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Linux is bad juju. People have died from using it. (COMIC)

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  • ldog, on 06/08/2008, -10/+160I hear this type of thing all the time. I know it's just a comic strip, but are there Linux users that really feel that way?

    The more users there are, the more driver, applications, games, etc there are for Linux. Most Linux users I know use it because they like the OS, not because they're trying to be elitist in any way.

    • rpgmaker, on 06/08/2008, -7/+49Yea, but they're probably using Gentoo, LFS or any other 1337 distro that no one cares about.
      • stargatesteve, on 06/09/2008, -3/+11debian.
      • cutchyacokov, on 06/09/2008, -2/+22I'm using Gentoo and I would like home users to switch to anything (Linux, Mac, other BSD, etc) from windows. I feel like someone has cut off my arm every time I have to use that ***** OS. There is no reason that a desktop OS can't have all the usability features for new users, while at the same time retaining their hardcore command line and not limiting the geeky features that guys like me like. Why can't ms make a better cmd.exe? Just switch it to bash already.
      • RobotBuddha, on 06/09/2008, -7/+2The main meltdown seemed to come about around a year after ubuntu came out. And abot a year after that, the people who were into linux only for the nerdcred couldn't stand any distro and shifted to bsd. At least to some extent.
      • JonForTheWin, on 06/09/2008, -0/+7I use Gentoo Hardened as a high capacity file backup and NX server to serve GNOME desktops to over one hundred people in a production environment.

        What now BITCH
    • rudeboyskunk, on 06/08/2008, -2/+40Good point. I finally gave up on trying to use Gentoo when I realized that being able to use it, while impossible, only made me cooler in my own eyes. Therefore I went back to Ubuntu.

      But I use Linux for the same basic reasons most other people do -- stability, freedom, cost-free, memory handling and aesthetic value.
      • pHreaksYcle, on 06/09/2008, -2/+11Like I have said on a few other stories tonight, Ubuntu is becoming the new Windows, just better. It is very main-stream, seems like everyone is using it who uses Linux. (I know not everyone, but you get the point: many) I just hope the wonderful people who produce it use their power for good, unlike our overlords at MS!
      • lord2800, on 06/09/2008, -3/+15Funny, Gentoo is the simplest linux distro I've tried. I don't have a bunch of random crap all over, and I know what's installed and where it is.
        • thecheatah, on 06/09/2008, -1/+2I dont think I would know what to install if it wasnt installed already. Some of the stuff that comes installed with ubuntu might not be useful, but its usually a pretty decent choice. Last time I was looking to burn a video to dvd I had a million programs in the repository. I tried a few, but only one worked.
        • VinceNoir, on 06/09/2008, -4/+29I love Gentoo. It's my distribution of choice. But I can also see why a lot of people would be turned off by it. Here's a few points.

          Gentoo vs. Redhat based distros (RHEL, Centos, Fedora):

          In both Gentoo and the Redhat based distros you can install nearly any software you want from the native package manager.

          In the Redhat distros it's usually a 'yum search [package name]' and if it shows up, then 'yum install [package name]' after which precompiled binaries for the distro are installed and "just work". If you really know your stuff and you go back a bit, you might be more familiar with the raw usage of the 'rpm' command. That might mean you can access even more software that isn't in the yum repositories. But there are damn few things that aren't in yum these days.

          In Gentoo, it's slightly similar, but both harder and better with the Portage package manager. You type 'emerge --search [package name]'. If it's found then you type 'emerge -av [package name] so that it will show you all the USE flags (which control compilation options which affect functionality and/or performance) and ask you if you want to install the package or cancel. If you don't like some of the USE flags (ie. built against QT/KDE libs when you're building an all GNOME box) you can manually pass the USE flags you want to accept or suppress. Conversely, you can also permanently set USE flags on that system by editing /etc/portage/package.use and customize the USE flags. In general this controls the ./configure portion of a standard compile from source tarball only you don't have to manually do it. Portage takes care of it for you. Portage also handles dependencies, so that if you don't have everything needed, it will build those things first. So the 'emerge -av [package name]' allows you to pick and chose which of those dependencies will also be built.

          Now you'll notice that my write up of how you do it on Redhat based distros is a bit shorter than my writeup on Gentoo. This is because there are a lot more steps involved in using Gentoo. If you're too busy, too lazy or just plain have little patience for spending a little extra time on learning the system, Gentoo is bad match. Ubuntu might be a good match for you. However there's something else that led me to choose Gentoo over others... Community.

          I have accounts on the Fedora, CentOS, Gentoo and Ubuntu forums. What I've discovered myself is that the Ubuntu forums are useless for all but the most basic questions. Mainly it's a case of the partially blind leading the completely blind. This is no insult to Ubuntu users BTW. It's merely the state of things. When you don't know enough about a subject but have been led to believe that you've mastered it, you can provide a lot of misinformation. That's a lot of what I see on the Ubuntu forums. Many well meaning people providing information that is just plain wrong. For simple questions the Ubuntu community is OK. But once you get into kernel compilation (which really is something that everyone should do at least five times before they claim to "use Linux") there are more blind people than sighted ones. Again, this is not an insult. It's simply stating things in plain language.

          My experience on the Fedora and CentOS forums have led me to believe that the people there are more knowledgeable than the average Ubuntu-ite. But, again, you go beyond intermediate stuff and NO ONE ANSWERS. I had a situation where I was trying to configure multipath RAID/LVM on a server backed by an enterprise SAN. NO ONE ANSWERED. In fact it's likely that no one has answered yet, but I posted the question last Fall. I wound up finding out the right way to do it myself. Comping from HP-UX I expected things to be similar on Linux with LVM. However, it turns out that Linux's SCSI subsystem for the fiber channel side of things was much better suited for multipath failover. So I wound up using a completely different approach vs. HP-UX. As is usual on many forums, I wound up answering my own question and still got no responses.

          My experience with Gentoo has been different though. The forums are much more helpful (although there can be some in-fighting) in terms of more advanced use. Not in every case, but still much more than either the Redhat based distros or Ubuntu. But the REALLY cool thing about Gentoo is that if you really "get it", it will FORCE you to get under the hood on a regular basis. The knowledge you gain from that translates to other distros. And if you're good at extrapolating the differences between the distros, the Gentoo forum can help you solve a lot of problems that the other forums can't.

          Finally, the oft argued about concept of optimized code for you CPU. There is a group of people who don't know any better and assume that Gentoo user are like ricers: They believe that Gentoo users optimize their code for no use at all. We'll leave those idiots to their funrollloops page... The truth is that if you make a few well placed optimizations, your system will outperform the other distros in terms of boot time (not that important, but nice in a pinch), application load time (yes it matters you idiots), and performance with things like multimedia, storage, threading and multitasking. The fact that I can use hardware that is over 10 years old with current versions of applications proves that Gentoo can beat other distros hands down. No sluggishness, few limits in terms of what you can do. I have a dual P II 333Mhz system with 768 megs of RAM. I've had it since 1997. It still provides P4-like performance for many applications using Gentoo vs. a Redhat based distro on a real P4.

          In the long run, the distro doesn't matter as much as long as you're getting what you need out of the distro. I used Redhat until RH9. Then I moved to Fedora but really couldn't deal with all the locked in requirements when I wanted apps that weren't available natively. This affected my ability to do professional multimedia production. The performance wasn't that great and only marginally better with my own hand compiled software with custom optimizations. Then someone clued me in on Gentoo. I haven't looked back since. Still... Gentoo is not without it's warts. Portage world updates can be a bitch if you don't keep up with them weekly. The breakage that can result from newer libs that have gone into production can created a myriad of nightmares. Still, for me, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Just try a few distros and find the right one for you. Don't pick one because it will make you cool. Ideally pick one because it will teach you new things you don't already know. More practically, pick one because it allows you to get work done with minimal interference.
        • GliTCH82, on 06/09/2008, -3/+4Don't be emo.
        • kewlito, on 06/09/2008, -1/+12Why you should compile the kernel to say that you "use Linux" ?
        • SpeedSteamBoat, on 06/09/2008, -3/+9@VinceNoir: Gentoo is what turned me off of Linux initially. USE flag clutter I simply didn't have the time to fully come to understand, and lock-ups during install swallowed a week of my time until I finally just gave up (this was probably sometime in 2005). In this day and age, there is really very little reason to be compiling everything from source all the time. For the average user, doing so creates not only many more steps and commands to remember, but equally many more chances to make a mistake. Most people don't care about USE flags, and you know what? They really shouldn't have to when all they want to do is setup a system to check their e-mail, surf the web, and perhaps watch the occasional movie. So, no, I shouldn't have to compile my kernel five times to say I use Linux. I "use" Linux everyday and have never had to compile my own kernel, because this isn't 2004. If you want to compile stuff all the time and set USE flags knock your socks off, but don't tell me I'm not a "real" Linux user just because I value my time doing things other than hunting down dependencies and memorizing flags all so I can have I can have an "optimized" experience only detectable by the computer itself.

