does linux have an impact on your social life?

[yesitsme]

well because ever since i started using linux a lot of my friends dont talk to me because i cant play cod4 online with them on pc. and some of the online ones said im a ""trator"" just because i dont use windows. :(
its also weird because my friends from school use msn and my msn isnt as good as theres and so sending pics and stuff is slow and i cant draw in msn. but i dont care about that stuff anyway and think there just being dumb about it........ but i have thout about putting on windows just because they complain about it so much. so what about you?

[NoaHall]

No. My friends acknowledge that GNU/Linux is faster than Windows, but do not use it, because they fear I will hack them. Obviously, because I just sit around wanting to hack people all day long. It's not like I've got things to do or anything.

[koleoptero]

My friends are jealous of me being able to use linux, but it hasn't affected my social life.

If your friends base your friendship on using windows and playing cod4 then they're a poor example of a friend.

[Tibuda]

If your friends base your friendship on using windows and playing cod4 then they're a poor example of a friend.

+1

Make some new friends based on some other affinity like music or a place you like to go. Not a game.

[hoppipolla]

Linux seems to have the ability to kill my social circles! I was round a group of friends at the pub a few nights ago and I said something Linux or KDE related I can't remember what it was (it was actually across the table to another friend of mine who also loves Ubuntu) and man the table went DEAD! So I made a point of never mentioning it again! xD

[gashcr]

My friends are jealous of me being able to use linux, but it hasn't affected my social life.

If your friends base your friendship on using windows and playing cod4 then they're a poor example of a friend.

+1

friends should be your friends, no matter what... even more software...

Concerning my social life... it's never been so good, so it doesn't matter. I'm just "the geek" in my friend's group :p

[Jesus_Valdez]

I have miss a couple of beers because I rather do an upgrade, but nothing too serious.

[Ichtyandr]

some of my friends get interested in the ubuntu, and two of them who installed it at their home computers/laptops now consider it the coolest os in the world
otherwise I like the idea of humanity as my desktop, as it is imho intrinsically more social than the corporate appearance of windows and ego/emo type mac posture

[Tibuda]

Linux seems to have the ability to kill my social circles! I was round a group of friends at the pub a few nights ago and I said something Linux or KDE related I can't remember what it was (it was actually across the table to another friend of mine who also loves Ubuntu) and man the table went DEAD! So I made a point of never mentioning it again! xD

delete.

sorry, misunderstood you. english is not my first language.

[ericmc783]

Forgive me if im wrong, but you sound like someone fairly young, and in school.

Teenagers seem to have a syndrome where anything thats "different" from the norm, status quo, etc. is to be laughed at and made fun of. they may laugh at you using linux, because its soo different and "weird" and don't understand why anyone would want to use it.

And yes, not playing the same games, or using the same software, is a stupid thing to lose friends over. Maybe they really aren't friends.

[poebae]

Linux seems to have the ability to kill my social circles! I was round a group of friends at the pub a few nights ago and I said something Linux or KDE related I can't remember what it was (it was actually across the table to another friend of mine who also loves Ubuntu) and man the table went DEAD! So I made a point of never mentioning it again! xD
It didn't occur to you that Linux and KDE might not be the best pub conversation topics? :P

[NoaHall]

It didn't occur to you that Linux and KDE might not be the best pub conversation topics? :P

He'd talk about his beloved KDE anywhere...
That being said, I talk about such things anywhere.

[Thirtysixway]

for msn, you should try using aMSN. It supports drawing etc and it's pretty nice.

I wouldn't say it's hurt my social life... most of it revolved around me being the nerd of the group anyway :p Wearing my Ubuntu beanie around has actually helped me find others who know what it is. I wouldn't say I became best buddies with them, but it's still good to know there are still people around me that don't call the internet the E on the desktop.

oh and I don't really play computer games, but I do have XP around stil for those windows-only moments (like putting games on the TI calculator.)

[juancarlospaco]

Im playing COD4 on Karmic right now...

[Exodist]

Linux doesnt impact my social life.. I dont have a social life for it to impact! :(

[Wiebelhaus]

Positive impact.

