Comments on: My Letter To A Linux Desktop User http://danielmiessler.com/blog/my-letter-to-a-linux-desktop-user grep understanding Fri, 25 May 2012 02:15:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Jessie http://danielmiessler.com/blog/my-letter-to-a-linux-desktop-user/comment-page-4#comment-72692 Jessie Tue, 24 Jul 2007 01:37:54 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/archives/1098#comment-72692 <p><strong>Jessie...</strong></p> <p>Great article, thanks for the info....</p> Jessie…

Great article, thanks for the info….

]]> By: Karsten http://danielmiessler.com/blog/my-letter-to-a-linux-desktop-user/comment-page-4#comment-56136 Karsten Fri, 18 May 2007 07:55:56 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/archives/1098#comment-56136 <p><strong>Karsten...</strong></p> <p>Thank you for your great post, i am always looking to improve my home for my familiy, and your post have given me some insperation, thank you very much ...</p> Karsten…

Thank you for your great post, i am always looking to improve my home for my familiy, and your post have given me some insperation, thank you very much …

]]> By: Wim http://danielmiessler.com/blog/my-letter-to-a-linux-desktop-user/comment-page-4#comment-26970 Wim Mon, 05 Feb 2007 11:46:44 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/archives/1098#comment-26970 <p>Honestly, I think that with any OS the stability depends a lot on what you do with it. If you install lots of junk software on it (freeware, "the latest and greatest", ...), then you can expect problems. However, if you just install your basic needs with tested and robust software, Linux proved to be very stable and effort-low to me. You can have it updated automatically with security updates (if you want stable, stick to security updates only and steer away from the functional updates), don't need to bother about virusses and spyware and other malware. In a whole administering a linux desktop to be stable tends to be downright boring because it is so easy and takes so little time. There are however only few people though who want to stick with the stable and not "latest and greatest". I'm not sure about the reasons, but can think of multiple possibilities: - people using Linux today are mostly people who are not afraid to try new things,... - it is so darn easy to install new software via a package manager, that people are almost invited to install all kinds of software, including less stable packages - etc.</p> <p>So coming back to the article content itself (I did not read all of the comments): I don't think the statement that Linux is not stable enough and needs too much tinkering is correct. It just depends on what you do with it. And in my experience, it does better then Windows in comparable scenario's, although everyone might have his own experience in his or her way of using their computers.</p> <p>Just to close down: two years ago an acquaintance had his W98 machine messed up with a virus. When asked for help, I introduced him to and installed him Mandriva Linux. He knew he could contact me in case of problems. The only exchanges about Linux we had since, was him thanking me several times for that (oh, and he asked me once to help him connect to a new broadband provider). This guy uses PCs just to get work done. He does not tinker. Been stable for at least one year and a half. There surely are other examples, but to generalize that Linux requires too much tinkering to keep it stable seems very incorrect to me. And saying that that will drive people back to Windows even more.</p> Honestly, I think that with any OS the stability depends a lot on what you do with it. If you install lots of junk software on it (freeware, “the latest and greatest”, …), then you can expect problems. However, if you just install your basic needs with tested and robust software, Linux proved to be very stable and effort-low to me. You can have it updated automatically with security updates (if you want stable, stick to security updates only and steer away from the functional updates), don’t need to bother about virusses and spyware and other malware. In a whole administering a linux desktop to be stable tends to be downright boring because it is so easy and takes so little time. There are however only few people though who want to stick with the stable and not “latest and greatest”. I’m not sure about the reasons, but can think of multiple possibilities: - people using Linux today are mostly people who are not afraid to try new things,… - it is so darn easy to install new software via a package manager, that people are almost invited to install all kinds of software, including less stable packages - etc.

So coming back to the article content itself (I did not read all of the comments): I don’t think the statement that Linux is not stable enough and needs too much tinkering is correct. It just depends on what you do with it. And in my experience, it does better then Windows in comparable scenario’s, although everyone might have his own experience in his or her way of using their computers.

