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View Full Version : Slightly odd, emotional response to an OS!!



fatality_uk
June 7th, 2008, 10:14 AM
I have seen a few posts over the last few weeks that caught my attention. Many are in the usual stream. "I am leaving Ubuntu, but this isn't a troll thread".

It seems from reading these threads that a mindset has built up in these users denoting a slightly deeper emotional attachment to Ubuntu than perhaps is warranted for an Operating System?

I have seen posts that almost read as though when people even try another operating system, MacOS, Vista or another distro, there seems to be a "guilt" switch enabled somewhere in the subconscious.

I am guilty of this as well. I spoke to Microsoft Platinum/Gold partner (Can't remember which type) who is looking to supply us with an new ERP system and during that conversation, I heard myself defending Linux probably more than was rationally necessary.

It's not logical!!! I don't give such an emotional response to my headphones, my monitor, dishwasher or DVR!! Not even to applications that I really enjoy using, Inkscape, Assault Cube, Urban Terror.

Why Ubuntu?

Having tried many distros over the last 6-7 years, none quite gives as much of an emotional response as Ubuntu! I think the marketing people call it something silly like "stickiness". The ability of a product/service to quickly build a loyal customer base.

Any thoughts as to what it is about Ubuntu, of all the distros, that has the x-factor that leads to these responses?

_DD_
June 7th, 2008, 10:17 AM
I think xkcd touched on this topic once...

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/perspective.png

:)

bufsabre666
June 7th, 2008, 10:25 AM
thats how i used to feel about ubuntu, and exactly how i feel about opensuse right now, alot of those threads are people trying differnt linux os's and im just happy theyre sticking linux and opensource, i dont really care which linux distro you use but as long as people are using it we will eventually get mainstream drivers, which would be nice. but as far as an os use what you want, and if you find that one that gives you this feeling a attachment, well, you found the right one

the8thstar
June 7th, 2008, 06:04 PM
I concur with what has been said. Ubuntu is the first OS that I've been HAPPY to use since the dark ages of the Amiga 500. The community is so great... Most people WANT to help you to strive better, so it's an incredible drive to improve things.

I get a strange sense that my contributions on the forums and in translations have helped people and the product get better over time. This is very egotistic of course, since I'm not a developer or an IT oriented person. Yet, thanks to everyone efforts and daily work, Ubuntu has grown living flesh over its code and it's improving every day. When I open the terminal, use Gnome, start OpenOffice.org, tweak Ubuntu, I swear I can almost see people minds at work behind the screen...

Eisenwinter
June 7th, 2008, 06:23 PM
Well if you ask me, I think people who come to Linux and love the operating system, feel guilty about using Windows and other Operating system (not linux) because of the ideology and philosophy behind Linux.

They support the open source philosophy and community, and when they use proprietary software they feel bad, because it goes against what they always preach.

EDIT:

Though that may not be the only reason.

The things you own, end up owning you. Remember this sentence.
It is possible they spends loads of time on Ubuntu, they eventually begin to actually act as if it's a religious thing (and I'm serious here), they attach themselves to it so deeply, so when someone offends their operating system, they get very mad and sad, and begin fighting and defending it.

While I see nothing wrong with defending the operating system you use in a form of a nice debate with someone else, if you defend it fanatically, you should switch operating systems, trust me.

wolfen69
June 7th, 2008, 06:24 PM
people must love it that much to become emotional about it. nothing to worry about. if people werent as passionate about ubuntu, then it would not spread like it is. defenders of the faith, unite!

yikesalmighty
June 7th, 2008, 06:32 PM
hehehehehe. Reminds me of my Atari Computer vs Commodore vs Apple.

BTW, Atari was a much better computer ;)

Mazza558
June 7th, 2008, 06:37 PM
It's probably because when you say you like Ubuntu, you're generally also saying you like the community, or the human aspect of it. I associate Ubuntu with a massive and friendly community, not just OS. I think the development process, where everyone can see what's going on and talk with developers, really helps Ubuntu seem alive - as opposed to a product which you've just bought - e.g Vista or your new MacBook.

karellen
June 7th, 2008, 06:46 PM
I agree with the OP, I never really understood this "religious" fervor in defending something such abstract and utilitarian like an OS

d.kusummmanth@gmail.com
June 7th, 2008, 06:51 PM
first of all, ur post is superb, thx for it.

d.kusummmanth@gmail.com
June 7th, 2008, 07:02 PM
Next, remember that an OS is the platform without which ur hardware as well as ur software are useless.So a good platform (which doesn't keep any secrets from u) is a primary requirement, without which the structure to be built on it will not be stable.

and unlike MAC or Windows, Linux is OUR OS. It was invented by a student as a hobby, and was supported by thousands who communicated online and built the initial framework for what we use today.Also, when we move away from closed source to open source, we notice that we hv the freedom to do unlimited hacking and even create our own distro!!! Something, we can't think of for another OS, like Mac or Windows.

Now, coming to Ubuntu, without feeling guilty we can share, hack, distribute it like anything. Also, since driver support is so good( because Ubuntu competes directly with Windows and MAC for its users and user-friendliness, unlike other "geeky" Linux distros), u can truly use it out-of-the-box.

Next, if u hv ever used Ubuntu forums actively, u'll know that the community support here is terrific.

All these factors make us addicted to our 'buntu(s).

oedipuss
June 7th, 2008, 09:20 PM
I concur with what has been said. Ubuntu is the first OS that I've been HAPPY to use since the dark ages of the Amiga 500. The community is so great... Most people WANT to help you to strive better, so it's an incredible drive to improve things.

I get a strange sense that my contributions on the forums and in translations have helped people and the product get better over time. This is very egotistic of course, since I'm not a developer or an IT oriented person. Yet, thanks to everyone efforts and daily work, Ubuntu has grown living flesh over its code and it's improving every day. When I open the terminal, use Gnome, start OpenOffice.org, tweak Ubuntu, I swear I can almost see people minds at work behind the screen...

I felt the same way when I first used linux, some years ago. Far from a smooth ride, I remember having trouble with almost everything, but still I felt happy with it. Switching from windows ME to winxp was very nice also, but it wasn't the same feeling for some reason..
Same with firefox, it was a small but definite happiness, over something that finally works, even if it didn't always.
So I think it's this small but accumulating feeling of comfort, that causes this behavior, not so much the ethics behind the open source movement, at least for me. Openness is important but that comes as some sort of rationalization.
It doesn't make much sense does it :P