[cmay]

yes. I got a good email friend from these forums that I talk to every day almost. some times over skype. we would not have gotten to know each if it was not for these forums. (ubuntu forus)

I know some wonderful people around the net in oter linux minded fora and for that I would never have met them if I had not been using linux and the forums associated with linux.

[cariboo]

Linux doesn't affect my social life at all. Most of my friends are non-users or only use a computer for work. I have noticed when people ask what anti virus program I use and I tell them I don't need one because I run Linux, the conversation stops abruptly. :)

[ZankerH]

I don't socialise.

[cariboo]

I don't socialise.

We can tell.

[ninjapirate89]

I don't socialise.

Same here. :/

[ZankerH]

We can tell.

For the purposes of staying on topic: GNU/Linux hasn't impacted my social life at all, since it was non-existent long before I've started to use Free Software. I've always found it a chore and a distraction to have to be around people, pretend you know or care about how they feel, let their meaningless conversation randomly interrupt your train of thought, and so on...I'm much more content on my own. I can hardly even talk to people any more, the last time I had an oral exam at the uni I spent 10 minutes stuttering in front of the professor before he was kind enough to let me write down the solutions, and I'm positively terrified every time I go to the supermarket to buy food.

How or why anyone considers "socialising" beneficial, or a positive trait, in this time and age, is beyond me. The internet, or other means of communication that don't require you to look and talk at your opponent, are clearly a much more efficient means of communication - you say what you want, when you want, you don't get interrupted, and you don't have to break what might as well be 2048-bit AES cypher of your opponent's body language and facial emotions for all I know.

[teward]

I have friends in real life, not just gaming life. Very few of my friends are hard-core Windows gamers. However, I AM in a gaming clan, and they don't like that I use Linux. However, they ignore this problem because I host all their game servers for them. :P

So, yes and no.

Oh, got to go, my girlfriend's looking for me.

[hoppipolla]

For the purposes of staying on topic: GNU/Linux hasn't impacted my social life at all, since it was non-existent long before I've started to use Free Software. I've always found it a chore and a distraction to have to be around people, pretend you know or care about how they feel, let their meaningless conversation randomly interrupt your train of thought, and so on...I'm much more content on my own. I can hardly even talk to people any more, the last time I had an oral exam at the uni I spent 10 minutes stuttering in front of the professor before he was kind enough to let me write down the solutions, and I'm positively terrified every time I go to the supermarket to buy food.

How or why anyone considers "socialising" beneficial, or a positive trait, in this time and age, is beyond me. The internet, or other means of communication that don't require you to look and talk at your opponent, are clearly a much more efficient means of communication - you say what you want, when you want, you don't get interrupted, and you don't have to break what might as well be 2048-bit AES cypher of your opponent's body language and facial emotions for all I know.

aww Zanker, heh :)

Thing is though man, socializing in person allows a lot of things that just can't be replicated through a screen. Most of my best memories were spent with others in places doing things in reality, such as at parties, going out places, at uni or sixth form etc etc. And at the gigs I went to in the dozens in my teens :)

I understand if you find it hard to socialize, I sometimes do too, but... I don't think it's a good idea to just push it aside completely :)

[hoppipolla]

It didn't occur to you that Linux and KDE might not be the best pub conversation topics? :P


He'd talk about his beloved KDE anywhere...
That being said, I talk about such things anywhere.

rofl!

and yeah man the girl behind the bar... can you believe she'd never even HEARD of KDE! (joking! ^_^ )

[ElSlunko]

Nope!

[Shpongle]

it is great when you get chatting to someone who uses linux too , always good conversations

[Chame_Wizard]

Not really,but I am more wiser,knowledgeable,socialite and sceptical/critical.

[doomsword2001]

i think you should dual boot to play games, and also burn some ubuntu live cd's, and give them to your friends, for christmas ;]

[T.R.]

