__/ [ AB ] on Thursday 15 March 2007 12:43 \__
> On 2007-03-15, Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> claimed:
>> __/ [ peterwn ] on Thursday 15 March 2007 08:28 \__
>>
>>> On Mar 15, 5:14 pm, Roy Schestowitz <newsgro...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>>> wrote:
>>>> When Non-Experts Use Windows
>>>>
>>>> ,----[ Quote ]
>>>> | Interestingly, this shows that the notion that Linux is only for
>>>> | highly technical computer geeks is a myth. The opposite is more
>>>> | likely to be true.
>>>> `----
>>>>
>>> I agree. Installing Windows XP on a common garden Compaq P4 Evo (the
>>> small black ones) is a nightmare. Linux just installs - it probes the
>>> hardware and sets up video, sound, ethernet etc - no problems.
>>
>> I remember trying to install Windows 2000 on a Compaq Presario back in
>> 2001. It was merely impossible as almost nothing worked (no touchpad, no
>> sound, no special buttons, hibernation and so forth). Even Windows 98 from
>> scratch was a nightmare. Using the QuickResotore CD (with Windows 98 and
>> plenty of what Microsoft calls 'craplets') was the only way to go. It was
>> just an image that suited one particular type of hardware. When I needed a
>> new set of CDs I needed to call Houston. It was painful. After some big
>> payment and a lot of searching on their side they actually manage to pull
>> the appropriate set of CDs (mind you, it was only a year or two after the
>> laptop was purchased). Imagine having to go through the same thing with
>> Linux. That would mean a different Linux distro for each model of laptop
>> (including variation for similar laptops from the _same line_).
>
> How can this be? I thought every Windross CD was the same. Do you mean
> to tell me there are *hundreds* or *thousands* of different variations
> to go with each different type of hardware combination from each
> vendor?
>
> And Flatso gripes about 300-350 different linux distros.
>
> Winders is the same thing (only worse). But they don't bother to give
> each one a name. And in the end, when they get installed installed,
> they all do the same thing: cost more, crash and get infections.
No, no. You can tinker to build your own Windows distribution because it
rarely works out of the box. You need to browse the Web, find some drivers,
reboot plenty of times and sometimes replace some hardware components that
are no longer compatible... but you know what they say... you have to make
some compromises when changing.moving between 'flavours' of Windows.
I wish I was kidding, but I kid you not. The last time I saw an installation
of XP (for my mother) it took months until things worked properly. Some
things never quite worked and it was nerve-wrecking even to my sister, who
has a CS degree and even has some interviews with the Vole.
Ubuntu Linux Live CD (version 4.04) worked brilliantly out of the box on that
same machine.
--
~~ Best wishes
Roy S. Schestowitz | Have you hugged your penguin today?
http://Schestowitz.com | RHAT Linux | PGP-Key: 0x74572E8E
1:05pm up 3 days 21:08, 6 users, load average: 1.11, 0.97, 0.91
http://iuron.com - Open Source knowledge engine project
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