Operating Systems: Choice and design

[Kyuuketsuki]

Keeping this short now ... I'm bored of this shit!

Gnome is more like Windows, KDE is more flashy (Windows Vista), xfce is lightweight (works on older laptops). The point of it is choice, and generally you do this when you install the OS, not during usage.

KDE is more like Windows (Gnome is nothing like it) and I don't disagree that it is about choice but it pretty much fucks your argument about giving standards which is why I was sarcastic.

You said a consistent interface means people can easily switch from an OS to another, then you said Windows is the best at providing this. I took this to mean that you thought Linux should try to make it's interface look more like Windows, but if you didn't. my apologies.

I said that it allows people to adapt to basic use of an OS or application ... let's keep the discussion to what I am actually said and not what you think I am said

Well, to be honest it really isn't easy to switch to Linux, because I did it 2 years ago, and this was before Dell started selling Ubuntu, the Eee PC and the "one laptop per child" came out and Linux became even more popular. Please explain how the open source community "copies" Microsoft? If you mean that it makes programs that do the same thing as Microsoft programs, then I cannot see how this is not a good idea. Microsoft aren't going to make any programs for Linux any time soon, so why can't other people do it? Last I heard you couldn't copyright the idea of a program.

I have a sneaky feeling you mean it IS easy to switch ... I disagree.

KDE and Open Office, two of the most popular OSS applications, are blatant copies of MS stuff ... granted there are going to be similarities and there are many OSS projects that copy MS & other commercial stuff. I can create a list for you but I really hope you don't want me to go that far to demonstrate there's something to what I say?

Course it isn't, and I agree with you in that case. Although in terms of power and security, I think the evidence (not subjective) shows that Linux is clearly the superior.

And you may well be right about power, I honestly don't know but I suspect that the kind of interface Windows mounts comes at a price. Security OI disagree with because we're not talking F32 anymore and Vista (SPIT!) is generally regarded as highly secure.

I'm not a Linux evangelist, the reason I say "try Linux" is usually in jest, but if they actually want to I will help them with it. If someone comes with a Windows problem I probably have no idea how to solve it other than looking online, hence why I usually leave it to other people. The only reason I would never jump into a Linux problem thread and say "try Windows" is that people generally want a low-cost solution, and I don't think there is any Linux problem that cannot be solved by using Windows instead (unless the problem is "I can't get this game to work").

That isn't the impression I got and the way we fall into familiar patterns after implies it was more than that however, if you say so, then fine.

To say that I hate Windows is ridiculous. I use Windows myself, I just prefer Linux way more.

If you say so.

MS Office is possibly the worst out of all MS products. Most Windows users I know hate it, especially the latest version (y'know, the one where they fucked up the interface). OpenOffice, AbiWord, KOffice, there are loads of great alternatives.

I love MS Office 2007, none of the ones you mention come close IMO (although I do have a soft spot for Abiword) ... it's a vast improvement on earlier incantations and, from what I hear, people love it once they adjust. Obviously we're listening to two entirely different groups of people and my best guess about yours is ... well ... perhaps better not go there eh?

Kyu