In comp.os.linux.advocacy, (e-mail address removed)
<
[email protected]>
wrote
Easy question to answer once you have actually tried Linux.
I just finished tossing a Ubuntu CD in the trash because that is where
it belongs.
Now I truly understand why Linux can't seem to break into the desktop
market.
Linux sucks.
The programs look like something Windows had 15 years ago with Windows
3.1.
Pardon me...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Windows_3.11_workspace.png
*That* is a classic Win3.11 desktop.
http://www.opengroup.org/graphics/desktop/m-mwm.gif
(within
http://www.opengroup.org/desktop/motif.html)
is a Motif desktop.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Solaris8-cde.png
is a Solaris 8 CDE desktop.
http://www.kde.org/screenshots/kde350shots.php
is a series of KDE screenshots, mostly to illustrate the various
tools, but one also gets an idea for the general desktop
look (if not the feel);
http://www.kde.org/screenshots/images/3.5/33-controlcenter.png
in particular gives a good view of the rounded (if
rather comically large in spots) buttons, and the general
rounding of the title bars, and the subtly shaded title
bar (which is obscured by the explanatory yellow text,
but one might see the iconify, maximize, and close gadgets
peeking through).
http://www.kde.org/screenshots/images/3.5/34-languages.png
might give a better view of the window gadgets ... in
addition to showing off the possible languages and
character sets Konqueror can support.
For its part Gnome has some attractive screenshots of its
own as part of the Release Notes:
http://www.gnome.org/start/2.20/notes/en/
The buttons and title bars are rounded here as well.
One might make a case that the properties dialog for a
hard drive partition looks exactly the same as Windows
(except that Windows uses a 3D pie chart). Of course,
there's only so many ways to show disk free space, and
pie charts are a natural therefor anyway. If Microsoft
patents *that* we're all in trouble.
The help system is non existant.
The help system is rather hopelessly fragmented, but it is
there; 'man', 'info', and for some applications a Help menu
pick help the user to find what he needs, with any luck.
I can't say it's perfect, but it's workable.
You'll have to be more specific. Linux in particular can
import Microsoft True Type fonts. Are they terrible?
"Oh, but that's DIFFERENT!"
The graphics support is terrible.
You'll have to be more specific.
There is no Direct-X 10 support.
Correct. Of course, one could ask many questions as to why
Linux would want to support such anyway. There's no Direct-X 10
support in XP, either, after all.
The interface is crude and slow.
See above. As for slow...tried Vista Aero on a 256 MB
computer lately?
My printer wasn't even recognized (Lexmark).
Lexmark printers are not noted for their openness.
My widescreen monitor came up with an out of range box sqaure in the
middle of the screen instead of the 1440x960 it should be.
Not sure what the issue is there. My first guess is PEBCAK.
Granted, I had interesting issues with my Samsung SyncMaster,
but after a bit of tweaking, I got it to do something more
or less reasonable.
Some application called Amarok kept freezing up on me when it would
search my drives for media. What a non-intuitive POS that program
Amarok is.
OK, so that's a problem with Amarok, not with Linux.
I don't use it, so can't say.
I tried burning a DVD with k3b and it made a perfect coaster every
time.
There are a number of issues with burning DVDs. I'm frankly not
sure what yours is.
This is with a high end Plextor drive.
Why don't Plextools work with Linux?
Probably because they require Windows. The Plextools download page
is rather clear on that issue.
(I'll admit to some curiosity as to whether they'd work with WinE,
but I don't have a Plextor drive.)
And the list goes on.
I can't spend my life searching Google for answers so back
to Vista I go.
At least Vista works.
Ah, so they've finally got around to fixing that nVidia driver problem?
Linux?
It just sucks, mostly your time.
"Linux, if you think you hate it now, wait until you try it"
Truthfulness factor: Maybe 10%. If you're lucky, you'll
get a cookie. Don't ask what's in it.
Trolling factor: 85%. Bridges and bridge users beware.
Stupidity factor: 75%. Might be smart enough to find a
replacement lampshade, but only if someone smarter removes
the light bulb first, and he remembers to unplug the lamp.
Relevance factor: Unknown.
Technical factor: 5%. He mentions brand names. Whoopee.
Specifics factor: 10%. Brand names, but no numbers, not even
a part number.
Microsoft Factor: 80%. Mentions trash, Windows Vista, and
Windows 3.1 in the same post. How bizarre is that, really?
Linux Factor: 15%. Beyond mentioning the name 'Linux', and
the distro 'Ubuntu' (which is it, wintrool: Dapper, Edgy,
Feisty, or Gutsy?), he's not exactly specific here.
Cross-drool factor: 66%. This message was cross-posted to the
following newsgroups:
microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
(he's referring to Vista so one has to wonder)
comp.os.linux.advocacy
(Here!)
24hoursupport.helpdesk
(A known spamgenerator/trollhangout)
microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
(Oh, this one might actually be relevant!)
Confusion Factor: 2%. Nobody with a brain would pay
any attention to this guy, except for amusement at
carnival arcades, right next to the bearded lady. (Psst.
She's cuter. It's a fake beard.)
Fear Factor: 3%. Say what?
Overall Evaluation: D-. I'd give you an F but I'm too
easily amused. But we have some lovely parting gifts,
which you'll also probably toss in the nearest waste bin,
since someone showed you where it actually is.
Followups to COLA exclusively, except for one poster whose
newsreader should be shot on sight, buried, then exhumed,
battered, fried, dissected into itty bitty bits, mixed
with a little sea water and ground into paste, and fed
to a shredder as it conforms to no known standard with
the possible exception of UTF-8, if he's implemented it
correctly (which I doubt).
You know who you are.
