<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">
<html>
<head>
<meta content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"
http-equiv="Content-Type">
</head>
<body bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000">
<blockquote type="cite">
<div>I know I am the exception to the rule, but I gotta say,
getting along with Ubuntu hasn't been any more
difficult--generally easier than--other OSes, including Mac. I
suspect that if others are having this experience, Linux desktop
market share may be set to start gaining.</div>
</blockquote>
I do agree that Linux desktops are getting much closer, and that I
would probably be able to find one that would just work more or less
for me easily enough if I bothered to try. Mostly I just want it to
to work out of the box and not have to learn yet another UI/WM, etc.<br>
<br>
And, speaking from the non-developer, IT like support role, I need
something that works with the rest of the executive chosen
applications and corp IT imposed tools/rules/etc. Linux is getting
there too, crossover, etc, but it's still just that extra bit to get
it working.<br>
<br>
And I spend just as much time trying to find apps for Linux as I do
for OSX. Not every distro has every app in it's port/apt/portage
tree/system.<br>
<br>
And, as I said, it's been a while since I have tried a linux
desktop. Right now, OSX works for me and it's marginally better
than Windows7. (hell of a lot stabler and I don't have near as much
corporate security resource sucking mandatory apps as I would on
windows). I just need something that's stable and consistent.
Apple provides that better than any Windows Vendor, and I'm
satisfied with that I guess.<br>
<br>
satch<br>
P.S. I'd probably look at FreeBSD as a desktop next... I came from
the NetBSD camp, via BSD386, via SunOS4. Never really liked SysV or
(shudder) AIX.<br>
<br>
On 4/24/11 1:57 PM, Daniel Howard wrote:
<blockquote
cite="mid:BANLkTim41Dc+zh2orC9yuuHjQFimKEfYBg@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">On Sun, Apr 24, 2011 at 12:44 PM, Steve Acheson <span
dir="ltr"><<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:satch@cisco.com">satch@cisco.com</a>></span>
wrote:<br>
<div class="gmail_quote">
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt
0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204);
padding-left: 1ex;">
<br>
Linux just takes too much time to administer over the long run
(for the<br>
desktop UI only) for me. I still fondly remember tweaking out
my fvwm<br>
and fvwm2 setups for hours into the night to get it just
right... But<br>
these days, I just don't have the time or patience to do that
for my<br>
main desktop.</blockquote>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>A decade ago I would agree with this sort of conclusion,
but nowadays I just use Gnome or whatever is the default GUI,
and now I find a Linux workstation takes less effort:</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>- Need to install new software? Do it right there in the
GUI or with one-two commands in the terminal. No need to surf
to some unfamiliar web site and figure out their installer.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>- Installation of third-party stuff not in the central
repository often comes with the configs to keep that software
updated.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>- Updating software is a command line or two, or just
clicking Yes in the GUI and entering your password.</div>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>For my personal needs, Google Docs is an excellent "office"
application that covers the basic needs of a word processor or
spreadsheet, with effortless, real-time collaboration, which can
not be said for Microsoft Office. Maybe once a month or so when
I need to run a native Windows App I just boot one in VMWare
Workstation -- just like a Mac user would run Parallels.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Occasionally, the Ubuntu way will irritate me, but it isn't
the same level of irritation I tended to feel at OS X. When I
am irritated at Ubuntu I'm just getting what I paid for. When
OS X expects me to only do it their way I get really irritated
because hey, I'm paying a premium for this and the customer is
always right, so why is the customer denied their convenience?
(Why _can't_ the user enable FocusFollowsMouse? Seriously!)</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>I know I am the exception to the rule, but I gotta say,
getting along with Ubuntu hasn't been any more
difficult--generally easier than--other OSes, including Mac. I
suspect that if others are having this experience, Linux desktop
market share may be set to start gaining.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>-danny</div>
<br>
-- <br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://dannyman.toldme.com">http://dannyman.toldme.com</a><br>
</blockquote>
</body>
</html>