dmz

Well, I've used Windows and Linux on the desktop for quite a considerable
time now, and I had to laugh at both the 5 years old view of Linux that
Windows users have, and the meaningless under the hood technical arguments
that have little practical value from the Linux users.

Now, I'm in a position to look at it realistically, so I shall make a
couple of posts that deal with various aspects of Linux and Windows, and
give you the truth!

To install an application in Windows: Go to a shop, buy the application,
come back and insert the CD, close all your other applications down. Type
in where you want it installed or click the default, type in the 36 digit
alphanumeric product key, squint at it a couple of times, sit back, relax,
wait for the product to install. You also have the choice of inserting the
CD whenever you want to use the application.

To install an application in Linux: Start up synaptic, select the
application you want from the list, click on install, sit back, relax, and
wait for the product to download and install automatically.

Advantage: Linux!

To update an application in Windows: Windows Update handles the operating
system automatically. However, each application either has its own
auto-update checker it runs if you're lucky, or you have to go to the
website of each and every application you have installed to check for
updates. Any new versions of the operating system or applications will
require that you go out to the shop and buy it again.

To upgrade the operating system and all applications in Linux: Start up
synaptic, select upgrade all, click on install, sit back, relax, and wait
for all operating system components and applications to be upgraded. Can
be set to run automatically, and can even upgrade the operating system to
a new version.

Advantage: Linux!

Sorry, Windows users, Linux has rocketed way beyond Windows in recent
years in terms of ease of use for installing applications and keeping them
up to date.

Desktop look and feel in Windows: Windows XP has a theme engine, which
basically means that it can look like whatever you want it to, within some
limitations. Third part applications like Windows Blinds overcome those
limitations. Windows move smoothly thanks to vast quantities of money
pumped into ergonomics and user interface design by Microsoft.

Desktop look and feel in Linux: Basically, ditto. Themes installed just
like Windows, offers by default a much, much broader variety of
configurations compared to Windows (in other words, you're not stuck with
the taskbar paradigm). However, Linux still doesn't have proper window
transparency support, and relies on a sad hack that basically grabs the
desktop background and colours it, it's obvious, and doesn't work. Windows
move round the screen like rabid monkeys on crack, making you check your
AGP settings and wonder why you re-mortgaged your house to buy the latest
and greatest graphics card when all it can do in Linux is perform like a
ZX Spectrum thanks to graphical subsystem design by five old duffers in a
committee who meet once a century to consider if they should add something
modern like VGA graphics.

Advantage: Windows!

Look, I know the Linux desktop has come a long way, but for all intents
and purposes it's a two horse race to compete with Windows functionality,
and that means KDE or GNOME, both of which are apparently genetically
hybridised with an arthritic slug. They might look pretty, but they're not
horses you'd want to bet money on in any races. What *really* doesn't help
is that they have to sit on top of XFree86, which I fully expect to be
able to handle modern graphics cards properly... by the time they're no
longer modern. Somebody fork it, please?

Finally, I won't do a proper comparison of newsreaders, although
incidentally my favourite has got to be XNews. Since my Windows machine
has been out of commission for a while, I've had to fall back to using
Pan, which seems to be okay going forwards but not so good in reverse, if
you see what I mean. My God was the delete key an afterthought or
something? Which one of those identical amorphous blobs is the send
button? Truly pathetic.

Advantage: Windows! (just on the basis they don't do XNews for Linux)

So, you see, kids, it works like this... it all depends what you want from
your machine!

--
DMZ

paradox

I donno, everytime I see some linux geek mewing about how great linux is to
a windows user, I just cant stop picturing some little nerd kid laughing at
a football jock in highschool because he doesnt know how to play dungeons
and dragons or magic...

the sublime chris

"Paradox" <l33ta0lhax0r@mindspring.com> writes:


I don't think your perverted imagination is the topic of discussion.

--
Chris Mears

paradox

?
is everything turned into a ***ual joke by those that havent gone through
puberty yet?

luc the perverse

That post was clearly ***ual in nature

-LTP

byers ex machina

No?

--
Eric Byers

the arcane chas

In article <pan.2003.07.15.02.25.29.271084@NOSPAMadjective-army.com>,
but only after serious contemplation, DMZ <dmz@NOSPAMadjective-army.com>
put finger to keyboard and produced the following;


<snip>


And when you take into account that people in this group have two things
in common (games and news)........................ ?

--
Cheers,

Chas.

"Reality leaves a lot to the imagination".

the arcane chas

In article <bf0abo$9iuvb$1@ID-109635.news.uni-berlin.de>, but only after
serious contemplation, Paradox <l33ta0lhax0r@mindspring.com> put finger
to keyboard and produced the following;

No. Sometimes that's done by those of us who are much older. ;-}

--
Cheers,

Chas.

"Reality leaves a lot to the imagination".

conray the ego

ACK some part of the rest, but X11 is farly superior to the Windoze
stuff, because network-transparent, which really _matters_ once there are
more than 2 'puters on the world.

--
ICQ# 58652584

Jesus died for your sins. Make it worth his time.

conray the ego

Americans. Duh. Football is our lives, let's get all dumb and dumber and
"elect" a President who looks cool and will bomb everyone into oblivion.

We really have to invade your country and bring civilization back there.
If we do it in 5 hours, your President will be dead before he notices.

--
ICQ# 58652584

Jesus died for your sins. Make it worth his time.