Re: [ubuntu-uk] Ubuntu Spotting - BBC

2008-09-04 Thread Stephen O'Neill
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Stephen O'Neill wrote:
 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7594249.stm
 
 (sorry if this has already been posted)


I should have included contentious excerpts for those with things to do.

Ubuntu's own website isn't much help either. It suggests that with this
particular machine it can sometimes help to whip out the battery, give
it a couple of minutes, whack it back in, plug in an ethernet cable and
get on line first that way. Nada. 

and

It's probably worth mentioning one other important point about Linux
here. It's a text-based operating system, which means that a fair few of
the things you may want to tell your computer to do - installing certain
new software, for example - requires you to open up a terminal window
and actually type text into the little window.

It's a bit like the way all hackers in Hollywood movies furiously crash
out lines of incomprehensible text on their laptops when they're trying
to bust into the Pentagon's defence network.

As someone used solely to double-clicking on pretty pictures to do most
anything on a computer this is pretty hairy stuff. 

Discuss.
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Re: [ubuntu-uk] Ubuntu Spotting - BBC

2008-09-04 Thread Stephen O'Neill
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Stephen O'Neill wrote:
 I should have included contentious excerpts for those with things to do.


Sorry for the spam, I should contemplate before clicking 'send'.

A point that I agree with the author on is:

But I'm completely stumped by the instructions posted on these
[forums]. The level of assumed knowledge is way above my head. I follow
a couple of suggestions, try to connect to my router using an ethernet
cable, download code that promises to set things right. And fail. 

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Re: [ubuntu-uk] Ubuntu Spotting - BBC

2008-09-04 Thread Philip Wyett
On Thu, 2008-09-04 at 07:23 +0100, Stephen O'Neill wrote:
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 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7594249.stm
 
 (sorry if this has already been posted)
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 Stephen O'Neill

Yeah, this one has been done over a bit in #ubuntu-uk on IRC. :-) A
response has been constructed by at least one member who may wish to
comment / discuss it here.

Regards

Phil


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Re: [ubuntu-uk] Ubuntu Spotting - BBC

2008-09-04 Thread Philip Wyett
On Thu, 2008-09-04 at 08:21 +0100, Philip Newborough wrote:
 On Thu, Sep 4, 2008 at 7:31 AM, Stephen O'Neill
 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
  Sorry for the spam, I should contemplate before clicking 'send'.
 
 
 What spam? Not everyone logs into IRC so I wouldn't worry. Personally,
 I found the article an interesting read. Thanks for posting the link
 :)
 
 ---
 Philip
 

I agree. Discussion in IRC and on the list is all good.

It was an interesting read, but a bit hopping from place to place. May
have something to do with his attention span of a gnat he admitted
to. :-)

Regards

Phil


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Re: [ubuntu-uk] Ubuntu Spotting - BBC

2008-09-04 Thread Stephen O'Neill
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Sean Miller wrote:
 It actually annoys me when people misrepresent the situation so -
 installing from a terminal only happens in exceptional circumstances
 these days.


The BBC shouldn't be advocates, but should sit on the fence. Examples
like this and the scrolling bootup text aren't really sitting on the fence.

I did empathise with his line about knowledge being a barrier to entry,
hopefully that will be addressed naturally over time as the product matures.

It would be nice to see an alternative series of it's hard to do
articles - there are lots of things I find hard in Ubuntu, but there are
lots of things I find hard in Windows too which don't get airplay.

He noted how he wanted itunes-esque integration, well my g/f bought an
ipod thing at the weekend and I found iTunes to be largely non-intuitive
to use - certainly not the experience which the hype and his comments
would have had me believe.

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Re: [ubuntu-uk] Ubuntu Spotting - BBC

2008-09-04 Thread Stephen O'Neill
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Stephen O'Neill wrote:
 I did empathise with his line about knowledge being a barrier to entry,
 hopefully that will be addressed naturally over time as the product matures.


Obviously, before I'm jumped on, I forgot the whole argument about
Microsoft being de-facto standard in schools etc... and how MS would be
hard if it wasn't the fact we were given it to use from day zero.

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Re: [ubuntu-uk] Ubuntu Spotting - BBC

2008-09-04 Thread Philip Wyett
On Thu, 2008-09-04 at 09:00 +0100, Sean Miller wrote:
 It actually annoys me when people misrepresent the situation so -
 installing from a terminal only happens in exceptional circumstances
 these days.
 
 The BBC seem to like doing this - if you recall on Click a few months
 ago they had a piece on Ubuntu where they had a black screen with
 scrolling text during boot-up, that ain't what my Ubuntu does (well,
 not unless I ask it to and Windows is just the same in that regard!)
 
 Sean
 

This article also does similar misrepresentation. Paragraph 5 of the
'Text based' section.

