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RE: 10 fundamental differences between Linux and Windows
God... you tried SO hard to be non-biased, and really, you were off to a wonderful start.
But... ultimately,
"Linux Geek Bias FAIL".
#1 I agree, developer types LOVE Linux. And MOST users aren't developers... they're users. Open source code means nothing to 95%... maybe more, of the people who have a daily need to use a PC or other similar electronic device. So your #1 reason is a moot point for the VAST majority of OS users.
#2 Licensing. With no license, comes no liability, and with no liability comes no real or meaningful accountability. This is a huge CORPORATE weakness for Linux, across business *broadly*. I don't disagree that Linux has a place in business, but having a closed license model with resulting reliance, liability and accountability are not necessarily NEGATIVE issues. I know there are Linux solutions to try and address this, but ultimately, this is a worry, at the least, to many organizations.
#3 Support, I think you nailed. Although I *would* suggest, that on free, online support forums, you are far less likely to run into elitist RTFM attitudes from Win32 forums than you are on a Linux forum. This is a cultural thing. The Linux OS crowd has a lot of propeller-heads that can't WAIT to crucify some noob for asking a stupid question. This attitude is less in evidence among the Win32 community. There is also an abundance of "The OS isn't the problem, your STUPIDITY is the problem" in the Linux community. It is some kind of "Defense by a strong Offense" response, if you asked me. Not to say that you can't find reasonable, pleasant, helpful individuals in the Linux community. These few (very vocal) bad apples sure make them seem few and far between, though.
#4 Man, Ubuntu... the "It Just Works" Linux distro, is still having notorious issues with Wireless cards, PCMCIA, and ATI graphics that take a sufficient level of *nix expertise to sort out, generally. I think it SEEMS like you've come a long way because you remember when things were FAR worse. From my perspective, you still have a LONG way to go in this regard, in the Linux community. Certainly far enough that it is too early to claim "It just works".
#5 Most long time Win32 Admins I know go back to DOS and Pre-Dos CLIs (AmigaOS, CP/M, and others) and still use Command Line tools on a regular basis. Through the 90s, a big complaint among Win Admins about Mac OS (pre X) were about the lack of the ability to get down into the OS at the CLI level. This particular argument always has moving targets from all sides. At one point, the *nix community was all over Windows 3.11, 95 and 98 for being just a shell on top of a CLI. What the *ell is KDE or Gnome? Don't give me that "A Windows MANAGER on top of a GRAPHICS subsystem on top of the Linux Kernel" double-talk. It is a GUI Shell over a CLI based OS. Not that I think this is a bad thing. I simply think this particular argument moves as convenient depending on the perspective of the argumentor.
#6. I love Dselect, Apt-Get, and the Debian/Ubuntu file repositories. They're cool. They're nifty. They make it real easy to find and install a ton of freeware quality applications (And some that almost rise to the polish and finish of closed-license commercial products, even). This one truly is a difference that Win32, as we know it today, can probably never deliver on. On the other hand, even with Dselect and HUGE improvement in *nix package management, it is still GENERALLY more error prone and dangerous to install a new Linux app than to run a setup.exe and click YES to a dozen defaults. And it isn't like it is HARD to find software for Win32, through whatever means you might choose. I don't know where I stand on this one. It is 6 of 1, half a dozen of the other. For every point I can think of for either approach, I can think of a counterpoint as well.
#7 Flexibility like a complex tool that you must hand assemble to your customized need on a case by case basis. Versus generalized to do almost everything well for the average person. Again, developers versus users, really. Enthusiasts versus hobbyists. Very personal decisions going on here. For the corporate workplace, the "one size fits all" approach has some obvious benefits in GENERAL.
#8. The fangs really show here. "A legion of paper certified professionals with the false sense of security that they will be forever employable". You're basically pulling back the mask to show that Linux elitist screaming, "RTFM, you effin' noob IDIOT", right here. There are also a lot of pragmatic professional realists who simply want the most simple and efficient tool to get the job done. Heck, I don't have an MCSE. But I *have* made a successful 20 year career off of Microsoft products. My approach is pragmatic, reasonable. It has nothing to do with job security. It has to do with what works best for the majority of people with the most ease of supportability.
#9. Was this an attempt at atonement after #8? Because really, this is one of the MOST significant improvements that Ubuntu introduces toward broad desktop acceptability. Linux has REALLY risen to the challenge with delivering better on removable media management.
#10. No arguments there. They are what they are. In either case, though, it might be easier to install from scratch than to try and figure out what went FUBAR. But if you are a sadomasicistic uber-nerd, Linux will gladly allow you to flog yourself as much as you want. Win32 will go, "Give up dude, it is over, get out the install disks and start from scratch. Stop beating yourself up, it isn't you... it is me".
Generally, it seems we agree, but we come to two vastly different conclusions that couldn't be further apart.
