How can I keep my friends from bashing me?

[voided3]

Hey, i've been a linux user now for close to a year and a bunch of my friends, who are computer adept, give me some friction as to choosing linux as a primary OS. I tell them I use it because it's (legally) free, runs great on my wide variety old hardware, and does more than the computer could if it had Win98 or XP on it. I always get caught though when I suggest they try it because they are smart with how they maintain their systems by frequently updating the necessary protection software and such, resulting in them having a good running install of WinXP (plus their systems are more modern than mine and have no noticeable slowdowns; my best desktop has a 1.4ghz Athlon t-bird with 1.25gb of sdram and an x1300 whereas one of my friends has a 2.0ghz Athlon 64 system with a gig of DDR 400 and a 6800GS). The only point I get back at them with is that they are using a burned copy of a corporate (no activation necessary) XP pro disk, but that doesn't seem to bother them (I don't think I could bring myself to buy it either personally).

The main point is though that they make fun of me for spending time playing around with my settings a bunch doing mostly GUI tweaks or trying different software. I honestly don't feel that I dump a huge amount of time into it, but every now and then I look around for a different theme or background and such but to them they think it's taking over my life just because I actually have the option of changing it w/o installing windowblinds (which one of my friends did and resulted in having their desktop incompletely load at boot). My defense though is that the time I spend tweaking linux as opposed to windows it to making the end user experience better as opposed to just keeping the system running as on windows. I admit to being a bit of a nerd, but I do have a life; computer building is just a side hobby. Hey, i'm typing this post on a $15 compuiter! (PIII OCed at 840mhz, 384mb ram, nvidia mx440, and Xubuntu 7.04) If I bought a copy of windows for it, it would have been a $315 computer! Heck even the 17" HP CRT monitor I plug it into was $5. Anyway, what can I do to end the criticism? (Maybe if I got a girlfriend.... hmmm..... :-) Thanks!

[lisati]

Don't sweat the small stuff - and it's pretty small-minded to think that "the other system" is "the only system"

[lancest]

Do you want to be a follower or decide for yourself? I have found in life its often not wise to follow the crowd. (For example the German people chose Hitler.)
You are using a system that is world class- used,sold and serviced by companies such as Google, IBM,Dell,the list is endless. Why do Microsoft desktop systems have to be the only ones people trust? There is no longer any reason. Ubuntu and others are changing the computing landscape. Millions are using Linux and more every day.

[chavo]

If these people were really your friends this discussion would not be taking place.

[FoolsGold_MKII]

Girlfriend wouldn't help, except prevent you from spending too much time with the computer. :)

Follow what lancest suggested - make your own decisions and don't worry about what your friends say. We're all here because we've decided to take the step towards bettering our computing experience, and life's pretty boring if you stick to doing what the majority do. Safe, but boring.

[voided3]

Wow, deep stuff. In my friends' defense though, one used to use use Ubuntu as a primary OS until he decided he wanted to use his windows only games again and the other I convinced to try out on his system with the live CD, but he felt that he wouldn't be gaining any usability with it over "the other one." So thus far I can determine that I spend too much time at the computer and i'm not the only one haha. Anything else I can use for defense of the camp?

[kerry_s]

just let it go, evetually they will get bit with a virus, spyware, blue screen of death, something will happen it always does. I usually tease them back, "did you scan today, today could be the day, you know your there #1 target" "are you sure you anti-spyware is working? how do you know?"

you know what really makes my windows friends cry, when they realize i'm only using a 450mhz 256ram system, that can run circles around there xp power systems with 2 sometimes 3 times the power of this rig. :)

[Spike-X]

Get new friends?

[Spike-X]

My defense though is that the time I spend tweaking linux as opposed to windows it to making the end user experience better as opposed to just keeping the system running as on windows.

Yeah, I'd much rather spend half an hour playing with some new eye candy than waiting for yet another sypware check to finish.

[M$LOL]

Call them retarded nerds and leave it at that.

[cunawarit]

Sounds like good natured banter, either ignore it, or punch them square in the face repeatedly till you mash their little faces to a pulp. ;)

Seriously, the problem might be that you are suggesting they try an OS they have absolutely no interest in trying.

[stimpack]

Aye let it go, not following the crowd or bowing to peer pressure is quite hard for people, so really +1 to you for doing what you like.

If your friends are happy on Windows thats ok too, the gamer especially, I can't blame him, the others maybe heh :).

[forrestcupp]

You can do one of two things.

1. Respect their choice to use Windows, don't argue with them, don't try to convert them, and ask them to respect your choice and leave it at that.

2. Get a complete Windows Vista theme so they think you're running Vista. When they complain about how much time you dump into it, just tell them how much Vista sucks.

[tcpip4lyfe]

Turn them in for software piracy. :)

[faraaz]

Roflmao...

[FoolsGold_MKII]

No one likes a snitch. :)

[argie]

Laugh at them for being too 'noob' to run Linux. If you do this right, it won't sound elitist. Don't do this to just anyone, only your friends.

Take the moral high ground in the piracy argument. Give horrified gasps and shudder every time you see pirated software or mention of it.
Them: "Dude, so I downloaded 300 yesterday."
You: "Wow, where can I get it from?"
Them: "Torrents dude."
You: *gasp* *shudder* "You mean, illegal torrents, oh my god."
Hyperventilate a little, sound like they told you that they murdered someone with a wet rodent.

Just laugh, mix it up between the scornful 'Ha! Windows' laugh and the 'Hey! I\'m happy' laugh.

