More Software for Linux Than for Windows (surprise!)

[limotux]

BNG22908, enderandrew,

Yeah, the problem is that people have a specific "mind-set". It should be M$ Windowze else the get scared.

A little story:
Some time ago, I had a 500 mhz desktop with suse 7.3 on it.
Someone was visiting me, I told him to check "the new beta version of the new MS Windows that microsoft released for a limited number of its certified engineers to test and provide feed back" and I keapt lying... and lying!

He was so interested to see that wonderful new release of M$ Windoze (suse 7.3 actually)

After he worked on it, for about one hour, trying all multimedia, audio, video, graphics... etc. We reached the following:
1. WOW.. finally there is something wonderful from M$, not crashing, faster, easier...
2. He asked me if he can get a copy of this new M$ windoze release for his desktop.
3. He blamed me that I didn't tell him I was going to buy a new 2.0 GHz desktop (the one he tested) because he would have bought the same and we both would have a discount.

He was very satisfied with my new desktop! the new M$ windoze and wanted them both!

I told him, ok, you really don't need to get a new desktop! What you just asked for was an operating system called suse 7.3, running on my old machine (533 MHz) I bought 5 years ago. As you like it, here is the copy. I'd help you with installation as well.

He replied, 'oh.. no... thanks... I won't install it... Linux is different.. it is very difficult to use... it is hard to learn.. it is for special purpose... it is... it is... it is... it is not windows"

It is a mind set!
No Comment!

[BNG22908]

Interesting. There are definitely people who have been brainwashed into thinking that they should only use Windows. Even people who don't use computers much tend to have the mindset that there is no other operating system that they can use.

I built a computer for my parents, who just wanted a machine to check email and surf the web with. They have a printer and scanner hooked up, which I configured for them, but they rarely do anything but check email with the computer. And even then, they only check their email once every few days. Before I discovered Linux, I bought a copy of Windows XP and installed that on it. Then, Windows failed to boot one day, and lacking a Windows CD (I threw it away after discovering Linux), I replaced it with Mandriva 2007.

My mom actually likes Linux, but my dad and my sister complain about it whenever the topic of their computer comes up. It's actually quite offensive, because I took the time to build the computer for them, bought the components myself, installed the OS for them, and configured their printer and scanner. I told them that there's always the option of going out and paying $150 for a new copy of Windows.

I was surprised that my sister, a college student, could not figure out how to use instant messenger in KDE 3.5, when there were 3 different chat programs installed. She still can't figure out how to burn a CD, either. My dad was complaining about having Linux installed on the computer the other day. He said "Your sister wants to put all our family pictures on a CD for us, but she's having trouble because of Linux."

Burning CDs couldn't be easier with a Linux distro, though! All you have to do is click the little K launch button (or green lizard), go to 'Multimedia,' then 'CD/DVD Tools' and find 'K3B CD and DVD Burning.' But since there is no Windows 'start' button, people freak out and don't know what to do. The majority of people must be heavily brainwashed by Microsoft.

[limotux]

Hi,

In order to complete the topic, I just made another thread that is intended mainly for software that needs to be developed for linux here

But before posting there please be sure to search for equivalents in the links provided in the previous posts in this thread.

[m1192ds]

Originally Posted by limotux

Hi m1192ds,

As you have named some applications, I've selected the first one 'cad'.

I don't understand how come you didn't find an alternative as I could find 12! Yes 12 (twelve) alternatives. here are they...

I agree with you, maybe some other software is not available under linux, but in most cases it is not easy to stumble upon it. But it is there. It just needs some search/google

Maybe just for your information, and to make googling for linux easier, search in <Linux> - Google Search
It restricts the search to the linux world.

All what we need to do is just a little effort, as we do with M$ Windows, don't you search, read, compare,... to find the best software that suits you?

Again, don't say there is no internet explorer for linux, it is like saying there is no M$ Windows XP for linux!

Anyway, if you need any help, just post back.

Regards.

----------------------------------------------

you didn't understand..try to imagine a person that has always worked with particular softwares designed for windows and has about 30 gb of files created with these software,now if this person has to switch to linux (job reasons)he doesn't need alternatives,he needs the same software.you would ask me:why the same softwares?because if i save those files in a universal format to open them with the linux alternative i lose hystory construction of the cad file for example.yes, i could start to design with the linux alternative ,but it's a step by step choice because if i must design a very complicate component maybe i can do it easyly with the old software and i takes 4 hours more with the new one with all correlated problems.then if i must run two different files designed with two different software and i want to modify one ... it's complicate.

i work on cad,cam ...since i was at the university,i chose my software after having tried a lot ones .i have a little of experience and i know my needs,there's no a software that can do all things togheter in the best way in my job,if i must do a thing i use one,for another thing another one...it's quite complicate and at the moment i've not alot of time...

i'm switching to linux with a lot of difficultied but i know i can do it.

ps m1192ds is the name of the motorcycle that i built :-)

[limotux]

Hi m1192ds,

OK, I get your point.
I never worked with any CAD, it's not my field.
Generally speaking, I assume linux software can read and write other formats. Like OpenOffice does with M$ word documents or spreadsheets.

