contrition

[Eric Gilliland]

>Are we talking server apps here? Or are we talking desktop apps.  I >have
>never had to do any research on getting a desktop app running from RPM,
>unless the thing is alpha-release or early-beta.

OK, I'd forgotten about the Mandrake software manager.  I partially retract 
that statement, because installing anything from the distro discs using 
software manager is great.  I have run into problems installing things not 
included in the package.  There is probably a way to install non distro 
things using the software manager, but I couldn't find it.  To be honest, 
however, I haven't spent much time working with it, because I am very busy 
now.

>Nobody is trying to hold you back Eric.  The only one who knows what is
>important for you to learn is you.  We cannot point you to a path which 
>will minimize your effort and maximize your speed of learning what you need 
>to know.
>
>It is the same for the millions who will follow you.  You will not be >able 
>to spoon feed them and they will complain how difficult the path >is no 
>matter what you do.

I don't at all feel that anyone is trying to hold me back.  I did not mean 
to give that impression.  I agree with the comments above. I am not 
defending MS here either.  If I was a huge MS lover I would not be 
experimenting with linux.  I am planning to move to linux for everything 
except games in a couple of months when my thesis is done.  I was kind of 
playing the devil's advocate here, in part because I wanted to see how 
people would react, as I am new to this forum and know no one.

>I think that for the regular users (those who don't know
>that AOL or MSN is not required to gain access to the internet) to >ever be 
>able to use Linux, it must come preinstalled on a computer >that you can 
>buy at Best Buy or Wal-Mart.

I noticed that Mandrake 8.1 standard edition is available at WalMart.

>There is a new distro called "Redmond Linux" (redmondlinux.org) that >does 
>just what Jeremy is saying.  It limits the choices, dumbs down >the OS so 
>that a typical Windoze user can handle it.  It will be >interesting to 
>watch this to see how it turns out.

Is this really a good name to sell linux under? Considering the hatred and 
contempt that MS is held in, i think not.

>I think that it's only been within the last year that linux distros >have 
>gotten to the point that they are usable by "power users" meaning >those 
>that know the difference between AOL and the Internet, or that >know what 
>the word "Operating System" means.

Well, that would be me.  I have really had fewer problems then I thought I 
would installing and trying to learn how to use linux.  I still don't know 
enough commands yet, but I have my copy of Running Linux.

BTW, I recieved my Win XP upgrade disc from Dell yesterday.  I have decided 
NOT to install it though.  Just too much bad crap about it.  
MUST......RESIST......MS........MIND CONTROL.......

Eric Gilliland

J. Eric Gilliland
jegilliland at hotmail.com
Meet it is I set it down, that one may smile, and smile, and be a villain.
Hamlet Act 1 Scene 5

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