S
Spanky deMonkey
Well, Linux, it was fun to see you again, but its time to send you back to
the hole whence you came.
I thought I would give Linux another try, after 2 years or so away from it.
So I (stupidly) downloaded Partition Magic and attempted to Partition the C
drive. Result, Windows wouldn't start anymore. I figured, nothing to fear, I
have a new copy of Linux. Fedora 7 to be exact, on disc and ready to go!
I installed that rascal on the partition I had just created, at the expense
of windows, and off I went.
My goal was to accomplish 3 things:
1. Recover my files from my Windows drive
2. Make EVE-Online work in Linux until I got my windows disc again.
3. Watch DVDs with Linux, for additional entertainment.
4. Play MP3's
Guess what? 48 hours and about 20 dollars later, Linux is 1 for 4. 1
success, after a while, and 3 miserable, total failures. So I'm going to put
away my wallet, and go back to Windows XP. I will talk about what Linux is
good for, and what it is not. Lets start positive, with the good:
GOOD THINGS ABOUT LINUX:
1. Programming. No doubt about it, unless you cough up some serious dough
for developer software, Linux uber Windows in the programming arena, any
day. Programming is what introduced me to Linux in the first place, when I
took Computational Physics and Programming for Engineers. I was an
Engineering Physics Major with a Minor in Computer Engineering.
2. Data Manipulation and control. Linux is good at this, I was able to force
mount my fubar Windows partition and save my documents, and I will use Linux
one more time when Windows is back up to push my documents onto the Windows
partition. It was the only benefit Linux has provided to me.
3. None, a lot of people say "low cost". I disagree. Lets talk about cost,
but I'm going to put it in the failure category.
Failures of Linux:
1. Multimedia. I tried to get a DVD player for Linux for 12 straight hours.
I used Yum, RPMs, Google, Forums, and every other resource I could find. To
no avail. This leads to me Linux's second failure, and probably, one of its
greatest.
2. Support. Actually Linux community, you should take this personally,
because you are the support. Therefore, YOU FAIL. You and your forums and
websites, while noble intentions were in your heart, failure weighs on your
efforts.
In my 12 hour ordeal to find a DVD player, I noticed an interesting forum
post from a young man, much like me, asking for a 'step by step' explanation
of EXACTLY how he get a working DVD player in linux. 2 Linux knuckleheads
replied. The first reply just said, you need to use this search engine to
find this and that. The second reply was, you can use yum, you need a "some
vague description" and a "some other less vague but still vague
description". Well Linux community, that's not step by step. Its also not
helpful. This is the thing that has pissed me off the most. A computer's
base language is binary, but its instructions are assembly. Assembly tells
registers where to go, which function to perform, and then where in memory
to go when the operation is complete. Step by step, who, what, when, where,
why, how. Linux Community, please learn from your computers, especially your
assemblers. And stop being so damn vague.
3. Gaming. Everyone knows this ad nauseum, I downloaded Cedega, paid the 15
dollars for access, downloaded the latest ATI Drivers. Does it work? Of
course not. What's wrong with it? I think its my OpenGL drivers, in fact,
I'm positive. So I tried to edit my xorg.conf file, checked websites forums,
ATI website. 12 X crashes and all kinds of aticonfigs with Parse Errors
later, and I'm done. And what do you know, not one damn person in the ENTIRE
LINUX WORLD has the competence to be able to solve my problem. Not one. I
know I'm not the only person to have this problem, because others are
pleading on the forums for help for the same damn problem, and getting vague
irrelevant answers or answers that are simply questions. See Part 2 about
giving clear instructions. I use my computer to entertain me, Linux does not
entertain. Linux only shows me how to fail.
4. Cost. Oh yes, I bet you think I can't form an argument against you on
this, because Linux is "free" right? WRONG! I earn about 26 dollars an hour
as an entry level engineer. Windows XP cost me, maybe $150. That means 6
hours of work, and I have just paid for Windows XP. I spent 12 hours trying
to download a F***ing DVD Player. I probably spent at least 8 to 12 hours on
the damn Graphics Card problem, which still isn't fixed either. I have
WASTED 520 dollars worth of my time on trying to 'fix' Linux, because its
broken. And yes, if it doesn't play my video games or my DVD's or my MP3's
it IS BROKEN. I have already lost more money than my Windows XP cost me, and
I still don't have the same amount of functionality.
