Re: water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink.
Hello Glenn and All,
I just wanted to say "Ditto, couldn't have said it better myself." I don't
touch Windows at all anymore myself. It'd be way to boring for me now. I
don't know what I'd do without all the exciting, fun,(and to me, important)
concepts that I have learned by using Linux. I was thrilled to see an OS
appear that is actually opened up the doors and not only allows you to see
and tweak what's going on behind the scenes(with the exception of some
proprietary software, such as my own NVidia
graphics card driver) but encourages it. But yeah... there's a lot to be
learned. So it may not be for everyone. But to me if you really want to learn
what all a computer can do and how it does it, Linux is the best.
Ditto Glenn's post here!,
Jimmy Richards
On Wednesday 11 April 2001 15:46, Glenn Becker wrote:
> I have followed this discussion with great interest. It's been really
> lively! :-)
>
> I hardly consider myself to have achieved 'power user' status. I started
> with Slackware Linux in late 1998. At this time I never touch Windows and
> do not miss it.
>
> My initial reaction to what was -- I do not argue -- an avalanche of
> things-to-learn often *did* swing over to the "totally overwhelmed
> and frustrated" side of things; *however,* I did and still do feel that
> the *challenge* of overcoming the problems to the best of my abilities has
> been the most exciting and profitable learning experience I have ever
> enjoyed.
>
> I say this happily granting that it may not be for everyone. It especially
> may not be "right" if what you are doing is a Something that has to get
> done tomorrow. On the other hand, if what you're looking for is a new way
> to see and to use the box at your feet (or by your side, or ...) there is
> no better way to go that I know of ... it is truly transforming.
>
> This is not an apology for allusive, obfuscatory or even "bad" writing in
> docs. I've seen my share of that. But the soul of the experience (if I can
> use that crappy tattered word) is experiment: of trying things out and
> seeing what they do. I've not been nearly brave or smart enough, but my
> experience with various Linux-es, and especially Debian, has made me a
> much more effective do-er.
>
> Glenn Becker
> Online Producer, Community
> SCIFI.COM
>
> At 5:00pm on Wed, 11 Apr 2001, Kevin Stokes wrote:
> > >> imagine how much hair-pulling you'll save the next poor soul if
> > >
> > > you document what you learned... hmm?<
> > >
> > > Ahh, but I'm not a Linux or Free-Software devotee.
> >
> > This is where you lose the sympathy of a lot of people. You've
> > identified a problem and you want other people to spend their time and
> > energy on it but you're not willing to spend any yourself. Will
> > suggested an eminently sensible solution, you said you couldn't be
> > bothered.<
> >
> > There are people who care deeply about Linux and Free Software. I am
> > not one of them. I wish Linux the best, but I'm not ready to invest
> > hours of my time writing doc.
> >
> > You may think of me a selfish bastard, because I want to use Linux, but
> > I don't want to help build it. My viewpoint is different. I thought
> > the Free Software people didn't want payment, but now I'm supposed to
> > have a guilt trip if I don't write doc?
> >
> > Or perhaps it is because I have a suggestion, that makes me a selfish
> > bastard? I'm hardly suggesting newbie doc because I expect somebody to
> > write it and give to me. By the time anybody had a decent Linux help
> > system done, I would either be enough of an expert to not need it, or
> > have dumped Linux a long time ago.
> >
> > As I said, I merely installed Linux on a resurrected computer that had
> > been retired as a lark. I'm not a devotee. However, it really struck
> > me that a crucial ingredient to Linux's success is missing. What I'm
> > trying to do is be helpful. Kind of like saying, 'Hey, pal, I don't know
> > if you noticed or not, but your boots are the wrong feet.'
> >
> > THe response might be. 'Shut up, you loser. I can wear my boots on my
> > hands if I want to.', or the response might be, 'So that's why my boots
> > haven't been that successful. They hurt my feet like crazy!'. In
> > either case, I wouldn't help the man take of his boots and put them on
> > the right way, and most men wouldn't want my help.
> >
> > Linux is painful for newbies, and there is no good reason for it. And
> > this hurts the acceptance of Linux. Anyway, I will now shut up about
> > it. Thanks again for all the time and energy you have spent helping me,
> > and I hope I have not earned a reputation as a pariah who is stupid, lazy
> > and selfish, since I will no doubt need more help...
> >
> >
> > Kevin Stokes
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-request@lists.debian.org
> > with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact
> > listmaster@lists.debian.org
Reply to: