Linux - somebody, somewhere is having a joke!

[Darren S]

Did they purposely go out of their way to make Linux as weird and as unfriendly to use as possible? Did they have a global meeting and discuss "1,052 ways to infuriate someone who is used to the Windows environment"?

I can't believe the most basic operations and uses either just draw a complete blank or a fudge-it - it kind of works approach.

I'm trying the most basic thing of setting up a BF2142 Linux server. I had it on Windows before - up and running in a fraction of the time. On Linux, I'll still trying to install it!!! LOL!

I'm not being serious here - Linux is clearly a good system, but feck me - is it infuriating to get your head around it? And the help system? I really didn't think that the 'ol Microsoft 'press F1 and get crap back' option would ever be surpassed. I guess I was wrong. Maybe I should switch the keyboard locale to Uzbekistan. It would probably make more sense, then.

D.

 

[Saundo]

They do need to do a little bit more work on the userbility of Linux. Its 1000% better than Windows though

 

[sn00p]

They do need to do a little bit more work on the userbility of Linux.

This is the fundamental problem, not because of a lack of work in this area, but too much...

It's an utter mine field for a programming, which window manager do you target your application at? KDE, Gnome or some other less well known system.

For the most part this is where Windows and OS X have it sewn up, there is only one api for the respective systems (ok, not strictly true under vista and mac os has a legacy api called carbon) - but it promotes a standard look and feel.

Gnome & KDE really need to have a proper merge of the best bits if they want to seriously take on the big commerical boys.

And KDE needs substantial rewriting so that it's no longer based on QT. Whoever made that decision back in the day needs to be taken out the back and shot.

 

[Daz]

The best way was to start using it 10 years ago.. when window managers were so bad, you just used them to open terminals.

That's what I did..

Do the same. Install fluxbox, do nothing with a GUI apart from web browsing - you soon learn
I even used www.mutt.org for e-mail (which is awesome btw )

 

[16v_jon]

linux is based on unix, unix was written in the 60's and 70's when everyone was high so yeah its weird!

 

[Initiale]

For geeks, by geeks

 

[Greeny.]

For geeks, by geeks

Glad we only have one Unix box at work, but yeah proper geeks love Linux x

 

[Daz]

Nothing to do with being geeky.. it's about choosing the right software for the job..

Imagine this place running on IIS? *ugh*

 

[Greeny.]

hehe only joking anyway mate Wish I knew it, would be helpful for future jobs. We dont run that many web apps at work so IIS works just about ok for us

 

[Daz]

I use IIS all day at work.. joys of being an MCP/Working for a MS Gold Partner I guess..

 

[KDF]

Linux isnt weird. Your just used to the windows way of doing things.

Once you get out of that mindset and understand the linux filesystem etc you will realise not only why its better, but why its so powerfull.

I guarantee I could install linux and set up a dns, web server, file server, samba server and dhcp services before you could even finish just installing windows server.

Its just you don't know how to go about it... yet. Its a steep learning curve but its really worth it ! I got RH certified a few years back and it wasn't very difficult for me as I has already been using it for a few years before that..

To be honest I actually dread using windows to anything now but ultimatly I have to modify active directory etc which requires the windows admin pack.. havent found a linux alternative yet

 

[sn00p]

Linux isnt weird. Your just used to the windows way of doing things.

Once you get out of that mindset and understand the linux filesystem etc you will realise not only why its better, but why its so powerfull.

I guarantee I could install linux and set up a dns, web server, file server, samba server and dhcp services before you could even finish just installing windows server.

Its just you don't know how to go about it... yet. Its a steep learning curve but its really worth it ! I got RH certified a few years back and it wasn't very difficult for me as I has already been using it for a few years before that..

To be honest I actually dread using windows to anything now but ultimatly I have to modify active directory etc which requires the windows admin pack.. havent found a linux alternative yet

What he said! ^

Seriously people, you haven't used a proper operating system until you've used a posix (unix compliant) operating system. Sure, if you're used to pointing at s**t with a mouse cursor then you're in for a massive learning curve, but it's the way that unix operates that sets it apart from crap like windows.

<smug on>Boy am I glad that my OS of choice is fully unix certified.<smug off>

I can't even remember what the first window manager I used was (would have been in 94 when I first used linux) - I always remember the sparkstations with the gorgeous CDE and then a bit late KDE came along as a not so pretty clone...look where it is now.

 

[Daz]

I can't even remember what the first window manager I used was (would have been in 94 when I first used linux) - I always remember the sparkstations with the gorgeous CDE and then a bit late KDE came along as a not so pretty clone...look where it is now.

CDE!

Awesome.
KDE1 was pretty ropey..

Windowmaker was my original window manager.. loved it. Then I moved to Blackbox then Fluxboxbox.. which turned into Fluxbox.

Good times!

 

[sn00p]

I can't even remember what the first window manager I used was (would have been in 94 when I first used linux) - I always remember the sparkstations with the gorgeous CDE and then a bit late KDE came along as a not so pretty clone...look where it is now.

CDE!

Awesome.
KDE1 was pretty ropey..

Windowmaker was my original window manager.. loved it. Then I moved to Blackbox then Fluxboxbox.. which turned into Fluxbox.

Good times!

I remember what it was now, "mwm" - motif window manager!

CDE...how real 'X' looks.

 

[@Spoonie]

To be honest I actually dread using windows to anything now but ultimatly I have to modify active directory etc which requires the windows admin pack.. havent found a linux alternative yet

Why are you using Active Directory over Linux directory service?

 

[sneeks]

I've read this entire thread and understood very little of it. I installed Linux on my PS3, it was not easy

 

[Daz]

It's awesome when ClioSport goes all geeky.

 

[KDF]

To be honest I actually dread using windows to anything now but ultimatly I have to modify active directory etc which requires the windows admin pack.. havent found a linux alternative yet

Why are you using Active Directory over Linux directory service?

Thats what I said to the it manager when I started working for my new company lol

He is a self confessed total linux n00b which I why I was hired I guess.

 

[Mells]

Its not supposed to be easy. Keeps all the pikeys away. Then we'd be like windows which would be bad.