One can get seriously irritated.

Story: The Linux Desktop: Not Dead, Just BrokenTotal Replies: 10
Author Content
Ridcully

Sep 20, 2012
9:08 PM EDT
When you read an article headed "The Linux Desktop: Not Dead, Just Broken.", you immediately think the worst and read the article expecting to find that there are serious shortcomings with the software of the various Linux DEs....and at the same time, you say to yourself: Now wait a moment, I'm using openSUSE 11.4 and KDE 4.6 and there is no way on earth that I could ever say my DE was broken - it performs superbly, and so does KDE4.8 in openSUSE 12.2.......So what is this writer playing at ?

And once again, you begin to find it's a headline designed to sucker you in with the wrong inferences. When you analyse Katherine's article, my first opinion is that it's title should really be: I can't yet run all the proprietary Win-based software I want to run on a Linux setup. Now that's a very different thing - and assuming I am correct, it is a blatant misdirection of the reader group as to the article's content and it definitely does leave me seriously irritated.

Moreover, it's misdirection in other areas as well. As regards the CLI, my guess is that a majority of Linux users rarely (if ever) resort to the CLI......certainly, the hosts of Android users running pads and smartphones probably don't (wouldn't know for sure, because I don't use either), however let's be honest about this Katherine - Windows can and does use CLI as and when necessary. What's the problem ? Is a Windows CLI pure and wholesome but a Linux CLI is unpleasant and should not be used ?

Who cares really, Katherine, if Gnome 3 is, in the opinion of many, a mess ? There are already so many other excellent alternatives such as Unity, Cinnamon etc. that it doesn't matter. And as for working straight out of the box, have you ever thought of recommending Linux Mint ??? Hmmmm ?? I'm so used to the fact that with openSUSE, the first thing I do is install VLC from its own site (which automatically gives me all the necessary codecs) that I don't look on it as a problem - it's just something you do.

As for games - Katherine, you just haven't been reading all the news about ports of really big games to Linux where it is already known that they run much faster and smoother. Steam comes to mind immediately.

In any event, find a generally used Windows based proprietary software package and you are almost certain to find an equivalent in the Linux world.....Office and LO, Photoshop and Gimp, Quicken and GNUcash and it goes on; and of course, there are always Wine and Crossover Office if you really, really have to run that bit of Win-based proprietary software. They are simplicity to install and use.......Or you can go virtual machine if you find you just HAVE to have a Windows system......your alternatives in the Linux world are nothing short of stunning.

I'm a grouch I suppose, but I really really don't like articles that try to slam Linux as a "generality" without taking note of what is happening all over with regards to software additions to the Linux application world. Apparently a large number of respondents to Proffitt's article disagreed that the Linux desktop was broken.....well, I didn't see Proffitt's article or respond to it, but consider me one of the many that agreed that the Linux DE most definitely isn't broken. Could it have more apps ? Well, yes, of course it could....and they are coming all the time. But to say the Linux desktop is broken, when what you really mean is: I want more apps for the Linux DE......Well, one can get seriously irritated.

I am now getting off my soapbox....... :-)
DrGeoffrey

Sep 20, 2012
9:22 PM EDT
Thank you, RC. You said it so well, I don't think there is anything I can add.
tracyanne

Sep 20, 2012
10:00 PM EDT
Hairy feet, and his stupid idiotic obsession with the CLI. Anyone want to guess what the first thing, a telephone help person will ask a Windows user to do to help troubleshoot over the phone... yep that's right open the cli, and type come commands, and read back what it says.

-1 Tony, I was going to ignore the Linux Insider puff piece.
Ridcully

Sep 20, 2012
10:37 PM EDT
Ummm, Tracyanne, waffor I get only get "-1" ?? Yep, I agree, it is, when you look at it, a rather silly exercise in journalism......but it made such outrageous comments that I got "seriously irritated" and felt that for the sake of some readers who might not be sorta conversant with some aspects, that the worst of them should be shot down in flames. Besides, be generous and gimme a "-5" at the very least................for effort perhaps ?
tracyanne

Sep 20, 2012
10:56 PM EDT
-4 for whinging, will that do?
Ridcully

Sep 20, 2012
11:02 PM EDT
Naaaah.......I want -7 now....effort and whinging.

On a different topic, here's something very interesting that has just turned up on our ABC:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-09-21/apple27s-home-grown-ma...

Apple decided it was just too, too infradig to use Google Maps and so........it developed its own. With rather nasty results. Oh deary me.....I'm being cynical now as well......gimme "-9"..........or I'll take me bat and ball and go home.
Scott_Ruecker

Sep 21, 2012
12:03 AM EDT
I'm with you Tony, could have not been misleading..and more research could have been done.

tracyanne

Sep 21, 2012
12:25 AM EDT
Quoting:gimme "-9"..........or I'll take me bat and ball and go home.


done. but the tin drum we use for sutmps is mine.
Ridcully

Sep 21, 2012
12:58 AM EDT
Will you KINDLY stop posting like that Tracyanne......it becomes difficult to type when you are laughing.
caitlyn

Sep 21, 2012
1:24 PM EDT
I also agree with the comments Tony made. Katherine Noyes' Linux Insider articles are generally just quotes from people she likes to quote. There is rarely much substance and, as you've pointed out, it's often titled to be click bait. I've read some of Ms. Noyes' other articles and she is a capable writer who puts out some good content. Linux Insider, OTOH, has little if any value to me.

I'm also more than a little irritated since I've always made my money from Linux consulting. People believe articles like this actually mean something and make my work all the harder.
tracyanne

Sep 21, 2012
5:57 PM EDT
@Ridcully, but while you're laughing, you're not irritated

Posting in this forum is limited to members of the group: [ForumMods, SITEADMINS, MEMBERS.]

Becoming a member of LXer is easy and free. Join Us!