5. Delivery. People wonder how the hell Windows thrives and Linux kind of
survives. Windows costs money, closed source, not as flexible. Well, its
because Linux DOESN'T DELIVER. PERIOD. Wanna know why 90 percent of the
world pays for Microsoft and shuns your free linux, because I am perfectly
happy to PAY MONEY to get what I want, as is everyone else. Windows gives me
what I want. When I put in a DVD, I get to watch a movie. Not search through
Forums and Yum to download a Xine. When I double click on my video games, I
play a game, not try to reprogram config files to get the video card to
work. When I install a Video Card Driver, the only work I have to do is
double click, and go take a piss while it installs for me. Not have to sit
there and try to read the manual on ATICONFIG to see if i can it to actually
do its job.
Its all about delivery folks. Why do I pay to take women out on dates and
get them all liquored up? Because there is a much better chance that woman
will deliver what I want. A piece of that ass. I could probably find a nice
woman, and hang out and be her friend, completely free, but then, I would
rather pay to get what I want.
So here's what Linux needs to do to make itself competitive:
Comprehensive, Plug and Play Video Game Support. Installation and
playability as easy as Windows. Only Linux could probably support game
console emulation in addition to Windows, Linux could be better than windows
for gaming.
Adaptability to an actual customerbase. Like I said before, Windows succeeds
because it give people what they want, entertainment, not heartache. Linux
needs to do the same, instead of only responding to some dissident
anti-social underground movement.
Linux had 2 years or more since I last messed with it to improve.
Cosmetically, there were some improvements, functionality and ease of use.
ZERO improvement. Well Linux community, give it another try, you keep on
editing those config files and trying to get answers on your forums. I'm
going to get what I want from my computer, even if I have to pay for it for
the next 2 years. Let me know if you fix it between now and then.
the hole whence you came.
I thought I would give Linux another try, after 2 years or so away from it.
So I (stupidly) downloaded Partition Magic and attempted to Partition the C
drive. Result, Windows wouldn't start anymore. I figured, nothing to fear, I
have a new copy of Linux. Fedora 7 to be exact, on disc and ready to go!
I installed that rascal on the partition I had just created, at the expense
of windows, and off I went.
My goal was to accomplish 3 things:
1. Recover my files from my Windows drive
2. Make EVE-Online work in Linux until I got my windows disc again.
3. Watch DVDs with Linux, for additional entertainment.
4. Play MP3's
Guess what? 48 hours and about 20 dollars later, Linux is 1 for 4. 1
success, after a while, and 3 miserable, total failures. So I'm going to put
away my wallet, and go back to Windows XP. I will talk about what Linux is
good for, and what it is not. Lets start positive, with the good:
GOOD THINGS ABOUT LINUX:
1. Programming. No doubt about it, unless you cough up some serious dough
for developer software, Linux uber Windows in the programming arena, any
day. Programming is what introduced me to Linux in the first place, when I
took Computational Physics and Programming for Engineers. I was an
Engineering Physics Major with a Minor in Computer Engineering.
2. Data Manipulation and control. Linux is good at this, I was able to force
mount my fubar Windows partition and save my documents, and I will use Linux
one more time when Windows is back up to push my documents onto the Windows
partition. It was the only benefit Linux has provided to me.
3. None, a lot of people say "low cost". I disagree. Lets talk about cost,
but I'm going to put it in the failure category.
Failures of Linux:
1. Multimedia. I tried to get a DVD player for Linux for 12 straight hours.
I used Yum, RPMs, Google, Forums, and every other resource I could find. To
no avail. This leads to me Linux's second failure, and probably, one of its
greatest.
2. Support. Actually Linux community, you should take this personally,
because you are the support. Therefore, YOU FAIL. You and your forums and
websites, while noble intentions were in your heart, failure weighs on your
efforts.
