RE: A good charge against free operating systems
On 03/09/2001 04:03:06 AM Frédéric Aguiard wrote:
>> You can't ask a secretary to understand all the complexity of a linux
>> system. You can't even ask her to use a shell, nor anything like vi or
latex
>> or anything else. This is not HER job. She just needs a tool, a tool
>> providing her what she needs for her daily work, a tool that does not
break
>> up in her hands while just using basis functions, nor doing something
>> reasonably foolish.
A tool that provides your needs and does not break is a pretty good
description of Debian GNU/Linux. It sure as heck isn't a MS product!
That's one of many reasons why our kiosk-type workstations have run Linux
not MS products for years.
>> desktop down to any pixel... But I agree with the author of the debated
>> article : linux is not yet a tool that can be put in the hands of
end-users.
>> Not that the end-users are too stupid to use it, but linux is just not
>> mature enough for that.
<sarcasm+humor mode>
Thanks for letting me know my kiosks that have been running great for years
are "just not mature enough". I've been working with the delusion that
they've been working great for years, but now you've cleared that up for
me!
</sarcasm+humor mode>
I always find it amusing to read breathless debates of "is Linux is Ready
For The Users" or not, as if it will be when Linus himself annoints it, or
we're waiting for PC Weekly to announce it's a politically correct opinion,
or something equally irrelevant to the question. It was ready enough for
me and my "non-technical" users several years ago, so it's certainly ready
now!
Probably the funniest part of the endless debate is viewing the vague and
unsupported generalities about how it's "not ready", yet those people never
research what people are actually doing, or even dare to try deploying
Linux to their users, just kind of talk to each other in vague terms about
how "it's not ready" because a secretary can't compile the kernel or
install a webserver, as if a secretary should be doing I.S. department work
anyway.
I've been deploying and supporting Debian based workstation/kiosks at work
for several years, and the users like them, and they are incredibly cheap
and easy to maintain and support. "Linux" was ready to be put in the hands
of the end-users years ago, so I did it, and I'm glad I did. It's really
paid off big time for the users.
People who are behind the times, like that article's author, will
eventually catch up, of course.
Reply to: