On 2006-07-31, Hadron Quark <hadron@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> posted something concerning:
> Sinister Midget <phydeaux@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes:
>
>> On 2006-07-31, Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> posted something concerning:
>>> WGA and Activation Failures Don't Faze Redmond
>>>
>>> ,----[ Quote ]
>>>| A few days ago Windows XP on my primary work computer decided that it
>>>| wasn't a legal copy. Strange since the copy running on there was
>>>| pre-installed at the time that the machine was built by Alienware.
>>>| There used to be a Windows serial number on the back of the machine,
>>>| but the sticker has since fallen off. What?s worse, as soon as I
>>>| started receiving the dreaded, "You may be a victim of software piracy..."
>>>| notices, I also started noticing increased system instability. All of
>>>| this culminated in what I can only assume was some form of malware
>>>| infection, a hardware crash (related to my soundcard), and a pretty
>>>| complete system failure.
>>>|
>>>| I was angry for a moment, but then I realized: I don't much like
>>>| Windows anyway. So I wiped the offending garbage from my machine
>>>| and installed Ubuntu Linux. All in all a painless process.
>>> `----
>>>
>>> http://www.americanmcgee.com/wordpress/?p=171
>>
>> I spent a few hours with a friend a couple (that's 2, for those of you
>> using Winders) days ago. He's a self-described PC klutz. He's also
>> scared of M$. Not from anything I've said to him. It's all based on
>> stuff he's read, heard and experienced on his own.
>>
>> The guy owns an alarm company and he needs to have a lot of reliability
>> on the internet for various different things (not just monitoring).
>> He's afraid he'll be left cold in a year or two (that "two" is a
>> couple, for you Windummies) if he keeps relying on M$ products.
>
> He owns an alarm company and he is a PC Klutz? You need to think about
> your lies some more.
I can't help how he describes himself. But perhaps a little insigt into
his setup:
1. A machine ruuning Windwoes 98 (old IBM Aptiva). He's not getting
support any more. This has been/is his primary machine. It's
networked and all setup. For now.
2. A fairly new Dell running Winddross XP Home. It's not networked. He
wants to replace it before networking it. He's going to need help
getting this one on the internet when he eventually does.
I describe the situation. you believe it or not. I really have no
concerns about that.
>> I worked with him for about 3 hours, showed him different versions of
>> linux, how to get each started, what they can do, how to add more,
>> etc.
>
> How did he aprpeciate the "differences" in what they can do? Did you
> advise him which version might be still around in X years and which not?
> Did you advise about the rumours of the demise of Gnome?
We didn't get too in-dpeth. I have no idea what he needs or what he's
looking for. He knows Winders. He's a self-described PC klutz. He
wasn't able to communicate to me exactly what he wanted or needed, so I
dealt with him in generalities. When he needs specific help, or when he
can be more specific as to what he needs, I'll be more specific in my
help with him.
He did like a few things, though.
1. He can run everything from a CD. True it may be a little slow going
because of how it's run. But he was amazed that could be done.
2. He was even more amazed at what was included on the live CD. You
don't get that kind of stuff on new machines without paying extra
for it, so he was blown away that so much came at no cost.
3. He loved that he could run the same thing from anywhere, save
settings to carry with him to another machine, plug it in and have
what he has at home (assuming he ends up using it).
4. He liked that some of the ones I left could even be installed on a
thumbdrive and run from a machine that could boot from USB.
5. He was also amazed that some could run completely from RAM (if
enough is available), leaving the CD/DVD boot drive free.
6. He liked a lot that he could find something he liked, install it and
run the exact same thing he was seeing from the hard drive.
We did *not* get into specific apps with any kind of depth. That's not
what I was there to do. I was there to demonstrate some things, show
what was available, answer a few questions and the like. So what he
thought of this or that is completely incidental to why I was there.
>> I ended up leaving about 30 different live CDs with him to test. I
>> told
>
> 30? He is *so* indebted to you. Did you leave him a catalog hiliting the
> differences between them all? I mean, he's a PC Klutz remember?! Or is
> his adoption policy based on the colour of the boot screen?
He can boot a CD and poke around. I showed him how to do that. I showed
him categories of applications. I showed him how to access things that
didn't depend on the commandline. If he decides to install something or
has specific questions, I'll answer them.
A couple (that's 2 for you Wundufii) of the CDs I left were for other
purposes. Things like LIMP, which is a love CD that can turn PCs into
jukeboxes or video machines. Or Games Knoppix, which does what the name
implies. Two (that's a couple for the Windows users among us) were just
alternatives of the same thing: Ubuntu/Kubuntu. I had several versions
of Puppy and DSL (with some differences in the versions). There were
others that had various strengths and weaknesses: Mepis, Kanotix,
PCLinuxOS, one of the Mandriva releases, RR4 (a Gentoo live CD), etc.
>> him to decide which he liked and work from there. He can call or email
>> so I can help him get started. I didn't show him the installers because
>> I didn't want to get into that. I just wanted to concentrate on finding
>> something he felt comfortable with using.
>
> uh huh. Thirty choices? What planet do you live on?
Earth. Not sure what one you're on, though.
>> I told the guy I'd follow up. Not to be pushy, because the decision to
>> use or not is his. But just to give him the knowledge that he'll have
>> help getting started if he's having any struggles.
>>
>> Anyway, M$' actions/inactions/ineptitude are being noticed even by
>> PC-illiterates.
>
> Did you draw up a guesstimate on how to train all his alarm company to
> migrate too?
He's a small company. Something like 4 people and some stuff contracted
out. There may be one other person (currently) who will need to learn a
new way. He's looking at trying to do the stuff that's contracted on
his own. That might mean having to hire another couple (2, Windopes,
not 3 or 5 or somewhere around 2.6) of people eventually. But they
won't need any retraining, dontcha think?
> Or is he just interested in a web site?
I didn't ask a lot of specifics. He didn't have many.
I was there to show him. He was the one who expressed interest.
The point of my original post was twofold: a) ordinary people *have*
heard of linux; and, b) M$ are doing themselves in, no help required
from anyone outside their proprietary circle.
Don't believe that last? Just back up a few (more than 2, Windoozies)
paragraphs to the one that begins: "Anyway, M$' actions......"
--
A Microsoft Certified System Engineer is to information technology
as a McDonalds Certified Food Specialist is to the culinary arts.
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