My friends were always rather nerdy (even if they aren't Linux/*nix users) so I haven't lost anyone. They know it's better and faster, but they are afraid of Linux's reputation as difficult to use (it probably doesn't help that I use the command line a lot in front of them). It definitely has an impact though - more material for in-jokes, plus I'm also now the Alpha Geek among my circle of friends.
As for the gaming thing, you can run many Windows games in WINE (AFAIK, cod4 will work). MSN should work in WINE as well. With a little tweaking, Linux can do _everything_ Windows can do and then some.

I have to agree with the other commenters though; if your friends taunt you over just using different software, they don't sound like very good friends.

[wulfgang]

I once mentioned at my school that I run linux on my pc & xbox, and from now on I am considered a geek. =P

[BuffaloX]

well because ever since i started using linux a lot of my friends dont talk to me because i cant play cod4 online with them on pc. and some of the online ones said im a ""trator"" just because i dont use windows. :(
its also weird because my friends from school use msn and my msn isnt as good as theres and so sending pics and stuff is slow and i cant draw in msn. but i dont care about that stuff anyway and think there just being dumb about it........ but i have thout about putting on windows just because they complain about it so much. so what about you?

If you want to play games with your friends, Dual boot and play games with your friends, or try if the games work with wine.

Do the rest with Ubuntu, and maybe they'll see that having a safe environment for Internet is actually pretty cool.


I'm positively terrified every time I go to the supermarket to buy food.


Sounds like you suffer from social anxiety disorder, and you are rationalizing it so you don't have to confront your problem.

[kaldor]

Forgive me if im wrong, but you sound like someone fairly young, and in school.

Teenagers seem to have a syndrome where anything thats "different" from the norm, status quo, etc. is to be laughed at and made fun of. they may laugh at you using linux, because its soo different and "weird" and don't understand why anyone would want to use it.

And yes, not playing the same games, or using the same software, is a stupid thing to lose friends over. Maybe they really aren't friends.

Mhm. People occasionally complain about me having long hair and using Linux as well. Remember that different = bad.

;)

[HeadHunter00]

well because ever since i started using linux a lot of my friends dont talk to me because i cant play cod4 online with them on pc. and some of the online ones said im a ""trator"" just because i dont use windows. :(
its also weird because my friends from school use msn and my msn isnt as good as theres and so sending pics and stuff is slow and i cant draw in msn. but i dont care about that stuff anyway and think there just being dumb about it........ but i have thout about putting on windows just because they complain about it so much. so what about you?
Real friends don't do that. Well, just ignore them.

[toupeiro]

My social circles aren't all technology oriented, so it applies only where it needs to apply. In the ones that are, I can hold a conversation about linux as well as any windows or mac guy can hold a conversation about each of those respectively. We'll give eachother crap for running what we run. Most of the time I shine it on, but one thing has proven generally true. If I have a problem on my linux machine, I've usually caused it, and I know what I did to cause it. If someones windows machine blue-screens suddenly on them, very rarely do they know why, or will they find out why. I don't ever have random freakish death on my linux systems. I especially love playing WoW, a windows game, and have less problems and better FPS than my friends playing on Windows. (except for a very small handful of addons which are written in .NET) :)

[bonfire89]

being involved with computers period has a negative effect on my social life.

I will distance myself from them most of the time.

[Sin@Sin-Sacrifice]

Those people aren't your friends. Friends don't reject you for anything!! Let alone the order of 0s and 1s on the box you play with. In my experience Linux has enriched every aspect of my life including social relations. I now have stuff to talk about with my drinking buddies and my geek buddies. Everyone else can choke on it.

[Rainstride]

well because ever since i started using linux a lot of my friends dont talk to me because i cant play cod4 online with them on pc. and some of the online ones said im a ""trator"" just because i dont use windows. :(
its also weird because my friends from school use msn and my msn isnt as good as theres and so sending pics and stuff is slow and i cant draw in msn. but i dont care about that stuff anyway and think there just being dumb about it........ but i have thout about putting on windows just because they complain about it so much. so what about you?
people who won't talk to you be cause you don't play a game they like, are not your friends. people who call you a traitor because you aren't a MS drone like them, I would dare say are enemies at best. I know the newer versions of pidgin have improved msn support, though I don't think it does drawing. you might want to upgrade and give it a try.

