[ale] bleeding edge (was why so difficult)

[Douglas Bridges]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Agent Durga" <durga at burntmedia.org>
To: ale at ale.org
To: <ale at ale.org>
Sent: Sunday, October 29, 2000 7:13 AM
Subject: Re: [ale] bleeding edge (was why so difficult)


> On Sat, 28 Oct 2000, jiin wrote:
>
> > Bleeding edge stuff? hell I am just trying to play mp3's on my box.
>
> -mp3s, while a great compromise between quality and file size, are still
> worthless and unless you own a copy of an album containing the tracks, are
> illegal....but i'm very anti-mp3 but it's simply because I have a fairly
> large music collection....and have spent quite a bit of money on it...

Mp3s are illegal only as much as computer programs are illegal. You assume
that the only mp3s that anyone wants are ones illegally ripped off of CDs.
That is the same as saying that the only computer programs are the ones that
they can buy at CompUSA. Personally, I like the free software that I use.
In the same way, I am very pro-mp3(the format) because it does offer a great
compromise between quality and file size.

>
> > but I think the distros
> > can do a better job of updating their software.
>
> -i haven't upgraded to SuSE 7.0 yet, but so far, I have been *extremely*
> happy with their packaging...the price is beyond reasonable when i examine
> how much comes standard....if you aren't satisfied with the frequency of
> updates, then write a program that will search for the most recent
> update...windows and macs both have this feature in some way or another,
> so be the person that makes it possible for linux users...

Mandrake, Redhat, and Debian all have programs that will do that. I don't
use SuSE, so I don't know about it.

>
> otherwise, don't complain...

His complaint wasn't about what came with his distribution or where he can
get updates. He was complaining about the proccess of actually running the
updates, and the problems that RPMs can have.

>
> > I dont mean to be the voice of doom here but linux needs to get its
stuff
> > together if we are going to make a run at the idiots market.
>
> -why would you want to even get the idiot market?...linux *isn't* easy
> when compared with windows or macs, but over time things become second
> nature....think of the "dumb" questions those users already have with
> their operating system...can you imagine trying to walk them through
> editing their httpd.conf file with vi or emacs?.....
>

Linux us whatever you want it to be. I think it is wrong to say that people
shouldn't make a version of Linux for the "idiot market".  The entire point
of using open software is that you can do whatever you want with it.  If I
go and make an version of Linux that you don't need to get under the hood to
work with, what is wrong with that? If you want to use the command line and
text config files for everything you do, great! However, I want to be able
to use a nice graphical configuration program to set up what I want to do.

I know I am rambling a bit (or a lot), but I really get aggrevated when
people get so elitist about Linux.  Should people only be able to take the
bus because they can't switch out the timing belt in their car?

> i didn't think so....linux is an operating system for people that want to
> get under the hood....and that's a dangerous ability to give a user that
> doesn't know what they are doing...

It is not impossible to create a system where people who want to get under
the hood can, and those that want it to run on autopilot can.

>
> -drew
>
> --
>    The best book on programming for the layman is "Alice in Wonderland";
>      but that's because it's the best book on anything for the layman.
>
***************************************************************************
> durga at burntmedia.org
http://www.burntmedia.org

Doug Bridges
"A conclusion is simply the place where someone got tired of thinking."

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