There is a reason any class I teach from now on is going to be using
Linux, dammit.
Windows "Just Works!"
Well, unfortunately, that's partially true.
I recently gave a big, honking workstation to a friend's daughter so
that she could do some graphic arts stuff. AMD64, 3GHz processor,
big mem, huge drive, running Linux.
Gimp, fine. Inkscape, fine. IM, fine.
Web video -- problem.
I've had problems with this too but recently MPlayer has been working
very well to stream (and capture) content of any type. What
specifically was needed that wasn't available? Viewing? Creating?
Now all that being said it did take an inordinate amount of effort to
get things right but it was much easier that a year or two ago when
all the effort still ended up in only partial success.
rbw
Long time lurker (via Lan), first time poster.
Forgive me for only coming in on this one halfway though.
I think the main problem with Linux on the desktop is more of a third
party issue than anything. All I know is that my wife goes to a web
page, she clicks on something that says 'menu' and nothing happens. She
doesn't want a treatise on why Microsoft is evil, web pages shouldn't
use ActiveX controls, and why don't you go to some other online
healthfood store and buy your enzymes there instead? She wants to click
on something, she wants something to happen. She doesn't want to wait
until I get home to update Linux.
I tried, O Lord I tried, but after over a year of this back and forth I
finally gave in and bought Windows XP and set up Lilo. Now we're both
happy. :) If I mention 'kernel' out loud to my wife she punches me.
If Linux can't pass the wife test (and she's not entirely ignorant about
computers) it most certainly won't pass the Mom Test, or especially the
Grandmother Test.
It's an evolutionary process and we are making inroads (Flash is a good
example) but until every major third party app (including printer
drivers, scanner drivers, wireless adapter drivers, etc.) get on
board... we're simply not there yet.
-Matt
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