Just to close down: two years ago an acquaintance had his W98 machine messed up with a virus. When asked for help, I introduced him to and installed him Mandriva Linux. He knew he could contact me in case of problems. The only exchanges about Linux we had since, was him thanking me several times for that (oh, and he asked me once to help him connect to a new broadband provider). This guy uses PCs just to get work done. He does not tinker. Been stable for at least one year and a half. There surely are other examples, but to generalize that Linux requires too much tinkering to keep it stable seems very incorrect to me. And saying that that will drive people back to Windows even more.

]]> By: Wim http://danielmiessler.com/blog/my-letter-to-a-linux-desktop-user/comment-page-4#comment-246855 Wim Mon, 05 Feb 2007 11:46:00 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/archives/1098#comment-246855 <p>Honestly, I think that with any OS the stability depends a lot on what you do with it. If you install lots of junk software on it (freeware, "the latest and greatest", ...), then you can expect problems. However, if you just install your basic needs with tested and robust software, Linux proved to be very stable and effort-low to me. You can have it updated automatically with security updates (if you want stable, stick to security updates only and steer away from the functional updates), don't need to bother about virusses and spyware and other malware. In a whole administering a linux desktop to be stable tends to be downright boring because it is so easy and takes so little time. There are however only few people though who want to stick with the stable and not "latest and greatest". I'm not sure about the reasons, but can think of multiple possibilities: - people using Linux today are mostly people who are not afraid to try new things,... - it is so darn easy to install new software via a package manager, that people are almost invited to install all kinds of software, including less stable packages - etc.</p> <p>So coming back to the article content itself (I did not read all of the comments): I don't think the statement that Linux is not stable enough and needs too much tinkering is correct. It just depends on what you do with it. And in my experience, it does better then Windows in comparable scenario's, although everyone might have his own experience in his or her way of using their computers.</p> <p>Just to close down: two years ago an acquaintance had his W98 machine messed up with a virus. When asked for help, I introduced him to and installed him Mandriva Linux. He knew he could contact me in case of problems. The only exchanges about Linux we had since, was him thanking me several times for that (oh, and he asked me once to help him connect to a new broadband provider). This guy uses PCs just to get work done. He does not tinker. Been stable for at least one year and a half. There surely are other examples, but to generalize that Linux requires too much tinkering to keep it stable seems very incorrect to me. And saying that that will drive people back to Windows even more.</p> Honestly, I think that with any OS the stability depends a lot on what you do with it. If you install lots of junk software on it (freeware, “the latest and greatest”, …), then you can expect problems. However, if you just install your basic needs with tested and robust software, Linux proved to be very stable and effort-low to me. You can have it updated automatically with security updates (if you want stable, stick to security updates only and steer away from the functional updates), don’t need to bother about virusses and spyware and other malware. In a whole administering a linux desktop to be stable tends to be downright boring because it is so easy and takes so little time. There are however only few people though who want to stick with the stable and not “latest and greatest”. I’m not sure about the reasons, but can think of multiple possibilities: - people using Linux today are mostly people who are not afraid to try new things,… - it is so darn easy to install new software via a package manager, that people are almost invited to install all kinds of software, including less stable packages - etc.

So coming back to the article content itself (I did not read all of the comments): I don’t think the statement that Linux is not stable enough and needs too much tinkering is correct. It just depends on what you do with it. And in my experience, it does better then Windows in comparable scenario’s, although everyone might have his own experience in his or her way of using their computers.

Just to close down: two years ago an acquaintance had his W98 machine messed up with a virus. When asked for help, I introduced him to and installed him Mandriva Linux. He knew he could contact me in case of problems. The only exchanges about Linux we had since, was him thanking me several times for that (oh, and he asked me once to help him connect to a new broadband provider). This guy uses PCs just to get work done. He does not tinker. Been stable for at least one year and a half. There surely are other examples, but to generalize that Linux requires too much tinkering to keep it stable seems very incorrect to me. And saying that that will drive people back to Windows even more.

