The dark side of OSS
Sep. 6th, 2005 09:22 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
harry-whodunnit.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
techrecoveryThis might be a little off-topic in that it doesn't have anything to do with the relationship between tech support and end user, but has anyone here successfully gotten a Linux zealot to shut up?
I've tried telling him that I'd rather puncture my eardrums with a straightened paperclip and bleed into my headset than listen to him complain about Microsoft for one more minute, but apparently that's too subtle to get my point across.
I suppose I could grab him by the collar and shriek "You're destroying my will to live!" right into his face, but I'm afraid that would lead to a lecture on how Ubuntu could restore my waning life-force.
Disclaimer: I have a Red Hat box running FC3. I hate it with a passion, but that doesn't stop me from prodding it compulsively.
I've tried telling him that I'd rather puncture my eardrums with a straightened paperclip and bleed into my headset than listen to him complain about Microsoft for one more minute, but apparently that's too subtle to get my point across.
I suppose I could grab him by the collar and shriek "You're destroying my will to live!" right into his face, but I'm afraid that would lead to a lecture on how Ubuntu could restore my waning life-force.
Disclaimer: I have a Red Hat box running FC3. I hate it with a passion, but that doesn't stop me from prodding it compulsively.
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no subject
Date: 2005-09-06 09:55 am (UTC)No matter which camp of OS users I'm talking to, I get looked at oddly :D. When I trot out that list, it usually shuts them up (or they get distracted by the fact i have a fully working IIe I got for $5 at a school fete that I actually have the games for and *play*)
All OS' have their weak points. And their strong ones. Meh.
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Date: 2005-09-06 10:17 am (UTC)I run Solaris 7/8/9, Linux (Debian/Fedora), Mac OS 7/8/9/X, DEC Alpha 64bit UNIX, Windows at work all by myself (They are mostly workstations/servers and they are all ticking along nicely).
harry_whodunnit, I don't know how much this guy about Linux, ask him this: "What is *Linux*?". Linux is really is the kernel ;) Sounds like this Linux zealot needs to take the blinkers off!! After using Linux at work for the last 3 years (I'm talking about real world situation). Linux is not quite there yet for the desktop but it function so well server-wise. If you tell him that, he will go ape-shit ;)
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Date: 2005-09-06 12:50 pm (UTC)First, where is 'there'? You most likely mean "Windows", but that's obviously not a viable 'there'.
Second, oops, I guess I should tell the Linux users I work with who chose Linux over OS X.
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Date: 2005-09-07 02:49 am (UTC)Unlike many zealots I actually know a tiny bit about OS design and can point out real flaws in UNIX and Windows. Does use of a rational argument disqualify me from being a zealot?
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Date: 2005-09-06 03:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-06 11:08 am (UTC)Yeah. Convert to Linux and he'll shut up. :D
Ubuntu is not Red Hat, nor is Fedora Core (although it's sponsored by Red Hat). As far as desktop OSes are concerned, I got my computer up, running, and doing everything I want it to do in 30 minutes with Ubuntu, and it hasn't gone down yet (at least that I didn't directly cause). No more daily virus scans, spyware, etc... No more ridiculous hoops to jump through to get ANYTHING done... No more hosts files that look like encrypted Bibles... No more crappy attempts and fishing more $ out of my pocket... No more DRM... No more etc etc etc...
Oops... I've become what you hate, huh?
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Date: 2005-09-06 11:15 am (UTC)Once. The trick is to confuse them to the point where they can't argue the point. Best method to accomplish this is to ask them if you can paint Tux green.
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Date: 2005-09-06 07:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-06 11:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-06 11:50 am (UTC)(I know some of you are saying "just kill them", but I'm really not sure that even death will slow down a Linux twat, and if they're a Stallmanite, then I KNOW death won't slow them down at all. But a live cooter in their face? They won't be able to do more than twitch for months.)
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Date: 2005-09-06 08:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-06 12:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-07 09:30 am (UTC)I should try that with the dork-features I work with who can't stand any OS other than VMS. Why he is working in a 90% Windows shop is beyond me. Although finding a mainly VMS shop would be a little... challenging at the moment. PWND! Hah!
Perhaps he just enjoys bitching about it at least once every 5 minutes to Windows and Exchange admins (like ME) and making their working lives utterly miserable (ME again). Users? Hah, just watch out for those loose-cannon techies.
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Date: 2005-09-06 12:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-06 12:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-06 03:56 pm (UTC)Make sure the door is locked and can't be opened from the inside.
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Date: 2005-09-06 02:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-06 02:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-06 08:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-06 08:04 pm (UTC)mis-pronounce "linnucks"
Date: 2005-09-06 03:31 pm (UTC)Phonetically in English it should be that way but nooooo, you have to pronounce it as "linnucks" or suffer the wrath of computing elitists.
Re: mis-pronounce "linnucks"
Date: 2005-09-07 03:07 am (UTC)Re: mis-pronounce "linnucks"
Date: 2005-09-08 01:38 am (UTC)now, if only I was still talking to my ex, and could send this to his son who used to aggravate me in equal parts by saying "lie-nucks", and by installing stuff on my computer and rearranging my desktop icons so that they "were better".
this is why I now have a "touch my machine and you will DIE slowly, cut into a thousand pieces" policy.
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Date: 2005-09-06 03:34 pm (UTC)Huh?
Date: 2005-09-06 03:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-06 04:00 pm (UTC)C64/128/Vic-20, AmigaOS (I have an A500 at home), MacOS 6-X, Dos, windows 3.1 - server 03 inclusive, FreeBSD, linux, Unisys UNIX, OS/2, and a few other bitty boxen, I can honestly say:
All OSes suck. It's just a matter of degree.
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Date: 2005-09-06 05:53 pm (UTC)Two of them going at it one after the other....ARGH!
If I ask a serious question regarding someone's OS, they blurt out SWITCH TO LINUX or "You know I've got an upgrade to that...it's called LINUX!!!" or "To solve your problem, delete windows!"
After listening to them around 4-5 hours per night, I don't even want to TRY using Linux
"Here is a CD of Knoppix (sp?), Here is another one, here is the updated one..." HOLY SHIT LEAVE ME ALONE!
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Date: 2005-09-06 06:07 pm (UTC)As for the museum pieces everyone keeps listing off... http://www.icrushu.com/museum/ I'm currently looking for a NeXT for cheap if some one has one they wanna give up. I also need some more sheets to slow the yellowing of some systems.
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Date: 2005-09-06 07:21 pm (UTC)I have not verified that it even works.
If it does, you want it?
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Date: 2005-09-06 08:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-06 08:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-08 06:25 am (UTC)Re: mis-pronounce "linnucks"
Date: 2005-09-07 02:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-06 07:29 pm (UTC)I think I'll tell him that I'm going to switch to dual booting Ubuntu and Windows XP and see how he reacts. He'll probably blow a cylinder or two.
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Date: 2005-09-07 03:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-06 08:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-07 01:10 am (UTC)The workaround is of course to find an old LiveCD with <2.6.10 and boot from it, then sync portage and mask the broken kernels. But I'm lazy.