PCMatic

[ClutchDisc]

Originally Posted By: Mystic
Linux just does not work for me. I use Windows because of the software and hardware compatibility and Windows enables me to do the things I like and want to do. But I actually have used various Linux O/Ss. I tried SuSe Linux and I have used Linux O/S rescue CDs running Kaspersky or F-Secure.

People should use what works for them.. I'm all about that. Personally Linux works much better for my needs than Windows does.. For that reason my one Windows computer doesn't see much use at all.

When I tell someone about Linux for the first time I always make sure to tell them that it is not Windows, and doesn't work like Windows. I always find out what they use their computer for, what programs they use etc. Most people I come across and tell about Linux want to give it a try.. and they come back and tell me they love it.

The last thing I want is to give someone Linux and make them think it works like Windows, only to have them very disappointed that they can't run some Windows only software. I never want to push Linux on anybody, but I like people to know that it is there, what it is, and how it works.

If Windows is what you like and works best for you, then use it. But if someone has never heard of Linux, maybe they don't know that Linux would really be the best for them.

 

[Mystic]

Linux is fine for some people. If a person only uses a computer for the internet, email, texting, Facebook, Twitter, etc., just about any computer should be okay.

Where I see problems is if a person wants to do more with a computer beyond those things. I do a lot of photography and I work on photos, sometimes print them out on a PHOTO printer, I sometimes scan negatives and slides, and I create videos with my photos with music as Christmas presents. The reason I keep putting emphasis on PHOTO for photo printer is because some people do not realize you can't just use any printer to create decent photographs. And you can't use just any scanner to scan negatives and slides.

Much of the software I use will work only with Windows or Mac computers. And I am not going to try to work on photos using GIMP. I have been trained in Photoshop and I have many years of experience using it. A program like GIMP is unacceptable for somebody who has used Photoshop. Actually, I don't even use Photoshop much anymore except for damaged photos or HDR photos. I mostly use Adobe Photoshop Lightroom today with an important plugin.

It has been my experience that even Mac computers today can cause problems for photographers. Sometimes when Apple comes out with a new O/S my printer and scanner will not work for quite a while. I do not usually have problems like that with my Windows computer.

I also do not care much for Open Source software. I have had a lot of problems with Open Source software. GIMP for working on photos for me is a total joke. OpenOffice was a good program and in recent years it has gone downhill and now another program, LibreOffice or whatever it is called, is replacing it. People cannot handle this sort of unreliability. It is easier for me to just stay with Microsoft Office.

And no computer hardware or software technology is a religious like thing for me. I use whatever technology works for me. For some people O/Ss are like some kind of religious thing. I like computer technology but my religious beliefs are separate from mere technology. I have used Apple computers for a very long time but I was as mystified by the Mac Fanboys when they started showing up as many other people. There were people standing in lines for days to buy something like an iPod or an iPhone. That is not for me.

 

[Garak]

There's nothing wrong with LibreOffice or OpenOffice.

Even office professionals hardly ever use their office programs to their full potential.

 

[ClutchDisc]

I use Libre Office for all my classwork.. it's great!

 

[Mystic]

The post was about PCMatic. I don't know what Linux has to do with all of that. But some people want to bring a discussion of Linux into everything.

I suppose if I started a discussion about Adobe Lightroom here somebody would show up and start talking about how everybody needs to switch to Linux and use GIMP.

Could you imagine what would happen if people were having a discussion about Linux Mint and I interrupted saying that everybody's issues could be taking care of if everybody switched to Windows?

No one type of computer operating system is perfect for everybody. If a person is honest they will evaluate what is needed by a given individual before recommending any certain type of technology.

If somebody thinks the solution to all problems in a certain type of computer operating system (Linux, Windows, Mac OS X, whatever) that is obviously wrong. And ALL of these various operating systems will probably be gone someday. Who knows what sort of computer technology will exist in the future.

By the way, where I worked, we used Microsoft Office to the max. We used Word, we used Excel, we used Outlook, we used it all.

 

[ClutchDisc]

Mystic, we know that.. but the nature of threads on a discussion forum is to go off topic now and then. Linux has nothing to do with PCMatic.

