Is it worth it?

There has been this plaguing thought in the back of my mind for the past several weeks, but I have yet to bring it out. Perhaps now is not the best time, as I have to be up a 6 a.m. in the morning for work, but I feel like if I don't do it now, I never will. I often ask myself lately a single question every time I boot up my computer, and now I ask it of you; is it worth it?

What am I referring to with it? This promotion of Open Source, *nix, free software, and anti-Microsoft/DRM that I, like many of you, have become engrossed in as of late. As I'm sure many of you know, back when Microsoft signed their deal with SUSE, I became... shall we say... motivated. I wrote a long post on how people should fight Microsoft's attack against Linux, and what they could do. For the next few weeks I went on a rampage, educating as many people as I could, and preaching to twice as many. I started to use Linux nearly full time, dabbled with BSD, I advocated PS3 (as a Linux device), I attacked Vista (and indeed, Microsoft) and it's DRM bull****, and I became as involved as possible. I even joined the Free Software Foundation.

And then things started to change. I quit frequenting the Linux section of this board as often, I completely backed away from PS3 (but not for Linux reasons... I would still love to be able to do that), I toned things down, and (*gasp*) I started using Windows again. Then, I began asking myself a question: is all of that worth it? No matter what I said to people, what I did, what I tried to do, the world kept turning in the same direction. People kept using Windows, they kept upgrading to Vista, they kept buying their Xbox 360's, they kept listening to the DRM on their iPods, they kept buying into everything and just automatically "trusting" these companies that nobody should have to trust. Even the people (computer science majors) who knew the facts and what they meant, and even after I explained to them what they had to gain from switching, they still defended their position. One of my friends even put his Linux desktop on the back burner and bought a laptop that was meant to remain "Windows-only." So what did I accomplish?

But it wasn't just about converting everyone else. It was about me too. No matter how much I tried switching to Linux full time (including messing with WineCVS to take care of my gaming needs), but I still had to keep going back to Windows for one reason or another. Whether it was games, networking, certain Windows-only software, or me screwing up my Ubuntu installation somehow, I booted into Windows more and more often. Now, I'm not trying to say that Windows is somehow better or even easier than Linux. In fact, I still hold the opposite to be true. There are things going on with my Windows XP install that I know I can only fix with a reformat... and that blows. But at the same time, there are problems I have with Linux that can never be fixed. I can't play some of my games, I can't connect to my school's network, I can't use some of the software that I need (AutoCAD, Solid Works). I just can't go Linux-only. And I refuse to become one of those people who has a Linux-only machine personally and has to go to a computer lab to do things for school that they can't do on Linux.

And now, I have gone to work through my university's internship program. I find myself surrounded with Microsoft software. I use Outlook like there's no tomorrow. In fact, I must state that the entire multi-national corporation of which I am now a part would probably have a hard time functioning without Outlook; we use it for everything from scheduling to meeting requests to email to conference room reservations. We use Excel to create spreadsheets and model data that I would never attempt to touch in Oo.o. Everything is sent in Microsoft's proprietary document formats, including *.doc, *.xls, *.ppt, etc. Now, I am in no way saying that these programs are fundamentally better than open source alternatives (the fact that the alternatives are open source are reason enough for me to judge their quality higher), but something must be said for the way in which Microsoft has saturated its way into the market. They've made it to where most of the world could barely function if Microsoft suddenly ceased to be. And who can blame them, really? That is the goal of a corporation; become as popular and profitable as possible.

That could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on how you look at it. But the fact remains, that it's here, and it's not showing any signs of slowing down any time soon. So I find myself stuck in a paradox; a sort of technological "purgatory" if you will. On the one hand, I realize that Microsoft's grip will never tighten if I don't try to change things. But on the other hand, I can't get away from it either. Microsoft stuff simply works for my corporation; they have no reason to change. Microsoft products carry with them a professional support program that corporations look for. Someone like you or I can go about the Internet and find answers to any of our problems with about 30 minutes and a connection to Google. But that doesn't work for a guy who has 800 things to do that day. He doesn't have time to sift through 80 pages of Google results and try 100 different ways to get something to work, only to possibly end up getting nowhere because someone on a message board can't figure it out. For him, it's easier to call a Microsoft tech out to fix the problem while he goes on about his daily tasks. That's the kind of security and peace of mind that you just don't get with Linux.

So now, after what has taken 30 minutes of my time to write and countless minutes of your time to read, I come back to my original point. Is it worth it? Right now, I would still have to say yes. I believe in the basis of Free and Open Source, and I believe that Linux is a good and viable alternative to Windows. But it's hard for people, including me, to simply walk away from Microsoft and all that DRM closed-source crap that I deal with on a day-to-day basis. I fear that I am now in a state of dual-boot lingo with no way to escape. But I will continue to fight the fight, though it will be on a much smaller scale than I'm used to. I'll get on here once in a while, talk about how much better the world would be if things worked the way we think they should. I'll boot into Ubuntu now and then, do some random work and talk to people about it. I'll promote where possible. But somehow I just feel like I'll always end up rebooting into Windows. What about you?

