Planet TechShow

Since I have been using Linux pretty exclusively for a good 10 years now I have heard a lot of the same comments regards its ease of use and adoption by the masses. I think it is safe to say that the Distros of today are light years ahead of what we had 10 or even 5 years ago; yet the same complaints are still levied. Well, I am going to challenge some of those myths now with some thoughts I have picked up along the way. I don’t know how many parts this will be in, but here we go.

Linux is too hard for the general user because it is difficult to install.

First off, I will concede that someone who is not technical, or “geeky,” or struggles with technology will probably have a difficult time installing Linux. So yes, the average user would probably have a tough go at it. I say that with the fact that I did film my daughter (Pat has been working the videos, we should release them some day) installing Ubuntu before there was a graphical installer, when she was six without any help from me other than pronunciation of word. I just had her read what the directions said. Alas, maybe somehow I did pollute here with my technical savy. Anyway, if I am going to concede that installing Linux is difficult for the average user, I am going to take it one more. I think installing any operating system is going to be difficult for the average user. Let’s face it, there are a number of technicians out there who make a pretty penny installing or re-installing operating systems. So given that, I would then posit that windows is too difficult for the average user to install. OS X is too difficult for the average user to install.

Let me clarify what I mean by install. First, I do am not talking about a restore disc or partition provided by a computer manufacturer. No, I am talking about a plain vanilla Windows disc from Microsoft, and OS X install Disc from Apple, or an Ubuntu disc (yeah, I know there are other Linux distros out there but I am going to focus on Ubuntu for all intents and purposes here). Remember, we are comparing apples to apples; or as close to apples to apples here, not apples and oranges. Thus, comparing a system restore disc or partition to an out of the box copy of Windows Vista or XP is an apple to oranges comparison just as comparing those restore options to Ubuntu would be.

Therefore, if we validate that Ubuntu (Linux) is too difficult for the average user because the average user would either not be able to install or have a hard time installing Ubuntu (Linux on their computer); then we must equally validate the same statement when we replace Ubuntu with Windows (OS X, BSD, etc.). That is, Windows is too difficult for the average user because the average user would either not be able to install or would have a hard time installing Windows (OS X, BSD, etc). The installation of an operating system can not be used as a differentiator in the argument as to whether one operating system is a “better” choice for the general user because the installation of any operating system is a task the general user would find difficult at that very least and quite possibly beyond their current level of comfort.

Now note I said “comfort” and not “ability.” I chose comfort because I believe that most anyone who takes the time to learn how to install an operating system will be successful at installing the operating system. This is what I mean by getting your ducks in a row. Before you set to a task, make sure you have enough knowledge and resources to perform the task. As with any new venture like this; chances are there will be stumbling from which one will learn even more.

In my follow-up parts I will make a point to continue with “comparing apples to apples” and pointing out where it is important to have “one’s ducks in a row” as I tackle what I believe to be more myths levied at Linux in general.

I took the week off from work but have been running around with the kids doing stuff. It’s always good spending time with the family. Found one of the best packages in the Maemo Diablo repos today. I installed WorldTV99 which is basically a listing of tv stations from around the world with video streams viewable in mplayer. It’s freakin awesome! I also noticed Blob Wars is available as well. I’ve turned into such a Nokia N800 fan boy over the last couple weeks. It really is a great device.

This will be of interest to any of my fellow computer professionals out there:

Recently I have been bombarded every time I turn on the TV with commercials from ComputerTraining.Com. This is an institution which boasts that in just 6 months it can turn your life around with an exciting new and high paying career as a computer professional. Now to me, this is wrong on so many levels…

I find it hard to believe that you can be turned into a computer expert in 6 months. The mere suggestion that you can acquire that kind of knowledge in that short amount of time at least implies that knowledge and training in this field is easy, even simple. It really cheapens my chosen career.