I don't think I or anyone else in this thread is trying to switch someone over to Linux.. if you look back at my first post where I mentioned Linux I was replying to your post. I'm sorry if you somehow took my post to be trying to get you to switch to Linux, as it was not intended to be that. I was just stating that people should use what works for them, and what works the best for me.

I think you are too quick to jump on anybody who mentions the word Linux and label them as "someone who thinks it's the answer for everybody, and is trying to switch everyone to it". That is not the case.. I know a lot of people who are perfectly happy with windows and I don't try to get them to switch to Linux. They should use what works for them. And like I said in my post earlier, I always find out as much as I can about how someone uses their computer before I recommend anything to anyone. Linux doesn't work for everyone.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: Mystic
I suppose if I started a discussion about Adobe Lightroom here somebody would show up and start talking about how everybody needs to switch to Linux and use GIMP.

As you've pointed out before, that likely wouldn't work terribly well. I have no problem with GIMP, since the extent of my photo editing has been to resize something to a manageable size (i.e. a 5 mb picture of my oil stash for the oil stash thread is a little awkward). I was just giving you a hard time, is all.

Besides, I don't think I could revert to Windows. I formatted the hard drive as soon as I bought the computer.

 

[Mystic]

I am not trying to judge anybody or fight with anybody. But there is a severe double standard around here.

Can you imagine what would happen if I interrupted a post about Linux Mint and told people in that post that all of their problems could be solved if they switched to Windows? I would be personally attacked. Somebody would probably try to get me banned.

And I am not some diehard Windows fan. I have used Apple Mac computers for a very long time and I own an iMac right now. If Apple was a little different and could satisfy all of my needs I would probably switch completely to Apple. Who needs all of the malware associated with Windows computers? Microsoft does goofy stuff also and I never would have moved to Windows 8 if Start8 would not have been available. In fact I still sometimes think I should have stayed with Windows 7.

Some people here have Linux on their minds so much that if somebody asked their advice on what motor oil to use in a car (Pennzoil, Mobil 1, Valvoline or whatever), they would probably tell the guy that Linux was the answer.

It is impossible to have a discussion here about computer hardware or software without somebody interrupting and telling everybody that Linux is the answer. I don't appreciate that kind of treatment and my tendency is to refuse to fall into line and follow the leader.

 

[ClutchDisc]

Again Mystic, I don't believe I once told anyone that Linux is the answer anywhere in this thread. We don't have to keep discussing Linux in this thread, but you keep doing it yourself and we are just replying to your posts.

If you find where I said that Linux was the answer in this thread, point it out to me.. Maybe I didn't word my previous post the best and it came off that way. Again sorry if it did, that was not my intent. I was simply trying to reply and say that I am in agreement with you on that people should use what works for them. But I just get labeled as "someone who thinks it's the answer for everybody, and is trying to switch everyone to it".

 

[Mystic]

ClutchDisc I am not saying anything about you. The first person I remember bringing up Linux was Garak and maybe he did it just for fun. I appreciate Garak's posts and of all the Linux advocates here I like his posts the best.

Just remember this-if you have any questions about what motor oil to use in your car-Linux is the answer.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: Mystic
Just remember this-if you have any questions about what motor oil to use in your car-Linux is the answer.

Maybe I can get Mola to brew me a batch of something, and we can list a full and complete PDS with all ingredients, and call it open source oil.

 

[Mystic]

That is a good idea. We can have Linux motor oil, and we can also have a Linux small car with the Linux engine. Also, why can't a guy name his daughter Linux? There are women named Mercedes. I challenge guys with a daughter on the way to consider this.

The Linux motor oil can break with tradition and list all ingredients. It therefore will be open source because anybody can view all the ingredients in the motor oil. No closed source nondisclosure of ingredients which people have complained about here.

The Linux engine in the new Linux car can break with tradition and feature advanced nontraditional engineering concepts. Advanced nontraditional engineering concepts that will allow incredible fuel economy and extremely long engine life.

 

[ClutchDisc]

Originally Posted By: Mystic
ClutchDisc I am not saying anything about you. The first person I remember bringing up Linux was Garak and maybe he did it just for fun. I appreciate Garak's posts and of all the Linux advocates here I like his posts the best.