Maybe if you decide on a specific equivalent, you can check the formats it writes and reads, compare this to the formats of windoze software you are using, maybe you will find a common format.

On the other hand, if you are satisfied with the linux software and start using it, as time passes, your need to use the windows software will decrease.

I myself when I started with linux (was suse 7.3), I used it for 2 hours a day, windoze the rest of the time. Now, I log on windoze maybe every 2 months for 1 or 2 hours max.

And I'm happily living with linux now, living with something that just works as computers should be.

I'm glad to know that you are insisting on doing it.

I can remember 2 quotes from old stories I read in my childhood, I believe in them:
" if there is a will, there is a way... "
" I'll find a way, or make one"

[limotux]

Originally Posted by BNG22908

Interesting. There are definitely people who have been brainwashed into thinking that they should only use Windows. Even people who don't use computers much tend to have the mindset that there is no other operating system that they can use.

I built a computer for my parents, who just wanted a machine to check email and surf the web with. They have a printer and scanner hooked up, which I configured for them, but they rarely do anything but check email with the computer. And even then, they only check their email once every few days. Before I discovered Linux, I bought a copy of Windows XP and installed that on it. Then, Windows failed to boot one day, and lacking a Windows CD (I threw it away after discovering Linux), I replaced it with Mandriva 2007.

My mom actually likes Linux, but my dad and my sister complain about it whenever the topic of their computer comes up. It's actually quite offensive, because I took the time to build the computer for them, bought the components myself, installed the OS for them, and configured their printer and scanner. I told them that there's always the option of going out and paying $150 for a new copy of Windows.

I was surprised that my sister, a college student, could not figure out how to use instant messenger in KDE 3.5, when there were 3 different chat programs installed. She still can't figure out how to burn a CD, either. My dad was complaining about having Linux installed on the computer the other day. He said "Your sister wants to put all our family pictures on a CD for us, but she's having trouble because of Linux."

Burning CDs couldn't be easier with a Linux distro, though! All you have to do is click the little K launch button (or green lizard), go to 'Multimedia,' then 'CD/DVD Tools' and find 'K3B CD and DVD Burning.' But since there is no Windows 'start' button, people freak out and don't know what to do. The majority of people must be heavily brainwashed by Microsoft.

I believe the main problem is that computers are sold with windows preinstalled.
This eleminates any chance for users to think what operating system is better or what should they use! There is something already there...

It is something like checking in a hotel room, hungry.. you need to eat now. Then you find that the hotel has placed on the table some "junk food", pizza, burgers, and a bottle of Cola, maybe some ice cream for desert.
Who would take the 'pain' to think.. "oh... I'd prefer crossing the street and go for the chinese restaurant, or that fancy seafood restaurant around the block that is even serving for free!

Only wise people would think!

[m1192ds]

Maybe if you decide on a specific equivalent, you can check the formats it writes and reads, compare this to the formats of windoze software you are using, maybe you will find a common format.

-----------------------------------------------

there are a lot of common formats,the problem is that with the common format you lose the file hystory construction ,so if you want modify it there's some problem specially if you are working with whole machine made by three hundreds different parts,then there are the other motivations that i wrote in my last post..

there are software as proe designed both for windows and for linux and here it's all good,the other ones i'm fighting with wine &co or for the moment i've still a windows partition to run them..i need only time.

[lasterror]

Originally Posted by limotux

I believe the main problem is that computers are sold with windows preinstalled.
This eleminates any chance for users to think what operating system is better or what should they use! There is something already there...

That's totally true. Some peoples don't even know that another OS exist as alternative.

And some times, when they buy a new computer, they need it to run a specific software or game, they don't even care if have vista or xp.

[enderandrew]

I'd say most people don't know that alternatives exist.

[BNG22908]

Well now my sister has gone and broken Mandriva on my parents' computer, and has no intention of fixing it or reinstalling it, and I'm 180 miles away so I can't be there to fix it. And I don't want my parents to fork out $150 for a new windows cd or pay geek squad $400 for something I could do in 30 minutes. This puts me in a dilemma. I know I could easily get a pirated copy of windows and mail it to my parents. I already paid for one copy of windows, but I threw it out. I don't want to do that at all though, because

1) it's technically not legal to download, even though I paid for it and more importantly
2) i can't stand windows, and I think it would be a travesty to see it installed on a computer that I built from the ground up with my own two hands.

I could mail my parents a Suse Live CD, but it might just get thrown away. I just don't want my parents to waste a lot of money by buying windows or paying for tech support. Although, tech support usually never services Unix or Linux anyway.