Al Wilson wrote:

http://www.hevanet.com/peace/microsoft.htm

Oh boy, the FUD runs fast and deep in that article.  Linux this
and Linux that.  Too bad Linux can't run quality do-something
software.  I tried Linux, here is what I found:

Firstly, Linux is very hard to use. [...]

There is rpm which is precompiled software packages. This is a little
easier but [...]

Linux is not stable. [...]

Now that you know it is next to impossible to install software in Linux,
lets take a look at a few impossible to install astronomy programs for
Linux. [... Various bad experiences ...]

You have a very wide choice with Linux. You can go with the 'geekie' distributions that require that you know what you are doing. Or if computers we're your favourite high school subject, then there are other good graphical distributions that install and configure themselves (often more easily and reliably than Windows). You can work with basic (old fasioned emulated) terminals, or you can click at eye-candy rich GUI desktops with hugely flexible user configurability. I think they look a lot more pretty than the Windows branding, and anyhow, you're free to change the look if you so wish. If the choice is too much, there's always a nice friendly default to set it all nice for you.

And there is no 'you must reboot' after installing software. Install and it is usually there, immediately available. I've installed a few hundred applications on various Linux machines without issue. The 'user application' stuff usually runs without needing to be configured.

Or you could use something different again and go with a Mac or a Sun.

Linux has no alternatives for the great programs like Deep Sky 2002
or SkyTools. Those are very useful programs and Linux has nothing to
offer for planning and logging.

Don't confuse the underlying 'operating system' and the application programs. Unix (Linux) has been around a _lot_ longer than MS Windows and has a wealth of applications.

If you really wish, you can even run Windows applications on Linux. As with many things Linux, you have a choice to do this in a number of ways (from easy through to geekie).

Windows is freedom. It gives you the choice to run top quality astronomy
software such as TheSky, Skymap Pro, Skytools and Guide the best
astronomical software there is period. You can even have free software
such as CDC, Hello Northern Sky which blow away Kstars, Xplns
and XEphem software. You even have the freedom to run Linux-like crap
such as crappy Sky Globe.

Good stuff too. You also have to follow the very intrusive Microsoft way, and watch your arse for worms or other infections.

Do yourself a favor: run as fast as you can
away from the communist evils of Linux and embrace the freedom of
Windows 2000/XP.

Say no to Linux.

'ere, are you one of those MS sponsored PR droids? That sounds like something out of some corny politik sketch!


I was happy with the days of Win95C despite the irksome sloppy hard coded limits, and the tortuous twists of the Microsoft Foundation Classes for their incantation of (V)C++, and various other foibles.

However, I pay for my hardware and the work (time) on that hardware. I am not going to agree to any company assuming the right to arbitrarily at their discretion to decide for me whether I can use my hardware, when, or how, or with what data.


I have my (hopefully informed) opinion. You are welcome to your naive ignorance.


Regards,
Martin