Re: average Linux user requires "cryptic commends"
Hi Carl,
Got to agree with you on your Linux comments.
Window's little secret is that it is harder to install than Linux. Everyone thinks windows is easy to install because their machine came with windows already on it - boy, was that easy!
But having regularly reconfigured machines while testing versions of Caldera and Red Hat linux, as well as Win 95/98 and NT/WTS, I can say from direct experience that Linux is now easier to install than Windows.
I think this may be intentional on Microsoft's part. They would just as soon make it tough for anyone but an OEM to configure an installation, since that's their best bet to guarantee that nobody is "borrowing" licenses.
I've used WordPerfect and StarOffice on linux and found both to be as easy to use a typical windows app. WordPerfect, in particular, is everything you'd expect from a state of the art word processor.
I'm not as happy with the IDE's out there yet (at least the one's I've seen), and I haven't seen a good xbase/access solution yet (though I have to admit, I haven't been focused in this area for several months, and the rate at which linux progresses is astounding - so this may have changed).
But for a typical user doing word processing, spreadsheets, and email, I think Linux on the desktop is here now.
On the flip side, Microsoft has made great progress in improving the stability of Windows this year. The two systems are becoming quite competitive in almost all aspects.
Regards,
Dan |