In my 12 hour ordeal to find a DVD player, I noticed an interesting forum
post from a young man, much like me, asking for a 'step by step' explanation
of EXACTLY how he get a working DVD player in linux. 2 Linux knuckleheads
replied. The first reply just said, you need to use this search engine to
find this and that. The second reply was, you can use yum, you need a "some
vague description" and a "some other less vague but still vague
description". Well Linux community, that's not step by step. Its also not
helpful. This is the thing that has pissed me off the most. A computer's
base language is binary, but its instructions are assembly. Assembly tells
registers where to go, which function to perform, and then where in memory
to go when the operation is complete. Step by step, who, what, when, where,
why, how. Linux Community, please learn from your computers, especially your
assemblers. And stop being so damn vague.
3. Gaming. Everyone knows this ad nauseum, I downloaded Cedega, paid the 15
dollars for access, downloaded the latest ATI Drivers. Does it work? Of
course not. What's wrong with it? I think its my OpenGL drivers, in fact,
I'm positive. So I tried to edit my xorg.conf file, checked websites forums,
ATI website. 12 X crashes and all kinds of aticonfigs with Parse Errors
later, and I'm done. And what do you know, not one damn person in the ENTIRE
LINUX WORLD has the competence to be able to solve my problem. Not one. I
know I'm not the only person to have this problem, because others are
pleading on the forums for help for the same damn problem, and getting vague
irrelevant answers or answers that are simply questions. See Part 2 about
giving clear instructions. I use my computer to entertain me, Linux does not
entertain. Linux only shows me how to fail.
4. Cost. Oh yes, I bet you think I can't form an argument against you on
this, because Linux is "free" right? WRONG! I earn about 26 dollars an hour
as an entry level engineer. Windows XP cost me, maybe $150. That means 6
hours of work, and I have just paid for Windows XP. I spent 12 hours trying
to download a F***ing DVD Player. I probably spent at least 8 to 12 hours on
the damn Graphics Card problem, which still isn't fixed either. I have
WASTED 520 dollars worth of my time on trying to 'fix' Linux, because its
broken. And yes, if it doesn't play my video games or my DVD's or my MP3's
it IS BROKEN. I have already lost more money than my Windows XP cost me, and
I still don't have the same amount of functionality.
5. Delivery. People wonder how the hell Windows thrives and Linux kind of
survives. Windows costs money, closed source, not as flexible. Well, its
because Linux DOESN'T DELIVER. PERIOD. Wanna know why 90 percent of the
world pays for Microsoft and shuns your free linux, because I am perfectly
happy to PAY MONEY to get what I want, as is everyone else. Windows gives me
what I want. When I put in a DVD, I get to watch a movie. Not search through
Forums and Yum to download a Xine. When I double click on my video games, I
play a game, not try to reprogram config files to get the video card to
work. When I install a Video Card Driver, the only work I have to do is
double click, and go take a piss while it installs for me. Not have to sit
there and try to read the manual on ATICONFIG to see if i can it to actually
do its job.
Its all about delivery folks. Why do I pay to take women out on dates and
get them all liquored up? Because there is a much better chance that woman
will deliver what I want. A piece of that ass. I could probably find a nice
woman, and hang out and be her friend, completely free, but then, I would
rather pay to get what I want.
So here's what Linux needs to do to make itself competitive:
Comprehensive, Plug and Play Video Game Support. Installation and
playability as easy as Windows. Only Linux could probably support game
console emulation in addition to Windows, Linux could be better than windows
for gaming.
Adaptability to an actual customerbase. Like I said before, Windows succeeds
because it give people what they want, entertainment, not heartache. Linux
needs to do the same, instead of only responding to some dissident
anti-social underground movement.
Linux had 2 years or more since I last messed with it to improve.
Cosmetically, there were some improvements, functionality and ease of use.
ZERO improvement. Well Linux community, give it another try, you keep on
editing those config files and trying to get answers on your forums. I'm
going to get what I want from my computer, even if I have to pay for it for
the next 2 years. Let me know if you fix it between now and then.
Speaking of Live,
The biggest thing holding me