switching users... forget it!

[Billie Walsh]

On 07/12/2014 02:13 AM, Scott DuBois wrote:
> On 07/11/2014 05:41 AM, Billie Walsh wrote:
>> On 07/10/2014 11:00 PM, c. marlow wrote:
>>> On 07/10/2014 10:00 PM, Ralf Mardorf wrote:
>>>> On Thu, 2014-07-10 at 20:37 -0500, c. marlow wrote:
>>>>> I just hope I dont have to put up with LINUX too much longer... Tired
>>>>> of reformatting.  Hope to replace this machine with a windows machine
>>>>> sooon!!!
>>>> Linux is for users with self-responsibility and using some freakish
>>>> distro, that does cause you issues, so that you need to sent your
>>>> requests to another distro's mailing list is reckless, far away of being
>>>> self-responsible. If you need a nanny, than Windows likely is the better
>>>> choice for your needs, since Linux isn't a replacement for Windows, it's
>>>> not intended to replace Windows, it's for users with needs that are
>>>> different from Windows user needs.
>>> 1. this computer came with Kubuntu ( pre built) was kinda thrown
>>> together for me by some friends. Lots of things dont work on it... CD
>>> ROM etc....
>>>
>>> 2. LM is based on Kubuntu 14.04 LTS and was told it was ok to post
>>> here since it is based on Kubuntu.
>>>
>> Somehow or another I seem to have not received Ralf's reply, however I
>> take exception with both his attitude and message.
>>
>> All I can say about his attitude is that it stinks. It is not typical of
>> most people on this list.
>>
>> About his message, I AM just a an average home computer user. The type
>> that typically runs Windows. I have been successfully using Kubuntu for
>> many years and SuSE before that. In my experience Linux, and Kubuntu
>> specifically, has been just as easy to use, after the unlearning of some
>> bad habits left over from we all know where, and possibly easier to use
>> than Windows.
>>
>> I question the use of "friend" in the OP's message above. It sounds to
>> me like his "friend" set him up to fail from the beginning. Things like
>> CD/DVD roms just work in my experience. Sounds like a hardware issue
>> rather than an OS issue. His "friend" also just dumped him in the deep
>> end and walked away. There is a bit of a learning curve when first using
>> Linux in general. My own first experience with Linux were not all that
>> pleasant but I stuck with it out of bull headed determination and got
>> through that learning curve. A true "friend" that dumps a Linux box on
>> someones desk out of the blue would stick around and help them through
>> the learning curve.
>>
>> My message to the OP is to have an attitude of, "please help me
>> understand and learn to use this operating system," if that is what you
>> really want to do. An, "I want to dump this piece of S___ and get a
>> Windows machine," attitude is not conducive to getting good assistance
>> responses.
>>
> You make a good point Billie, while I don't think I would go so far as
> to say the "friend" set them up, the "friend" in question should have at
> least made themselves available for help and if they were unable to
> provide it, ask in the mailing lists, forums or IRC; something I know I
> should do myself more often. Everyone needs help once in a while and it
> shouldn't be hard to find considering the size and scope of the Linux
> community. We should pride ourselves for being the largest collaborative
> effort in the world which goes beyond just developers and include users
> and support for each other. : )
>
> When I enter the Kubuntu IRC it always seems like the "dead zone" - at
> least off-topic for small talk and general chat.
>
> Linux does take patience to get used to but I think we all have to admit
> that many of the distros get easier to use and more stable as the kernel
> continues to mature and more people contribute when and where they can.
> Too many people get a false sense that all operating systems are the
> same so switching to a Linus system is simple just like switching
> between XP and W7 when it's not the case.
>
> My first go with Linux was with Ubuntu 9.10 just as it was released and
> I would get so frustrated I sometimes would have my wallet and keys in
> my hand to go get a new copy of Windows. Then I would stop myself and
> think "Thousands of people use Ubuntu on a daily basis and I'm just as
> smart as many of them; I can do this." Then get right back at it and
> keep pounding away at learning what I needed to do to MAKE it work for me.
>

My first go with Linux was SuSE 9, I believe, that I bought in a box at 
Comp USA. I set it up dual boot with Windows and "played" with it when I 
wasn't doing anything in particular. Can't tell you how many times I had 
to reformat that partition and reinstall. I quickly learned a whole lot 
of things NOT to do. Before long I managed to come to terms with it at 
some level and actually using it to do something constructive. One hump 
in the learning curve was learning what programs did what. The programs 
names are sometime not very clear at what they are for. As time went on, 
I one day realized that I hadn't booted into Windows for a very long 
time. I haven't looked back. I used SuSE for several versions but I kept 
hearing great things about *Ubuntu so I set up a dual boot SuSE/Kubuntu. 
SuSE had/has some nice features but I finally decided that Kubuntu 
suited me more. The rest, as they say, is history.

I said the OP's "friend" set him up to fail partly because I suspect his 
box has hardware issues. He said it was just something "thrown together" 
for him which, to my mind, says it's an older box that was put together 
with older, used, hardware. The OP specifically says that many things 
don't work and gives the CD rom as an example. I don't know about anyone 
else , but I haven't had an issue with a CD/DVD rom since I can't 
remember when unless it was bad. I can hardly imagine a more difficult 
situation than someone unfamiliar with the operating system and 
suffering with hardware issues at the same time. That is a user failure 
situation if I ever saw one. If your going to throw someone into the 
deep end with Linux you need to make sure the hardware is going to work 
for a long time.

We, Tracie and myself, have refurbished and given away to those in need 
many an old box. I have always told them that if they have an issue to 
call me. Some had issues in a short time others ran for long periods 
before an issue showed up. Some I never heard from again.

Last but not least. There are a LOT of really nice people on this list. 
Very helpful and knowledgeable. Always ready to lend a newbie a hand. 
Now, I don't know Ralf, and he may be a very nice person that just had a 
bad day. But a message like he sent will run off more newbies than the 
situation our OP is in. How many other newbies are out there reading the 
mail list, trying to figure out Kubuntu, and not posting. We all need a 
bit of hand holding, and possibly nannying, from time to time. I'm no 
longer familiar with other flavors of Linux, but I believe Kubuntu is 
as, and more so, user friendly than even Windows.

-- 

Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must. like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.-Thomas Paine

_ _...  ..._ _
_._  ._  .....  ._..  ...  .._