          I'm not bashing Gentoo. It has it's place with people who enjoy tinkering with their OS so much they feel it should be SOP. It's just that 99% of computer users want to USE their computers, not work on them. After all, I don't own a car because I'm so interested in the valve timing and cylinder compression. I just want a means of getting around town that isn't so dependant on leg power. I feel similarly about my computer, and their isn't anything wrong with that. I'll call myself a Linux user because I use Linux, and if someone ever comes to me complaining they wish they could compile things by hand more often I'll send them directly to Gentoo. Everyone else is getting directed straight to Ubuntu or Fedora.
        • theaceoffire, on 06/09/2008, -1/+6@ VinceNoirVinceNoir
          quote:"kernel compilation (which really is something that everyone should do at least five times before they claim to "use Linux") "

          Just like Windows users don't have to reinstall it 5 times to "use Linux", there is *no* reason to be required to fiddle with a kernel to "use Linux".

          Master it, maybe, but you are slipping into the "holier than thou" mode by claiming that the only way to use the OS is to recompile or reconfigure things.
        • weizbox, on 06/09/2008, -1/+3@SpeedSteamBoat
          'For the average user, doing so creates not only many more steps and commands to remember...'

          While using portage, the package manager, it's just as easy to compile from source than it is to install a binary.
          emerge mozilla-firefox (compiled from source)
          emerge mozilla-firefox-bin (using binary)

          No more additional commands to remember, both single steps. Is this any more complicated than using yum or apt? Maybe if you want some more customization, it can be more complicated if you'd like, but thats the good thing about it.. it allows you to advance further if you wish to, but you can also keep things pretty simple if you like.

          Why did you initially start using Linux with Gentoo if you weren't very technical? Gentoo isn't supposed to be a quick out-of-the-box distro. The main goals are about the tools and flexibility, and not about having everything done for you by default.
        • VinceNoir, on 06/10/2008, -1/+1@SpeedSteamBoat @theaceoffire

          I think that you both missed what I was saying and latched onto my one ill worded passage. What I was saying in general was that there is no such thing as the "ultimate distro" that satisfies everyone. Hence my recommendations of Ubuntu for basic users, Redhat based distros for those who are intermediate, and Gentoo for people who really want to know how their computer works (I won't call it advanced because I'm not anywhere near being an advanced computer user).

          My comment about compiling kernels left a little out. What I meant to say is that if you want to say that you use Linux AND understand it well (which you can't do in application space) then you need to know how to compile a kernel. My reason for saying this is that there is so much in the kernel that people mistakenly assume should be in user space. That is a misconception that comes from the Windows world. In Linux, (if you're really going to know it inside and out just like any power user on Windows pokes at the registry) you can only really get more out of the OS by compiling your own kernel. For me, that meant getting my PVR-250 video capture card to work when the support wasn't part of the stock kernel yet (ivtv drivers weren't in the Linux kernel in 2004) which meant no distro "supported" it. This is where some people give up and say, "Linux sucks, it doesn't support any of my hardware"! Which in this case was obviously untrue.

          The other point about compiling kernels (or using Linux in general) is that you really need to change your way of looking at your computer. This is VERY important. That is where I think Ubuntu fails. It tries very hard to accommodate incorrect assumptions of Windows users for the most part. I think that's bad because while it might bring more users over, they are still held at the mercy of the Ubuntu foundation. If the foundation decides not to support some kind of functionality, that user will be needlessly frustrated. However, if the user if FORCED to change the way they do things and the way they look at things, that user will then be able to get EVERYTHING they need out of Linux distros.

          Like I said... I'm not a coder. The only thing I can really work with is Bash scripts. I suck at Perl, Regex, all things web, etc... I barely know the basics of C but have never once been able to sit down and write an app of my own. So I'm actually a pretty typical computer user. But, what Gentoo has forced me into learning has branched out into all sorts of things for me. Things that benefit me greatly. The most important being the HUGE amount of money I've saved on software which has all been thrown at hardware. On my meager budget, it's enabled me to set up a home network with a home made iSCSI SAN hosting 2.4 TB, virtual machines on Xen with the ability to live migrate machines meaning no downtime, video editing workstation cluster using Cinelerra, music and audio production/composition workstation (with soft synths, effects, samplers, etc...), custom designed PVR using Bash and Zenity for GUI interaction, network security and routing, virtual private network (to enable a darknet), internal and external DNS services, mail services, web presence, etc... All of this would have cost me a fortune in software licences over the years. Instead it's mostly gone to storage, some RAM and a few more powerful CPUs to host the VMs. But I'm just an average Joe with no programming skill whatsoever. That's what Windows or Windows-like OSes prevent. Had Ubuntu been around back in 1997 when I started with Linux, I probably would have gone no further than I had with Windows. A lot of people thought I was a Windows "god", but the most I ever did there was play with the registry and memorize the best registry hacks. I also did some BAT and CMD work, but pretty lame compared to my Bash work.

          So I don't have anything against these other distros, but what I am saying is that they can prevent someone who is capable from actually growing. Knowing the OS well means knowing more than just using applications. Using applications is someone nearly anyone can do.
      • pearlygate, on 06/09/2008, -3/+8I can understand cost free, freedom, memory handling and such but aesthetic value?
        • ryodoan, on 06/09/2008, -2/+16If I am going to spend hours looking at the screen I want it to look nice. Seriously. If aesthetics mean nothing to then I guess it might not be a valid arguement. If you own a house, you generally want it to look nice, you want a nice looking car, so why not a nice looking operating system?
        • ozid, on 06/09/2008, -3/+4I think he meant linux has no aesthetic value, in his eyes. I tend to agree, but to each his own.
        • VinceNoir, on 06/09/2008, -6/+8Well if you haven't actually really used Compiz-Fusion (not plain old Compiz), or Enlightenment, then you haven't experienced what a computer SHOULD be. After having lived with Beryl and now Compiz-Fusion, for a year, I have to say that whenever I'm saddled with going back to a Windows box (even Vista with Aero Glass), I feel like I'm stuck on a machine that comes from a ten to fifteen year outdated mindset. I feel so hampered in terms of having an easy to use workspace when I'm stuck with WDM.EXE.

          The only thing that beats Linux in the aesthetic arena is Mac OS X. But then you lose out on the saving money part.
        • nurriz, on 06/09/2008, -1/+6@VinceNoir

          I actually prefer booting into my ubuntu installation, than powering up my MacBook when it comes to looks. The organic feel of Compiz-Fusion surpasses all other OS experiences in that department, in my opinion.
        • mossblaser, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1@VinceNoir
          I think that MacOS and Linux go for two different techniques for making things aesthetically pleasing and it is entirely a matter of taste as to which is "better". If it is which is more functional the way most linux systems go is probably the winner but in terms of cleanness and simplicity (rather than showing off just how much you can do) mac os probably is closer to the mark. Either way to each his own!

          @Nurriz
          I actually removed mac os in favour of linux on my macbook entrely for the functionallity - mac os is nice but it does have its limitations in terms of what can be effciently be done (not that it can't be done but beyond a certain point linux works better).
        • ozid, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1I've used Compiz Fusion. It's great and all, but theres no anti-aliasing, i've mentioned before the way linux renders fonts bothers me (trivial, i know)...

          it's just not for me. Compiz Fusion is a great step in the right direction, they need to remove some of the gimmicky stuff, or at least separate it. It just isn't polished enough. Windows and OS X are both complete looking, but Linux always seems like a work-in-progress.

          I have Ubuntu on my laptop and use it quite often, but I'd rather sit at my desktop and use OS X.

          I can't wait to see what 8.10 is all about, I hope its more refined LOOKING.
        • VinceNoir, on 06/10/2008, -0/+1Odd... I have anti-aliasing enabled in Xorg and that translates to Compiz-Fusion since Xorg is responsible for font rendering, not Compiz-Fusion. As far as "polished" I think that's a matter of personal taste. Vista's Aero Glass lacks a lot of useful functionality for me as does Mac OS X (which still LOOKS better than Aero Glass).

          I would say that person taste is also partially a function of how well you know your desktop environment and applications. When I first came over to Linux in 1997, I didn't really know much. I saw virtual desktops and found them to be confusing and useless. Pinned windows seemed kind of stupid to me too. But as my needs grew, these features became invaluable and are sorely missed when I'm forced to work on Windows. Today, I feel crippled when I'm on Windows. The only thing I can think is, "how do people use this crap and NOT go insane"? Then I remember... you can't miss what you're unaware of. I would say it took me about three or four years of solid use to appreciate the way that GNOME or KDE or Enlightenment does things. With Compiz-Fusion, it took me about six months! It's far more than just "looking cool", there's an increase in productivity that is enabled as long as you know how to use the extra features.

          Again... no insult meant by the comment. I'm only pointing out that while I hold the opinion that Compiz-Fusion looks great (all the Windows dweebs at work drool when they see my screen and even the head admin admits that Linux has beaten MS in the GUI game. And he's HARDCORE Windows.) it's not the only way of looking at things. Just as your opinion that Compiz-Fusion is unpolished isn't the only way of looking at things either.
      • Purin, on 06/09/2008, -3/+8I use Gentoo because it's rock solid (I had a lot of stability issues with Ubuntu and most of the other common distros) and because I like the package management a lot more.