/end essay.

 

I am currently a Windows XP Pro users. With that in mind i have also dabbled with linux live cds(knoppix). I also love open-source software especially firefox because they are less bloated and they do the job for free and they are constantly getting better because people want them to get better and they do it because they want help people and they believe there is something better then the existing status quo and they are usually not interested in profits. I also believe with the many linux distros out there that this is one to fit everyone needs and wants but most people dont see linux as a viable replacement yet. Linux is great and will continue to get better and maybe in time it will be included as a choice as an OS when you buy a new computer. I hope to use linux more often in the future right but right now i am satisfied with XP.

This is my 2 cents on the subject
/end

Long live Open Source

 

@ftw - I didn't have any problem ditching closed-source. Obviously, if you game, then you need Microsoft. Otherwise, every program you have for Windows (and many that aren't available for Windows) has an equivalent for Linux. In fact, usually, multiple equivalents. For example, if you like Outlook, you can choose between Evolution and Thunderbird and more than five others. If you like Windows Media Player, you have at least ten alternatives in Linux - Rhythymbox, Amarok, Banshee, Exaile..etc. It's not that hard to step away completely from Windows.

On another note, the new Office formats are supposed to be more "open-source" although OpenOffice 2.1 cannot read them as of yet. A module is being worked on so those can be read soon. For now, you have to save files in the 97-2003 format before you make the switch. There shouldn't be any problem reading ANY Microsoft office file that isn't made on a 2007 edition of the program(s).

As far as connecting between university and your notebook, you can use vFAT or FAT32 partitions - on your USB key or external hard drives. There shouldn't be an issue here. As far as running Windows program, many can be done under Wine. I don't know about CAD. WHY can't you connect to your school's network? I have no issue with this.

Do post any questions in the Linux forum so we can get you back on the right track.

 

well, as far as a major corporation wanting support, that's why companies like Red Hat and Novell are in the business of "selling Linux". They sell support contracts so that joe beancounter can call someone up and complain.

I will admit it can get you down if you need to dual-boot all the time. if it was just to play games, it wouldn't be such a hassle, but the fact that you can't connect to your school's network is odd, to say the very least. I know that for me personally I made a conscious effort to switch entirely, but then, I didn't have specialty programs that I need to use.

I would say that it is definitely worth it to USE F/OSS, but you have to be realistic about advocacy. In fact, most people HATE to be preached to. Harping about FOSS is the I.T. equivalent of the stereotypical encounter with a Jehovah's Witness. "Sure, I'll take your pamphlet, now get the hell out of here." The best way to get people interested in Linux is to use it as much as possible. Sit in the front of class and play with the Beryl Cube, that'll get some attention.

 

Quickly! Quickly! Kill it before it gets out of control!

I've had the exact same frustrations you seem to have. Some people are just too stubborn, lazy or ignorant to try something new. It's like trying to make someone support a different footy team.

Sucks about the uni network thing. I had a problem at my uni, where they blocked proxy access to Konqueror, so I couldn't access the internet at uni. I had to go to the resident "Mactard" to get that sorted out with the sysadmins.

I no longer play PC games, I'm just waiting for the PS3, so I no longer have the troubles of playing games through WINE. I can sympathise with you though.

I am lucky that my uni is predominantly Linux bred. Although things like cash registers and data entry machines run Windows, all of the programming and computer science machines run Debian.

Odd thing is, it's that that gives me the peace of mind. I know the answer is within MY grasp, and can understand the solution, and ensure I remember it. Windows isn't really like that.

I haven't booted into Windows for eight weeks, in fact, it's no longer on my PC. All I was using it for was games, and now my gaming addiction has been replaced by an anime addiction, which is thankfully cross-platform

"Sin now, repent later." Sums up your situation, eh? Just hold on, the open-source revolution will come soon, spearheaded by such projects as Linux, Firefox, and KDE (which is coming to Windows).

 

Perhaps I seem to have misspoken a bit regarding connecting to my university's network. I can connect through the wired network perfectly fine, it's the wireless that's the problem. My university uses a Windows program called Odyssey to connect to the network securely, so if you don't have it, you don't have much luck. Mac users have a way to connect, but it's long and drawn out and takes a little bit to set up. But there is absolutely no support for Linux. A few guys here have written guides on how to get it working, but it has never worked for me. Indeed, it has not worked for most people I know, and the one's that do get it working have constant problems with getting disconnected. So yeah, that's what I was actually referring to.