No hard feelings Mystic - thanks for clarifying that. In the midst of all that, not sure you even saw my on topic post at the end of page three of this thread.

 

[Mystic]

I read all of your replies in this post ClutchDisc. They were good.

Linux O/S computers have generally simply been a negative experience for me. I have had generally positive experiences using various versions of Windows and Mac O/Ss.

For many years I was more of a Mac guy than a Windows guy. It used to be that if somebody wanted to work on photos and do computer graphics Apple Computers were the way to go. I don't know if that is true anymore. Certainly the Windows computers can be cheaper and do the same thing or more than with Apple.

Every Linux fan I have ever met in my life was arrogant and thought he knew more than anybody else. But the people who were actually getting things done seemed to be the people using Windows and Mac computers. And it was not that I had a bias against Linux. I thought about switching to Linux and I tried SuSe Linux a long time ago-before most people thought about switching to Linux. And I have used Linux O/Ss for special purposes.

I have also had generally negative experiences with Open Source software. I did like OpenOffice but I have found that for $150.00 I could buy the Home and Student version of Microsoft Office and be compatible with 90% of everybody. The Home and Student version was good enough for me at home and I even did some work at home. I had to turn that work in and I had to be compatible. For me $150.00 did not seem excessive.

I am not extremely fond of the Adobe software company in some ways but I have used various Adobe software for a very long time. GIMP, in my opinion, is a joke compared to Photoshop. And I and other people who do photography have even moved beyond Photoshop to a large degree. I don't see how Open Source software can ever catch up to Adobe.

And I can not tolerate the hardware issues that can exist with Linux. My photo printer and scanner have to work. No excuses. A Linux advocate here at this website told me I should write my own drivers. Only Microsoft Windows has been outstanding in hardware support for me.

And I have some rebel in me and I cannot stand double standards. People interrupt discussions here about Windows subjects all the time to promote Linux. But if I were to interrupt a discussion about Linux Mint and tell people their problems could be solved with Windows I would experience personal attacks. When somebody tries to tell me to get in line and follow the Great Leader my tendency is to rebel. I have always been something of a rebel and I can't handle people trying to pressure other people. I don't care what other people use and I should be free to use what I want to use also.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: Mystic
That is a good idea. We can have Linux motor oil, and we can also have a Linux small car with the Linux engine. Also, why can't a guy name his daughter Linux? There are women named Mercedes. I challenge guys with a daughter on the way to consider this.

And think, no trademark or IP issues! But, a developer may go insane along the way and add something untoward.

 

[Mystic]

So you would not have a problem with other car manufacturers copying the advanced technology of the car and engine and also copying the technology of the motor oil? So they would have to have trademarks and patents.

 

[Garak]

Actually, if I were to do such a thing and release it with a proper open source license, other manufacturers would be free to copy it, but they wouldn't be free to patent it or own the IP in any way. Otherwise, Microsoft would have stomped out just about every open source project ages ago.

When something is released open source, it stays that way. Someone is free to take the product and sell it - there is nothing illegal about that. But, most people would rather not pay for the identical product that one can get for free elsewhere.

There are a few open source technology products out there - as in hardware, for want of a better word. That's going to become more common with 3d printing.

 

[Mystic]

But if you are selling Linux motor oil and it lists all the ingredients and it soon has a reputation as a giant killer, everybody will look at the ingredients and see that your secret ingredient is Element 117. And they will all start to use it.

And people will find out that the advanced technology Linux engine achieves super fuel economy and super long life by being produced in secret Moon bases by gray aliens and pretty soon all engines will be produced that way.

And nobody will want to name their daughter 'Linux.' They will keep using 'Mercedes'.

 

[Garak]

Of course, but that's why open source products are rarely sold. If I were to, hypothetically, come up with an open source oil, I'd be giving the recipe out, rather than bottling it for people.

 

[Mystic]

So if you had a superior product, that people were starting to appreciate and use, you would not get a patent and start making profits selling it? You would give the recipe for your superior motor oil away? Is that what you are telling me?