Changing IP Addresses

[Marvin Bellamy]

Then, Windows serves a role that Linux should/can not serve by providing 
user-stupid interfaces that would make a Linux distro too cumbersome? 
 Taken a step further, then M$ should be lauded for bringing the desktop 
to the average schmoe?  This is something I don't agree with in the 
Linux community.  There's so much talk about the downfall of M$ to 
Linux/Open Source, but there seem to be some huge tracts of land that 
the Penguin dare not cross.  Is it or is it not a goal for the Linux 
community to make Linux an alternative to Windoze for the average 
consumer (my !L337 mom, for example)?  I stress the *average* consumer.

Brian Densmore wrote:

>>From: JD Runyan
>>
>>
>>On Mon, Feb ,  at 01:30:13PM -0600, Brian Densmore wrote:
>>
>>><warning: may contain rantings>
>>>
>>>>...
>>>>
>>GUI tools are what are required for the average user to 
>>configure their machine.
>>There are limits to what you can do effectively with these 
>>tools.
>>
>Excellent points!
>
>> I avoid 
>>mandrake, redhat, and 
>>many of the other distros for servers, because they are not 
>>good candidates.  
>>They tend to alter the default kernel, and libc 
>>configurations too much.
>>
>I had (almost) no problem with Mandrake as a web server
>It took me a while to figure out how to not install X and KDE and Gnome,
>but I did manage. Although I think a stray library or two made it in ;')
>
>>Of course creating flavors that are more user friendly makes 
>>sense.  There
>>just should be no edict that all the versions meet that 
>>qualification.  
>>
>no argument here, but it could also be different configurations in the
>same distro.
>
>>already seeing a need to merge frame-buffer graphics into the 
>>Kernel to achieve
>>the GUI speeds windows gets for games.  This is a necessary 
>>evil of sorts.
>>
>Ahh, but we can also not compile it into the kernel, or as a removable
>module.
>I'd like to see you try that with say Windoze Explorer. ;') 
>(sure you can do it, but the OS sure won't like it!)
>
>>The biggest obstacles to overcome are the following.
>>1) The desktop applications must provide the ease of use, and 
>>the totality of the
>>   functionality that MS products provide.
>>2) The psychological barrier of something different.  People 
>>like predictability,
>>   and windows is clearly that.  You know how things work, 
>>even if they don't 
>>   always work well.  I would say the same of most of the 
>>major distros of 
>>   Linux.  The oddities of Linux are no more complex than the 
>>oddities of Windows,
>>   and the difference between a mac and WinTel are not any 
>>more significant.  You 
>>   would encounter the same resistance moving a Windows user 
>>to a Mac as you 
>>   would to Linux.  Someone who tackles this must be prepared 
>>to orientate the 
>>   users to the new environment.
>>
>The truth of this is irrefutable.
>
>Brian
>
>
>