Linux inspires readers to share their thoughts

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	LETTERS Linux inspires readers to share their thoughts
	By Kathleen Atkins Following publication of the Feb. 19 Top Story about Linux, we received numerous unequivocal opinions from Windows Secrets readers both about the operating system and our coverage of a non-Windows OS. More letters welcomed our Linux coverage than not, although one or two of the latter are too profane to print. Still, you can see an assortment of reader responses below.

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The full text of this column is posted at windowssecrets.com/letters/linux-inspires-readers-to-share-their-thoughts/ (paid content, opens in a new window/tab).

Columnists typically cannot reply to comments here, but do incorporate the best tips into future columns.[/td]

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	LETTER llspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=100% summary=LangaList Plus summary”]
	By Kathleen Atkins Following publication of the Feb. 19 Top Story about Linux, we received numerous unequivocal opinions from Windows Secrets readers both about the operating system and our coverage of a non-Windows OS. More letters welcomed our Linux coverage than not, although one or two of the latter are too profane to print. Still, you can see an assortment of reader responses below.

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The full text of this column is posted at windowssecrets.com/letters/linux-inspires-readers-to-share-their-thoughts/ (paid content, opens in a new window/tab).

Columnists typically cannot reply to comments here, but do incorporate the best tips into future columns.

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Reading this excellent article gave me the inspiration to try, ONCE MORE, to get Linux Ubuntu up and running. I’d had some success before, but re-installing Windows XP wiped out the dual boot capability. Now that I am running Win 8.1 on a new laptop I felt it was time to consider dropping MS all together. They are constantly releasing a ‘new’ and ‘improved’ version, and of course WE have to pay for each one. So, with some trepidation and crossing all my fingers and toes, I slipped in the newly purchased CD for version 14.10, after spending MANY hours figuring out how to boot it, since I have the UEFI setup system! I set up an external 250GB hard drive and I’m happy to say that the install went VERY well, and I now can boot to either Win 8.1 (on the laptop’s internal drive) or to Ubuntu on the external drive. So far, at least, after a week’s use, I have been able to run almost everything I need in Ubuntu. There is a learning curve, of course, but it isn’t as bad as switching from XP to 8.1 was! There is a whole world of FREE applications available! Some are less than perfect, true, but new ones are arriving almost daily. Also, by using a program (free) called WINE I am able to run many Windows programs! With thousands (millions?) of developers working on the OS and the apps, too, improvements happen very quickly. I am determined to stick with it this time. I hope that I will not have to upgrade to Windows 10! The user interface is attractive and intuitive. You feel right at home, it is not intimidating or scary. I do not plan to drop Windows entirely any time soon, since a few of my favorite programs still need MS to run properly. But, who knows, a usable substitute may appear any day, now. Plus, I really enjoy reading about windows, learning new things as I go. I have been working/playing with computers since the 60’s, so I have had to learn MANY new OS’s. Who says an old dog can’t learn new tricks? We only stop learning when we die, and every day is a new challenge. So, keep Linux in the mix, maybe even adding OSX, or Mac? After all, Linux is already being used in many portable devices: it’s called Android, and it works very well, thank you. Just search on ‘android Linux’. Windows purist’s can just ignore that part. Have a GREAT day!

Bob

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Those people that didn’t like the Linux article probably should also complain about your browser, networking, office applications, etc. coverage that is mostly OS agnostic. Keep up the good work and don’t pay attention to the naysayers.

I wouldn’t mind some articles on Windows Server and, especially, group policies.

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It’s interesting, the “OS Wars”.

I’ve used Microsoft’s offerings since 1989, thus I know something about DOS and how we used to play around with, and install memory handlers in the early 90s; which actually appeared to work very well.

Windows seemed to come together around Win 98 days, especially when we received SP2 or 3, I’ve forgotten. Then Windows Millennium came along, pretty well another disaster, followed by XP, which terminated with SP3 which was generally considered the best yet.

During this time I worked for a year from ’02 to ’03 with a company using an Apple desktop OS. Frankly there was no reason to be impressed: Nearly every morning the first thing was to insert the two CDs we had, Norton Utilities (and something else that I’ve forgotten) to get the machines working.. So much for Apple reliability. Sometimes a machine had to go back to the local Apple people; no DOS or even Windows user would ever do that! We were probably using a ’98 or ’99 OS version, since as with most small companies the boss didn’t want to waste money on upgrading.

The reason for Apple was of course, that “Apple was best with graphics” which I always thought was a load of tosh; still do. I had owned Photoshop 4 (a non-pro version with limited layers) for Windows for several years and found it wonderful. I also used other desktop publishing software and was never aware of any problem.

So now, having always kept up to date, I use Win 8.1. Quite simply and frankly, I have never had any problem with it. Firstly, staying up to date keeps the upgrade costs down (MS are kind to those who stay with them) and secondly I never expected to ‘instantly’ know how such a brand knew Windows-concept OS should work. I welcomed the 45/90 minutes needed to learn about the new ways to do things!

I tried Linux on a few occasions in the 90s and had nothing at all against it. My primary problems were that if I used some device, like a printer, that wasn’t already included in the program, then I had to somehow program it in, and I could never work out how. Also, software which one might download often did not work right away, sometimes never.

So, quite honestly I wasn’t prepared to put in the work to familiarize myself sufficiently. Also, to be honest I like the Windows-type desktops, I know Windows, like most of us that worked with DOS: We are still aware that DOS lurks in the background; which to this day, enables some of us to fix problems in a way which is utterly impossible with Apple/Mac: I simply don’t know if any of it’s possible with Linux.

So I guess I stick with Windows and look forward to 10. I happily pay the $12/month for the Office 365 suite which is automatically and invisibly updated and upgraded by MS and includes 1tb of storage..

Also I can easily trade my futures online with standard Windows-enabled proprietary software that is definitely unavailable to Mac and probably to Linux also.

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It’s interesting, the “OS Wars”.

I tried Linux on a few occasions in the 90s and had nothing at all against it. My primary problems were that if I used some device, like a printer, that wasn’t already included in the program, then I had to somehow program it in, and I could never work out how. Also, software which one might download often did not work right away, sometimes never.

So, quite honestly I wasn’t prepared to put in the work to familiarize myself sufficiently. Also, to be honest I like the Windows-type desktops, I know Windows, like most of us that worked with DOS: We are still aware that DOS lurks in the background; which to this day, enables some of us to fix problems in a way which is utterly impossible with Apple/Mac: I simply don’t know if any of it’s possible with Linux.

When Linux first came out, maybe late 80’s, I was in a book store and the clerk was raving about this new OS. He had a THICK book about it. I was intrigued but couldn’t afford the book! Over the next decade I read a lot and even dabbled with it some. I was never quite able to get it ‘up’. I even tried Red Hat. No luck. Over the past 10 years I have probably attempted to install Ubuntu about 10 times, sometimes successfully. Recently I tried 14.10 and it seemed to be working beautifully, as a dual-boot system. But then I started having some weird problems with Win 8.1 and had to finally do the SFC /scannow bit. After that, I never could get it to work again and was happy that, at least, Windows was still working. While Ubuntu was working I was able to get several Windows programs to work. This was encouraging, but the main program I need to use is the old MS Money application, which does not play well with Linux. I have Grisbi, both for Windows and Linux, and hopefully I can get it do what I need. That’s the biggest problem with ANY Linux distro; getting good and usable software. Even Grisby has little or no documentation. The author tries, but English is not his native language. I’m currently waiting for Ubuntu 15.04 to be released and then I will try once more to install it as dual-boot, or just run it off the DVD for awhile. Windows 10 does look good, so far, but THIS time I will wait a bit longer before jumping in. Unless they offer a free upgrade route. As you noted, 8.1 is a very stable platform, MAYBE even better than XP was. For speed and raw performance, of course, nothings compares to a pure DOS system, but we have moved to far, now, to go back. As for Apple, I always thought it was highly overrated, when I had the opportunity to play with it. I was in sales, back in the day, and I sold MANY Windows machines, NO Apples. The tales I’ve heard about trying to get upgrades or service turned me off! I like the fact that I could easily and CHEAPLY repair or BUILD my own PC. Not so with Apple. Now, I believe that Linux will be the next generation of OS. Once they finally get it right. I’m hoping.

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Those people that didn’t like the Linux article probably should also complain about your browser, networking, office applications, etc. coverage that is mostly OS agnostic.

I don’t follow your thought here. Since “OS agnostic” means relevant to Windows users, why would we complain?

don’t pay attention to the naysayers.

But please do heed the subscribers.

I wouldn’t mind some articles on Windows Server and, especially, group policies.

Good suggestions.

Lugh.
~
Alienware Aurora R6; Win10 Home x64 1803; Office 365 x32
i7-7700; GeForce GTX 1060; 16GB DDR4 2400; 1TB SSD, 256GB SSD, 4TB HD

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