Re: Why?!

[Charles Collicutt <charles@collicutt.demon.co.uk>]

Hi,
   Thanks to everyone that replied to my e-mail. I think my main problem
is that I try to compile too many things that I could just get as an
older, less optimised .deb file, also I started using linux at school where
I wasn't root and so all the big things were managed for me and I got used
to compiling my own software to store in my /home dir. To answer some of
your questions: yes, I am a developer (not professionally) but I can get
compilers for Windows from school so their cost doesn't bother me :) And I
do know the difference between Open Source and shareware, I was
questioning whether the fact something is open source or not is relevant
to an average home user. Some of you are obviously lucky enough to have
many computers where networking - and therefore Linux - is viable. I have
one desktop with no networking other than PPP to my ISP. You claim that
linux is more configurable and that the disadvantage of Windows' nice GUI
is that you lose the ability to configure it. I'd say this works both
ways: you, as linux users, find linux more configurable but I others that
I know of find Windows easier easier to configure - simply because they
are more used to the other OS. Windows is as configurable as Linux, you
just have to know different methods. I'm sorry that some of you have had
such problems with Windows, if I'd had similar problems then I agree that
linux would easily seem better. However, I have not had those problems (my
copy of Win95 was not preinstalled, I installed it myself without errors). 
I think that if I didn't enjoy playing games so much (more to the point:
don't intend to develop games) then I'd choose linux over Windows easily.
However, since I do need a Win95 partition anyway (to play games and to
develop them - no companies to my knowledge develop games for linux) I'm
not sure I should have a Linux partition as well.

I started this e-mail with the intention of saying that I would wipe my
partially broken linux system and reinstall Debian from CD, but now I'm
not so sure any more... I'm getting an upgrade this Christmas which would
be perfectly capable of coping with Windows bloatware....
I'm going to wait a bit longer before I make up my mind, but the
temptation to let the Winborg empire assimilate me is getting stronger -
which is a shame because you guys are a hell of a lot nicer than your
average Windows luser :) If anyone can think of an excellent way to save
my soul please let me know...

-- 
Charles