]]> By: vagabundus http://danielmiessler.com/blog/my-letter-to-a-linux-desktop-user/comment-page-3#comment-26926 vagabundus Mon, 05 Feb 2007 04:26:33 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/archives/1098#comment-26926 <p>Since the question seems to be still whether linux is suitable for a production desktop: I use a SuSE box as my desktop since 2004 ( I did learn Unix long ago but was always lazy to move to linux, I switched after I got fed up with the Windows crashings typically when I had a deadline), never experienced any instability let alone crash, I update regularly, install a lot of progs that are not available in the distro (and I am a lazy bum, I do not compile but grab an rpm from somewhere), and things DO work. Quite well. One thing where I had to compromise, though: I work on MS office, not because OpenOffice is not enough for everything that an average mortal who writes journal articles and book chapters (with diagrams and pictures) would need, but because all the secretarians use MS and I need 100% compatibility. On wine, Word, Powerpoint and Excel actually run faster than on the same machine when booted up with MSWin; I set up a dual boot but forgot about Win after the initial testing. Now, I am a scientist. I do know something about computing. OK. What about this: I set up a server (SuSE) for the lab, where I have a bunch of students, many of those self-declared computer illiterate (yes, that's right: we have that sort of university students nowadays). I have Win boxes all over the place, but the server terminal I left in the corner of the lab. What I found out is that, after the first few times a student couldn't find a free Win box and had to sit down at the server terminal ( I did install a similar work environment to my desktop, just in case), he/she tend to return there. So much that the students are now crowding up to use the linux box, and ask me to get a few more. Isn't that a natural preference?</p> Since the question seems to be still whether linux is suitable for a production desktop: I use a SuSE box as my desktop since 2004 ( I did learn Unix long ago but was always lazy to move to linux, I switched after I got fed up with the Windows crashings typically when I had a deadline), never experienced any instability let alone crash, I update regularly, install a lot of progs that are not available in the distro (and I am a lazy bum, I do not compile but grab an rpm from somewhere), and things DO work. Quite well. One thing where I had to compromise, though: I work on MS office, not because OpenOffice is not enough for everything that an average mortal who writes journal articles and book chapters (with diagrams and pictures) would need, but because all the secretarians use MS and I need 100% compatibility. On wine, Word, Powerpoint and Excel actually run faster than on the same machine when booted up with MSWin; I set up a dual boot but forgot about Win after the initial testing. Now, I am a scientist. I do know something about computing. OK. What about this: I set up a server (SuSE) for the lab, where I have a bunch of students, many of those self-declared computer illiterate (yes, that’s right: we have that sort of university students nowadays). I have Win boxes all over the place, but the server terminal I left in the corner of the lab. What I found out is that, after the first few times a student couldn’t find a free Win box and had to sit down at the server terminal ( I did install a similar work environment to my desktop, just in case), he/she tend to return there. So much that the students are now crowding up to use the linux box, and ask me to get a few more. Isn’t that a natural preference?

]]> By: vagabundus http://danielmiessler.com/blog/my-letter-to-a-linux-desktop-user/comment-page-3#comment-246854 vagabundus Mon, 05 Feb 2007 04:26:00 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/archives/1098#comment-246854 <p>Since the question seems to be still whether linux is suitable for a production desktop: I use a SuSE box as my desktop since 2004 ( I did learn Unix long ago but was always lazy to move to linux, I switched after I got fed up with the Windows crashings typically when I had a deadline), never experienced any instability let alone crash, I update regularly, install a lot of progs that are not available in the distro (and I am a lazy bum, I do not compile but grab an rpm from somewhere), and things DO work. Quite well. One thing where I had to compromise, though: I work on MS office, not because OpenOffice is not enough for everything that an average mortal who writes journal articles and book chapters (with diagrams and pictures) would need, but because all the secretarians use MS and I need 100% compatibility. On wine, Word, Powerpoint and Excel actually run faster than on the same machine when booted up with MSWin; I set up a dual boot but forgot about Win after the initial testing. Now, I am a scientist. I do know something about computing. OK. What about this: I set up a server (SuSE) for the lab, where I have a bunch of students, many of those self-declared computer illiterate (yes, that's right: we have that sort of university students nowadays). I have Win boxes all over the place, but the server terminal I left in the corner of the lab. What I found out is that, after the first few times a student couldn't find a free Win box and had to sit down at the server terminal ( I did install a similar work environment to my desktop, just in case), he/she tend to return there. So much that the students are now crowding up to use the linux box, and ask me to get a few more. Isn't that a natural preference?</p> Since the question seems to be still whether linux is suitable for a production desktop: I use a SuSE box as my desktop since 2004 ( I did learn Unix long ago but was always lazy to move to linux, I switched after I got fed up with the Windows crashings typically when I had a deadline), never experienced any instability let alone crash, I update regularly, install a lot of progs that are not available in the distro (and I am a lazy bum, I do not compile but grab an rpm from somewhere), and things DO work. Quite well. One thing where I had to compromise, though: I work on MS office, not because OpenOffice is not enough for everything that an average mortal who writes journal articles and book chapters (with diagrams and pictures) would need, but because all the secretarians use MS and I need 100% compatibility. On wine, Word, Powerpoint and Excel actually run faster than on the same machine when booted up with MSWin; I set up a dual boot but forgot about Win after the initial testing. Now, I am a scientist. I do know something about computing. OK. What about this: I set up a server (SuSE) for the lab, where I have a bunch of students, many of those self-declared computer illiterate (yes, that’s right: we have that sort of university students nowadays). I have Win boxes all over the place, but the server terminal I left in the corner of the lab. What I found out is that, after the first few times a student couldn’t find a free Win box and had to sit down at the server terminal ( I did install a similar work environment to my desktop, just in case), he/she tend to return there. So much that the students are now crowding up to use the linux box, and ask me to get a few more. Isn’t that a natural preference?

]]> By: BigBert http://danielmiessler.com/blog/my-letter-to-a-linux-desktop-user/comment-page-3#comment-26754 BigBert Sun, 04 Feb 2007 02:04:40 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/archives/1098#comment-26754 <p>As the man said: "Windows is crap. Apple is expensive crap. Linux is free crap."</p> <p>We still have a lot of work ahead of us. And before you flame me, I wrote my first program in 1972.</p> As the man said: “Windows is crap. Apple is expensive crap. Linux is free crap.”

We still have a lot of work ahead of us. And before you flame me, I wrote my first program in 1972.

]]> By: BigBert http://danielmiessler.com/blog/my-letter-to-a-linux-desktop-user/comment-page-3#comment-246853 BigBert Sun, 04 Feb 2007 02:04:00 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/archives/1098#comment-246853 <p>As the man said: "Windows is crap. Apple is expensive crap. Linux is free crap."</p> <p>We still have a lot of work ahead of us. And before you flame me, I wrote my first program in 1972.</p> As the man said: “Windows is crap. Apple is expensive crap. Linux is free crap.”

We still have a lot of work ahead of us. And before you flame me, I wrote my first program in 1972.

]]> By: midi-man http://danielmiessler.com/blog/my-letter-to-a-linux-desktop-user/comment-page-3#comment-26721 midi-man Sat, 03 Feb 2007 20:36:35 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/archives/1098#comment-26721 <p>Well to say this. A frend of mine keep blowing up his XP box so I install ubuntu and so far 1 month nothing from him calling me back. Yes I did not give him the root password. But it was spyware and viurs that kill his XP box. Now no vius software sucking up resources and no spyware as of yet. The average user can use Linux to surf the web and check emails face the fact.</p> Well to say this. A frend of mine keep blowing up his XP box so I install ubuntu and so far 1 month nothing from him calling me back. Yes I did not give him the root password. But it was spyware and viurs that kill his XP box. Now no vius software sucking up resources and no spyware as of yet. The average user can use Linux to surf the web and check emails face the fact.