This is the kind of place that turns out paper tigers who inundate the field, making opinions and salaries of legitimate professionals low. If you think I am kidding, remember how many horror stories you have heard and perhaps personally experienced about help-desk/support calls. Then, take a walk to their website and look at the job titles of the people who have student success stories..(help desk tech’s)

Episode 7 - “Virtualbox” - July 8, 2008 from thesourceshow on Vimeo.

To stay that I have been busy this past year is kind of an understatment. It’s been a while since I have had the opportunity to catch up with some of my podcasts, and I did so this weekend. One of the ones I caught up on was The Source. I just wanted to say that I am always impressed with the quality of this videocast, which is as good better than most others available on the net. Great job Aaron and crew! BTW, the commercial was great! Cute kids

Got a bunch of apps running on my Nokia. First I got Xmame along with Xmaeme(gui frontend). All of my ROMS work minus Paperboy. I installed Pidgin and it basically works just like the desktop version. Likewise Streamtuner is just like the desktop version. Vegalume is a nice Lasfm client. Finally I installed Gnumeric and Abiword for my document needs. They both work very well. Ermning lets you sync your Google Calendars with your N800/N810 calendars. Good times indeed.

So, I sent my daughter to Hawaii this summer with some schoolmates on a science trip. She just got back a few days ago and brought me a present - a little hula girl dashboard bobble head doll. She’s the only thing I have adorning my desk right now and looks pretty lonely there. I’ll have to get her some company.

Hey, you think Darth Vader action figures dig Hula Girls??

What does an entire year of cube life look like? Well, it looks like this. This is the pile I have accumulated after working at the Uni for a year. I just got to move into my new cubie diggs and managed to fit all my stuff on one cart

Now what I really need is some good artwork and a desk set. Shouldn’t be this hard to find a decent stapler

I have never been much of a supporter of the big social network websites like myspace, etc.. I have never seen much use for them. Well, that is until recently. Just recently I was contacted twice through facebook by old friends. One who was nice to the fat kid and helped me through hard times in highschool, and one who was my best friend in college.

Talking to my old friends gave me pause to reflect a little bit. I just wanted to take this opportunity to say thanks to a few people (whether they read it here or not).

I want to thank my friend George Cosentino for being my close friend all through grade school and into highschool. He and his family are amongst the few people that I think were always really good to me.

I wanted to thank my friend Dylan Turnbull and his family for the same while I was in highschool. Some of the most fun times I had were with Dylan. When I wasn’t hanging out with him and his family, I was hanging out with my buddy Bob Lisak and his girlfriend Carolyn Kavitch (hope I spelled that right). These are the people that kept me sane and (mostly) out of trouble while I was stuck back in nowhere upstate New York.

When I went to college, I actually felt pretty abandoned and lonely. Central Ohio is a long way from upstate NY when you only have a motorcycle Luckily I found a new best friend there who not only became a great portion of my support system, so far away from home, but also became a brother to me - really part of my family. That person is Gary Savage. I owe him a lot. Gary not only helped me find places to live and helped me get back and forth to work, but also was instrumental in leading me to Jesus. He was also really very entertaining to hang around with Ahh, the stories…. But I digress….

This is where I met my wife, Michele. It goes without saying that she is a big portion of my life and I couldn’t do without her. Now I might imagine it differently now and again, but just the same, couldn’t do without her. She, of course, was instrumental in the birth of my daughter Charlotte as well

Since then, a few friends have been instrumental in helping me grow up along the way. They are my friend Bob Catera, for finally getting me into the IT field my buddy Carl Whitmore, for keeping me sane and entertained so may years on Rock Street, my friend Dann Washko who was instrumental in my Linux wanderings and ultimately my current career, and finally Brian Hechinger, for getting me started in my new and better life in Downingtown/Philly.

So, why the trip down memory lane? I just wanted to make sure to go on record and say thanks to a few friends. Real life can be so demanding these days that many times people can forget to do so. Certainly I have been one of them.