Deploring *nix Philosophy ( Was Re : Splitting archives across floppies )

[Parameshwara Bhat]

On Wed, 2 Jun 2004 17:40:22 +0100, James Wilkinson 
<james at westexe.demon.co.uk> wrote:

> (Netiquette note: when you're responding to a digest, it's a good idea
> to change the subject back to something useful).

(My original thread had it!It was perhaps overlooked in the second)
>
> Parameshwara Bhat wrote:
>> Yes,that does work.But what I was looking for was not just meeting an
>> actual need.But a technological question as to why Linux can't do it or
>> doesn't do it or hasn't thought fo doing it ? What you suggest is a two
>> way work .But Winzip has been spanning floppies for many years and it
>> appears so simple a task in Windows.Why this feature not in Linux ? I
>> guess because of it's clumsy mount and unmount ?
>
> It's more a philosophical point.
> ( Rest read and snipped ! )

It indeed is ! Well I can't see the situation in your place, in my place I 
am one attracted to FS /OSS for it's idealism and trying to keep myself 
afloat on Linux in the sea of Windows and all personal computers . Now I 
see that CDs cost a bit less than or at most equal to floppies and my 
point perhaps makes no sense.

But in this lonely attempt,many times I felt frustrated at the complicated 
ways even KDE and GNOME and Fedora think!Look at the stupidity of denying 
access to floppies and CD-roms to user accounts(You can't unmount a CD and 
not hope to eject)in a desktop installation of Fedora ( choice offered in 
Anaconda )  I am both root and user.I am advised not to work as root.But I 
can't take out a CD and put another one in ! I must be root to do that.I 
can't dial up to internet connection as a user.I must be root to do that 
and you are not supposed to be that connecting to internet.It is not all 
that complicated to surmount this,but as a new user from the world of 
Windows,each required great deal of wondering and digging.It is as much an 
effort getting sound !

This  is a common trait of all *nixes as I am learning.Whatever are the 
inner strenghts and ideals,the above examples are born out of a lack of 
respect for the common computer user.Clear message - computer not for 
non-programmers and non-geeks!And as much out of a lack of 
imagination.What else for it should offer you a desktop installation and 
not bother to do the simple settings for you ?

I am an educated,thinking individual,but not in computers! but the world 
of Linux and Unixes have no respect for people like me.They do not seem to 
want us ( I do not mean to offend all those of you who have so voluntarily 
shared my troulbes taking them upon you ! )

Rgds,

Parameshwara Bhat