]]> By: midi-man http://danielmiessler.com/blog/my-letter-to-a-linux-desktop-user/comment-page-3#comment-246852 midi-man Sat, 03 Feb 2007 20:36:00 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/archives/1098#comment-246852 <p>Well to say this. A frend of mine keep blowing up his XP box so I install ubuntu and so far 1 month nothing from him calling me back. Yes I did not give him the root password. But it was spyware and viurs that kill his XP box. Now no vius software sucking up resources and no spyware as of yet. The average user can use Linux to surf the web and check emails face the fact.</p> Well to say this. A frend of mine keep blowing up his XP box so I install ubuntu and so far 1 month nothing from him calling me back. Yes I did not give him the root password. But it was spyware and viurs that kill his XP box. Now no vius software sucking up resources and no spyware as of yet. The average user can use Linux to surf the web and check emails face the fact.

]]> By: Random Guy http://danielmiessler.com/blog/my-letter-to-a-linux-desktop-user/comment-page-3#comment-26618 Random Guy Sat, 03 Feb 2007 06:32:48 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/archives/1098#comment-26618 <p>> You are the one person on the planet who is running Linux as a desktop or laptop and who > spends less time tweaking and upgrading than a comparable Mac OS X or Windows user. I > simply don’t believe you.</p> <p>Well Scott, make that "two people" at least. I've been using linux for about 11 years. 8 of those years as a professional. i ran into what you are describing - but only initially - right after a new installation. that was about 2 years ago when i got a new laptop. but one things settled down, i've had zero tweaks.</p> <p>i think what is happening here is that you want the newfangled shiny features of certain "cutting edge" distros but are then surprised that things broke. if you were going for tools and the utility and not just eye-candy and the latest-and-the-greatest, you should have picked distros without the certain bias towards distros with eye-candy.</p> <p>if you are serious about getting work done try debian sometime. you may not get the eye-candy but you definitely will get a system that just works.</p> > You are the one person on the planet who is running Linux as a desktop or laptop and who > spends less time tweaking and upgrading than a comparable Mac OS X or Windows user. I > simply don’t believe you.

Well Scott, make that “two people” at least. I’ve been using linux for about 11 years. 8 of those years as a professional. i ran into what you are describing – but only initially – right after a new installation. that was about 2 years ago when i got a new laptop. but one things settled down, i’ve had zero tweaks.

i think what is happening here is that you want the newfangled shiny features of certain “cutting edge” distros but are then surprised that things broke. if you were going for tools and the utility and not just eye-candy and the latest-and-the-greatest, you should have picked distros without the certain bias towards distros with eye-candy.

if you are serious about getting work done try debian sometime. you may not get the eye-candy but you definitely will get a system that just works.

]]> By: Random Guy http://danielmiessler.com/blog/my-letter-to-a-linux-desktop-user/comment-page-3#comment-246851 Random Guy Sat, 03 Feb 2007 06:32:00 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/archives/1098#comment-246851 <p>> You are the one person on the planet who is running Linux as a desktop or laptop and who > spends less time tweaking and upgrading than a comparable Mac OS X or Windows user. I > simply don’t believe you.</p> <p>Well Scott, make that "two people" at least. I've been using linux for about 11 years. 8 of those years as a professional. i ran into what you are describing - but only initially - right after a new installation. that was about 2 years ago when i got a new laptop. but one things settled down, i've had zero tweaks.</p> <p>i think what is happening here is that you want the newfangled shiny features of certain "cutting edge" distros but are then surprised that things broke. if you were going for tools and the utility and not just eye-candy and the latest-and-the-greatest, you should have picked distros without the certain bias towards distros with eye-candy.</p> <p>if you are serious about getting work done try debian sometime. you may not get the eye-candy but you definitely will get a system that just works.</p> > You are the one person on the planet who is running Linux as a desktop or laptop and who > spends less time tweaking and upgrading than a comparable Mac OS X or Windows user. I > simply don’t believe you.

Well Scott, make that “two people” at least. I’ve been using linux for about 11 years. 8 of those years as a professional. i ran into what you are describing – but only initially – right after a new installation. that was about 2 years ago when i got a new laptop. but one things settled down, i’ve had zero tweaks.

i think what is happening here is that you want the newfangled shiny features of certain “cutting edge” distros but are then surprised that things broke. if you were going for tools and the utility and not just eye-candy and the latest-and-the-greatest, you should have picked distros without the certain bias towards distros with eye-candy.

if you are serious about getting work done try debian sometime. you may not get the eye-candy but you definitely will get a system that just works.

