Garbage in, garbage out

Story: 1 week with Mint Nadia XFCETotal Replies: 6
Author Content
cmost

Dec 31, 2012
8:44 AM EDT
**Edit** Man, you guys are a tough crowd! Hey, I wrote this on a tablet and it didn't look that bad! Sorry! Is this better?

What is it with Linux newbies spending a few days with a distribution and then writing a review that to more experienced users comes off as inaccurate and amateurish, even laughable. One has to wonder if this author has ever visited the Linux Mint or Ubuntu forums or indeed if he knows how to use Google.

Linux newbies need to stop falling for the misconception that *buntus (which includes Linux Mint) are a panacea for new Linux users. Ubuntu and its many children suffer from the fact that once an Ubuntu version is released, it's forever frozen in time save for security patches. That's why the author's Chrome browser was nagging him to upgrade to a newer version.

While haveing a frozen system has advantages, it's often not enough for many Linux users who are new enough to not be comfortable with a rolling distro like Arch, Sabayon or Debian Testing but dangerous enough to want upgrades to some packages as soon as they're released. It's clear that the author didn't know that he could upgrade Chrome or indeed just his kernel without upgrading his distribution by simply adding one of several Chromium PPAs and the Ubuntu Kernel PPA, respectively to his system. Heck, the author could have upgrade XFCE itself by adding a PPA containing the latest packages, which is available for his LTS edition of Ubuntu. Hell, maybe the author didn't realize that Mint is compatible with Ubuntu.

Another mistake the author made, a mistake many *buntu users make, is thinking they can smoothly upgrade from one version to the next. Ain't ever gonna happen, sorry. Honestly, I've never had a *buntu upgrade go absolutely perfectly, especially if I had the temerity to add any third-party PPAs. A separate home partition and a fresh install is usually the status quo when it comes to *buntu based distributions. Unfortunately with *buntus, new versions fix some issues while introducing others.

My advice is to consider carefully before upgrading because it isn't all sunshine and rainbows. Also, I'd advise users to consider a rolling release if they like newer kernels, or newer versions of popular packages. My favorite such distro is Sabayon.
flufferbeer

Dec 31, 2012
1:28 PM EDT
What is it with newbie technical writers spending a few days learning how to write in correct English and then writing a SUPER-LONG, run-on, single-paragraph comment that to more experienced native writers comes off as ranting and amateurish, even laughable? One has to wonder if this author ever successfully graduated from high school or indeed if he knows how to use an old-fashioned pen and paper! Moreover newbie writers need to stop falling for the misconception that READING blogs (which includes THIS blog) are a panacea for new writers learning the craft. Poorly-written blogs and the many comments following these, suffer from the fact that once a major new blog topic is released, it's forever frozen in time save for the RARE correction or apology. While having a frozen blog has advantages, it's often not enough for many readers who are new enough to not be comfortable with rolling blogs containing too many technical terms, but dangerous enough to want to write their OWN technical blogs as soon as they've read the first. It's clear that the author didn't know that he could upgrade his English-writing skills in his blog, or indeed in just his comments alone, without upgrading his English-writing skills by simply adding a writing class taken at a local community college or at one of several online universities. Heck, the author could have EASILY better-edited the comment above. Hell, maybe the author didn't realize that acceptable English-writing skills are compatible with this technical blog and others. Another mistake the author made, a mistake many beginning writers make, is thinking they can easily write technical blogs and comments on one subject to the next without any practice, such as thru writing drafts before publicizing. Ain't ever gonna happen, sorry. My advice is to consider how to write better English, because doing so and getting our technical writing widely read isn't all sunshine and rainbows. Also I'd advise writers to consider using printed guides for better writing. My favorite such book is The Elements of Style written by William Strunk, Jr. and E. B. White.

:P

-fb
Jeff91

Dec 31, 2012
2:59 PM EDT
The occasional

Line

Break

does wonders for a large wall of text.

~Jeff
tuxchick

Dec 31, 2012
4:09 PM EDT
Brevity.
kikinovak

Jan 01, 2013
6:33 PM EDT
The soul of wit.
gus3

Jan 02, 2013
1:34 PM EDT
Yeah, I've got a lot to say about that.

Wait... what?
Steven_Rosenber

Jan 02, 2013
7:55 PM EDT
I'm Dublin down!

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!