        Ubuntu is a good distro for people who don't really want to do anything to their system, though.
      • weizbox, on 06/09/2008, -4/+7If your using an OS to be cool, I think you need to rethink what your doing.

        I use Gentoo, but not because it's 1337, but because it does what I want. I like to tweak, tinker, optimize and learn. I like playing around with my OS... I always did with Windows when I used it, it's just easier and more extensive with Linux... and I like being able to use the flexibility of compiling from source to get what I want, without anything I don't. Gentoo is also quite usable ;)

        You have great reasons for Ubuntu tho, that def seems like the distro for you. I'm just glad we all have as many options as we do :)
        • apophenic, on 06/09/2008, -0/+5"If your using an OS to be cool, I think you need to rethink what your doing."

          You have a Gentoo user icon. You definitely think of it as a status thing.
        • weizbox, on 06/09/2008, -2/+2'You have a Gentoo user icon. You definitely think of it as a status thing.'

          Whats wrong with liking a distro? I suppose it is a 'status' thing, as far as my status with Linux distros on my personal desktop is Gentoo, but thats about as far as it goes.

          Whats the 'status' message of your icon?
        • apophenic, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1Russian ska bands produce aesthetically pleasing album covers.
    • iMike360, on 06/09/2008, -10/+5I feel the same way, I like using something that doesn't appear to be on everyone else's desk. I really don't want the market share for the Mac to rise over 15%. I don't know, does that make me an elitist? If the market share for the Mac rises over 50% then I would definitely give linux a long look.
      • jasmus, on 06/09/2008, -2/+9I don't think that's elitist. I think it's pretty dumb, but not elitist. I use a mac because it's easier / better / quicker for ME to get stuff done on it, and if half the world started using macs, I would still be using it.
      • Audacitor, on 06/09/2008, -2/+4It doesn't make you elitist, I suppose. It just means you don't want to do what everyone else is doing. I think, given Apple's incredible clout, and the success of the Mac/PC ad campaign so far that it doesn't matter so much the market share of the OS. Apple makes it look like there's way more Macs out there than there really are.

        And let's face it, you can't pass a single café or library or office building in this country without seeing a Macbook.

        In fact, I would say the Macbook is becoming the Ambercrombie and Fitch of the laptop market. Not something I'd like to see.
        • wolfboyZ, on 06/09/2008, -0/+4You only notice the macs cause it's easy to spot in that ocean of black laptops.
      • SpeedSteamBoat, on 06/09/2008, -1/+3It's called hipster logic, and it's the definition of irony.
      • jcsoc, on 06/09/2008, -1/+5The moment apples market share gets past irrelevant is the moment it has all the problems windows has
    • wrestlingnrj, on 06/09/2008, -4/+37I thought the elitist persona was reserved for mac users.
    • Visual77, on 06/09/2008, -2/+13I use Linux because I'm a web developer, and setting up a local Linux (Ubuntu 8.04 / KDE 4 for me), Apache, MySQL, PHP environment is incredibly useful, and I like the flexibility of running it on Linux as opposed to running WAMP or XAMPP. At work, all developers run Linux so we each have our own working copy that we pull from a CVS repository, make our changes locally, commit to the repository and then update the sites periodically. I also love using Linux because I've not found a better PHP editor than Quanta.

      In short, I use Linux because it suits my computer needs better than Mac or Windows.
      • clockdist, on 06/09/2008, -2/+1But the point is Linux on the desktop. You're talking about application servers (except for the IDE).
        • Visual77, on 06/09/2008, -0/+7I use Linux purely as a desktop in the environments I'm talking about. Both at home and at work I use Linux with KDE to surf the web, use IM applications, and work in the IDE.

          Just because I have Apache, MySQL and PHP installed doesn't change it from being a desktop, otherwise every computer that downloaded and installed WAMP 2.0 or XAMPP is no longer considered a desktop.
        • mossblaser, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1OK, in which case I am in a similar case (but have a dedicated server for my web server testing stuff). In terms of applications you've got KATE - simply *the* pinacle of editing, Quanta+ - what dreamweaver claims to be to WYSIWYG Quanta+ *IS* to propper web coding (it even uses Kate for the editor component). For database admin you have the standard MySQL tools (i.e. MySQL Admin, MySQL Query Browser, MySQL CLI etc.) and some other really nice custom database tools, you've got grep (if you're a fan) or KFileReplace, you've got a lot of subversion and other VCS stuff heavily interegrated everywhere (though mainly in KDE applications) and the widest selection of different browsers of any OS I know of (Yes, IE works on linux). So from the development point of view linux is "the *****". For "everyday" home user type stuff it is but that was outside the point you're making.
      • BassJunkie, on 06/09/2008, -0/+3I think I'll have to agree with Visual77 here, I get asked on a regular basis as to why I use Linux at home and not windows. When I point out all the reasons they just don't seem to understand. At the end of the day I don't play games on my PC or laptop - I have a Wii and PS2 for that, but hardly get to use them at the moment!

        I'm forever obtaining old computer hardware from just about anywhere I can get it from so the computers in my house are nearly always in a being upgraded or whole new system's added so it works out a heck of a lot cheaper to (legally) get an OS on each of them using Ubuntu, and as they are mostly older hardware the low requirements make them still usable!
    • tian2992, on 06/09/2008, -2/+12I had met some people like that, I hate them!,
      They complained about the "linux noobs" and refused to help me on my early linux days, (5 years ago…). Now I beat them in almost any Computer related field, and never refuse help to anyone.
      • subliminalurge, on 06/09/2008, -0/+3"never refuse help to anyone"

        The day will come, my friend. :-)

        Just wait until about the 15th time that you get an 11:00 PM phone call from some idiot who's having trouble opening up a .wmv attachment, and he needs to see it *right now* because the subject line sounded "really funny".

        Sure, there are still a few people that I'll help out from time to time, but these days I value my free time too much, and just refer most people on down to Geek Squad.
        • tian2992, on 06/11/2008, -0/+1Sorry I went overboard ;)


          Yes, I meant never refuse help to a Linux User, who needs help on a reasonable occasion and time ;)
    • buu700, on 08/26/2008, -6/+6(Comment abuse) Mirror: http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/5995/uf011608ey ...
    • blipblopblip, on 06/09/2008, -1/+9That's when it's time to switch to FreeBSD
    • malademental, on 06/09/2008, -7/+2True linux users are under debian!!!
    • robz0rz, on 06/09/2008, -2/+2I hope not too many peiople start using Linux actually. It's nice how it is now, not for the nerdcred, but for the userbase that knows what it means to "open up a terminal". I use Ubuntu myself, I find it the easiest and friendliest distro out of the ones I've tried lately.

      Also, main reason not to switch back to windows is just the increased productivity on Ubuntu. My soon-to-be-bought laptop will also be running Ubuntu, probably without Windows on a dual-boot even.
    • realnowhereman, on 06/09/2008, -2/+8I've seen people BAWWW'ing about ubuntu getting (ridicule) market[1] instead of their favorite distribution; I mean, what the hell? Didn't you want Leenooks on teh desktop? Now why on Earth are you still whining? Jerks.

      [1] I use Ubuntu too, so don't start digging me down, I'm just facing the reality
    • dremspider, on 06/09/2008, -2/+3From my perspective, I would say Linux is still a lot less fun then it was at one time, but I think it has more to do with my job then anything. Linux was on the fringe and that was cool. Now my job is to stare behind console windows all day long and fix/set up Linux boxes. I still used Linux, but it has lost a lot of it's coolness factor. Now people who work with Linux are getting paid, quite nicely in most cases but there is still something missing. I still would say I prefer Linux over the alternatives though.
    • DangerCollie, on 06/09/2008, -2/+9Yes, Linux users are really like that and I'm one of them. A few of you here may remember the early days of the internet, when thousands of AOL users first came flooding in with their caps lock on and no manners. O-M-G. You can't imagine the horror for those of us there since the days it was still a military project. I feel the same way about Linux. It's a haven from malware and plagues that infect Windows. The more it gets dumbed down to the level of the average user, the more likely we'll see it turn into a techno-circus.

      Some days I'm tempted to dust off the old BBS and go back to the days of early am dial-a-thons.

      And stay off my lawn.

      Punks. ;)
      • subliminalurge, on 06/09/2008, -0/+4I hear ya. I wasn't on the 'net when it was a military project, but I was on quite a few years before anything called a "World Wide Web" ever existed. That's long enough ago to have also witnessed the near death of usenet at the hands of the AOLers. While certain groups have regained usefulness as a communication channel, it's just never been the same since AOL.

        I remember being excited when the first ISP opened up in town, and how for a good long time all you could get was a shell account. It was a big deal the day they started doing PPP. My first experience with Linux (a few years later) began by having to download 96 floppy disk images over the course of 4 days. Now you can get a whole DVD in a few hours.

        I'm torn, actually. I love technology, and it's been great fun watching the 'net improve both in functionality and ease of use. On the other hand, though, the S/N ratio has absolutely gone crashing through the floor.

