Rory Cellan-Jones - Ubuntu in his 2009 roundup blog

**motorcity909** · December 27th, 2009

After the record 378 comments on his original post, RCJ has mentioned Ubuntu in his roundup of the year.

He says "While I found the latest version of this Linux operating system simple and pleasant to use, my failure to fall in love with it - or to spend as much time with it as Windows - provoked rage amongst its supporters, and brought a record number of comments to this blog. I said I would give it a longer trial, and while that's not been possible to date, I am hoping to fulfil that promise in the near future."

Look forward to it

**Swagman** · December 27th, 2009

I sincerely hope that the more militant of us "TuXx0rs" don't go ranting on Rory's blog.

**Swagman** · December 28th, 2009

I'm surprised this thread hasn't had more posts.

**motorcity909** · December 28th, 2009

It's Christmas, maybe everyone is at parties or playing nice games with their family, rather than being sat in front of their computer ignoring everyone.

That'll just be us then!

**gnomeuser** · December 28th, 2009

I honestly think people were a bit... overeager to correct some simple problems Rory had understanding a different system. I am happy to see he will try again, I also hope he will avail himself of all the help he needs from the community to get up and running just like any other new user.

We should understand that moving to a different OS is a scary and very different experience for even seasoned users, I hardly think either side acted with much patience in this regard. Rory did not spend a sufficient amount of time understanding the new system instead expecting it to work exactly as he was used to, and users saw it as a big media name badmouthing something near and dear to their hearts in an unconstructive manner.

So I think we should extend the same olive branch to Rory as we do to all new users. We understand that Linux is different, and I for one, would be happy to help him get settled in. If Ubuntu doesn't fulfill his requirements I hope he will write a detailed article on why and then those considerations will naturally become part of potential future improvements to Linux.

Ubuntu isn't for everyone, it really isn't, but I believe it can be for quite a lot of people and I think one strength it has to make that happen is the community. So I hope we can show Rory that the community can do far more constructive and helpful things in a friendly manner than to go and yell on his blog.

In the words of the prophets Bill and Ted: Let's be excellent to each other

**motorcity909** · December 28th, 2009

Agreed. In the inevitable comments that will follow any future Ubuntu blog from RCJ, we should be positive and encouraging, not just auto-anti-MS, etc.

Maybe there could be a special RCJ section to this forum for him to raise his questions and issues. After all, one of the best thing about Ubuntu is the help available on this here forum and if more people saw that and realised the help is out there, maybe that will encourage them to try it out.

**gnomeuser** · December 29th, 2009

Originally Posted by motorcity909

Agreed. In the inevitable comments that will follow any future Ubuntu blog from RCJ, we should be positive and encouraging, not just auto-anti-MS, etc.

Maybe there could be a special RCJ section to this forum for him to raise his questions and issues. After all, one of the best thing about Ubuntu is the help available on this here forum and if more people saw that and realised the help is out there, maybe that will encourage them to try it out.

no no no.. you miss the point, Rory should have the exact same treatment as any new user. If he elects to come here and ask for help we should do our best to help. Treating him specially would underline the fact that you have to be a BBC journalist with a wicked sense of style to get help and make Ubuntu work. That would be a failing on our part and one that Rory should as an honest journalist rightfully point out as being a major downside of using Ubuntu.

Anyone should be able to come here and get help, construction worker, house wife, grandma, gamer and Rory. That would be the Ubuntu way.

**Tibuda** · December 29th, 2009

Poor Rory.

**K.Mandla** · December 29th, 2009

Originally Posted by gnomeuser

Rory should have the exact same treatment as any new user. If he elects to come here and ask for help we should do our best to help. Treating him specially would underline the fact that you have to be a BBC journalist with a wicked sense of style to get help and make Ubuntu work.

+1 to this. Nobody can make Rory like Ubuntu but Rory, and the less time people spend trying to convince a journalist to like their favorite OS, the better. Journalists aren't worth it.

I can't speak to his sense of style though.