thing keeping me with windows

[coolen]

LOL,
but that is only because it is cool & trendy :), those using the term "gay" for an insult just don' t know any better..)
(another gay user eagerly awaiting gaybuntu)


Well, that's one way to keep homophobes out of the community :)

If anyone calls Linux gay, show them Samba. Linux doesn't just like other Linuces. Linux is bisexual!

[Northsider]

A lot of us don't have time or patience to "learn" Linux. With all of the Windows problems there are I encounter an equal number of problems with Linux...the only difference is that I KNOW how to fix it with windows. I don't have time/patience to find out how to get my laptop to 'sleep' and 'awake' properly...i dont have time to learn how to get my dual screens working properly...i don't have time to try and get WINE working (which never works for me)...

A lot of the people here are probably here because they WANT to be here, trying Linux. The "average" user doesn't have the luxury. Ubuntu is a great distro and almost completely user friendly...but not quite there yet...and unless it does become more user friendly, windows will always be the choice for the "average" user.

[coolen]

I think that's a very valid point. While complaints about the layout might hold no water, complaints about the problems with Linux are quite valid. People don't know how to apporach these problems.

Which is why they'll just keep making it more user friendly. Make dual-monitor setups easier and less problem-ridden, proper suspend support, and I saw a spec on Launchpad a while ago about better Wine integration (although this seems like a very long-term thing).

When Linux does "get there", it'll be because it's superior to Windows, not an equal.

[GepettoBR]

I have Premire pro installed on vmware virtual machine (premiere does not work with wine), it seems to be working OK, but sloooooooooooooow when it comes to render the video.... Video is the last thing keeping me with windows

Same here. My Windows boot is a dedicated audio/video studio. The Adobe suite is, IMO, the best out there. I have AfterEffects 6, Premiere 6 and Pro 2 installed. But using any heavy video editing program in VMware is bound to be immensely slow, since raw video needs a lot of RAM and free CPU cycles, and running two OSes at the same time kind of makes that impossible unless your computer is insanely tuned. Booting straight into Windows is your best choice for using Premiere.

[Northsider]

I think that's a very valid point. While complaints about the layout might hold no water, complaints about the problems with Linux are quite valid. People don't know how to apporach these problems.

Which is why they'll just keep making it more user friendly. Make dual-monitor setups easier and less problem-ridden, proper suspend support, and I saw a spec on Launchpad a while ago about better Wine integration (although this seems like a very long-term thing).

When Linux does "get there", it'll be because it's superior to Windows, not an equal.

I have no doubt that Linux has the potential to be absolutely superior to windows...but only if you know how to manipulate it. It's like owning a car, unless you know how to work under the hood it will slowly break down into a pile of junk. (ok lame example, but you know what I mean)