        Sometimes I long for the old days where you could find an online discussion and not have most of it consist of teenagers littering it with "that's what she said", and lolcat references.

        And, yeah, all you kids need to stay off my lawn too! Don't make me turn the hose on ya!

        (Come to think of it, I also miss the days when you could chase kids off your lawn using a shotgun loaded with rock salt.)
    • Papajohn56, on 06/09/2008, -1/+4Do some people think this way? More like all of Digg and their ubuntu obsession
  • danomagnum, on 06/08/2008, -5/+19There are a lot of things like that, but I just don't see linux as being one.
  • WallnutBoy, on 06/08/2008, -12/+101Ubuntu killed my dog. =(
    • ryan83189, on 06/09/2008, -2/+34and it took my daughter on a sleazy date!
      • rootneg2, on 06/09/2008, -1/+23not to mention it never returned that weed-whacker it borrowed...
      • Rawker, on 06/09/2008, -4/+1her name isn't SUSE is it?
    • pHreaksYcle, on 06/09/2008, -12/+4It killed your dog because I remotely connected through the port you left open and shot it with your RC laser beam. Yum, lunch.
      • zwaldowski, on 06/09/2008, -0/+12Ah, so that's why HP stopped installing front-facing IR ports.
      • pHreaksYcle, on 06/09/2008, -0/+8Sorry you didn't like it. I knew it would be really bad or really good.
        • gfxlonghorn, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1or just ok.
        • 1timeuser, on 06/09/2008, -0/+3It both frightened and confused me. I unplugged the IR blaster on my myth tv box and locked my dog in the bomb shelter.
    • ECas123, on 06/09/2008, -0/+8Don't even get me started on what Knoppix did to my brother. He still has troubles sitting down.
    • narehart, on 06/09/2008, -6/+0Ubuntu started cancer.
    • wTheOnew, on 06/09/2008, -2/+6and raped my mom... ;_;
      • bot001220, on 06/09/2008, -0/+2No... that was me, actually. But I *was* wearing a Windows 95 t-shirt while I was doing it.
      • keegangrayson, on 06/09/2008, -0/+3dugg for the covert family guy reference
  • rudeboyskunk, on 06/08/2008, -14/+91One friend tried telling me the reason I use Linux is because I like to "support the underdog." When I pointed out all the REAL reasons I use it, he had nothing to say (read: stability, memory handling, games actually run faster under wine than they do in Windows 98/XP/Vista, it's ***** free of cost and you don't have to pirate it).
    • FXPooky, on 06/09/2008, -4/+37Don't undermine the reasons people use Windows or OS X, however. Linux is awesome and if it works for you, great. I prefer the sheer simplicity and harmony between hardware and software that Apple offers me. I don't get what's with the whole crusading.
      • zwaldowski, on 06/09/2008, -12/+11No offense, but you (an Apple user) just accused Linux users of being crusaders...
      • FXPooky, on 06/09/2008, -0/+7Heh. Touché. Though luckily for everyone, I'm not one of *those* Apple users. I just like it. If Windows 7 was amazing for my needs I'd switch. Same for Linux.

        OS X is just so perdy. :)
        • clockdist, on 06/09/2008, -2/+5I'm an OSX fan, too, but you gotta admit, Beryl UI on Linux is pretty damn good looking and cool.
        • ruddy, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1Touché
        • defectDS, on 06/09/2008, -1/+9clockdist:

          http://timshundo.com/dpud/uploads/ubuntu.jpg
        • theaceoffire, on 06/09/2008, -1/+2I am not sure I would switch to Windows 7.

          Every windows OS I had to find things (3rd party programs) to make my computer act the way I wanted (Make windows stay on top, multiple desktops, etc).

          Not to mention that a Lot of the OS is built to take power away from the User (even Admin) to keep it secure for average users.
        • clockdist, on 06/11/2008, -0/+1defectDS: that is too funny.
      • Audacitor, on 06/09/2008, -1/+9Windows geeks usually argue that you can't customize Macs, and as far as hardware goes, they're right. You can get plenty of ram, and a bigger hard drive, but you can't upgrade your cpu or your graphics card either, mainly because so few of those work with OS X, and fit into the casing as well.

        So I concede that part; a Mac isn't for gamers, or casemodders, or anyone else who likes to physically play with their Mac (*snicker*). But when it comes to software, Mac OS is putty in your hands, just screaming "make me do cool things," and the 3rd party software library is killer.
    • CSharpSauce, on 06/09/2008, -5/+30I'll stick to Windows... i'm a developer, and .net has made my life SOOOO much easier. I'll admit back in the day of messing with MFC/COM/ATL with C++ i might have preferred linux too... but you just can't deny the simplicity of .net

      now burry me geeks.. for i have spoken positively of windows
      • bieber, on 06/09/2008, -6/+10You realize that you can still develop in .NET with Mono on GNU/Linux, right? Enjoy all the advantages of the OS, and still use your development language (I believe Mono even supports Windows forms, too, so you should be able to straight-up cross-compile) of choice.
        • HeavyWave, on 06/09/2008, -1/+6Where's Visual Studio for Linux? Show me please.
          Besides Mono is not an appropriate enterprise solution.
        • CSharpSauce, on 06/09/2008, -0/+2Sorry... mono.net is still kind of a joke. I'm sure it'll be there some day, but right now its just not the same
        • wiggles, on 06/09/2008, -1/+2It may not be Visual Studio, but I adored kdevelop when I was in College...
      • mossblaser, on 06/09/2008, -1/+2I bury you not for speaking positivly of windows but for being so uninformed about the world outside .net these days. .net is to programming what windows is to computers. Restricting but "everyone uses it so it must be good"...
      • joebaloney, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1What's wrong with MFC? Makes me wonder if you are really a Windows C++ developer.
        • CSharpSauce, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1sorry it was more a jab at COM then MFC... i just kind of grouped them
    • Murdats, on 06/09/2008, -6/+8wow, those are all the reasons I use vista (free under the msdnaa)

      however you cant tell me games run faster under wine then in windows, unless your windows machine sucks and you linux machine is awesome
      • Abatrour, on 06/09/2008, -1/+4Not completely. Games which Wine supports, run faster in linux than windows xp for me. Thats only because Gateway hasn't bothered to update any drivers (video card) for my notebook since it came out (2006)...
        The linux drivers are much newer and faster than their windows counterparts in my situation.
      • skywake, on 06/09/2008, -2/+8games are quite possibly the only reason anyone would still use windows.
      • SpeedSteamBoat, on 06/09/2008, -0/+6SOME games definitely run faster for me in Wine than in Windows XP.

        Some examples: Counter-Strike 1.6, Source games (HL2, Portal, CS:S)

        Some also ran about the same (Dawn of War, WoW), and others ran terrible (Civ4)

        It really depends on the games you're playing, but it's undeniable that certain games run faster in Wine than in Windows. That's possible because Wine isn't an emulator.
      • theaceoffire, on 06/09/2008, -3/+1My school only offered the "Buisness version" of Vista cause they wanted us to buy ultimate.

        EVERY OTHER OS they gave us free, but Vista Premium they wanted us to pay for.

        So no, never got to try it.
        • daza, on 06/10/2008, -0/+1Probably because they can get site licenses on Vista Business but not on VHP. It really isn't a conspiracy against you.
      • innovati, on 06/09/2008, -1/+2I don't know if you've ever heard of the open-source game Nexuiz or not, but while we were developping it, I had a very low-end machine.

        On the absolute LOWEST settings in windowsxp, I could manage to get it to pump out 12 frames a second, which is that borderline between playable and slideshow, but just good enough that you try and fail.

        I tried it under linux (with the native linux version) and I also ran the windows version through WINE and I clocked upwards of 40 frames per second. 30 is the lowest you'd want to be smooth.

        You may not notice the difference between windows a linux on high-end machines, but when it comes down to not working on one and working well on another, you really see the difference. Linux on that old machine allowed me to help develop, where windows wouldn't have let me run the game.

        Part of the reason linux is beter for games is this: when you run windows, Explorer is sucking down at least 35MB of ram, even when you're not using it. In linux you don't need to log into a full desktop environment in order to launch a fullscreen game, so if you've only got 256mb of SDRAM like I did, saving that extra 35mb when I didn't need to use it SAVES you.

        It's more the power of choice, running only that which you choose to, and having he power to not run what you don't need that helps make linux versatile and great for older hardware.
        • mossblaser, on 06/09/2008, -0/+2You're on/were on the nexuiz dev team? May I congratulate you for making possibly *the* best looking open source game I've ever played (not to mention extremely fun at times, especially lan parties).
      • stix213, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1I wouldn't call getting software from msdnaa free like Linux is, unless you just ignore software licenses. The license stipulates you can only use the software for non-commercial research purposes only.

        But since you are a Windows user, I'm sure you pirate software all the time and don't even see a difference between getting something for free by pirating and what actual free software is.

