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Re: [News] [Linux] Linux Myths Are Breaking in India

  • Subject: Re: [News] [Linux] Linux Myths Are Breaking in India
  • From: Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Tue, 22 May 2007 12:55:22 +0100
  • Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.advocacy
  • Organization: schestowitz.com / Netscape
  • References: <2723008.2Q3ORtC9qN@schestowitz.com> <df65i4-qeo.ln1@tux.glaci.com> <1209798.iBXiHN6XN2@schestowitz.com> <Xns9938732752764usenetjhartathcx@195.8.68.218>
  • Reply-to: newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • User-agent: KNode/0.7.2
__/ [ Jamie Hart ] on Tuesday 22 May 2007 11:17 \__

> Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
> news:1209798.iBXiHN6XN2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:
> 
>> __/ [ thad05@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ] on Sunday 20 May 2007 07:29
>> \__
>> 
>>> Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>> Showing interest - The myth that Linux is hard to use and expensive
>>>> to maintain is changing.
>>>> 
>>>> ,----[ Quote ]
>>>> | Many have observed that open source platforms such as Linux are
>>>> | more secure, and the amount of maintenance required is
>>>> | comparatively less.
>>>> `----
>>> 
>>> The myth that seems the slowest to die is the idea that Linux
>>> requires lots of twiddling of text config files, downloading and
>>> compiling of source code, and in general is a geeks only OS.  Of
>>> course you and I know that with modern distros and package
>>> managers that is no longer true... but old impressions die
>>> slowly.  I've found that the easiest way to convince someone is
>>> to just sit them in front of a real Linux box and SHOW them how
>>> easy it is to find and install apps.
>> 
>> It (sort of) upsets me sometimes when people prepare Ubuntu Linux
>> tutorials which use apt-get and other command line utilities. Why do
>> they do this? Because it's quicker and its makes some people look more
>> sophisticated (or maybe they target a particular audience). At the
>> same time, this gives the wrong impression to those exploring Linux
>> from afar or search the Web for a solution. The GUI is right there, so
>> it's a bit like showing someone how 'easy' Java is by demonstrating an
>> assembly code-like library for programming. Luckily, many tutorials
>> nowadays as available as videos. The pipes of the Web help a lot.
>> 
> The reason they tend to use command line methods is that it's less prone
> to misunderstanding.
> 
> Saying:
> 
> "Type: apt-get install xchat"
> 
> is easier and less prone to problems than:
> 
> "Click on the menu, go to the system sub menu and click on synaptic,
> then click on the search button at the bottom left corner of the window
> that appears, then type xchat in the search box and press enter.  When
> the xchat package is shown, click on it and then click on the install
> button."
> 
> BTW, I don't use Ubuntu or apt-get so some, all or more of the above may
> be innacurate.

No, it's correct. There are indeed less ambiguities when it comes to the CLI
and in the case of Linux (with so many distros and versions), a lot tends to
be universal (package managers being a poor example).

-- 
                ~~ Best regards

Roy S. Schestowitz      |   McDonald's Certified Sandwich Engineer (MCSE)
http://Schestowitz.com  |  GNU is Not UNIX  |     PGP-Key: 0x74572E8E
      http://iuron.com - proposing a non-profit search engine

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