Guest CrypticalCat Posted August 24, 2003 Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 Why I chose Linux: Let me tell you a little about myself. I'm a former (audio/technical) engineer, now retired. I'm new to Linux, even though I've known about it for some time. I started off in personal computing with the good old Altair, ZX81, Apple II's, Commodores and BBS's prior to the internet as we know it now. I guess I developed a 70's/80's free computing mentality, that was temporarily squelched by Microsoft coming into my life. Microsoft also spoon-fed me and made me lazy by seemily making things easier to use but at the same time reducing freedom of choice in a sneaky way. I switched over to Linux because I am not happy with Microsoft and the direction it is taking with its .net (dot net) initiative. It goes against the grain as far as what computing is all about for me, the last straw so to speak. As for XP, I have a problem with "phone home" software and that "Fisher-Price/Playskool" interface just irks me. What took me so long was that I got caught up in that Microsoft dependancy thing. It wasn't until I woke up and realized you don't need MS apps to do computing, that I looked into Linux seriously. I like the idea of the "Open Source" movement. Its kind of like "Back to the Future" for me. Back in the late 70's and early 80's sharing information freely was a way of life. The internet in the early 90's was supposed to do that that too, but Microsoft came along and changed all that. In a way Linux is bringing back those thrilling days of yesteryear where choice and freedom is back. While hardware is basically standardized to a point, there will always be more than one manufacturer, not so with software if Microsoft gets its way. I welcome a little chaos, it keeps things fresh, innovative and exiting. Linux is taking us back (to the future), but that's a good thing at least for me. Having a single standard for OS's is not good. Ford has GM, AMD has Intel and Linux has Microsoft (though we need to balance that a bit more though). I like Linux because it offers more power to the user and puts computing back into the user's hands in many ways. It also helps to recycle older equipment that I still use and love and its an environmental plus as well. Yes, it does need some effort to use but at least you're using your brain. For those that want it easy, there will always be Microsoft. Its a free country, the people will see to that. I chose Mandrake Linux because its the easiest one to start off with and learn with, even though it can be as complex as you want it to be. The look is fantastic, KDE is so configurable and I feel more secure with Mozilla as my browser, I especially love the individual Java settings to stop web sites from screwing up my browser settings or taking over my screen. Right now I'm using a dual-boot setup, Windows 98 and Mandrake Linux 9.1. Until I can figure out how to install all those wonderful technical (sound, freq, audio & electronic) linux based apps I found, I will be stuck with dual-booting. I can't make heads or tails of WINE and dual-booting may be easier for now and I'm still trying to figure out how to install non-RPM applications. I will eventually figure it out being self-taught and all. My needs are simple. I use e-mail, do banking, write letters, restore the odd photograph, use my technical applications (to set up home theater & audio systems) and do a lot of surfing (a lot) and tons of research. I don't run a server or have a web site, don't see a need for that at the time. I know you're wondering why not stick with Windows. While my reasons are outlined above, I still like the idea of having the freedom to choose, not have Bill Gates telling me how to use my computer or to spy on my activities, and just taking back what really belongs to myself and the people at large. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlc Posted August 24, 2003 Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 Good choice. :wink: Once you get all your apps going the way you want, you can say "bye, bye microsoft" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezroller Posted August 24, 2003 Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 glad to have you on board. always nice to see us old schoolers moving to linux. ah...evolution. you are at the right place for help my man. start some threads and lets get those audio apps workin for ya! that way you can hose that -98 partition and reclaim all that wasted space!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulSe Posted August 24, 2003 Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 Welcome to our World! You are right about Mandrake being a good distro to start with and learn about Linux with. But you will also find that Mandrake is a very special distro in that it 'grows' with you. Yes, it has great GUIs and scripts for doing things the easy way, but it is also a powerfull distro that can be just as attractive to hardcore users. You came to the right place as well, the users of this board are extremely helpful and up at all hours browsing through the forums, I don't think I would be where I am today with Linux (a perpetual n00bie, but learning all the time!) were it not for this board and its users. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gowator Posted August 24, 2003 Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 Welcome back to the real world. We are all glad you returned :D Nice post ... I sums up a lot of my feelings too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CrypticalCat Posted August 24, 2003 Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 Thanks for all the kind comments. I'm sure I'll have a zillion questions once I get into some serious usage and discover all the other things in Mandrake I haven't come across yet. When I get real good at this I'll be able to return the favours I'm receiving now. By the way, its not the fact that I was able to download Mandrake for free that converted me, even though it helped. I'm treating Mandrake 9.1 as my free introductory demo and when 9.2 comes out later this year I'll buy the disks for that. I don't mind, its still a lot cheaper than Windows, it supports Linux and it sure beats downloading it from the internet. I assume if Windows allowed you to freely demo their wares people might think twice about purchasing it. I guess that's another reason why people keep using it, they have to justify the high cost of buying it and who wants to admit to themselves that they made a bad purchase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ixthusdan Posted August 24, 2003 Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 Welcome! People use windex because it is crammed down their throats when they buy a new pc. Everyone using windex was forced to do so. Now, everyone using mandrake is doing so by choice, which is why we can say that linux is truly the os of Choice. :wink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
william Posted August 25, 2003 Report Share Posted August 25, 2003 CrypticalCat wrote:Microsoft also spoon-fed me and made me lazy by seemily making things easier to use but at the same time reducing freedom of choice in a sneaky way. Nice postCrypticalCat, a winner one. Be welcome to our community and to the right forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JaseP Posted August 25, 2003 Report Share Posted August 25, 2003 Yes nice post. I too share a lot of similar experiences. * Used old Kim/Sym boards in the 70s * DEC maninframe and Unix via accoustic coupler modem and ADM-3A terminal (father a physics prof) * Timex/Sinclair/ZX81 * Apple II+s at school * Commodore 64 * VAX Maniframe and Unix derivitive OS at college * MAC Pluses at college computer labs. * Amstrad IBM XT compatible (80286) and DOS / GEOS * 386 and DOS / GEOS / Win 3.1/3.11 * 486 and DOS / Win 3.1/3.11 / Win95 * Pentium 100 MHz Win95 and experimented with SuSE Linux 6.2 * AMD K6 and Win95/98 * AMD K6-2 and Win98 and Finally Mandrake Linux 8.1 and 8.2 PowerPack * Athlon XP 2100+ and Mandrake 8.2 PowerPack (machine blew up after a few months,... hardware) * Intel Pentium 4 2.4GHz and Mandrake 8.2 PowerPack and now SuSE Pro 8.2 So my computer experience is about 25 years worth. Linux is like when I was using the old Unix stuff, plus with the extra of having a GUI like in the GEOS and Win days. Plus I am beholden to no-one for my software. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emh Posted August 25, 2003 Report Share Posted August 25, 2003 For your audio applications, you might want to check this site out, as it has Mandrake RPMs for lots of audio stuff: http://rpm.nyvalls.se/sound9.1.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iphitus Posted August 25, 2003 Report Share Posted August 25, 2003 Welcome, good to see you've come to the light side of the moon, let's hope you aren't just visiting. Good Luck! James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CrypticalCat Posted August 25, 2003 Report Share Posted August 25, 2003 Thanks emh, I did check out your suggested link and found one app. I'll have to try it out. One thing about Linux, you can uninstall and install apps quite safely without worrying about breaking something like in Windows, I guess thats because there is no regisrty pollution or dll hell in Linux. I don't miss that at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theYinYeti Posted August 26, 2003 Report Share Posted August 26, 2003 You may also be interested in this link: http://linux-sound.org/. Yves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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