Subj : Re: Win4lin
To   : Sam Alexander
From : Tracker1
Date : Sat Oct 08 2005 03:31 am

Sam Alexander wrote:
> I've noticed most computer users base their experience with computers on the 
> first OS or Interface they learn.  For folks who started on Windows and 
> learned the way Microsoft decided to do things, that's "The way to do it" 
> and all others (Linux and OSX) do it 'wrong' or a more difficult way.  It 
> boils down to what the user is used to using... and something as simple as 
> moving the close window button from the upper-right corner to upper left is 
> enough to mind-f*ck some users.

The first GUI OS I used was Mac OS4(iirc), then OS/2, and I consider the new
windows interface much cleaner to use... I've also used KDE, Gnome, LiteStep 
(windows shell replacement, with serveral interfaces) and other shell
replacements for windows, and OSX... What I really like in OSX and Windows
over Linux shells is they are at the very least consistant... I don't see
this on linux, and don't see it as an advantage.. Gnome and KDE are a lot
better today than a while back... but I think there's a lot more room for
improvement.. I like Mac's application deployment a bit better than anything
else at the moment, PC-BSD is pretty close, and I like the ports/packages
in BSD as well.... I'm not fond of RPM at all, and apt-get is too limiting..

I want a *nix distro that's a friendly base for commercial apps and drivers,
not that I would use very many.. but linux doesn't cut it as far as commercial 
drivers are concerned... which is a big setback, though nvidia has some solid 
support, and modern audio chipsets are getting there... Application 
installation, etc has a long way to go still...

> I read several Mac and Linux news groups where many folks often complain 
> about how hard both OSes are to learn, but when they give examples of the 
> things they're having problems with, most of these things are actually just 
> as easy to do as in Windows, they're just in a different place.  Linux and 
> OSX are different from Windows, but IMO they do everything Windwos will do 
> and more.  Windows does have more users trained on it and more applications, 
> which is why it's got such a large piece of the OS pie chart.

Yeah, windows did corner the market well, that doesn't mean it has a bad UI,
or that others are better.. I think many people just don't have any desire
to learn anything new....

> THis is no different then a programmer learning one language and moving to 
> another.  The ideas and logical way of writing a program is still the same, 
> you just need to learn the syntax of each language tomake it work correctly.  
> Moving from Windows to OSX or Linux is no different.  WIth each you can 
> change your network settings, browse the web, create directories, check 
> email, call your fave BBS, but each does it abit differently.  It's just 
> taking the time to learn how each OS does these tasks.

True enough, I've had very few "functioning" issues in any modern OS, there 
are a few underlying issues I've had with all of them (including windows), 
still prefer it for the most part...

> But back to your comment, I think which OS is top dog has nothing to do with 
> what consumers want ... it's the computer manufactorers and the grasp MS has 
> on their balls due to licenses and contracts.  If more companies like Dell 
> would start offering PC's with other OSes (Dell's trying!) then this might 
> change.  I want to see a world with a choice of OS but with compatible 
> formats.  Office, Photoshop, and many others do this, so anyone can.  
> 
> It will be interesting to see where we are 10 years from now, but I'm sure 
> I'll still have my trusty Mac and Linux boxes churping along quite nicely :)

Yeah, almost wish Apple would license iOSX for people to buy directly,
but I wouldn't expect them to properly support it, after what they did to the 
mac-clone market in the 90's.

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Michael J. Ryan - tracker1(at)theroughnecks(dot)net - www.theroughnecks.net
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