    • thecheatah, on 06/09/2008, -8/+12"games actually run faster under wine than they do in Windows 98/XP/Vista"
      I am sorry, as much as I like linux, that is a lie.
      • ZachSka87, on 06/09/2008, -0/+14Sometimes it's true, sometimes it's not. There ARE some games that run better under Wine...but not all.
      • Abatrour, on 06/09/2008, -1/+7Not completely. Games which Wine supports, run faster in linux than windows xp for me. Thats only because Gateway hasn't bothered to update any drivers (video card) for my notebook since it came out (2006)...
        The linux drivers are much newer and faster than their windows counterparts in my situation.
      • Kalessian, on 06/09/2008, -0/+6It can be true sometimes...

        check out: http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item ...
        and: http://wiki.winehq.org/BenchMark-0.9.5

        But most of the time WXP is faster. A lot of the times wine can be faster because it's skipping a lot of the stuff windows would do in games, though, so it's actually faster at less quality. OTOH, some older games with 16-bit code won't run in WXP without some patching/emulation, so wine is much better for those older games.

        Wine vs Vista is another story.
      • robz0rz, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1Same experience here. Also, the fact many games won't run at all has made me step away from Wine for now. I'll be doing some tests with VMware Player soon, see if that runs well.
    • HeavyWave, on 06/09/2008, -5/+4Can I run Crysis in wine?
      I use Windows for the same reasons (read: stability, memory handling, games actually run).
      In past 5 years I never had to reinstall Windows, nor I had to use anti-virus software. And Windows firewall is more than enough.

      People who write that Windows is unstable and CPU costing have never actually seen modern Windows. Try installing Windows 2003 Server and set everything for the best performance (or better 2008 Server, even faster). Latest Ubuntu releases are much slower.
      • theaceoffire, on 06/09/2008, -0/+5Dude, I can't run Crysis in Windows.

        It's a stupid test.
    • mGARANDEUR1, on 06/09/2008, -1/+1Ok, but suppose you didn't care about pirating it...or it already came on your computer.
  • Awspire, on 06/09/2008, -61/+13Linux is a pathetic desktop environment. Wine is an absolute joke, which I've tried extensively only to see my system lock or so called supported apps crash in minutes after opening. Your nuts to use Wine in a environment where productivity and stability are required, and those who recommend it as a way of using windows apps are ***** morons.

    When I picture a Linux zealot, I think of them hand cranking a cars starter, and if asked, "why not get an electric starter", their reply would be, "oh, cause this is soooo much more fun".

    I would recommend a Linux desktop all day long, if it simply didn't suck beyond belief. Linux, in my experience (and I have have ubuntu 8.04 currently on my system, not vm'd, its own partition) is slow, is far from crash proof, crippled driver support if any support is available, antiquated repository apps, and the worst multimedia environment since 1990. The only thing I like is Compbiz Fusion, which is ***** fantastic. Other than that, I'd only recommend Linux to those who have huge amounts of time to spare or if you just need a PC to web browse and check e-mail.
    • HCviolence, on 06/09/2008, -1/+79You're right!!! Linux is a terrible game.
    • sk11, on 06/09/2008, -2/+21What you're describing is like someone trying on a single pair of shoes and deciding that all shoes suck because the one pair you tried didn't fit.

      Linux is not a desktop environment. The two most popular environments (there are many others) are kde and gnome. Ubuntu uses gnome, try a kde distro instead. Use live cds to try them out before you install, find one that fits right. Besides you can customise nearly everything, Linux can be made to look like vista or mac osx if that's what you like.

      There are plenty of games and apps that work in wine. It's not perfect obviously, but many people run stuff on it, like photoshop, gta san andreas, half life 2, WOW, etc.

      I've had good driver support in Linux, in fact my Nvidia graphics card isn't even supported in windows any more, whilst Linux does a good job of it automatically. My computer has been on for 24 days straight, no slow down, crashes or reboots. Windows never managed anything near that.
      • pHreaksYcle, on 06/09/2008, -1/+2I don't know why you are bothering to reply. This is most likely a comment from "one of those people" that get paid to bash non-popular stuff in forums and such. It does exist, just look at NewEgg. Ever wonder why some people have such bad (and LONG) reviews? It's because that is part of their job. Don't feed the trolls, just digg them down and let them rest in peace, where no one can see their ***** comment.
        • specialK16, on 06/09/2008, -0/+6You can actually get paid from that? *****, what the hell am I doing with my life.
        • ZeRux, on 06/09/2008, -0/+5"This is most likely a comment from "one of those people" that get paid to bash non-popular stuff in forums and such." - where I can sign up for that?
      • dirtman777, on 06/09/2008, -1/+8My Windows box has been on that long. I forgot to turn it off the last time I used it.
      • Murdats, on 06/09/2008, -6/+1your windows install has never managed 24 days?
        you're doin something wrong there then, back when I ran xp and now on vista my computer stays on for months at a time

        I have been running for 8 days at the moment, but that is due to the fact that I have beta video drivers and have been playing a beta media player while playing a very intensive game, there is obviously something about that my video drivers occasionaly dont like. so even when my computer is being unstable it lasts for more then a week.
        • Acolyte357, on 06/10/2008, -0/+1Damn only 123 days had to replace a nic a few months ago. redhat btw.
      • garionw, on 06/09/2008, -5/+2Exactly the reason why Linux isn't ready for the desktop yet...

        I don't think my family would like me downloading a different distro for them each week, all looking different, but all being 'linux' at the same time.

        Whereas Windows/OS X have 1 set interface that can't be changed.
      • pHreaksYcle, on 06/29/2008, -0/+1Die, dickweed.
    • keeganspeck, on 06/09/2008, -2/+6You know, you're right, stick to Windows. I hear Linux is pretty bad juju, actually.
    • tehbored, on 06/09/2008, -0/+3I honestly have been having trouble with 8.04. I'm sure I could fix it but I'm lazy. 7.10 worked beautifully though and maybe after a couple more updates 8.04 will as well.
    • koumed, on 06/10/2008, -1/+0Dugg down happily!!
    • Acolyte357, on 06/10/2008, -0/+2Please remove your Ubuntu installation, we don't need any more people "have have"ing a good OS and talking ***** about it and it's "Compbiz" Fusion.
  • atdigg, on 06/09/2008, -6/+79I'm pretty sure that Windows killed somebody... even if indirectly: somebody throwing a PC out of frustration.
    • sourceholder, on 06/09/2008, -12/+3Wow. You really missed the point here.
      • atdigg, on 06/09/2008, -1/+7How so, have I even claimed that I addressed "the point"
        • 1timeuser, on 06/09/2008, -0/+4I thought the point was to look up the word "juju" on wikipedia and be terrified of magical black people.
    • keyme, on 06/09/2008, -0/+3Windows based airplane navigation systems, anyone?
      • jay019, on 06/09/2008, -0/+3Or the navy ships that were running windows nt. That could have ended badly. Just thankful australia has no nuclear warships. *eek*
    • DestroyFascism, on 06/09/2008, -0/+3BSOD - 10 hours of work = heart attack? Sure!
      • redwallhp, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1All of a sudden realizing it's all your fault because you didn't save = heart attack + depression.
    • redwallhp, on 06/09/2008, -1/+2Windows-based computers in cars? Takes crashing to a new level...
  • moosepile, on 06/09/2008, -11/+6It really scares me that a total misnomer term (Linux) is being applied to all "M$/Apple Alternatives."

    The world is creating another OS church based on misconceptions. Grab yourself a Kleenex and a Coke and tell yourself your using Linux. Linux is not an OS, a and all people are doing is creating the next big misconception (not like it isn't here already).

    Explore all of the facets of open source systems. There's so much to love. *BSD, *Linux, all to love. But, please, let's stop making a kernel a religious icon to rival Microsoft and Apple. Instead, appreciate what the people who build the OS' based on BSD and the people who actually build operating systems based on the Linux kernel do.

    Saying "I use Linux" is akin to me saying "I use Mach on my MacBook Pro to run Photoshop. RAWK ON!"



    • AlekseiVasiliev, on 06/09/2008, -0/+7...what?
      "Linux is the name usually given to any Unix-like computer operating system that uses the Linux kernel."
      What else do you want us to call the OS we are using?
      • tian2992, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1GNU/Linux
        (although it removes the "coolness")
    • gudnbluts, on 06/09/2008, -0/+5Actually, it's perfectly acceptable to say "I use Linux". Linux usually refers to operating systems based on the Linux kernel. If you're using the word "Linux" on its own, you're not usually referring to the kernel.

      From wikipedia:-

      Linux is the name usually given to any Unix-like computer operating system that uses the Linux kernel.
    • moosepile, on 06/09/2008, -3/+2I agree that wiki and others may feel that way, but I respectfully disagree.

      If I made a revolutionary engine, should the car I put it in be labeled as my invention?

      However, it's a valid point that if I need to blow my nose, I'd use a Kleenex. But the tissue geeks would take total offense.

      I'm just playing devil's advocate, but if I expended the effort to make a complete OS based on the Linux kernel, I have to wonder if I wouldn't secretly want to call it "MyBadAssOS" instead of "MyBadAssLinux." But there is a lot to be said for name recognition.

