[wplug] don't waste your time

[John Harrold]

Sometime in January JOHN M HARROLD assaulted keyboard and produced...

|
|I still use linux for my file server (and it's perfect for the job), but
|I reverted to XP on my laptop. Why? It wasn't so much that linux was
|hard to use, or difficult to learn- it's the simple fact that I got
|really REALLY tired of file compatibility problems. In my work there are
|(unfortunately) certain standards that are unavoidable. Often, these
|include some form of Microsoft product. For example, Outlook's calendar
|free/available service for scheduling appointments, or generating
|posters for meetings with Powerpoint (John, I believe you asked about
|posters recently).

I actually found a really good source for posters, which i mentioned in my
original post:
http://andreas.welcomes-you.com/projects/a0poster/

For presentations I use proper:
http://prosper.sourceforge.net

Both of which can be converted to pdf which others can view under most
operating systems.

No if I could just find a way to replace outlook with latex my life would be
complete. Really though, the tools I use are not for everybody. Academic work
with a mathematical twist is made much easier with latex. I also think i'm
much more productive in linux (or more specifically the unix paradigm). I've
used both, and this is what works for me. 

On a side note, IMHO equations in word, powerpoint, etc look like hell.
Mathtype makes it look better, but not much. The interface, while easy to
pickup, is a cludge for anyone who can type. And the fonts tend to change from
computer to computer, and when documents become larger they tend to crash
word. For these reasons I quit using word (and similarly windows). This is
purely anicdotal and i'm sure there are similar stories from people
dissatisfied with windows.

|
|I stuck with linux on my laptop for 2 years, but in the end I got tired
|of puzzled looks when I would ask if I can send a postscript file to an
|oversized printer ("no, just send a powerpoint file..."). Judging by my
|own experience, people that are very computer literate are NOT the
|problem to address (ie: the .net lunch attendees). The problem is, and
|will continue to be, the fact that Microsoft has the advantage of a
|"founder effect" on the desktop. Most people don't care enough to want
|to learn something different- particularly if that means that they are
|somehow out of sync with the rest of the world. Personally, I do not
|view my choice of OS as a time to make my stand against all-that-is-evil
|in the world. After all, we're talking about my JOB and my PRODUCTIVITY
|here. I'll use the tools are compatible and standard.
|
|IMHO, save your CDs, mass distro burnings, evangelism, and avoid
|linux-snobbishness like the plague (ie: "do we really want everyone?"-
|of course we do!). Linux has a lot to offer, but also a long way to go
|before it is acceptable for the average end user whose only computer
|exposure has been through MS products. If people learn on linux first, I
|think it will be more accepted.
|

I agree that linux has a long way to go, and right now it's not for everyone.
Until hardware vendors start shipping linux preconfigured, I dont think it
will be ready for everyone-I've never seen anyone who could install and
configure windows that couldn't accomplish the same with  linux and a little
patience.

One person told me that windows is successful not because it caters to users
but rather developers. From what I understand developers like it because of
the organized manner the MSDN is setup and how easy it is to develop
applications.  He also stated that this is something linux really lacks. This
is due to the decentralization of linux and the number of choices available.
There is no one source for information on linux. Each vendor has their site,
and their way of doing things. The lsb is nice, and it will be great if it
works out. 

Personally I've signed up for the event because after reading about .net for
so long I'm still not sure what it is. It's kinda like that crazy one man
chariot (ginger I think) that came out recently. There was alot of speculation
about what it is, but no one really knows. 


-- 
john
"have algorithm-will travel"