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Re: One Linux PC, one Windows luser ...

  • Subject: Re: One Linux PC, one Windows luser ...
  • From: Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Wed, 13 Sep 2006 21:31:21 +0100
  • Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.advocacy
  • Organization: schestowitz.com / ISBE, Manchester University / ITS / Netscape / MCC
  • References: <pan.2006.09.13.19.32.05.659335@linetec.nl>
  • Reply-to: newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • User-agent: KNode/0.7.2
__/ [ Richard Rasker ] on Wednesday 13 September 2006 20:32 \__

> Some months ago, I gave a friend of mine (a single mother with about as
> much computer skills as money - none, that is) a PC I cobbled together
> from parts lying around, with Linux installed of course. She's been using
> it happily ever since, and her little boy had more than enough fun with
> SuperTux and a lot of other games.
> Until yesterday, that is ... where we start this BOFH-like episode,
> featuring one perfectly working Linux machine, a Windows luser, and yours
> truly. And oh: one innocent little boy ...
> 
> Telephone rings. Caller ID shows it's my friend - but when I answer it,
> it turns out to be her ex boyfriend, babysitting the child (not his, by
> the way). I thought she didn't want to be caught dead talking to him any
> more, but perhaps she changed her mind - he hadn't changed a bit anyway,
> as became painfully clear within seconds ...
> 
> 
> Him: "Hi, it's D.. You installed this computer? Hey, I need the password."
> Me: "Um, what password would that be, and why?"
> Him: "I need to install some game I want to show the kid, but it asks me
>   for a password. What kind of stupid thing is this?"
> Me: "It's a Linux computer. And that game, would that by any chance be a
>   .exe file?"
> Him: "Yeah, of course it's a .exe file, setup.exe, from a game I found on
>   the Internet. Now how do I install it? What's with this 'Root Password'?"
> 
> Now the man isn't the most modest and easy-going character in a normal
> state, but apparently he'd been unsuccessfully trying for over an hour to
> install the game he promised the kid, and at first didn't realize he was
> sandboxed in the kid's user account. He was already quite aggravated, but
> I decided to turn up the adrenalin level a bit further. *His* adrenalin
> level, that is. By remaining perfectly calm and reasonable.
> 
> Me: "I already told you. It's a Linux computer. You can't install Windows
>   games or other applications on a Linux computer, even if you had the
>   root password. Sorry to say, but you're out of luck here."
> Him: "What!? That's SO stupid! I promised the kid to install the game he
>   played at my place last week!"
> Me: "Well, can't you just go over to your place and play the game there?"
> Him: "Hell no man! I'm babysitting the kid HERE, and he should have the
>   game HERE! I don't need this crap! Why the hell didn't you just put XP
>   on this thing!?"
> 
> I was almost tempted to ask him what kind of game it was, quickly look up
> something similar in Mandriva's list of hundreds of available games, and
> then surreptitiously install it over the Internet. That would both impress
> and surprise them, I guess - but somehow, the two little horns felt more
> comfortable by the minute ... and his demeanor wasn't exactly conducive to
> me being helpful ...
> 
> Me: "Well, XP costs money, and ..."
> Him (interrupting): "Oh c'mon! Don't tell me *you* can't lay your hands
>   on a cracked copy! You know all about computers!"
> Me: " ... and it's horribly insecure ..."
> Him (interrupting again): "Bullshit! There's all kinds of antivirus and
>   stuff, or didn't you know that, mr. know-it-all?"
> 
> I decided not to mention the slight contradiction concerning the assumed
> level of knowledge on my part ... besides, I hardly had to say anything to
> keep him going ...
> 
> Me: " ... um ..."
> Him: "I'm fed up with this piece of crap! Next week, I'll bring an XP CD,
>   so the kid can play his game, as I promised. No more bullshit about
>   'Root Privileges Required, Enter Password' to get stuff done!"
> Me (finally able to put in a word): "Well, the password's been quite
>   useful, now wouldn't you say?"
> Him: "Huh, useful? What do you mean?"
> Me (smashing this one home with the greatest of joy): "It prevents any
>   idiot from just walking in and messing with someone else's computer."
> 
> 3 seconds of total silence, me waiting for the penny to drop ... ah:
> *click* beep-beep-beep-beep ...
> 
> Oh, the wonderfully secure feeling of Linux ...
> 
> 
> Today, I went over, and explained about the situation to my friend (turned
> out the poor kid was really upset - not so much because of the stupid
> game, but about this asshole being, well, a real asshole).
> Then I showed them once again how to choose and install anything from the
> list they liked (so now the kid has over a hundred new games to try ...).
> And although my friend decided her ex wouldn't cross the threshold any
> more after this, I disabled booting from CD and set up a BIOS password for
> good measure, so he'd really have a hard time, should he be allowed in the
> house after all and have the nerve to actually try and install Windows -
> and yes: he's that kind of person.
> 
> Just imagine the bloody arrogance: you ask someone to come babysitting,
> and they start downloading and installing games from the Internet, without
> your permission, and with a huge chance of seriously screwing up your
> computer.
> 
> Luckily, Linux is quite secure - not just against viruses, but also
> against the rather bigger, soggier pieces of malware ...
> 
> And oh: the kid's been absorbed in PPRacer (formerly known as Tux Racer)
> for hours now, zooming down the mountains, setting record after record,
> happy as can be ...

Nice story. Good read.

I guess we now know which toddler needs babysitting. The story sounds
familiar as it provides a classic example of people who have come to think
of computing in one narrow-minded way. Anything gets difficult? Then blame
somebody else. It's an ego game. And no explanation you can provide (no
matter how rational) will shut up that lad. It becomes a war of principles
and confidence. I suppose that you could have treated the caller in the same
way that you treat resident trolls. Knowing that you were all along correct,
you could have hung up (saves time, keeps blood pressure down on both ends).
Kids are more open to new things. Adults are stubborn grown-up children.

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