]]> By: Bruce Hohl http://danielmiessler.com/blog/my-letter-to-a-linux-desktop-user/comment-page-3#comment-26589 Bruce Hohl Sat, 03 Feb 2007 03:15:10 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/archives/1098#comment-26589 <p>I also don't like fiddling with my Linux desktop so I use Debian Stable and Ubuntu LTS. I have not reinstalled a Linux PC in 2 years ... nor do I ever plan to again. The longer release cycles offered by Debian Stable and Ubuntu LTS provide a stable environment so one can get real work done with a Linux desktop.</p> <p>Yes, I know this is blasphemous but I actually use Debian Stable (yes, Sarge) on the desktop and get real work done -- mostly with the same programs I use on Windows: OpenOffice, Firefox, Lotus Notes, text editor, and shell.</p> I also don’t like fiddling with my Linux desktop so I use Debian Stable and Ubuntu LTS. I have not reinstalled a Linux PC in 2 years … nor do I ever plan to again. The longer release cycles offered by Debian Stable and Ubuntu LTS provide a stable environment so one can get real work done with a Linux desktop.

Yes, I know this is blasphemous but I actually use Debian Stable (yes, Sarge) on the desktop and get real work done — mostly with the same programs I use on Windows: OpenOffice, Firefox, Lotus Notes, text editor, and shell.

]]> By: Bruce Hohl http://danielmiessler.com/blog/my-letter-to-a-linux-desktop-user/comment-page-3#comment-246850 Bruce Hohl Sat, 03 Feb 2007 03:15:00 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/archives/1098#comment-246850 <p>I also don't like fiddling with my Linux desktop so I use Debian Stable and Ubuntu LTS. I have not reinstalled a Linux PC in 2 years ... nor do I ever plan to again. The longer release cycles offered by Debian Stable and Ubuntu LTS provide a stable environment so one can get real work done with a Linux desktop.</p> <p>Yes, I know this is blasphemous but I actually use Debian Stable (yes, Sarge) on the desktop and get real work done -- mostly with the same programs I use on Windows: OpenOffice, Firefox, Lotus Notes, text editor, and shell.</p> I also don’t like fiddling with my Linux desktop so I use Debian Stable and Ubuntu LTS. I have not reinstalled a Linux PC in 2 years … nor do I ever plan to again. The longer release cycles offered by Debian Stable and Ubuntu LTS provide a stable environment so one can get real work done with a Linux desktop.

Yes, I know this is blasphemous but I actually use Debian Stable (yes, Sarge) on the desktop and get real work done — mostly with the same programs I use on Windows: OpenOffice, Firefox, Lotus Notes, text editor, and shell.

]]> By: Bernard Swiss http://danielmiessler.com/blog/my-letter-to-a-linux-desktop-user/comment-page-3#comment-26585 Bernard Swiss Sat, 03 Feb 2007 02:52:17 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/archives/1098#comment-26585 <p>"But there will come a time in your life when you will grow tired of fixing your tools."</p> <p>Actually, that's pretty much why, on my dual-boot Windows/Linux system, I gradually (and unconsciously) stopped using Windows at all.</p> <p>Even though I'm a non-techie, and considered myself merely a Windows-user with an interest in learning linux, I one day discovered that I was totally unable to recall my Windows password.</p> <p>I realised that it had been quite some time since I had done anything on the Windows side except install back-logged patches and run scan-disk, whenever a power-failure or hardware upgrade forced a reboot anyways. (Acording to scandisk this hadn't occurred in over a year).</p> <p>So in a way you're right, but I think that the arguement works even better in the other direction.</p> “But there will come a time in your life when you will grow tired of fixing your tools.”

Actually, that’s pretty much why, on my dual-boot Windows/Linux system, I gradually (and unconsciously) stopped using Windows at all.

