Re: Talk to your frTalk your friend into switching to Linux(Re:)

[gmgraves@slip.net (George Graves)]

In article <356631ED.40DA8AE4@delphi.com>, crc3419@delphi.com wrote:

> <WARNING TROLL ALERT! TROLL ALERT! TROLL ALERT! TROLL ALERT! TROLL
> ALERT!>
> 
> 
> George Graves wrote:
> > 
> > In article <6k4cvb$283$1@nnrp1.dejanews.com>, r.e.ballard@usa.net wrote:
> > 
> > > Linux has really only been a good "Workstation" since 1997 (Red Hat 4.0)
> > > but it has been rapidly evolving into a very sophisticated workstation.
> > > When equipped with Red Hat 5.0 or Caldera 1.2 and Communicator 4.0 and
> > > an Office Suite from Corel, Applix, or StarOffice, you end up with a very
> > > sweet machine for a very reasonable price.
> > 
> > Bullshit. You end up with a very techy, very geeky OS that makes the user
> > jump back through his own rectum in order to perform even the simplest
> > task. You get an OS with almost NO software available for it and that which
> > is available is VERY primitive (StarOffice, for example). If one is
already a
> > "Unixmeister", its probabaly fine. If one is not, its a nightmare. Whichever
> > you are, your computer needs have to be pretty simple in terms of
> > functionality, because most software categories simply are not represented.
> 
> Hmm....sounds like the rantings of a troll who hasn't actually *USED*
> the software...

I beg to differ. I have a 200 MHz PC DEDICATED to Caldera's OpenLinux v.1.2.
I built the machine from a motherboard and parts, I installed the software
from a shrink-wrapped package and I configured XFree86. I have StarOffice, 
GIMP, Netscape Communicator, etc. installed. I DO USE IT. All of this, 
however does not keep me from seeing the warts of Linux and realising that 
it is a geek's OS that is nowhere near ready for primetime. Now, if you 
disagree, why don't you tell us what real software (other than those listed)
which a real-world computer user might need? For instance:

What AutoCAD-like packages are available

What is the Linux equivalent of Adobe Illustrator?

Or even CorelDraw?

PageMaker/QuarkXpress?

Painter?

Quicken?

And where can one find this software? Certainly
not at CompUSA or MicroCenter or Frys.

I could go on. But my estimation of the worthiness
of Linux as a serious computer tool would go up 
immensely if you could just answer the above in a 
positive vein.