Why is Linux so interesting?

[hoppipolla]

It's weird isn't it? Like, I try to stay away from these forums, I do, but like there's something about this damn OS (and I guess dual booting it and all the related technical complexities and bits and pieces) that makes it all very interesting!

6 years I've been using it, and I still love talking about it and am amused whenever I found a new feature or even a previously undiscovered bug!

Does anyone know what I mean?

Hoppi ^_^

[misfitpierce]

Indeed. Part of it is the idea of supporting free and opensource software for me but none the less Ubuntu itself as an OS seems to have an alluring trend to it that keeps you hooked! As for the forums... I'm hooked to the forums period because of the great community here! Best online in my opinion!

[benj1]

yes

my theory is, is that its the unix way of doing one thing, and doing it well. it gives you more room for fiddling

[Ex0suit]

Windows is closed, Linux open, more interesting :)

[earthpigg]

"Unix doesn't prevent the user from doing stupid things, because that would also prevent the user from doing clever things."

It's the same appeal as having an old muscle car that one can pop the hood on and.... either break the car, or end up making it better. Which will it be, today???

Also, grass roots movements in general (nearly everything accomplished on these forums) are way more interesting to follow than Ivory Tower Royal King on High Dictating Policy type movements.

[Ric_NYC]

There's a feeling that we are part of a revolutionary movement...
:D

[3rdalbum]

I got really excited this morning when I tried burning a 3.6gb ISO to a DVD, and saw the little widget that's a progress bar AND a popup menu in one.

[hoppipolla]

There's a feeling that we are part of a revolutionary movement...
:D

haha wicked post :)

I've had that feeling before too :D

[earthpigg]

It isn't a feeling.

:guitar:

[The Funkbomb]

http://linuxgazette.net/165/misc/xkcd/linux_user_at_best_buy.png

That sums it up for me.

[hoppipolla]

http://linuxgazette.net/165/misc/xkcd/linux_user_at_best_buy.png

That sums it up for me.

oh thanks for linking me to that! I got told about that comic strip by someone once and I couldn't find it anywhere! I'll have to save that one :)

[ElSlunko]

LMAO @ Comic strip. The philosophy and development practices behind it are interesting. As a end-user though I enjoy the quality (though sometimes clunky) experience I get for daily computing tasks. It feels good to have a plethora of software to choose from with easy access to it. The community has been a huge plus as well. Customizability, relative stability, and security (though probably mainly due to obscurity) have all been huge +s.

[hoppipolla]

LMAO @ Comic strip. The philosophy and development practices behind it are interesting. As a end-user though I enjoy the quality (though sometimes clunky) experience I get for daily computing tasks. It feels good to have a plethora of software to choose from with easy access to it. The community has been a huge plus as well. Customizability, relative stability, and security (though probably mainly due to obscurity) have all been huge +s.

I wouldn't say mainly.. Linux does still seem to be one of the most fundamentally secure mainstream OSs out there!

[Exodist]

It's weird isn't it? Like, I try to stay away from these forums, I do, but like there's something about this damn OS (and I guess dual booting it and all the related technical complexities and bits and pieces) that makes it all very interesting!

6 years I've been using it, and I still love talking about it and am amused whenever I found a new feature or even a previously undiscovered bug!

Does anyone know what I mean?

Hoppi ^_^


Not sure, but I believe GNU/Linux keeps so many users interested is the fact that everyone wants to have something of their own. Windows makes you feel like you must conform to their expectations. A GNU/Linux distro on the other hand allows the user to make their PC their own through customization. Even if the user doesnt care that much about customizing their system, everyone at some point who use Linux will customize it to a extent. Thus giving them the feeling like their PC is their own again.

[Bruce H]

It's like the most complicated jigsaw puzzle ever made. That's what makes it fun for me.

[praveesh]

That's because you have (almost)complete control over it. And with kde , you can make it whatever you wish. Within just 6 months, new features and new releases come. When the excitement of one release ends , another release comes . That's the case of Ubuntu and kde and Gnome. Is there anything to do with the opensource philosophy ?

[Dharmachakra]

It's just something cool to play with. I've never felt like I'm part of some revolution or anything.

And, to be honest, Windows is interesting to me as well... all operating systems are.

[Greg]

Just like to point out that the comic is xkcd.

[earthpigg]

re: "Security by Obscurity"

I wasn't aware Google, Wikipedia, and 80% of the worlds supercomputers where considered obscure targets with mysterious inner workings....

[subdivision]

Linux has kept my interest for quite a while now. There's always something new to fix.

[Eisenwinter]

This is very much like asking "Why do I like ice cream?"

[plusnplus]

how about 5-6years from now ubuntu not free anymore.
will you still buy + use ubuntu?

one more thing, just curious, why the website is ubuntu.com not ubuntu.org?

[ZankerH]

how about 5-6years from now ubuntu not free anymore.
will you still buy + use ubuntu?

one more thing, just curious, why the website is ubuntu.com not ubuntu.org?

What do you mean by "not free"?

If it's commercial, but still Free software, I'd probably buy it. But then again, even today, Ubuntu isn't entirely composed of Free software, and the company (!) behind it publicly refuses to use the proper name of the OS it's a software distribution distribution of - GNU/Linux.

If it goes proprietary and commercial, well, it's just another proprietary piece of crap I'm not touching with a 10 foot pole. Moving on to the next distro it is...

As it is, for me, Ubuntu serves a very specific job of allowing me to use my desktop without fiddling around with it too much. I could easily accomplish the same with any other distro that actually allows the user more choice, if I could just summon the willpower to not fiddle around with it once I've got it set up. :D

[Khakilang]

I think the potential is endless since its open. Anybody can put idea whereas like Microsoft is propriety and you only use software thats run on it. Unless of course that the only software you use for the rest of your life.

[TuckLive]

Indeed. Part of it is the idea of supporting free and opensource software for me but none the less Ubuntu itself as an OS seems to have an alluring trend to it that keeps you hooked! As for the forums... I'm hooked to the forums period because of the great community here! Best online in my opinion!

My thoughts exactly. Supporting FOSS and now seeing it gain momentum is exciting. The forums here are second to none and I know that if I have a problem I can find people here willing to help.

[shuttleworthwannabe]

--duplicate post--deleted.

[shuttleworthwannabe]

I am addicted to this forum--I get withdrawals if I do not sign in daily! As for ubuntu as an OS, it just feels like home--distro-whores like me just keep coming back to old faithful.

Good post!

[Eisenwinter]

I am addicted to this forum--I get withdrawals if I do not sign in daily! As for ubuntu as an OS, it just feels like home--distro-whores like me just keep coming back to old faithful.

Good post!
And you felt like you had to post the message 2 times within 10 minutes to show this?

[hoppipolla]

re: "Security by Obscurity"

I wasn't aware Google, Wikipedia, and 80% of the worlds supercomputers where considered obscure targets with mysterious inner workings....

oo well said! :)

[hoppipolla]

how about 5-6years from now ubuntu not free anymore.
will you still buy + use ubuntu?

one more thing, just curious, why the website is ubuntu.com not ubuntu.org?

Erm, if Ubuntu wasn't free I would still support the company and OS but I wouldn't have as much faith in it's potential to penetrate the market and have success...


And you felt like you had to post the message 2 times within 10 minutes to show this?

xD

[benj1]

http://linuxgazette.net/165/misc/xkcd/linux_user_at_best_buy.png

That sums it up for me.

using this http://www.linux-magazine.com/Online/News/130-mph-Linux-Motorcycle