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Xref: sserve comp.os.386bsd.misc:4925 comp.os.linux.misc:33615 comp.os.os2.advocacy:74827 Path: sserve!newshost.anu.edu.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!msunews!uwm.edu!spool.mu.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!news.sprintlink.net!ixc.ixc.net!news.ecn.bgu.edu!newspump.wustl.edu!fas-news.harvard.edu!das-news2.harvard.edu!cantaloupe.srv.cs.cmu.edu!bb3.andrew.cmu.edu!andrew.cmu.edu!in22+ From: Ian S Nelson <bonovox+@CMU.EDU> Newsgroups: comp.os.386bsd.misc,comp.os.linux.misc,comp.os.os2.advocacy Subject: Re: Linux thoroughly insulted by Infoworld! Date: Thu, 19 Jan 1995 15:36:31 -0500 Organization: Sophomore, Math/Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA Lines: 48 Message-ID: <oj7gpDm00iWPQ7hm0d@andrew.cmu.edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: po2.andrew.cmu.edu In-Reply-To: <950116203411@lambada> Excerpts from netnews.comp.os.os2.advocacy: 17-Jan-95 Linux thoroughly insulted b.. by "Mr. Ed"@lambada.oit.unc > In the columns section of the Jan 16 Infoworld, there is a column > highly insulting to linux. In it the writer basically says the > following: > > o linux is really not free > o linux users are as neurotic as Amiga fans > o linux is difficult to install (their senior systems analyst > apparently failed to install it) > o linux should be called "underware"! > > He then goes on to refer to linux as underware throughout the column > -- over ten times. The column is also titled something like "Linux > should be called underware". Underware what? Hanes? Fruit of the loom? > BVD? How insulting! Well, it really is free if you have the right connections, many people do not and many businesses that would install it would probably want it on a CD or something. The users are just like amiga fans, they have a lot of support for it. That is good and all, Linux is not that bad being free. It runs on a lot of configurations. There are better things out there though, IMO and the opinion of many more people. BSD, Solaris, AIX, SCO, UnixWare, NextStep, and several others all run on x86 too... Linux users don't seem to understand that; you don't get source with all of those, but you often get a lot more than you do with linux. Just the fact that you are making this public scene about it kind of proves his point. Installing it is an involved procedure, it's not something you just sit down and do in 45minutes one day. If your hardware isn't very mainstream it can be real tough to install linux. I have yet to see a relatively novice user using linux. Most of the people I know who run it are self-proclaimed "hackers" or "wizards" that get off seeing their 486 run a real "UNIX" system. "I compiled the kernel myself!" Awful proud of you! It's not a bad operating system, it is definitely useful for something things, but it doesn't make up much of the market and it isn't really a threat to OS/2 or windows. THe lack of support will keep it where it is, and if by some fluke it becomes a major player, IBM and MS will act accordingly. -- Ian S. Nelson <bonovox@cmu.edu> finger for PGP key Carnegie Mellon Math/Computer Science My opinions are not the school's, although they should be!