I can tell you this, anyone who would throw you over board because they don't like the OS you use or because your not just like them, isn't worth the air they breath. Iv found in my life that people like that can't be trusted, they will stab you in the back at a moments notice. especially if it benefits them in some way.


Linux seems to have the ability to kill my social circles! I was round a group of friends at the pub a few nights ago and I said something Linux or KDE related I can't remember what it was (it was actually across the table to another friend of mine who also loves Ubuntu) and man the table went DEAD! So I made a point of never mentioning it again! xD
maybe they are all gnome users:D.



How or why anyone considers "socialising" beneficial, or a positive trait, in this time and age, is beyond me. The internet, or other means of communication that don't require you to look and talk at your opponent, are clearly a much more efficient means of communication - you say what you want, when you want, you don't get interrupted, and you don't have to break what might as well be 2048-bit AES cypher of your opponent's body language and facial emotions for all I know.
because human being are social creatures. and just be cause you suck at socializing, doesn't automatically make it bad. besides just because you can't see me or the others, doesn't mean you aren't socializing with us. its just a lot easier when there isn't a bunch of strange people watching you while you do it ;).


---------------------------------------------

personally, I'm the tech guy in my group. my friends don't know much about computers. my one friend I set up with ubuntu loves it, because he doesn't have to worry about security any more, his biggest concern is whether he has his updates and thats it. and the other has a 13year old computer, so....yeah, most he does is surf the net. if there is a problem they ask for my help, but usually they are smooth sailing with there ubuntu installs.

[Kareeser]

How or why anyone considers "socialising" beneficial, or a positive trait, in this time and age, is beyond me. The internet, or other means of communication that don't require you to look and talk at your opponent, are clearly a much more efficient means of communication - you say what you want, when you want, you don't get interrupted, and you don't have to break what might as well be 2048-bit AES cypher of your opponent's body language and facial emotions for all I know.

You're joking, right?

You'd honestly believe that a world where everybody sits in front of their computer screens, socialising using MSN, developing diabetes and high cholesterol by the age of 28 is beneficial and positive?

There's nothing wrong with using Linux (in fact, a couple of my friends have started trying it out, woo!)... but your worldview is frightening, to say the least.

[Nburnes]

No offense but if your "friends" are calling you names and stuff because of your OS choice, you need new ones.

[bonfire89]

How or why anyone considers "socialising" beneficial, or a positive trait, in this time and age, is beyond me. The internet, or other means of communication that don't require you to look and talk at your opponent, are clearly a much more efficient means of communication - you say what you want, when you want, you don't get interrupted, and you don't have to break what might as well be 2048-bit AES cypher of your opponent's body language and facial emotions for all I know.


Socializing is probably the main way to meet your wife (husband), have a family and create future generations... and of course the "fun bits" in between.

Apart from the "fun bits" being a pretty good priority, this also falls in line with evolution.


on a side note.
lol. oh this is a funny thread.

[t0p]

I'm positively terrified every time I go to the supermarket to buy food.


Wow. Are you agoraphobic?



How or why anyone considers "socialising" beneficial, or a positive trait, in this time and age, is beyond me. The internet, or other means of communication that don't require you to look and talk at your opponent, are clearly a much more efficient means of communication - you say what you want, when you want, you don't get interrupted, and you don't have to break what might as well be 2048-bit AES cypher of your opponent's body language and facial emotions for all I know.

All this talk of opponents! But this is social interaction you're discussing, not a fight!

As regards my own social life: my choice of OS has no bearing on it at all. Most of my friends have little interest in computers. I have a couple of geeky friends, but they're into Windows. I share other interests with most of my friends.