If all I did in Windows was play games, I would probably be able to make the switch to Linux. I don't use AutoCAD on my computer cause it's too expensive, MATLAB has a Linux version (though I've yet to ever actually see that), and Solid Works/Solid Edge... well, there's the problem. No way to run it in Linux.

But I have other reasons for straying too far from Linux, which I will probably address sometime today in a so to speak "Part 2." But that is all for now, I have to work.

 

Why does it have to be a choice between Windows and open source? Just run Windows because it works, it's very nice-looking and everything on the computer works the way the manufacturer intended (Windows did have growing pains, but the current Win XP is extremely stable and fast on today's hardware). Install only the essentials from the operating system, and then run all the open source software you want. It's pretty much all available for Windows anyway, and there is nothing you really need to buy commercial software for. And even MS itself provides quite a few nice bits of freely available utilities and other software.

I'm not a hater or evangelist for anyone or anything. I just use what works. Without the impetus originally created by Apple and then followed up by Windows, if left only to the Unix community, we would all still be running all our programs from the command line and using DOS, ProDos, CPM and whatever, and squinting at blurry, boxy characters on our displays. I've been using personal and other types of computers since the very earliest days in the 1970's. I have no desire to return to those days. People shouldn't have to jump through hoops to get their devices and peripherals running on any operating system. It's not worth the trouble.

 

Yeah. And my desktop runs Linux exclusively now. I just have no need for Windows on it, and no desire to boot into it. Everyone else that uses it knows how to start up Firefox, and that's all they need it for.

Use what works for you. I like Linux because I get more out of my machine with it than with Windows, and I'm always in control, versus whoever M$ is capitulating to or propping up this week. But they usually work because everyone wants to work with them. Pick your poison.

 

To me, that's like saying that Russia should've stayed communist. It worked for them, why did they need to change? Everything was widely available, the country was a world power, and things seemed to work. But it didn't really work, now did it? Now Russia is going through a lot of crap that they wouldn't have if they had just remained communist. But in the end, they know it'll be for the better, so they keep trying. IMO, it's the same thing here.

Linux users are stuck with bad hardware support and compatibility problems not because it's fundamentally worse, or because it is in some way inhospitable to an easy way of life. It's this way because it's a minority in the software community. Windows is where the money is at, and hardware and software companies know that. When over 70% of the country (and possibly even the world) run Windows, making money developing for Linux doesn't make sense. That's the harsh truth we have to live with. It sucks, but it's life. My beef was never with Microsoft making Windows; in a free country they have every right to make whatever software they want and treat it however they want. In fact, as you so pointed out, without Microsoft and Apple things would be much different with computers today. Competition drives innovation. My beef with Microsoft is how they have such a monopoly on the market, but not just that, how they keep trying to be 100%. No company should have a 100% market share. And any company that really cares about the consumer would recognize and acknowledge that. In addition, I hate how Microsoft (and granted, many, many others) treat you like a criminal. There are only two things in this country that are allowed to assume you're guilty until proven innocent. Insurance is one, and software is the other. And that's not how this country should be in my opinion.

 

I honestly think that every OS has its good side and its bad side. The problem is just figuring out which one has what you need. Windows has compatibility but is far from what I consider secure, spyware being one of the larges issues.

Linux does not have very good compatibility(whether it be hardware or software but is very secure. For that reason I make all of my online orders, were credit card info is used, in linux. A lot of people do not understand that spyware can send your key strokes to a third party without you even knowing.

Mac OSX is becoming more popular for its combination of good software support and decent security. Though admittedly they still do not have a very good price/performance ratio.

In the end if you are trying to convert people over to Linux the best way is just to show them what it is (XGL and compiz were good suggestions) In general people hate to be preached at (I think Apple learned this the hard way) To sum everything up you are no worse for using MS over Linux. Linux will not gain mainstream popularity until it be comes a point and click OS like Windows.

We live in a capitalistic nation were the individuals support goes to what he or she considers to be the best product (with an OS its what is simplest for most people). Really this is not something to get depressed over, its how our economy runs. Just support what you think is good-for ethical or practical reasons-and I for one will not think any the worse of you.

 

Couldn't have said it better myself.

 

What it really comes down to (and someone mentioned previously,) use what works for you. If using Linux is making your life difficult, don't use it. Don't take this the wrong way, but it's not gonna fall apart if you don't use it.

I've liked Linux for like six or seven years because it jives with my ethics and beliefs, but I hadn't used it seriously until Ubuntu 6.10 was released, because it was the first time everything on my computer worked except for having to install 915resolution. Now I only have Linux installed on my system, and it works well for me, but if it didn't work, I would have stuck with WinXP.