Let's talk about LINUX Ubuntu 8.10
Submitted by srlinuxx on Fri, 11/21/2008 - 07:38.
About four years ago, I tried to free myself from the oppression and misery of running Windows XP by installing Linux on my PC. Ever installed the Linux operating system? It’s not for the faint of heart. So, when it was recently reported that Linux-based netbooks are being returned at a rate four-times higher than their Windows-based brethren, I can’t say I was surprised.
To lop a few hundred dollars off of the final ticket price, it makes sense that these lightweight, stripped-down laptops like the MSI Wind and ASUS Eee PC would offer an option for Linux instead of Microsoft’s pricey operating system. But, does Windows know what he’s getting into with Linux?
This week, I installed Ubuntu 8.10 on my Axioo Notebook to get a taste of what today’s desktop Linux experience is like, and I can see why those return rates might be so high.
The first reason would be the perceived lack of software. The truth is, there’s absolutely no shortage of software for Linux—just a shortage of what some might call “mainstream” software.
He Just Doesn't Get It!
The author of this post has used Windows for so long that he only understands the "Windows way." I will not say that I never install a program from a .deb file, but nearly everything I need can be found in an Ubuntu repository. I wonder if the author understands what a repository is. Furthermore, Ubuntu keeps my software up to date, something that some Windows programs will do, but most do not.
Most Linux software is not kernel dependent. The "matching" procedure the author mentions is simply not true.
Finally, the author cites and incomplete statistic regarding the return rate of Linux netbooks. While it may be true that four times as many Linux machines are returned than Windows models, if four times Linux machines are SOLD than the return RATE is identical.
The only value of this post is to show the rest of us what to expect from the Windows community.