A Windows zealot trashes Linux
Linux has always been a fantastic alternative to Windows for many users. But there are some people who are so attached to Windows that the very idea of Linux offends them. So it was with one woman who became outraged when a Linux user tried to help her mother with some computer problems related to Windows 10.
Ken Starks reports for FOSS Force:
“I don’t think you understand.” I said. “I’m not destroying your mom’s Windows installation. I am simply installing Linux as a boot option. That way, when she turns on her computer it will give her a choice as to which one she wants to use. It will allow her to save the important files on her Windows install and she can do whatever she likes from there.”
This did nothing to placate her daughter.
“There’s no need to put Linux on anything.” All semblance of civility was now a distant part of the equation. “Linux is a failed experiment,” she spit. “It has no business even existing in the tech world and I am fully capable of recovering any important files myself. I do not need your help.”
Again I felt that uncomfortable feeling begin to creep up my chest and into my face. I knew I was in full blush; I could feel the heat in my face and it radiated from the back of my neck. But this wasn’t the time to leave. This was a full-on, textbook case of adult child bullying. So, breaking the golden rule of not feeding the troll, as calmly as I could I asked, “I don’t understand what you believe to be broken. She can boot into Windows anytime she wants and it won’t hurt a thing. What’s the big deal about letting her have a choice in how she operates her computer?”
“Really?” she sarcastically replied. “You are going to challenge me on this? You old (removed) think you know everything and when you screw something up, you come running to your kids or grandkids, begging us to fix it. I make my living fixing other people’s computers and I write software for two major tech firms in Austin. Linux isn’t a remedy, it’s a nightmare. I have a life. I don’t have time to drive all the way to Taylor and fix my mom’s computer when she or one of you other geriatric geniuses screw it up again and again and again.”
AnandTech reviews the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge
Samsung’s Galaxy S7 and S7 edge have certainly caught the attention of many Android users. But should you buy one? AnandTech has a full review of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge that will help you make up your mind.
Joshua Ho reports for AnandTech:
Overall, the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge are solid phones, and overall are quite good. However looking at the broader path this phone has taken Samsung on, I’m left with the feeling that Samsung is just trying to follow industry trends rather than really approaching the design of their devices with some focus in mind. Samsung is clearly capable of incredible things as they were first to ship a device with UFS storage, the first to ship a 14nm FinFET SoC, and the first to ship a sensor with PDAF for each pixel.
The Galaxy S7 is clearly packed with features and ticks all the right boxes, but as soon as I start looking closer at everything I start to see cases where Samsung just doesn’t seem to care enough. Everything about the phone seems to be targeted towards being a great experience for the first week or two of ownership and while that strategy has worked well for them I’m left wondering what Samsung would be capable of if they cared about getting things right even if no one would notice the extra frame drop or 50ms of roam latency. I want Android phones that can be the best in the industry without any double standards, creative metrics, or qualifiers, and Samsung is clearly the OEM best-positioned to carry this out, so it’s frustrating to see them fall short.
The Galaxy S7 and S7 edge are still great phones, but the difference between a $400 phone and a $700 phone are these details when phones like the OnePlus 3 are providing almost the same product at a dramatically reduced price. There are clear points of differentiation between the Galaxy S7 and OnePlus 3 or Mi5 in terms of features, but I don’t think it’s enough to be worth the $300. I think the only way to really justify the difference here is if you can get the Exynos 8890 version, which isn’t necessarily an indictment of the Snapdragon 820, but rather the attention to detail that the Exynos variant receives.
Fedora 24 Workstation review
Fedora 24 has been out for a little while now and some users are wondering how well it works as a desktop distribution. A writer at LinuxConfig did a full review and found that Fedora 24 might not be the best choice for desktop users.
Nick Congleton reports for LinuxConfig:
Fedora 24 brings with it a number of technical improvements, software upgrades, and under the hood. It’s clear that the Fedora developers have been working closely with upstream sources to tightly integrate advances in everything from the kernel to GNOME, Systemd, NetworkManager, and GCC6 which have all been forged into a powerful core. However, that’s about where it ends.
So, where does Fedora 24 stand? Maybe it should go back to being called Fedora Core. The most central workings of the distribution are great. They are tightly integrated, smooth, and function very well overall. As a developer workstation, it’s excellent. There is a ton of utility built in, and has many of the server, virtualization, and cloud tools to test and deploy.
As a general purpose desktop is where Fedora 24 falls short. If only there were larger repositories and access to much of the software that desktop users take for granted, this distribution would be a real standout. The clunky nature of GNOME Software doesn’t help either, turning an excellent ease-of-use feature into a frustrating one. It all amounts to a situation that will turn away that average user really quickly.
If you’re a developer or a system administrator looking to get your hands on the latest Linux has to offer, check out Fedora 24. You won’t be disappointed. If you’re a desktop user looking for a reliable daily driver, Fedora 24 is probably not for you.
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