      I'll just hop in my ACDelco and head home.

      :)


      • TacticalPenguin, on 06/09/2008, -0/+3It's difficult to play the devil's advocate against Linux on specific nitpicking asshat type terms. Especially on digg.
      • tian2992, on 06/09/2008, -0/+2WTF on the kleenex-engine analogy.

        I still agree, calling GNU/Linux just Linux, ignores a lot of the work and persons who made it possible.
        That is why I always say the distro name instead ;)
    • willdiggforfood, on 06/09/2008, -0/+3I choose to say "Linux" and not "GNU/Linux" because, while Linux is just the kernel part, GNU is not an OS either.
  • tHr333, on 06/09/2008, -11/+5Windows is even worse.
  • NecroDigg, on 06/09/2008, -13/+3OM NOM NOM NOM NOM
  • kungfuscout, on 06/09/2008, -4/+44Just in case... http://www.flickr.com/photos/11663746@N00/25627666 ...
    • rohan2kool, on 06/09/2008, -0/+2that was much needed..
    • Commodore84, on 06/10/2008, -0/+1Ahhh, mirror posting on Flickr--a stable server which can handle Digg traffic. Now there's a novel idea.
  • thebriz, on 06/09/2008, -5/+223My first thought was "They misspelled Perl."
    • Audacitor, on 06/09/2008, -0/+23That's what I'm naming my kids. Perl, Pascal, and Java.
      • hartley, on 06/09/2008, -0/+5Oh those dirty Pascals, running around, causing mischief.
      • 1timeuser, on 06/09/2008, -0/+4Pascal? Has Fortran and Colbol become to popular?
        • Acolyte357, on 06/10/2008, -0/+1LOL, Thanks now everyone in my office knows I'm not working.
    • ClunkClunk, on 06/09/2008, -0/+6My dog's name is Java. She's a chocolate lab.

      No, I didn't name her after the language Java. We kinda have a theme for our chocolate labs - we've also had Jamocha and Mousse.
    • hartley, on 06/09/2008, -0/+6Ditto, I re-read that sentence at least 3 times.
    • CrushThemTorg, on 06/09/2008, -0/+10I too was like, "Wait ... why does he need an expert on Perl?"
  • RealityMonster, on 06/09/2008, -18/+30Buried because User Friendly is the longest running web comic that's never actually been funny, even to UNIX administrators.
    • stargatesteve, on 06/09/2008, -1/+10actually, I know a couple *nix admins who covered their cubicles in this stuff.
    • CSharpSauce, on 06/09/2008, -0/+6Hey lets see how long the daily WTF's new comic lasts... that might get the award for worst comic yet
      • realnowhereman, on 06/09/2008, -0/+2or OSNews' ?
      • burrgrinder, on 06/09/2008, -0/+0TDWTF jumped the shark when they changed their name to Worse than Failure, and the site is massive failure, so I guess it's appropriate.
    • eldridgea, on 06/09/2008, -5/+7I realize my vote probably doesn't count for much, but as a longtime *nix/BSD user I love it! Even more than xkcd (which will probably get me buried).
  • mrisi, on 06/09/2008, -6/+122I'm a linux user but don't recommend it to others simply because I don't wanna be tech support.
    • BoneheadFarker, on 06/09/2008, -0/+69In my experience, it doesn't matter what operating system you run. You'll just hear the phrase "So...you work with computers, eh? I've got this problem..."
      • jay019, on 06/09/2008, -0/+2To which I reply "windows? wtf ts that?"
    • PatrickBrown, on 06/09/2008, -1/+18Wow, I recommend it to others for the same reason.
      • Verytastycheese, on 06/09/2008, -0/+5Yeah I put it on my parrents computer so I wouldn't have to fix it anymore
      • dudefaceguyman, on 06/09/2008, -1/+5See your problem is you should not recommend anything to anyone and just claim to be a moron with computers.

        as for people you don't like. I simply give them really bad advice so they won't ever ask me to help with anything ever again, "***** if I know. I heard there's a giant car battery in the case. Maybe you need to replace it."
    • somedirtbag, on 06/09/2008, -1/+8My ex-girlfriend installed, configured and ran Debian all on her own. *sniff* I miss her... cheating bitch.
    • bobby167, on 06/09/2008, -0/+2I can relate to that one... lol.

      Nowadays, I judge the technical knowledge of the other person before suggesting linux. No use suggesting it to noobs and creating another linux hater.
  • OSuX, on 06/09/2008, -4/+37I died from using Linux, I got better though.
    • homesickalien, on 06/09/2008, -0/+9Dugg up for the Python reference. ;)
    • Niten, on 06/09/2008, -0/+10"It turned me into a noob...

      I got better."
      • thedarkwolf, on 06/09/2008, -0/+2dang. You just made me lol at work
    • keegangrayson, on 06/09/2008, -0/+2it sounds like you were only slightly dead
  • scarz99, on 06/09/2008, -7/+1Hot damn!
  • rotarychainsaw, on 06/09/2008, -13/+9Using something no one uses does not make you cool. Using something before everyone else does, that is what makes you cool.
    • Acolyte357, on 06/10/2008, -0/+1that whistling sound over your head was the point of the com... nevermind.
  • jasmus, on 06/09/2008, -7/+2prepare for *****.
  • Sulzer, on 06/09/2008, -13/+72sudo *****
  • john2kx, on 06/09/2008, -19/+17Painfully un-funny. I can't think of a worse webcomic out there, and I've seen quite a few. Buried.
    • yourenotyourjob, on 06/09/2008, -5/+3Only painfully un-funny if it struck a nerve with you, which it apparently did.
  • leonardoty, on 06/09/2008, -3/+11Anybody think teen girl squad when they read "bad juju"?
  • qbthemc, on 06/09/2008, -16/+1I agree Linux has made people die fsince it is slow like OSX and has no marketshare. Microsoft-FTW
  • stargatesteve, on 06/09/2008, -15/+6for those of you who don't get this, I'll spell it out for you. Those of us like me who have been running linux for years (even over a decade) are now annoyed with this whole "See, I can run Ubuntu, too!" crowd. It's the "me too" attitude that really gets under my skin. I've been running linux for 7-8 years, and it is a pain to have everybody running linux because it's the cool thing to do. Those of you who were on digg a while back might remember months of "OMG LOL SPINNING CUBE ROFLMAO!!!!1one" stories popping up.
    This isn't "elitist", it's just annoyance at this new bunch of people saying "me too!"
    • stargatesteve, on 06/09/2008, -3/+3for all of you digging me down, here's a good read: http://www.thetechandcents.com/2007/12/theres-more ...
    • yourenotyourjob, on 06/09/2008, -1/+2"elitist-consciousness of or pride in belonging to a select or favored group"
      You are annoyed by people that weren't part of the original crowd. You think you are special or a "real" user because you did it first. It is normal to feel that way about something you've thought was awesome for a long time that is just starting to hit the public consciousness. It doesn't change the fact that wishing they wouldn't use it or thinking they are annoying makes you an elitist.
      • stargatesteve, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1Did you even read the post? it's the "OMG spinning cube" stuff that gets annoying, along with the people that want to use linux but bitch and moan about how hard it is to do something. It's not that I was here first, it's that the new bunch of users just don't seem to get it. can we say "generation gap"?
    • jay019, on 06/09/2008, -1/+1time you wrote you own operating system to show how cool you are.

      ps. what code have you contributed to the kernel?
      • stargatesteve, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1it's not that i'm cool, it's that I just don't like how the community is changing and losing its focus.

        I don't see how it matters if I submitted any code to the kernel or not, because that is not the point I am making, but so you will shut up:
        A few years back, I wrote a quick hack that fixed (read: blew away) an issue with writing to SATA drives on an intel ICH8 chipset. never submitted it because it was very unstable, but it worked for me until the real patch came out in 2.6.18.

        And Linux is not a system, it's a kernel. it wouldn't even start up without a bunch of GNU's stuff like initramfs. And even then without all the user space stuff, you wouldn't be able to log into a shell. the user-space stuff is more important, as it is the software the user interacts with, and can be run on just about any kernel out there, it done correctly. The real question is what software you have helped with. I helped write part of a project called Sisyphus, which is used to sort out the more important issues in log files from the rest of the garbage. I also wrote a pod-casting application in perl for low-resource systems, or systems without X11 installed. I am currently writing some perl blogging software for low-resource systems. So what have you done?

        Then there is helping other people. you do any tech support for the community? I have about 500 or so posts at linuxquestions.org.

        I also held an internship as a system administrator for several years, and now run a web server under my desk.

        So if you was to have a pissing contest, let me know.
        • jay019, on 06/10/2008, -0/+2OK fair points. The main thing that I thought wrong with your comment was the line "and it is a pain to have everybody running linux because it's the cool thing to do"

          I fail to see how its a pain? If its bringing market share that helps us get hardware drivers and software then its a good thing really. At the end of the day you dont have to interact with them. While you may see and hear a lot of stupid noob questions from those who are just trying to be cool it doesnt mean they will always be that way. They are just starting out and have a lot to learn.