[xiroV]

Well.. Like you, I might miss all the fun, gaming, which some of my classmates are doing, but if I really were the gamer-type, I probably wouldn't have changed to Ubuntu.. And if I someday feel like playing, some of my mates got really hooked at Urban Terror, so it's kinda easy for all of us to socialize that way, if we wanna :p

But, as already said, you shouldn't choose your friends from what game they are playing.. That doesn't tell much about the person behind the screen.. And personally I would never consider being friends, with such intolerant people :)

But good luck anyways :)

[NoaHall]

For the purposes of staying on topic: GNU/Linux hasn't impacted my social life at all, since it was non-existent long before I've started to use Free Software. I've always found it a chore and a distraction to have to be around people, pretend you know or care about how they feel, let their meaningless conversation randomly interrupt your train of thought, and so on...I'm much more content on my own. I can hardly even talk to people any more, the last time I had an oral exam at the uni I spent 10 minutes stuttering in front of the professor before he was kind enough to let me write down the solutions, and I'm positively terrified every time I go to the supermarket to buy food.

How or why anyone considers "socialising" beneficial, or a positive trait, in this time and age, is beyond me. The internet, or other means of communication that don't require you to look and talk at your opponent, are clearly a much more efficient means of communication - you say what you want, when you want, you don't get interrupted, and you don't have to break what might as well be 2048-bit AES cypher of your opponent's body language and facial emotions for all I know.

Sounds familiar.
Although I can talk easily to some people, I can't talk to anyone not approved(by me). For example, there's this person who sometimes comes to sit by my friend and I, and I just can't talk to that person. It's not like she's a bad person or anything. I just REALLY don't like anyone without months of testing.
Also, my strong dislike for other people(especially from around here) doesn't help.

[Crunchy the Headcrab]

I'm shy until you get to know me and then I'm fine. A lot of people assume I'm stuck up since I'm shy, because they have a stereotypical view in their heads that shy people wear thick rimmed glasses and pocket protectors. Since I don't fit that stereotype, I've been accused of being stuck up more than once. Anyone who takes the time to get to know me, knows that I'll accept almost anyone. As for why social interaction is important, well because it makes some people happy. For example, my girlfriend makes me happy, as do my friends and my family.

[SR_ELPIRATA]

I actually get more conversations than before, and each day that goes by that I learn something for Linux it helps me defend the 'cause' better. At the end of the day I respect their decision to go with an O/S that is prone to virus, malware and spyware, and... (drumroll) if that wasnt enough... blue screens of death :P.

ELP

[quinnten83]

For the purposes of staying on topic: GNU/Linux hasn't impacted my social life at all, since it was non-existent long before I've started to use Free Software. I've always found it a chore and a distraction to have to be around people, pretend you know or care about how they feel, let their meaningless conversation randomly interrupt your train of thought, and so on...I'm much more content on my own. I can hardly even talk to people any more, the last time I had an oral exam at the uni I spent 10 minutes stuttering in front of the professor before he was kind enough to let me write down the solutions, and I'm positively terrified every time I go to the supermarket to buy food.

How or why anyone considers "socialising" beneficial, or a positive trait, in this time and age, is beyond me. The internet, or other means of communication that don't require you to look and talk at your opponent, are clearly a much more efficient means of communication - you say what you want, when you want, you don't get interrupted, and you don't have to break what might as well be 2048-bit AES cypher of your opponent's body language and facial emotions for all I know.

/Offtopic:
Man, you need to be hugged.

[jacobs444]

It has actually improved my social life, because the people I have converted NEED me to help with minor problems, and teach them, and some DO PAY! And those who were friends before, are like me and shun windows, but only after Apple products! Those supposed friends of yours are weak, yet u as a Lin user are strong, they su-ck, you rule don't let them tell you any different!

[beloved88]

Hmmm... honestly, when i tell people that Ubuntu is Linux and Linux is Unix-like and OS-X is also unix like, most people are like, COOL, because at my campus it's way more popular to have a Mac over a PC. When i bought this, most of my friends were like "ah, you didn't go with a mac..." but when i tell them "but it has no windows" they all think it's cool all of the sudden.

[KiwiNZ]

For the purposes of staying on topic: GNU/Linux hasn't impacted my social life at all, since it was non-existent long before I've started to use Free Software. I've always found it a chore and a distraction to have to be around people, pretend you know or care about how they feel, let their meaningless conversation randomly interrupt your train of thought, and so on...I'm much more content on my own. I can hardly even talk to people any more, the last time I had an oral exam at the uni I spent 10 minutes stuttering in front of the professor before he was kind enough to let me write down the solutions, and I'm positively terrified every time I go to the supermarket to buy food.

