SovereignThinker
December 23rd, 2007, 08:43 AM
I just wanted to stop by and introduce myself. I am Joshua, and I have just started using Ubuntu exclusively after a long period of using Windows XP dual booted with PClinuxOS.
I guess Ubuntu attracts me, not only because of its attractiveness and ease of use, but also because of the essential community driven, individualistic-collectivist ideology behind its development and distribution. The more I read about the open software movement, the differing views of its adherents, and the free market conflict between the drive for profits and the necessity for freedom, it reminds me a great deal of my own personal conflict over the ideas of liberty, individualism, and collectivism and where personal liberty and profits must give way to the common good.
I have zero intention of getting into a deep philosophical debate here, but it is just interesting to note that this community, in many ways holds together practical examples of almost every ideological struggle I am currently going through. I think ultimately, that what you are achieving here is amazing, and I am glad to see that human beings can freely choose to create a community that solves practical problems and that has very little barriers to entry.
Software development has never been something that I have attempted before besides simple programs on my graphing calculator in Chemistry Class. Lately; however, I have become frustrated with windows and the lack of security that it has. It seems that no matter how well I protect myself, I always eventually get some form of malware and that I am never quite able to completely clear it from my system. Too many times did I have to reformat and reinstall my windows partition while my PCLinuxOS partition stood the test of time.
In fact, to date, while I have had some buggy behavior, I have yet to have a single virus from the use of Linux, and what bugs I did encounter, I was able to easily learn everything I needed to solve if it was possible at all.
The only thing I have noticed about Ubuntu is that some of the drivers are a tad bit off, but from what I can tell it has more to do with the liability of altering proprietary drivers, which PCLinuxOS may not have been as afraid of doing, and may have nothing to do with what Ubuntu could offer if given free reign over the drivers. The only thing that really does not work is my low end ATI graphics card, which from everything I have read may simply be one of the worst choices possible and may have nothing to do with Ubuntu itself. In fact, I would like to get a better card with Linux supported drivers so that I can experience the full Ubuntu experience. For right now, I am stuck with the integrated card that came on my PC, but it is still a much better experience than windows could ever hope to be.
Well, I don't know if I will ever become a programming wiz, or if I will ever be a real problem solver around here, but know that for one libertarian questioning the premises behind market capitalism, Ubuntu has caught my attention and won my support. I will continue to use this incredible tool, stay in touch with the community that is driving it forward and look forward to each new distribution which I am sure will only come to prove what can be accomplished when human beings collaborate as equals.
I guess Ubuntu attracts me, not only because of its attractiveness and ease of use, but also because of the essential community driven, individualistic-collectivist ideology behind its development and distribution. The more I read about the open software movement, the differing views of its adherents, and the free market conflict between the drive for profits and the necessity for freedom, it reminds me a great deal of my own personal conflict over the ideas of liberty, individualism, and collectivism and where personal liberty and profits must give way to the common good.
I have zero intention of getting into a deep philosophical debate here, but it is just interesting to note that this community, in many ways holds together practical examples of almost every ideological struggle I am currently going through. I think ultimately, that what you are achieving here is amazing, and I am glad to see that human beings can freely choose to create a community that solves practical problems and that has very little barriers to entry.
Software development has never been something that I have attempted before besides simple programs on my graphing calculator in Chemistry Class. Lately; however, I have become frustrated with windows and the lack of security that it has. It seems that no matter how well I protect myself, I always eventually get some form of malware and that I am never quite able to completely clear it from my system. Too many times did I have to reformat and reinstall my windows partition while my PCLinuxOS partition stood the test of time.
In fact, to date, while I have had some buggy behavior, I have yet to have a single virus from the use of Linux, and what bugs I did encounter, I was able to easily learn everything I needed to solve if it was possible at all.
The only thing I have noticed about Ubuntu is that some of the drivers are a tad bit off, but from what I can tell it has more to do with the liability of altering proprietary drivers, which PCLinuxOS may not have been as afraid of doing, and may have nothing to do with what Ubuntu could offer if given free reign over the drivers. The only thing that really does not work is my low end ATI graphics card, which from everything I have read may simply be one of the worst choices possible and may have nothing to do with Ubuntu itself. In fact, I would like to get a better card with Linux supported drivers so that I can experience the full Ubuntu experience. For right now, I am stuck with the integrated card that came on my PC, but it is still a much better experience than windows could ever hope to be.
Well, I don't know if I will ever become a programming wiz, or if I will ever be a real problem solver around here, but know that for one libertarian questioning the premises behind market capitalism, Ubuntu has caught my attention and won my support. I will continue to use this incredible tool, stay in touch with the community that is driving it forward and look forward to each new distribution which I am sure will only come to prove what can be accomplished when human beings collaborate as equals.