          With the new rage of owning UMPC's which mostly come stock with Linux then there is going to be more of the "look at me" crowd. It's just something you'll have to get used to.
        • stargatesteve, on 06/10/2008, -0/+1ok, a better way of saying what I intended is:

          I am tired of people running linux because "it's cool". One of the primary issues I have is someone picking up linux, not because of features or security, or even because they felt like it. I personally know several people who started running linux just because they know someone else who used it. I can't even begin to explain how many times I have seen people who have used linux for a few weeks start a discussion thread asking if there were some way to get rid of the permissions system (or something similar). Many times people start using it without even trying to understand why it was created a certain way, and then they complain about some of the fundamentals of why it is so great.

          Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with new users being "converted" over to use linux. I just want them to at least try to understand the strengths of Linux first. Basically: don't use Linux because it's not Windows, use it because of it's strengths. I think (some versions of) windows were fine OS's for what was needed at the time. If windows works for you, and you secured it, and all, then use that. If you have a Mac, and every-thing's alright with that, then all power to you. Just don't use linux because it's the "hip" thing to do, and then start to complain about it, use it because it works. And no I have no problem with people being new to it and asking stupid questions, as long as they don't whine and complain about the answer.
  • buu700, on 08/26/2008, -7/+2Mirror: http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/5995/uf011608ey ...
  • oep4, on 06/09/2008, -4/+10the word juju makes my blood boil.
  • willdiggforfood, on 06/09/2008, -17/+23GNU is not an OS. It's a bunch of tools thrown together without a kernel and a lot of other necessary and important stuff, but somehow some people point at those tools and claim they are THE main important part of the OS, and, thus, the entire OS should be called after them.

    It's like the drummer wanting to call the band after himself, thinking he is the most important member. Get a grip.

    (Yea, digg me down you FSF sluts, but your arrogance and self-righteousness does not go unnoticed. You just can't get over the fact that your zealot ideology has been proven obsolete, and it simply harms the proliferation of FLOSS).
    • stargatesteve, on 06/09/2008, -0/+8RMS is coming after you now. (And GNU has the HURD kernel! :)
    • bieber, on 06/09/2008, -1/+13You're kidding, right? With the addition of the Linux kernel, the GNU project _does_ comprise a complete, functional operating system. Trust me, that's how the first people tinkering with Linux got functional systems ;) Seems to me that if the entire friggin' GNU project is just "a drummer" in your band analogy, then Linux would be something akin to the drummer's shoes. The entire band would have to be huge, like the entire mass of free software ever produced.

      Anyways, would you care to point me to all the other operating systems that are named after their kernels, because I can't seem to find them. I've been looking for Microsoft NT, and Apple Darwin advertised as desktop operating systems, but alas, they don't seem to exist...
      • atdigg, on 06/09/2008, -4/+2Linux used MINIX userland first.
      • burrgrinder, on 06/09/2008, -2/+0Windows has named their OS based on their kernel revisions. Windows NT4 was a boxed product, Windows 7 will be sold soon. Also, Apple's Darwin is the name of their flavor of BSD, it used a Mach kernel, the name Darwin implies nothing about that, although OS "Ten" does imply certain things about their OS.

        Additionally, the GNU tools are kernel and OS independent, many of them are used on Linux, BSD, and Darwin, some can even be used in Windows. Calling the collection of GNU tools an OS is more like calling the guitars and drum set the band.
      • redwallhp, on 06/09/2008, -4/+1GNU is stupid. Linux is the kernal, the OS itself, therefore GNU is Linux. GNU is an extension of the OS, an underling that it part of the Linux kingdom.

        Oh, and Mac OS X FTW!
    • 7errated, on 06/09/2008, -1/+0http://www.dwheeler.com/essays/gpl-compatible.html

      read it and weep.
    • carrett, on 06/15/2008, -0/+0Riiiiiight, because we call Mac OS X "Darwin," right?
  • BaronVonZ, on 06/09/2008, -7/+3I dont know if its just me, but whatever web page you linked to deserves to be burned. After waiting for a few minutes I was presented with nothing more then a list of comments, had to rely on a mirror...
    • amphoterous, on 06/09/2008, -1/+1I don't know why people are digging you down... the exact same crap happened to me.
  • aautopsy, on 06/09/2008, -6/+6The reason why there are people like this (I'm starting to feel the same way) is because none of these new linux users are bringing anything to the community. They're not computer savy so they cant help projects write code and they expect forums to jump to their questions but then return nothing to the forum. Linux, windows, and OSX have places in the market. I don't see why people cant just stick to their respected area.
    • ShaggyRogers, on 06/09/2008, -0/+2That's one reason why I'm reluctant to switch to Linux. It's probably the best option out there, but from my perspective it's a special place reserved for those that truly know what they're talking about. I would love the benefits of Linux, but it's not for me.
      • aautopsy, on 06/09/2008, -0/+2I'd say give it a go, just do research and if someone helps you on a forums try to help someone else out. Even if its something incredibly simple. Look up all your hardware before you install it, maybe even try using the fedora or sidux live usb creator with a overlay (its super simple) which will give you read and write from a usb drive, try to do everything yourself and learn something.
      • kwilliam, on 06/10/2008, -0/+1"it's a special place reserved for those that truly know what they're talking about."
        Some distros may be like that, but not Ubuntu (and it's variants). The past couple of years, Linux has become more mainstream. (Consider the Asus EeePC.) You don't have to know a thing. I started a year ago knowing absolutely nothing, but the Ubuntu Forums are full of answers and friendly helpful people. (Use the forums! The official online help barely has anything in it.)

        "I would love the benefits of Linux, but it's not for me."
        All you need is a little extra time to play with it. All the basic hardware and programs should work out of the box, but there's still the learning curve if you have to relearn how to do things you were already proficient at with Windows software. If you enjoy learning new things, you might enjoy it!

        I recommend doing what aautopsy said: make an bootable flash drive. You can get a 1GB or more flash drive for under $20 these days, and the new Fedora USB creator is embarrasingly easy to use. It's for Windows; just download it, unzip it, double click and you'll get a little program that let's you select your flash drive and installs Fedora on it just like that. Reboot with the flash drive in and you can run Linux off of the flash drive, without touching you're hard disk and Windows installation at all. https://fedorahosted.org/liveusb-creator

        And yes, I endorsed Ubuntu and then Fedora. I'm currently using Kubuntu, but I installed Fedora on a USB stick to try it out, and it looks really good too.
    • Myztry, on 06/09/2008, -0/+4New users are bringing Mass, and that's Critical.
  • Jonno549, on 06/09/2008, -0/+40if he was really 1337, he would use OpenBSD. No danger of that becoming mainstream.
    • jcsoc, on 06/09/2008, -1/+3OS/2 FTW
    • JonForTheWin, on 06/09/2008, -1/+1>No danger of that becoming mainstream.

      I'm about to order $4,600+ of hardware to build two three-machine OpenBSD hot fail-over clusters to replace the cisco routers here and do more than the cisco routers ever did for this building and our other building.

      OpenBSD is getting more use than most would ever think. =)
  • SilenceIsFoo, on 06/09/2008, -2/+7Nice to see User Friendly make the front page.
  • iRis9091, on 06/09/2008, -6/+2linux? cool?
    more like, the unsociable outcasts need to get out more often

    hahha, linux = cool
    • BlackAdderIII, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1You are the last word on what is "cool" and what isn't.
  • Punjabdasher, on 06/09/2008, -0/+13I thought they meant Perl not Pearl. Spent a few moments figuring out that it was the name of a person... lol
    • kwilliam, on 06/10/2008, -0/+1You ain't the only one. The 1st guy who said that now has over 200 diggs.
  • Technohamster, on 06/09/2008, -2/+2this is the only real reason people use BSD instead of Linux.
    • cutchyacokov, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1What? BSD has no related-deaths? This is news; besides this lady http://digg.com/linux_unix/Unix_is_the_devil_s_wor ... who was almost brutally murdered due to BSD, those mascots don't seem to friendly to me.

      Free - Is an innocuous-looking devil. Obviously the most dangerous kind of devil, they never see it coming.

      Open - A menacing looking, Homer almost-killing http://www.snpp.com/episodes/7F11.html , spiny, blow-upy, super poisonous fish. They make great pets.

      Net - Those look like the flags of an invading imperialist regime to me!

      -I'm kinda baked right now, sorry for the ramble
    • xsquirrel378x, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1or because BSD is vastly superior and the linux kernel is getting worse
  • topace3000, on 06/09/2008, -10/+12Oh, man. A joke. About LINUX of all things! Did you see those poorly drawn characters talk about linux? Cuz I just did, and it sure made me feel special to have a linux joke that only tech-savvy people like myself can enjoy. Hohoho, and the way it was unintentionally funny when the guy said "don't you want linux to spread across all the desktops?" as though they're some kind of holy prophets bringing salvation unto the ignorant masses, man, that wasn't at all retarded!
    • apexified, on 06/09/2008, -2/+5... unlike the overblown sarcasm presented in your comment.
      • topace3000, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1, I said, totally burning the comic hater. I then stroked my neckbeard and flipped to another tab, where i discussed the merits of various animal names for the next distro. Yes, this was the good life. Soon, linux would be useful for everyday tasks, and once I showed off my burning skills to that girl I met online I would no longer be a virgin. Everything was coming together wonderfully.
        • carrett, on 06/15/2008, -0/+0You just put a comma after a period.