But... ultimately,
"Linux Geek Bias FAIL".
#1 I agree, developer types LOVE Linux. And MOST users aren't developers... they're users. Open source code means nothing to 95%... maybe more, of the people who have a daily need to use a PC or other similar electronic device. So your #1 reason is a moot point for the VAST majority of OS users.
#2 Licensing. With no license, comes no liability, and with no liability comes no real or meaningful accountability. This is a huge CORPORATE weakness for Linux, across business *broadly*. I don't disagree that Linux has a place in business, but having a closed license model with resulting reliance, liability and accountability are not necessarily NEGATIVE issues. I know there are Linux solutions to try and address this, but ultimately, this is a worry, at the least, to many organizations.
#3 Support, I think you nailed. Although I *would* suggest, that on free, online support forums, you are far less likely to run into elitist RTFM attitudes from Win32 forums than you are on a Linux forum. This is a cultural thing. The Linux OS crowd has a lot of propeller-heads that can't WAIT to crucify some noob for asking a stupid question. This attitude is less in evidence among the Win32 community. There is also an abundance of "The OS isn't the problem, your STUPIDITY is the problem" in the Linux community. It is some kind of "Defense by a strong Offense" response, if you asked me. Not to say that you can't find reasonable, pleasant, helpful individuals in the Linux community. These few (very vocal) bad apples sure make them seem few and far between, though.
#4 Man, Ubuntu... the "It Just Works" Linux distro, is still having notorious issues with Wireless cards, PCMCIA, and ATI graphics that take a sufficient level of *nix expertise to sort out, generally. I think it SEEMS like you've come a long way because you remember when things were FAR worse. From my perspective, you still have a LONG way to go in this regard, in the Linux community. Certainly far enough that it is too early to claim "It just works".
#5 Most long time Win32 Admins I know go back to DOS and Pre-Dos CLIs (AmigaOS, CP/M, and others) and still use Command Line tools on a regular basis. Through the 90s, a big complaint among Win Admins about Mac OS (pre X) were about the lack of the ability to get down into the OS at the CLI level. This particular argument always has moving targets from all sides. At one point, the *nix community was all over Windows 3.11, 95 and 98 for being just a shell on top of a CLI. What the *ell is KDE or Gnome? Don't give me that "A Windows MANAGER on top of a GRAPHICS subsystem on top of the Linux Kernel" double-talk. It is a GUI Shell over a CLI based OS. Not that I think this is a bad thing. I simply think this particular argument moves as convenient depending on the perspective of the argumentor.
#6. I love Dselect, Apt-Get, and the Debian/Ubuntu file repositories. They're cool. They're nifty. They make it real easy to find and install a ton of freeware quality applications (And some that almost rise to the polish and finish of closed-license commercial products, even). This one truly is a difference that Win32, as we know it today, can probably never deliver on. On the other hand, even with Dselect and HUGE improvement in *nix package management, it is still GENERALLY more error prone and dangerous to install a new Linux app than to run a setup.exe and click YES to a dozen defaults. And it isn't like it is HARD to find software for Win32, through whatever means you might choose. I don't know where I stand on this one. It is 6 of 1, half a dozen of the other. For every point I can think of for either approach, I can think of a counterpoint as well.
#7 Flexibility like a complex tool that you must hand assemble to your customized need on a case by case basis. Versus generalized to do almost everything well for the average person. Again, developers versus users, really. Enthusiasts versus hobbyists. Very personal decisions going on here. For the corporate workplace, the "one size fits all" approach has some obvious benefits in GENERAL.
#8. The fangs really show here. "A legion of paper certified professionals with the false sense of security that they will be forever employable". You're basically pulling back the mask to show that Linux elitist screaming, "RTFM, you effin' noob IDIOT", right here. There are also a lot of pragmatic professional realists who simply want the most simple and efficient tool to get the job done. Heck, I don't have an MCSE. But I *have* made a successful 20 year career off of Microsoft products. My approach is pragmatic, reasonable. It has nothing to do with job security. It has to do with what works best for the majority of people with the most ease of supportability.
#9. Was this an attempt at atonement after #8? Because really, this is one of the MOST significant improvements that Ubuntu introduces toward broad desktop acceptability. Linux has REALLY risen to the challenge with delivering better on removable media management.
#10. No arguments there. They are what they are. In either case, though, it might be easier to install from scratch than to try and figure out what went FUBAR. But if you are a sadomasicistic uber-nerd, Linux will gladly allow you to flog yourself as much as you want. Win32 will go, "Give up dude, it is over, get out the install disks and start from scratch. Stop beating yourself up, it isn't you... it is me".
Generally, it seems we agree, but we come to two vastly different conclusions that couldn't be further apart.
Contributr Posted by dcolbert@...
26th Aug 2008