It's probably worth mentioning one other important point about Linux
here. It's a text-based operating system, which means that a fair few of
the things you may want to tell your computer to do - installing certain
new software, for example - requires you to open up a terminal window
and actually type text into the little window.

This paragraph is incorrect and really does get my back up.

Regards

Phil


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Re: [ubuntu-uk] Ubuntu Spotting - BBC

2008-09-04 Thread Jai Harrison
On Thu, Sep 4, 2008 at 9:21 AM, Philip Wyett [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 This article also does similar misrepresentation. Paragraph 5 of the
 'Text based' section.

 It's probably worth mentioning one other important point about Linux
 here. It's a text-based operating system, which means that a fair few of
 the things you may want to tell your computer to do - installing certain
 new software, for example - requires you to open up a terminal window
 and actually type text into the little window.

 This paragraph is incorrect and really does get my back up.

 Regards

 Phil


At first I was going to say that sounds like libel but after
re-reading the text I see it says *certain* new software. Well, in
some cases using the terminal is still required to install software so
it's quite accurate. Of course, registry modifications and the like
are often required in Microsoft systems so it's not really fair to
bring it up.

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Re: [ubuntu-uk] Ubuntu Spotting - BBC

2008-09-04 Thread Philip Newborough
Disregarding any debatable elements of the article, I think it was a
_fairly_ positive review from an obvious Linux novice. Do not get me
wrong, I am all for supporting Ubuntu and Linux, however; let's face
it, it isn't perfect, and articles such as this go a long way to
providing insight into where any potential problems can be found.

As I understand it, the only real issues the author had were with the
machines networking and with its incompatibility with Apple's iPod.
That's not too bad is it?

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Re: [ubuntu-uk] Ubuntu Spotting - BBC

2008-09-04 Thread Bruce Beardall
You're right, Philip, the real issues were actually few in number but my
real objection is the way Linux is portrayed in articles such as this by the
BBC. It seems to me the BBC are more concerned with looking cool in
presenting it's insightful articles investigating such official entities
as Microsoft and Apple while dismissing Linux as something for hippies and
geeks. It fails to address that the open source model is addressing some
very real issues in business and industry where flexibility and not being
tied into a single vendor are becoming increasingly important. It also fails
to address the fact that business models have to change and evolve to
prevent stagnation in commerce. There's no doubt that some things need to
change in Linux but I would also submit that much of this is simply due to
the inherent differences rather than any real shortcomings. We all know that
an up to date, working Linux system can do just about anything Windows or
Mac OSX can do. In my opinion, the BBC just barely scrapes ahead of tabloids
when it comes to journalistic integrity and given the nature of how the BBC
is funded, that's entirely unacceptable.



On Thu, Sep 4, 2008 at 9:38 AM, Philip Newborough 
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 Disregarding any debatable elements of the article, I think it was a
 _fairly_ positive review from an obvious Linux novice. Do not get me
 wrong, I am all for supporting Ubuntu and Linux, however; let's face
 it, it isn't perfect, and articles such as this go a long way to
 providing insight into where any potential problems can be found.

 As I understand it, the only real issues the author had were with the
 machines networking and with its incompatibility with Apple's iPod.
 That's not too bad is it?

 ---
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Re: [ubuntu-uk] Ubuntu Spotting - BBC

2008-09-04 Thread Philip Newborough
On Thu, Sep 4, 2008 at 10:04 AM, Bruce Beardall [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
 You're right, Philip, the real issues were actually few in number but my
 real objection is the way Linux is portrayed in articles such as this by the
 BBC. It seems to me the BBC are more concerned with looking cool in
 presenting it's insightful articles investigating such official entities
 as Microsoft and Apple while dismissing Linux as something for hippies and
 geeks.

Fair point, but I wouldn't read anything into this other than
ignorance. Also, a fair number of Linux users do happen to be geeks :D

Peace out man ;)

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Philip

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Re: [ubuntu-uk] Ubuntu Spotting - BBC

2008-09-04 Thread Bruce Beardall
I will not surrender!

Yeah, OK, I will. Just wanted to wave my flag from my soapbox.

I'm still smiling.

On Thu, Sep 4, 2008 at 10:30 AM, Philip Newborough 
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 On Thu, Sep 4, 2008 at 10:04 AM, Bruce Beardall [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
  You're right, Philip, the real issues were actually few in number but my
  real objection is the way Linux is portrayed in articles such as this by
 the
  BBC. It seems to me the BBC are more concerned with looking cool in
  presenting it's insightful articles investigating such official
 entities
  as Microsoft and Apple while dismissing Linux as something for hippies
 and
  geeks.

 Fair point, but I wouldn't read anything into this other than
 ignorance. Also, a fair number of Linux users do happen to be geeks :D

 Peace out man ;)

 ---
 Philip

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