Even though I’m a non-techie, and considered myself merely a Windows-user with an interest in learning linux, I one day discovered that I was totally unable to recall my Windows password.

I realised that it had been quite some time since I had done anything on the Windows side except install back-logged patches and run scan-disk, whenever a power-failure or hardware upgrade forced a reboot anyways. (Acording to scandisk this hadn’t occurred in over a year).

So in a way you’re right, but I think that the arguement works even better in the other direction.

]]> By: Bernard Swiss http://danielmiessler.com/blog/my-letter-to-a-linux-desktop-user/comment-page-3#comment-246849 Bernard Swiss Sat, 03 Feb 2007 02:52:00 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/archives/1098#comment-246849 <p>"But there will come a time in your life when you will grow tired of fixing your tools."</p> <p>Actually, that's pretty much why, on my dual-boot Windows/Linux system, I gradually (and unconsciously) stopped using Windows at all.</p> <p>Even though I'm a non-techie, and considered myself merely a Windows-user with an interest in learning linux, I one day discovered that I was totally unable to recall my Windows password.</p> <p>I realised that it had been quite some time since I had done anything on the Windows side except install back-logged patches and run scan-disk, whenever a power-failure or hardware upgrade forced a reboot anyways. (Acording to scandisk this hadn't occurred in over a year).</p> <p>So in a way you're right, but I think that the arguement works even better in the other direction.</p> “But there will come a time in your life when you will grow tired of fixing your tools.”

Actually, that’s pretty much why, on my dual-boot Windows/Linux system, I gradually (and unconsciously) stopped using Windows at all.

Even though I’m a non-techie, and considered myself merely a Windows-user with an interest in learning linux, I one day discovered that I was totally unable to recall my Windows password.

I realised that it had been quite some time since I had done anything on the Windows side except install back-logged patches and run scan-disk, whenever a power-failure or hardware upgrade forced a reboot anyways. (Acording to scandisk this hadn’t occurred in over a year).

So in a way you’re right, but I think that the arguement works even better in the other direction.

]]> By: Curt Howland http://danielmiessler.com/blog/my-letter-to-a-linux-desktop-user/comment-page-3#comment-26534 Curt Howland Fri, 02 Feb 2007 21:33:20 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/archives/1098#comment-26534 <p>The problem being that it is <em>Windows</em> that requires reinstalling, constant disinfecting and maintenance due to what the OS is doing. Anyone who is fiddling with their settings in Linux is doing so because they want to.</p> <p>This is easily demonstrated by the astounding up-times reported. How could such uptimes occur if it was endemic to Linux that it had to be fiddled with?</p> <p>Just because you fiddle with your settings, doesn't mean you have to. Try stopping for a while and see what happens.</p> The problem being that it is Windows that requires reinstalling, constant disinfecting and maintenance due to what the OS is doing. Anyone who is fiddling with their settings in Linux is doing so because they want to.

This is easily demonstrated by the astounding up-times reported. How could such uptimes occur if it was endemic to Linux that it had to be fiddled with?

Just because you fiddle with your settings, doesn’t mean you have to. Try stopping for a while and see what happens.

]]> By: Curt Howland http://danielmiessler.com/blog/my-letter-to-a-linux-desktop-user/comment-page-3#comment-246848 Curt Howland Fri, 02 Feb 2007 21:33:00 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/archives/1098#comment-246848 <p>The problem being that it is <em>Windows</em> that requires reinstalling, constant disinfecting and maintenance due to what the OS is doing. Anyone who is fiddling with their settings in Linux is doing so because they want to.</p> <p>This is easily demonstrated by the astounding up-times reported. How could such uptimes occur if it was endemic to Linux that it had to be fiddled with?</p> <p>Just because you fiddle with your settings, doesn't mean you have to. Try stopping for a while and see what happens.</p> The problem being that it is Windows that requires reinstalling, constant disinfecting and maintenance due to what the OS is doing. Anyone who is fiddling with their settings in Linux is doing so because they want to.

