People with predujices against Ubuntu (and Open Source in general...)

[Mazza558]

Gah!

Back in '06, I was give the task of buying a suitable laptop for my sis. I'm, of course, experienced with XP, so I set everything up for her. She's good with computers in general, can do a bit of HTML and such, so I was happy with the way I has set things up.

She's staying in Spain right now, doing a course for Uni, and she comes home every few months. She bought her laptop back, and it was running pretty slow (about 15 startup items didn't help). I had just earlier that day installed the Fiesty Beta on my PC and was pretty pleased with myself. I wanted to show my sis, because the effects were very spiffy. I offered to show her a live CD running on her laptop. I was taken back by the reply to this offer:

"What if it breaks something?"

I then explained that the Live CD wouldn't touch the HDD unless I started the install process.

"I don't trust it... I'm okay, thanks..."

My mum, overhearing the conversation, added "Don't trust anything if you don't know where it came from..."

I then asked my sis if she would really rather trust a multinational corporation than a huge group of people genuinely trying to improve computers for the better.

She said "Pretty much..."


I didn't even get the opportunity to show her Ubuntu up and running. My mum saw the compiz effects and asked if she could have it on her computer. I explained the Open Source philosophy, but she didn't seem nearly as keen after hearing that it wasn't developed by a major corporation.

It's a real shame that we live in a world where corporations are always seen as the good guys...

[karellen]

people are afraid of the unknown. it's the easy path for them. wanting, accepting change is too hard for most of the people. they do what they were taught/conditioned to do. they obey. they have prejudices and misconceptions, as we merely all do about other things...it's a tough job changing the way people think and behave or their habits

[Bezmotivnik]

"What if it breaks something?"

I then explained that the Live CD wouldn't touch the HDD unless I started the install process.

It doesn't have to to wreck something. Ubuntu live CD works on my notebook, but consistently prevents the cooling system from working properly and makes it run very hot. I have read numerous well-documented examples of poorly-developed linux drivers causing hardware failure in major commercial distributions under controlled conditions. People are accustomed to buggy Linux drivers, but do not usually realize that bad drivers do not merely limit performance but may occasionally contribute to shortened device life or even spontaneous failures.

The "absolute harmlessness" of various distributions' Live CDs is a canard.


"I don't trust it... I'm okay, thanks..."

My mum, overhearing the conversation, added "Don't trust anything if you don't know where it came from..."

I then asked my sis if she would really rather trust a multinational corporation than a huge group of people genuinely trying to improve computers for the better.

She said "Pretty much..."

The question is "trust them to do what?"

I'd trust open source Linux developers to be less likely to put spyware on my machine, but I wouldn't trust their underfunded, unaccountable and disorganized development to produce the better, more bug-free and polished software and device drivers. After about ten years with Linux, I'm pretty clear on just how rarely ethical sanctimony and quixotic highmindedness can produce bulletproof code.

[karellen]

It doesn't have to to wreck something. Ubuntu live CD works on my notebook, but consistently prevents the cooling system from working properly and makes it run very hot. I have read numerous well-documented examples of poorly-developed linux drivers causing hardware failure in major commercial distributions under controlled conditions. People are accustomed to buggy Linux drivers, but do not usually realize that bad drivers do not merely limit performance but may occasionally contribute to shortened device life or even spontaneous failures.

The "absolute harmlessness" of various distributions' Live CDs is a canard.


The question is "trust them to do what?"

I'd trust open source Linux developers to be less likely to put spyware on my machine, but I wouldn't trust their underfunded, unaccountable and disorganized development to produce the better, more bug-free and polished software and device drivers. After about ten years with Linux, I'm pretty clear on just how rarely ethical sanctimony and quixotic highmindedness can produce bulletproof code.

if you're not satisfied/don't like it, just don't use linux. it's simple. there are plenty of choices for everyone or at least that's how I think ;)

[prizrak]

but I wouldn't trust their underfunded, unaccountable and disorganized development to produce the better, more bug-free and polished software and device drivers.
That is pretty interesting. Open Source OS's tend to do better than even proprietory UNIX ones as far as stability and security goes. The most secure OS is still OpenBSD and that is developed by a bunch of hackers.

It's even more interesting when it comes to drivers. Up until very recently the binary ATI driver for Linux had slower 2D performance than the open source one.

Another thing to consider is that there are quite a few major corporations sponsoring open source development so it's not exactly a dude in his garage anymore either.