How or why anyone considers "socialising" beneficial, or a positive trait, in this time and age, is beyond me. The internet, or other means of communication that don't require you to look and talk at your opponent, are clearly a much more efficient means of communication - you say what you want, when you want, you don't get interrupted, and you don't have to break what might as well be 2048-bit AES cypher of your opponent's body language and facial emotions for all I know.

If this is how you actually feel, and to be honest I have my doubts, but if so , I with all respect strongly suggest you turn off your PC , pack it away and leave it away for a few months.

You may want to consult some help as well, PC's are a tool that you use they should never dominate or shape your life.

[ZankerH]

If this is how you actually feel, and to be honest I have my doubts, but if so , I with all respect strongly suggest you turn off your PC , pack it away and leave it away for a few months.

You may want to consult some help as well, PC's are a tool that you use they should never dominate or shape your life.

Oh look, it's an internet psychiatrist.

PCs don't "dominate" my life. If anything, it allows me to communicate in at least a semi-normal manner.

[rudihawk]

For the purposes of staying on topic: GNU/Linux hasn't impacted my social life at all, since it was non-existent long before I've started to use Free Software. I've always found it a chore and a distraction to have to be around people, pretend you know or care about how they feel, let their meaningless conversation randomly interrupt your train of thought, and so on...I'm much more content on my own. I can hardly even talk to people any more, the last time I had an oral exam at the uni I spent 10 minutes stuttering in front of the professor before he was kind enough to let me write down the solutions, and I'm positively terrified every time I go to the supermarket to buy food.

How or why anyone considers "socialising" beneficial, or a positive trait, in this time and age, is beyond me. The internet, or other means of communication that don't require you to look and talk at your opponent, are clearly a much more efficient means of communication - you say what you want, when you want, you don't get interrupted, and you don't have to break what might as well be 2048-bit AES cypher of your opponent's body language and facial emotions for all I know.

I'm sorry to say but that is just sad.

[megamania]

I've always found it a chore and a distraction to have to be around people, pretend you know or care about how they feel, let their meaningless conversation randomly interrupt your train of thought, and so on...
[...]
How or why anyone considers "socialising" beneficial, or a positive trait, in this time and age, is beyond me. The internet, or other means of communication that don't require you to look and talk at your opponent, are clearly a much more efficient means of communication - you say what you want, when you want, you don't get interrupted, and you don't have to break what might as well be 2048-bit AES cypher of your opponent's body language and facial emotions for all I know.
If "socialising" is not beneficial, then why are you here?

Let me explain. You, like all people in the world, have the need to socialise. That's why you are here.

That's also why you advocate free (sorry, Free) software. If you don't care about others, why do you feel the need to convince the others? Because you are social.

You have a problem with "real" people, though, so you avoid them and use the computer as a means to communicate without being in contact with people.

That's not my theory, it's what you are saying. So you can avoid calling me an "internet psychologist". :-)

My suggestion, but I know you don't need or want one at this stage, is to try to break the shell before this gets out of hand.

It's beautiful not to be alone. Sometimes we all are alone, but that can't be an aim.

[clanky]

I have miss a couple of beers because I rather do an upgrade, but nothing too serious.

That is serious enough!

[RabbitWho]

My friends don't know what an OS is.

[Paqman]

Er, folks, lay off ZankerH. I'm no psychologist, but it sounds like he's scoring pretty heftily on the Aspergers/autism scale. People like that don't do the social stuff. They just ain't built that way.

[koleoptero]

For the purposes of staying on topic: GNU/Linux hasn't impacted my social life at all, since it was non-existent long before I've started to use Free Software. I've always found it a chore and a distraction to have to be around people, pretend you know or care about how they feel, let their meaningless conversation randomly interrupt your train of thought, and so on...I'm much more content on my own. I can hardly even talk to people any more, the last time I had an oral exam at the uni I spent 10 minutes stuttering in front of the professor before he was kind enough to let me write down the solutions, and I'm positively terrified every time I go to the supermarket to buy food.

