interesting experiment.

[Toby Fisher]

On Sun, 19 May 2002, Octavian Rasnita wrote:

> Hi, thank you.
> No, I don't like Windows. I don't use to play games because I don't have the
> time.

Oh now you don't know what you're missing, I can recommend GMA Games for
one, for a bit of light relief.

<snip>

> But I also don't like to see a lot of people from this list, nor
from any
> list, thinking that Linux is better than Windows.

Actually, if you look carefully at most of what you view to be
anti-Windows comments, they are, in the main, aimed at the company that
spawned it.

> Windows is better than Linux for multimedia development but Macintosh is
> even better than Windows  for this thing.
>
> Some Unix graphic stations are better probably than Macintosh for their
> purpose.

Yes, but until very recently Macintosh had a problem with expensive
hardware, for example, on some power macs there was only 1 make of modem
you could use because of the connection it required; guess what, they're
not made any more so my friend is going to have to buy a new computer,
this is, imho, a potential problem which can arise when hardware and
software are made by the same company, as used to happen back in the big
mainframe days.

<snip>

> I like the Linux users to be a kind of helpful community, because
they are
> not very many, especially blind, but all the experimented people in linux
> give the beginners criptical commands without explaining too much, RTFM,
> etc.

I believe that there are reasons for this.

First, what that person may want is a means to get up and running as
hasle-free as possible.  Second, explanation of the command may, and note
I use the word may, cause confusion, until the person has read some docs,
which they may be unable to do due to whatever problem it is that has
caused them to write to the list.

Third, it does not help anyone, least of all the beginner, if they are
spoon-fed, as they may then be unable to help themselves if they are ever
stuck without an internet connection, or otherwise unable to call on
required assistance.

Cheers.

-- 
Toby Fisher	Email: toby at g0ucu.freeserve.co.uk
Tel.: +44(0)1480 417272	Mobile: +44(0)7974 363239
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