slowly i turn, step by step

and walk quietly to the door. Turn to look over my shoulder and jauntily wink at no one in particular, just happy to be leaving the arena with my soul intact. Of course I am not really leaving but be warned, I shall not be sucked into your fascination with this Linux character.

I, the non-techie will not ask if this is the same OS that ran on the mainframe workstations that I used in the 80's? Or is it that kid with the blanket? I remember punch cards and machines that required their own air conditioning units and when thermal dot matrix being the hot new technology, AS400, BASIC... however, I do not remember hearing about Linux, but back then the printers were a lot louder.

Thankfully, I am perfectly happy with my 2 bit color, 13 inch monitor and graphics card which ensures that my children will never hog the computer, or the gray color schematics described in a story that I have read here on adequacy.net, would surely tempt me. I, who proudly connect to the internet on dial-up 56k, who shamelessly has taken advantage of any and all free ISP offers, use the computer as a tool for work, not as a toy, (except of course, when I am goofing off on message boards and playing Free Cell.) do not really need any but Mr. Gate's fine products which gives me a slightly stable OS, workable database, word-processing, spreadsheet, and internet browser, all tied up in a box with a bow.

And just a small career hint, adaptability being the key to survival, I would suggest that Linux design some MS compatible software.

	and bump into a big wall... say, in Berlin (none / 0) (#1)
	by LLWhipist on Fri Jun 21st, 2002 at 08:15:52 AM PST

	ohhh, imagery. see, that was good, I was comparing MS to that cold war nemesis of the states. anyway, that isn't the point. is there a reason for you to switch to linux over microsoft? no, not really. last I checked there wasn't a version of freecell for linux (don't flame me if there is, just point me to where to get it). although, once, really annoyed that the kids were abusing the computer/internet/chat thing I did reformat their system and put linux on it for a month. that was funny. they don't abuse the computer/internet/chat thing anymore. so you can keep that in mind if they ever do try hogging the system. if you are happy with your os doing what it does and plodding along, be happy, feel no need to change. if the question is why do other people change or simply avoid microsoft from the beginning... well, that's a different thing. I use both, regularly, although, saddly, I have to use microsoft more in my work, and exclusively during classes, sigh. microsoft is easier. microsoft is more normal. microsoft is softer. linux is faster. linux is more stable. linux is more challenging. linux is more fun. of course, for personal computing (that 10 minutes of time a week I allocate to it when I'm not on a clock somewhere), I seek challenge and fun. for my home business work stuff I seek stability. for my sanity, I seek speed, I HATE waiting interminably while microsoft loads crap I'm not going to use. perhaps I'm just a control freak who likes being able to do anything I want MY way to my os. perhaps I'm just being anti-trendy, or following the geek-wave or whatever. I dunno, it's friday morning and I'm rambling. I'm trying to figure out why. my tea isn't cool enough to drink yet, that must be it. done now, it's nice.