How or why anyone considers "socialising" beneficial, or a positive trait, in this time and age, is beyond me. The internet, or other means of communication that don't require you to look and talk at your opponent, are clearly a much more efficient means of communication - you say what you want, when you want, you don't get interrupted, and you don't have to break what might as well be 2048-bit AES cypher of your opponent's body language and facial emotions for all I know.

:o This explains everything. I feel sorry for you man (whether you like it or not). I have a friend who has the same problem. And it is a problem, you've got to realize that. But it's not unsolvable. You just have to want to get over this.

[hoppipolla]

Oh look, it's an internet psychiatrist.

PCs don't "dominate" my life. If anything, it allows me to communicate in at least a semi-normal manner.

Yeah I guess so. I dunno man, try just socializing in little dribs and drabs, I mean to be honest everyone does it to different extents.

When I was at uni, I barely went "out" much, I didn't go to clubs for I think the WHOLE time I was there. Now that sounds weird, I know it does, but the weird thing is I didn't even think anything of it. I had a regular friend I hung out with and another handful of close friends and they were pretty much my whole life other than my lectures and seminars and stuff, we just "hung out". But then in the past I have at many points of my life done the wild parties and gigs and all that stuff.

My point here is that there is no "right" way to do it, and there is no pressure to do it in any particular way. But I'm pretty sure that there will be a way out there to socialize with people in the "real world" that does suit you!

And trust me man once you've jumped in a mosh pit at a rock gig, got mad drunk at a party or met a great girl, you'll mostly forget what a PC even is! lol :)

[Grenage]

ZankerH is not alone with his extremely introverted view, a lot of people share it. It's a personal choice and while it's not usually healthy in the long run, it's a valid angle. I spent about 15 years with the same attitude (bar the fear of social interaction), although it probably was the cause of my now crippling depression...

Anyhoo, on topic again: An OS choice has no bearing on social circles unless your social circles are based on an OS.

[Zoot7]

The vast majority of my friends either use Linux exclusively or dual boot it with Windows, so no. :)
And even if they were all Windows only it wouldn't either, as IMO there's far more to life than what Operating system people decide to run.

[RiceMonster]

For the purposes of staying on topic: GNU/Linux hasn't impacted my social life at all, since it was non-existent long before I've started to use Free Software. I've always found it a chore and a distraction to have to be around people, pretend you know or care about how they feel, let their meaningless conversation randomly interrupt your train of thought, and so on...I'm much more content on my own. I can hardly even talk to people any more, the last time I had an oral exam at the uni I spent 10 minutes stuttering in front of the professor before he was kind enough to let me write down the solutions, and I'm positively terrified every time I go to the supermarket to buy food.

How or why anyone considers "socialising" beneficial, or a positive trait, in this time and age, is beyond me. The internet, or other means of communication that don't require you to look and talk at your opponent, are clearly a much more efficient means of communication - you say what you want, when you want, you don't get interrupted, and you don't have to break what might as well be 2048-bit AES cypher of your opponent's body language and facial emotions for all I know.

You sound exactly like the guy from Welcome to the NHK

http://iamotaku.files.wordpress.com/2007/04/nhk.jpg

[confused_user]

I find that on the few occasions i have started talking about Linux in social situations two things have happened

A) I have bored myself

B) I have bored everyone else

This is an operating system. If your "friends" judge you on which kind of operating system you use then they are not actually your friends. They are just some idiots that you talk to (or used to).

Get a life and you'll meet some more interesting and intelligent people.

I mean this in the nicest possible way and if you follow my advice you'll thank me for it one day.

:p

[chucky chuckaluck]

aside from making me the one-eyed guy in the kingdom of the blind with a couple of neighbors, no.

[Grenage]

You sound exactly like the guy from Welcome to the NHK

Lol; touché.

[Tristam Green]

For the purposes of staying on topic: GNU/Linux hasn't impacted my social life at all, since it was non-existent long before I've started to use Free Software. I've always found it a chore and a distraction to have to be around people, pretend you know or care about how they feel, let their meaningless conversation randomly interrupt your train of thought, and so on...I'm much more content on my own. I can hardly even talk to people any more, the last time I had an oral exam at the uni I spent 10 minutes stuttering in front of the professor before he was kind enough to let me write down the solutions, and I'm positively terrified every time I go to the supermarket to buy food.