This is easily demonstrated by the astounding up-times reported. How could such uptimes occur if it was endemic to Linux that it had to be fiddled with?

Just because you fiddle with your settings, doesn’t mean you have to. Try stopping for a while and see what happens.

]]> By: Nybronx http://danielmiessler.com/blog/my-letter-to-a-linux-desktop-user/comment-page-3#comment-26532 Nybronx Fri, 02 Feb 2007 21:16:27 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/archives/1098#comment-26532 <p>I find lively debate, refreshing and enjoyable. This post has satisfied those feelings. Just wanted to add my experience to the fodder. Windows for work, Linux for fun. I believe not unlike a lot of people having to "know" Win for work is probably a must. However as a Desktop Support tech myself, I also had to know my way around the Mac. Being the tinkering type I had no problem breaking Window$, Mac, or Linux. Will admit that I have much to much practice in installs and configs of all mentioned systems. The main thing for me is I can break-install-configure-tinker with all my Linux boxes (3 -Opensuse-Elive-PCLOS) to my hearts content and the cost is ...NOTHING...but time....Compared to the outrageous sums that are needed to run the aforementioned WIN and OSX. Well I hope you get me small point. Though I will add that I prefer to leave my PCLOS ( distro of choice) alone and do my tinkering on the others - full disclosure. ;-)</p> I find lively debate, refreshing and enjoyable. This post has satisfied those feelings. Just wanted to add my experience to the fodder. Windows for work, Linux for fun. I believe not unlike a lot of people having to “know” Win for work is probably a must. However as a Desktop Support tech myself, I also had to know my way around the Mac. Being the tinkering type I had no problem breaking Window$, Mac, or Linux. Will admit that I have much to much practice in installs and configs of all mentioned systems. The main thing for me is I can break-install-configure-tinker with all my Linux boxes (3 -Opensuse-Elive-PCLOS) to my hearts content and the cost is …NOTHING…but time….Compared to the outrageous sums that are needed to run the aforementioned WIN and OSX. Well I hope you get me small point. Though I will add that I prefer to leave my PCLOS ( distro of choice) alone and do my tinkering on the others – full disclosure. ;-)

]]> By: Nybronx http://danielmiessler.com/blog/my-letter-to-a-linux-desktop-user/comment-page-3#comment-246847 Nybronx Fri, 02 Feb 2007 21:16:00 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/archives/1098#comment-246847 <p>I find lively debate, refreshing and enjoyable. This post has satisfied those feelings. Just wanted to add my experience to the fodder. Windows for work, Linux for fun. I believe not unlike a lot of people having to "know" Win for work is probably a must. However as a Desktop Support tech myself, I also had to know my way around the Mac. Being the tinkering type I had no problem breaking Window$, Mac, or Linux. Will admit that I have much to much practice in installs and configs of all mentioned systems. The main thing for me is I can break-install-configure-tinker with all my Linux boxes (3 -Opensuse-Elive-PCLOS) to my hearts content and the cost is ...NOTHING...but time....Compared to the outrageous sums that are needed to run the aforementioned WIN and OSX. Well I hope you get me small point. Though I will add that I prefer to leave my PCLOS ( distro of choice) alone and do my tinkering on the others - full disclosure. ;-)</p> I find lively debate, refreshing and enjoyable. This post has satisfied those feelings. Just wanted to add my experience to the fodder. Windows for work, Linux for fun. I believe not unlike a lot of people having to “know” Win for work is probably a must. However as a Desktop Support tech myself, I also had to know my way around the Mac. Being the tinkering type I had no problem breaking Window$, Mac, or Linux. Will admit that I have much to much practice in installs and configs of all mentioned systems. The main thing for me is I can break-install-configure-tinker with all my Linux boxes (3 -Opensuse-Elive-PCLOS) to my hearts content and the cost is …NOTHING…but time….Compared to the outrageous sums that are needed to run the aforementioned WIN and OSX. Well I hope you get me small point. Though I will add that I prefer to leave my PCLOS ( distro of choice) alone and do my tinkering on the others – full disclosure. ;-)

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