Indeed, I agree. I have been using Linux for a bit less than a year. I started
with Mandrake 5.3 and now am using Mandrake 6.0. I have figured out enough to
set up ipmasq for my home network, and seem to have screwed up something that
prevents samba from working. I'm no programmer either, though I am not new to
computing. I am in IT and oversee a network of about 45 pc's and several NT
servers at work. I am finally at a level of Linux knowledge that I am doing
99.9% of my work at home in Linux. The other bit of windoze time is spent
studying for the MCSE exams, my company is paying for my MCSE. I figure if I
have my MCSE AND a working knowledge of Linux I'll be that much ahead of the
other guys with just a MCSE cert. Of course my company will want me to stay
forever since they are paying for my education. Anyway, I think Linux has to
become much more 'user friendly' in order to take even more of the desktop
'home' market. Isn't that goal anyway? To give ol' Bill a run for his money. I
love it. More power to the penquin! I appreciate the help I receive from this
mailing list, thank you all. I find it much friendlier than the newsgroups
where you're more likely to see 'rtfm' than a few helpful suggestions. That's
no way to treat the new users to the fold, now is it? If Linux does not become
more user friendly, then the war is over, Bill has won. I certainly hope not!
We must unite and support each other and the people developing Linux to be the
next great OS. I may not be a programer, but if there is something I can do to
help I sure will do it.
Just my two cents worth.
Thanks to all on this list!
Chip Wiegand
<<< Those who dare to fail miserably can achieve greatly >>>
Robert F. Kennedy
On Sun, 19 Dec 1999, Paul Benjamin wrote:
> I had a teacher that called your current state as the dawn of
> knowledge. Not all things are easy. Destroying old habits is the
> hardest. When you have hundreds or thousands of people who like to
> code make a system you should not be surprised that they are lousy
> technical writers. I think it is interesting that most of the for
> profit companies forming around Linux are going to sell services.
> Someone has to help with those configuration problems.
>
> I have been paying around with Linux for about a year now. I still
> spend more time in Windows than Linux but that could change if I could
> find an email client and new group reader that I like. There is a
> lot I don't like but the potential is so much greater than Windows
> that I want to keep learning more. Maybe it is just a challenge much
> greater than most PC games.
>
> Linux is a work in progress. They haven't taken the time yet to hide
> the plumbing in the walls yet. I want to see it done also, I am not a
> programmer, I am a draftsman. I want a system that I can play with
> and learn some programming. But from looking around the source code
> in the system I can tell that I will never get to their level. I
> don't have the time to live Linux. I just have learned enough to make
> do and forgive the rest.
>
> Maybe someday it will be finished, we can only hope.
>
> PBen
>
> On Sun, 19 Dec 1999 22:41:35 -0600, Audrey Beck <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> wrote:
>
> >I'm SO sick of people that seem to LIKE hurting, telling those of us
> >that are just not masochists to do this. Until you get some experience,
> >sometimes only one little piece at a time, the mans mean nothing. Most
> >of the time, you don't know what to look for. Gee, I'd like to print.
> >What do I do? Check the FAQ and HOWTO that TRY to help, but just never
> >seem to apply, or they refer you to another one for a part that has to
> >work first, which then refers you to the previous one because that part
> >has to work first... Not everyone learns or understands the same way.
> >The lilo manual tells you everything you never wanted to know unless you
> >need that part of it. When you are a brand new Linux user, reading it
> >and understanding it can take weeks! All you usually need is a small
> >part of something. Once you understand that part, you can gather more
> >information relating to it and the next and the next. It sure ain't
> >magic.
> >
> >Real multitasking and real multiuser in Linux are great. The rest
> >hurts. I am not a newbie to the world of computers, programming or
> >operating systems. I've been in world of hurt since I installed this
> >OS. I'm learning a little at a time. But it will take me LOTS of time
> >to figure even some of it out. I actually have a life aside from
> >learning Linux and I like it MUCH better. Linux is just a tool for me
> >to use to get something accomplished. I don't worship it. And it's
> >good none of you know how many times I've wanted to stomp the cd into
> >dust.
> >
> >The good part about having the source code is you can change/fix things
> >if you need to. The bad part about having the source code is you
> >probably have to.
> >
> >There are MANY people on this list, that take the time to help those of
> >us that are lost, to go in the right direction. They do help. The best
> >help is personal, to the problem you are having. To those, THANK YOU!
> >Sometimes it's not so difficult to figure out what to do, or where to
> >find it, as it is what applies. You might get sick of answering the same
> >question a hundred thousand times, but it just means that there are a
> >hundred thousand new users with the same problems.
> >
> >To the rest, just because someone wants to use Linux, that doesn't mean
> >they want to LIVE it.