How or why anyone considers "socialising" beneficial, or a positive trait, in this time and age, is beyond me. The internet, or other means of communication that don't require you to look and talk at your opponent, are clearly a much more efficient means of communication - you say what you want, when you want, you don't get interrupted, and you don't have to break what might as well be 2048-bit AES cypher of your opponent's body language and facial emotions for all I know.

Oh, you can be interrupted on the Internet all right - you can be interrupted during IM, a forum moderator can delete your posts (effectively interrupting you), so I don't realistically buy into the whole "socializing is for noobs, the Internet is tops" argument.

I think you're trying to model your life after your hero a little too much.

[ZankerH]

Oh, you can be interrupted on the Internet all right - you can be interrupted during IM, a forum moderator can delete your posts (effectively interrupting you), so I don't realistically buy into the whole "socializing is for noobs, the Internet is tops" argument.

I think you're trying to model your life after your hero a little too much.

I meant interrupted in the sense that the opponent won't let you finish what you're saying; or randomly interject your train of thought with an unrelated comment just to "make conversation". Ignoring a string of text that appears on a screen is much easier than ignoring a nagging relative that insists on socialising here and now. And getting your posts deleted has nothing to do with the topic at all, since the disruption appears after you've compiled your thoughts in the form of text, archived it on your disk and posted it on the internet.

As for modeling my life, I'm modeling it after the Free Software philosophy, not any particular person.

[ctrlmd]

nope they don't care about linux lol
actually they think mac, windows perform much better than linux

and still require a lot of time to get the attention from the companies like windows and mac do so they refuse to use it.:o

[hoppipolla]

As for modeling my life, I'm modeling it after the Free Software philosophy, not any particular person.

I'm not sure if it's possible (or wise) to model your life around a philosophy designed for software o.O

[RiceMonster]

I'm not sure if it's possible (or wise) to model your life around a philosophy designed for software o.O

Agreed, but to some people, software is their religion almost :).

[the8thstar]

well because ever since i started using linux a lot of my friends dont talk to me because i cant play cod4 online with them on pc. and some of the online ones said im a ""trator"" just because i dont use windows. :(
its also weird because my friends from school use msn and my msn isnt as good as theres and so sending pics and stuff is slow and i cant draw in msn. but i dont care about that stuff anyway and think there just being dumb about it........ but i have thout about putting on windows just because they complain about it so much. so what about you?

If your so called friends act this way, they are not friends at all. Just a bunch of hypocrites trying to socialize around the same gizmo. They think they're cool but that's all they know.

If their attitude concerns you, I'm afraid there's not much I can do for you.

[Alex Libman]

Well, I do have a tendency to get into arguments with other Linux users when I point out that copyleft licensing is morally inferior to permissive licensing or public domain, and that Windows 7 / MacOS X have better hardware / software compatibility and thus a better experience for most users out of the box... ;)

[Paqman]

I'm not sure if it's possible (or wise) to model your life around a philosophy designed for software o.O

Quite. And i'm not sure many Windows fanbois would go so far as to model their life on their EULA.

[MelDJ]

i started become more of a loner after using linux. my computer has become my best friend

[ZankerH]

I'm not sure if it's possible (or wise) to model your life around a philosophy designed for software o.O

It's not just the software, it's a general spirit of freedom and openness. Not that difficult to apply to just about anything, although as far as consumer products are concerned software is just about the only area with Free products worth using.

And, to be honest, it's not that hard because most of my life does revolve around computing and software.



Quite. And i'm not sure many Windows fanbois would go so far as to model their life on their EULA.

An EULA isn't a philosophy, it's an illegal contract you're forced to agree with after you've already paid for the product. Besides, I didn't say I model my life on the GNU GPL, I said the Free Software philosophy, which is much more broad than just a licence.

[Frak]

We can tell.

I just LOL'D so hard.