          I think we all agree the comment sucks donkey balls, though.
  • BrokeBody, on 06/09/2008, -8/+5The majority of those who use some Linux distribution also use Windows on their machine. The majority of those who dual boot use Windows as their primary OS.
    • usingpond, on 06/09/2008, -1/+7Do you have a source?
      • BrokeBody, on 06/09/2008, -4/+3Not really, it's from my personal experience, and I'm pretty sure a lot of people would agree with me.
        • SpeedSteamBoat, on 06/09/2008, -1/+2You may be pretty, but I don't agree with you.

          I dual boot, and only use Windows when I want to play a game. Why else would I ever need/want to boot into it?
      • BrokeBody, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1Actually, I do have a source:
        http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=823252
      • usingpond, on 06/09/2008, -1/+1Well to be honest I don't even give a *****, I don't use Linux. But that's interesting that you started a new post on it. I'll check back in a few days.
    • hieveryone, on 06/09/2008, -1/+1If people dual boot, it could be because they are locked into some windows-only software. I dual boot, but only use windows for Adobe Creative Suite. I boot into Ubuntu for everything else. I have found the Ubuntu experience to be far superior to windows.
      • BrokeBody, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1It doesn't matter why do you dual boot. Whether you're locked into some windows-only software or not, the fact still remains that people dual boot.
      • usingpond, on 06/09/2008, -1/+1What about Wine dude? Use that. Get rid of Windows.
        • BrokeBody, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1It is well know that some major software, mostly "heavy" one (Photoshop, Sound Forge, Visio, ...), can't give you the same output quality as they can under Windows.
        • usingpond, on 06/09/2008, -1/+1Haha "output" quality? What do you mean by that? I really hope you don't mean image quality.
    • apexified, on 06/09/2008, -1/+1That must be one of the 90% of statistics that's right 50% of the time even though it's 100% *****. Nice fail.
    • mohtasham, on 06/10/2008, -1/+1I used to have windows just to test my website in IE. After I found a windows lab in my school, I got rid of it. Today I found out that ESPN360.com flash player doesn't support Linux. That is, I had to go to that lab to watch match between Italy and Netherlands on line. I'm not going to install that devil OS on my computer anymore, even if I miss watching Euro 2008 final match.
  • usingpond, on 06/09/2008, -0/+13SURELY Linux people don't think it makes them cool. I can see some Mac users thinking this, but Linux is pretty universally known to be a geek fringe OS in terms of personal use.
    • ZeRux, on 06/09/2008, -0/+3No other operating system can come close to the security, reliability, and efficiency of yours. With such an *obvious* choice, you stand speechless as a world of cretins choose other lesser OS's on a daily basis. The thick, murky ignorance swirls around you, while you huddle tenatively in the eye of the hurricane. How can one look upon that which is Linux and still workship pagan OS's? The answer may never reveal itself, but you can rest easy knowing that while you cannot control these simpletons, you can always make them feel inferior. The revolution will not be televised.
    • apexified, on 06/09/2008, -0/+2See above for the "WTF" of the day.
  • jumbalia, on 06/09/2008, -1/+6It's true! As a mac user my coolness has dropped in recent years and more and more people have become mac users :( Before you know it only a select few "cool" people will be using windows... and the cycle continues
    • CCmachined, on 06/09/2008, -1/+2mac ain't and was never cool.

      Compiz is, bitches! =]
      • Myztry, on 06/09/2008, -0/+2Apple Macintosh was cool in the 80's. Just the Commodore Amiga was cooler (and way more affordable).
  • kd1s, on 06/09/2008, -1/+1I have the best of two worlds. I have a Windows XP Pro laptop with VMWare installed. I have a virtual machine running Debian Etch. The funny thing is that Etch with KDE runs in 4GB of disk and 650MB or RAM.
    • atdigg, on 06/09/2008, -2/+4So you actually use Linux castrated by Windows performance and instability, nice! You should run Windows in VM or dual boot if you need video acceleration.
    • nurriz, on 06/09/2008, -0/+2It's not HA-HA funny. Interesting or evidence of ability, but not funny.
    • Murdats, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1if you want to run linux apps inside windows use andLinux
  • phatboye, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1pffft no one prevents people from using GNULinux so they can stay cool. As soon as it stops being cool we will all move on to FBSD.
  • BrokeBody, on 06/09/2008, -2/+1http://digg.com/linux_unix/The_majority_of_Linux_u ...
  • apexified, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1There's always another distro to run off and be cool with. But if the developers really felt that way, Ubuntu would already be dead. The nice thing about linux and oss in general is that eventually everyone gets what they want, even if it takes a fork.
  • visarya, on 06/09/2008, -0/+2Ubuntu kills people , i use OpenBSD
    • DubYaSee, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1My neighbor died the instant she installed OpenOffice.
  • salazarmark, on 06/09/2008, -2/+6Who the ***** uses the word "juju"? Seriously, you can't get any lamer than that. Oh yeah Linux is the greatest contraceptive ever made.
  • CarzorStelatis, on 06/09/2008, -0/+3The only flaw in this cartoon is that he didn't have an FSF t-shirt on. "PROPRIETARY DRIVERS THAT ALLOW PEOPLE TO USE WIFI ON LINUX ARE TEH EVILZ!!!!!1!!one"
  • Zippo, on 06/09/2008, -1/+3It's bad enough having to help your mom with Windows tech support every other day, but imagine doing the same with Linux.
    "Why can't I install solitare.exe?!"
    • andyakadum, on 06/09/2008, -0/+2Ubuntu comes with solitare.

      Not to mention package managers like dpkg and rpm are probably better for new users anyway.
      They just install the software, they don't ask stupid questions that can be confusing to new users.

      You only need tech support for Windows because things spontaneously stop working.
      On Linux (Mac OSX too), things don't do that. You set it up once, and thats it.

      (With the rare exception of kernel updates, which your mom won't need anyway)
    • mrderp, on 06/13/2008, -0/+0Yeah that would be terrible, seeing as it RAELY crashes (twice in the last year for me ) NEVER GETS virus's, and cluuless parents can dowload all the funnnyvideo.exe extensions they want - they are safe and it's VERY easy I hae my parents use Linux It's STABLE and WORKS GREAT for what they do , email, web, youtube, instant message and trade stocks, when they had WINDOWS it was a NIGHTMARE, within 1 week they were 100's of spyware, virus, and adware and it just got slower and slowee, linux actually gets faster with PRELOAD, machine cache's what you use the most , Latestest Ubunut/Debina/Fedora is super fast with way cooler looking graphics for 200-300$ vs. VISTA or Mac ..$2000 for decent performance. unless you are a graphics PROFESSIONAL , then you really have no reason for a mac, Windows is good for games, taxes etc, and Linux is good (great) for everything (even games with cdega/wine) runs windows apps faster than windows and Mac is 99% BSD code ripped off , (and they give NOTHING BACK to the community they GOT their super-stable code that made OSX possible .. before OSX Mac was a JOKE! GIVE PROPS TO BSD FOR LETTING IT HAPPEN!
  • WomensUnderwear, on 06/09/2008, -0/+2this was terrible
  • Admonitor, on 06/09/2008, -1/+0Not exactly funny, but it's not been uncommon for me to run into Linux users who seem to think that using Linux makes them infinitely smarter and cooler than everyone else. Obviously not all of them do..but there aren't many of them anyway.
  • traichea, on 06/09/2008, -2/+0epic fail!!1
    this is no xkcd :(
  • CoMpUtErITGuY, on 06/09/2008, -6/+3 Linux is bad juju. People have died from using it.

    Yea, it's called boredom from using Linux.
    • andyakadum, on 06/09/2008, -1/+2Having a system that doesn't need repairing all the time != boredom.

      You should be thankful for all the extra time you have saved not having to deal with service packs, malware and viri.
      • abaird986, on 06/09/2008, -1/+1But having a system that doesn't need repairing AND provides no useful functionality outside of basic necessities does equal boredom.

        Most linux users I know just use their spare time to pretend they're hackers and not in their mother's basement.
      • kwilliam, on 06/10/2008, -0/+1Dude, I don't know where you're coming from. I repair my Linux system all the time... I gotta upgrade every 6 months, which breaks stuff, etc. Personally, I think people who's computers don't crash occasionally aren't pushing them hard enough. ;-)
  • Papajohn56, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1NETBSD ON MY GAMEBOY BITCHE$
    • kwilliam, on 06/10/2008, -0/+2That's impressive, but I imagine it's very hard to type. You'd only get the letters A and B, right? ;-)
    • shakajumbo, on 06/10/2008, -0/+0sudo up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A
  • HappyDamnation, on 06/09/2008, -0/+0Jesus, why did this make it to page 1? It's not even funny.
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