The true solution, of course, is to find enough meaning in your life that stuff like this doesn't bother you. Also don't talk about your Linux endeavours with people who aren't keen on that OS, talk about that in communities like this, where Linux is an interest. If you do feel like mentioning it to them, do it when you have a chance to gloat. When Windows fails for them (it inevitably does), say stuff like, "You're reinstalling again?! I haven't even needed to restart in 6 months, that'll teach you to stop visiting all those sites." Emphasise the fact that it's all their fault, Windows is perfect. They'll blame Windows then (also inevitable, no one wants to be the scapegoat), then you do your Linux gloating.

In all honesty though, it's all just good fun. Give it back as good as you can.

[PartisanEntity]

I add my voice to those who said to remain above any mockery or arguments.

Who gives a rat's behind whether your friends approve of your using a Linux based OS or not?

My friends also made some funny comments about my use of Linux, mainly as jokes and nothing serious, but I don't use an OS to please them or anyone else, neither do I use an OS in order to fit in somewhere. I use a Linux based OS because I choose to do so, period :)

[Spr0k3t]

man, if you think you have it bad with people making fun of you for using Linux, you should try an OS that is even more obscure like Amiga or Atari. The total eliteness anti-social technical geek of geeks. You will have your fair share of huffs and haws at your "least common denominator" computer system.

Seriously though, if it offends you to a point where you well up every time they start to get on your case about it, get a backbone and lay down the law. Either that or have a laugh with them. You are either dealing with close minded jackarses or those who just enjoy seeing the retaliation. If you want to have fun with them, start wearing all black and listen to emo while they are around and just go ballistic when they say something about it.

The best method though... passive agressive. Eventually they will start to ask questions about it and turn on them dropping the bomb in their plate. When they get on you about it, get up, leave... when they start asking questions... blow up in their face and get real personal making them feel maybe 1" tall.

Seriously though, they don't sound like the kind of friends I would hang with... Post back here with your results though... I'm curious to see how this turns out.

oh yeah, show them this thread.

[stuh84]

I don't care when people bash Linux, then again I don't use it constantly anyway. But my reply tends to be "How many restarts did it take to say that?", usually shuts them up :P

[beefcurry]

are you sure you use Ubuntu? cause if you do its kinda strange that they bash you. If they do bash you when you use ubuntu then they are really shallow minded =.= );;

[M$LOL]

I don't care when people bash Linux, then again I don't use it constantly anyway. But my reply tends to be "How many restarts did it take to say that?", usually shuts them up :P

lmao, I'm using that :lol:

[Omnios]

From what I was told a long time ago is that a Linux user is as Kewl as being a hacker.
As for a windows user, notta

Im getting pretty good at script hacking and thats because of using Linux.

So either way you are way Kewl so be proud to say you use Linux.

[arashiko28]

Just sit and relax, I'm having the same situation, all of my friends are windows lovers, but I forgive them, they don't know any better, though i'm atracting fly with honey, showing them my beryl cube with skydome and rotation and asking them if their vista do that.:lolflag: they just drool and ask me a ton of questions about the diference, then i open a presentation, a video, internet, amsn, change of desktop, open more open office applications, change back to the video and let them drool watching the video with no delays.
I have a HP Pavilion ze2000, Intel Celeron M processor 1.33 Ghz and 512MB of RAM. They have the latest models of laptop Vista capaple or Vista ready. And need to close one thing to open another. Seryously, there are few the tings you get to miss from windows... and if i'd change back, i would miss a lot of things of my Ubuntu.:lolflag: Good Luck

[patrick295767]

Hey, i've been a linux user now for close to a year and a bunch of my friends, who are computer adept, give me some friction as to choosing linux as a primary OS. I tell them I use it because it's (legally) free, runs great on my wide variety old hardware, and does more than the computer could if it had Win98 or XP on it. I always get caught though when I suggest they try it because they are smart with how they maintain their systems by frequently updating the necessary protection software and such, resulting in them having a good running install of WinXP (plus their systems are more modern than mine and have no noticeable slowdowns; my best desktop has a 1.4ghz Athlon t-bird with 1.25gb of sdram and an x1300 whereas one of my friends has a 2.0ghz Athlon 64 system with a gig of DDR 400 and a 6800GS). The only point I get back at them with is that they are using a burned copy of a corporate (no activation necessary) XP pro disk, but that doesn't seem to bother them (I don't think I could bring myself to buy it either personally).

The main point is though that they make fun of me for spending time playing around with my settings a bunch doing mostly GUI tweaks or trying different software. I honestly don't feel that I dump a huge amount of time into it, but every now and then I look around for a different theme or background and such but to them they think it's taking over my life just because I actually have the option of changing it w/o installing windowblinds (which one of my friends did and resulted in having their desktop incompletely load at boot). My defense though is that the time I spend tweaking linux as opposed to windows it to making the end user experience better as opposed to just keeping the system running as on windows. I admit to being a bit of a nerd, but I do have a life; computer building is just a side hobby. Hey, i'm typing this post on a $15 compuiter! (PIII OCed at 840mhz, 384mb ram, nvidia mx440, and Xubuntu 7.04) If I bought a copy of windows for it, it would have been a $315 computer! Heck even the 17" HP CRT monitor I plug it into was $5. Anyway, what can I do to end the criticism? (Maybe if I got a girlfriend.... hmmm..... :-) Thanks!

Ignorance, for them. Enjoy for yourself
an example what they wont have:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4Fbk52Mk1w&mode=related&search=
(but really fast all pc gaming)

[lamalex]

lift weights and beat one of them up, that'll shut them up. Explain to them it was with all the time you spent not scanning for viruses or spyware you had time to gain 40 kg of raw muscle.