I'm not discriminating. I've tried to give tech support to both my mom and my grandma. They both have little interest/knowledge of anything more advanced than a VCR. Maybe your mom is LEET, mine isn't :) Tony Hammitt wrote: >Yes, it's very important to prevent Grandma from learning anything about >computers. After all, why would anyone over 60 ever want to learn anything >new, or do things for themselves. > >Anyone else here who resents technological ageism? Anyone else whose >Grandmother was a scholar? > >I think you get my point. > > Tony > > >Marvin Bellamy wrote: > >>Trust me, I don't like M$. I'm forced to use their products at work. >> Actually, right now I'm not running *ANY* M$ products at home, but I am >>looking to reinstall Win98. I'm not spouting M$ sales hype, I'm talking >>about my experiences with both OS's. Why do we use Win2000 on our >>workstations?...because Linux it too difficult for non-techs who just >>want to powerup and download E-mail. The premise for Linux is great, >>and I think it will eventually usurp Bill Gate's market share, but >>asking your Grandma or even your mom to "./configure; make; make >>install" is too much. >> >>zscoundrel wrote: >> >>>Actually, you are just repeating one of the more damaging M$ lines of >>>FUD. I am using RH 7.1 just as it installed because I have more >>>important things to do right now than recompile the kernel. I have >>>done it before, but with 7.1 I did not need to! >>> >>>I m able to do EVERYTHING I want to do! I write letters, calculate >>>spreadsheets, decomprepress after a tough day with a game or two, surf >>>the web, exchange emails, modify pictures I take with my digital >>>camera, and every now and then I process files using CAT/GREP/LESS/, I >>>edit HTML files and then FTP them to my home page. >>>In fact, the ONLY thing I can't do is print on this super cheap Xerox >>>printer because the companby is to short sighted to provide a driver >>>for Linux - but this is not a Linux problem, because I just have not >>>had a chance to hook up the HP600 I usually use on this machine since >>>I moved. >>>Actually, it is not Linux's usability that insures it will NEVER >>>replaces windoze, but it's stability! I can do almost anything my >>>wife can do on her 'doze computer , plus a lot more, because software >>>for her machine costs a bloody fortune, and most of mine is very >>>dependable shareware. The more I think about it, the more I doubt >>>that Linux ever could replace 'doze!!!! I don't think Linux could >>>EVER become that sloppy and buggy and crash prone because I can always >>>FIX THE BUGS and then RECOMPILE the SOURCE!!! (Well, unless >>>Microsoft releases a distro!) >>> >>>The reason M$ continues to dominate is the lies coming from Redmond >>>and the business relationship they foist onto their third party >>>vendors via draconian contract clauses and the aggresive way they >>>persue anyone in a market niche they decide they want to dominate. >>>Marvin Bellamy wrote: >>> >>>>Straying OT... >>>> >>>>The usability of Linux is what's killing it's chances of being a >>>>serious contender to Windows. There are a lot of installation >>>>show-stoppers that aren't even documented. I had a hell of a time >>>>with Redhat just getting AVIs to play, probably two weeks before I >>>>found a reference to the gcc2.96 issue. How many people on this list >>>>run Linux exclusively? You almost always have to go back to Windoze >>>>to get some apps to run easily. M$ is an evil corporate entity, but >>>>they got here by opening up the industry to non-techs. Until there >>>>is a Linux distro that non-techs can easily use (I mean without >>>>relying on a techie friend to troubleshoot), M$ will continue to >>>>dominate. I've been screwing around with Linux for about a year now >>>>(spending quite a bit of time per week tweaking my desktop), and I >>>>have just reached the point that I have all the functionality that I >>>>need (less running Win32 apps). KDE is still much slower than >>>>Windoze :( >>>> >>>> >>>>Patrick Thurmond wrote: >>>> >>>>>I know your completely abhorrent to XP, and I don't blame you. But >>>>>your biggest complaint I see so far is that it costs money. Now I am >>>>>pretty experienced with computers in general and I have a hell of a >>>>>time just installing things like netscape or staroffice in linux. I >>>>>follow the directions to the letter (most which require console >>>>>commands) and that doesn't do it. Nor do many variations. I have >>>>>read alot of info on linux and when something that should be simple >>>>>like a software install becames a huge pain, you know somethings >>>>>wrong. And I not just talkin one distro, I am talkin redhat, debian, >>>>>mandrake, and slackware. >>>>> >>>>>My arguments aren't mindless or experienceless ones but come on, >>>>>program installation shouldn't be so difficult. I don't mind using >>>>>the console, but I have to type in huge strings to execute the >>>>>commands, that includes triggers and switches and such. Your talkin >>>>>down on XP, yet I haven't seen it crash, it can format a brand new >>>>>hdd in under 1 minute, and it boots very swiftly, and its really >>>>>user friendly. I will always use linux for things like servers and >>>>>net admin, no prob, but I am having a heck of a time using it as an >>>>>everyday desktop. >>>>> >>>>>-Patrick >>>>> >>>>> Jonathan Hutchins wrote: >>>>> >>>>> -----Original Message----- >>>>> From: Patrick Thurmond [mailto:p_thurmond@yahoo.com] >>>>> >>>>> > I will try to come in December to one of >>>>> > the meetings and educate everyone on the >>>>> > features of XP. >>>>> >>>>> I think that would be a pretty poor way to spend LUG time, and a >>>>> very good >>>>> way to get yourself pelted with rotten vegetables. >>>>> >>>>> We all get plenty of exposure to Microsoft's "education" as it is. >>>>> >>>>> XP's primary benefit is that license fees go to Redmond. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>------------------------------------------------------------------------ >>>>> >>>>>Do You Yahoo!? >>>>>Buy the perfect holiday gifts at Yahoo! Shopping >>>>> >>>>>. >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>