"Granny - Just edit your Registry!" Re: hoax or bad taste joke by Redhat's CEO?

[Mark Mielke]

On Wed, Nov 05, 2003 at 09:34:51PM +1300, Steve Withers wrote:
> On Wed, 2003-11-05 at 18:05, Justin L Croonenberghs wrote:
> > Why not? He's being honest. Can you honestly imagine your grandma picking
> > up a computer and then finding out she needs to edit her /etc/inittab?
> If she wants Internet browsing and e-mail, there would be no need for
> her to do that. 
> Would you tell yer Grandma all she needs to do is run 'regedit' and make
> some changes to her registry keys? 

Most Windows users get away with never knowing about regedit. You are speaking
about your experience with Windows, not the average person's experience.

> Or how do you explain she needs to patch new XP system to keep the worm
> viruses away....but she can't connect to the Internet to download the
> patch becasue she will be infected? 
> This is just two situations that are more of a pain than most things I
> do on Linux.  
> There are many more. 

Not really. I'm a Windows XP + Linux user (XFree86 over CYGWIN,
etc.). I disagree with your assertions. My wife prefers using Windows
XP, even though I have forced her to use Linux, as I take up the
Windows desktop much of the time. We have never experienced damage
from a virus or a worm. Under Windows XP, updating patches is as easy
as clicking 'ok' whenever the status icon notifies you that updates
are available. Much of the time a reboot isn't necessary, but even if
it is necessary, this isn't a big deal for a non-business desktop.

I'm using mutt on Linux to mail this now, although I'm typing on my
Windows XP desktop.

Are you willing to openly call me foolish for *choosing* to work this way?
Are you willing to tell my wife that she is silly for preferring Windows XP
over Linux, given that she knows both?

Or will you admit that preferences are one of the strongest marketting
influences that can be bought, and Microsoft has just done a substantially
better job than Linux providers have, in 2003 and before? This isn't about
philosophy. It is about religion. Just like the programming languages wars,
the text editor wars, and now, the operating system wars.

If Linux is to become preferable to Windows, the developers must learn to
compete. The technical whining against Windows has not been effective in
this regard. To truly compete, a greater understanding is required, that
doesn't limit oneselves to the technical merits, or statistics.

mark

P.S. On technical merits, Windows is superior to UNIX/Linux in certain
     regards, so even this issue is very religious. Many people involved
     in the discussions are just not unbiased enough, or knowledgeable
     enough to give a proper opinion on the matter.

     Although I choose to use Windows XP as my primary desktop at home (with
     Linux conveniently available with a single mouse click). I choose to use
     Linux as my primary desktop at work. As a frequent user of both systems,
     I value my own opinion on the matter more than I value the opinions of
     others who refuse to maintain an open perspective on the issue.

-- 
mark at mielke.cc/markm at ncf.ca/markm at nortelnetworks.com __________________________
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                       and in the darkness bind them...

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