Home Messages Index
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]
Author IndexDate IndexThread Index

Re: 1337 Users Prefer Windows... Because of the Thrill of Having to Handle Complexity

On Sun, 23 Sep 2007 06:41:53 +0100, Roy Schestowitz
<newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

>I has just occurred to me that Windows was left somewhat behind in the 'dark
>ages' of the CLI. For example, in order to obtain the MAC address of a network
>device in Linux, one just need to click on buttons and follow the GUIs. Nice
>and easy, right?
>
//snipped for brevity//

Roy, I truly admire all the work you do for Linux Advocacy, however, I
am in a state of frustration right at the present over a couple of Linux
complexity's that I find unacceptable.

I just installed Debian 4.0R1 on this machine, (though I am writing this
in Windows XP - Forte Agent).  I installed Pan so that I could read the
Linux newsgroups, and it downloaded the last 5 days of messages with no
problem.  

In one of the messages, a You-Tube url was given.  I clicked on the
reference, and it took me to the You-Tube site.  However, it would not
play the movie (in Epiphany) because it said that I did not have the
latest Flash player.  I can understand that.  I went to the reference
and downloaded the tar-gz file, then opened the file and it created a
folder with three files in it.  

Now here is where Linux is NOT simple, NOT easy.  I could not, and have
not yet found those three files or the directory where they're located.
I did a file search and it showed that the files are out there, but,
when I opened a terminal, I could not get to them.  Okay, I give up.

Next, I did a check and it seems that Firefox is installed somewhere on
the machine.  Hmmmmmmmmmm......... the opening icon is nowhere to be
found.  I go to the install mechanism, and it appears that Firefox's
name has been changed to IceWeasel - however, it does not have the Flash
plugin installed either.

So, to make a  seemingly long story short - I gave up, and returned to
Forte Agent - where, should I run across that You-Tube url again, I'm
sure that if I click on the url, that I will immediately be taken to
You-Tube and Firefox will definitely play that movie.

Two factors that hinder any distribution of Linux from being totally
accepted and spread to others is its lack of consistancy and simplicity.
For instance: If I unRAR a file in Windows, I know where the files will
be placed, because it asks me where I want to put them.  There is no
such choice in Debian.  And, why, on an inital install, must I search
out and install various plug-ins just to watch a You-tube movie?  

I will keep pressing on towards mastering Linux, however, in order to
preclude frustration at not being able to accomplish simple tasks - on
the spot, I must keep Microsoft Windows available.  

And keep up the good work, Roy!

Bill Powell
Systems Managemnt Analyst
MSgt USAF, Ret (1979)
GS-12 - USA, Ret (1996)

[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]
Author IndexDate IndexThread Index