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On Tue, 19 Jan 2010 20:05:33 +0000 Paul Sutton wrote: > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- > Hash: SHA1 > > Neil Williams wrote: > > On Tue, 19 Jan 2010 19:17:00 +0000 > > John Hansen <whitover@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > > >>> Linux has so many versions (distros). Distrowatch lists 100 and > >>> there are more. To us that may seem like a strength but actually > >>> it is a weakness. > > > > No, it is a strength and the comparison with Windows is false. There > > are multiple "castes" of each flavour of Windows, > > > >>> For most people Windows has just three choices, XP, > >>> Vista and now Windows 7. That is already more than enough to worry > >>> about. Even when I said that there were perhaps about 20 strong > >>> contenders that was still scary. > > > > Can't have it both ways - you want a system that is easy for > > newcomers but other users need to have the absolute power and > > flexibility to do clever things with servers for the cloud or tiny > > embedded devices. GNU/Linux does that, Windows does not. > > > >>> Most Windows users acquire their computer with the OS already > >>> installed. > > > > Which is the primary source of all subsequent problems. > > > >>> Learning about a different layout for files and folders on the > >>> hard disk. Again, they all looked a bit worried and puzzled. The > >>> main question was why? > > > > Because that is how GNU/Linux delivers the improvements that users > > want. The Windows model is not a good one. An imposed monopoly is > > not necessarily a result of a good process, merely the result of the > > monopolistic approach. > > > >>> The user system was again a big problem. Learning about root, > >>> users and their passwords, groups, the home folder etc. Wow. > >>> Scary again. > > > > Benefits. > > > > There is no need for GNU/Linux to be useful to every possible user - > > Windows is not. GNU/Linux isn't targetting a monopoly. > > > >>> Installing new packages. Well on Windows, I think, you either > >>> download the exe file and double click on it or put the relevant > >>> CD/DVD in the drive, wait for the install button to appear and > >>> click on it. > > > > And that's a good thing??? > > > > It's not a good idea for users to download random rubbish from the > > internet and be able to execute it on their own system! > > > > Security is the enemy of convenience and if we are still pushing > > GNU/Linux as more secure than Windows, we undermine the entire push > > by driving for more convenience. > > > >>> On Linux I could have mentioned apt-get, synaptic, > >>> adept, deb files, repositories, RPM files, dependencies, well you > >>> get the idea. > > > > Yes, and it is a good one. > > > >>> Need for an incentive to move. > > > > Not everyone has one. Not everyone needs one. Not everyone can be > > persuaded. And all of those are GOOD things. > > > >>> Much help and hand holding required. > > > > As there would be if Windows was not pre-installed. > > > >> I think you hit the nail on the head! There are far too many > >> options and the file system leaves me cold. > > > > It serves others very well. > > > >> I like my A,B,C,D,E,F drives! Why OH why does Linux need to make > >> every thing so complicated? > > what happens when you reach Z > > i think with linux hda1 can go beyond hda27 if need be, You're mixing your partitioning with your mounting. The "c" drive is not so-called because of any Windows partition naming conventions. Indeed, Microsoft use the RISC naming convention: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/102873 Windows only 'mounts' the filesystem on a partition to a drive letter. It doesn't have to do so. If you wanted you could have your user data stored on a completely separate partition, have Windows mount that as "c:\documents and settings" and it'll work. Unfortunately Windows (to the best of my knowledge) only supports non drive-letter based mounting for physically attached media - you cannot, for example, mount smb:\\nasbox\mediafiles on c:\media - no, that would still require a drive letter. Grant. -- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG http://mailman.dclug.org.uk/listinfo/list FAQ: http://www.dcglug.org.uk/linux_adm/list-faq.html