Re: Experience the New Windows

[Suresh Ramasubramanian <mallet@xxxxxxx>]

dodobh@xxxxxxxxxxx [Wed, Feb 21, 2001 at 07:39:42AM -0800]: 

> done a server/workstation install (always custom -- throw (almost)
> everything at my desktop, virtually nothing at the server). 
> But that is because of my requirements.
 
 all these points taken, but ...

 1. most ppl dont bother to do custom installs (and download updates)

> unless it is somone like our customers, who I wouldn't let within a million
> kilometres of any computer)

There you are.  A readymade definition of the typical home user :)

> If you define a home user as one who just wants to edit office documents,
> play games and surf, then Linux isn't quite there yet.

Linux is for what the computer mags call "power users".  Not for Joe Ramasamy
who just wants to use word / excel and check his hotmail account.

> To make Linux user friendly, this has to be reduced (and the only example
> that I can think of doing this successfully is VB).
 
The security angle has to be emphasised further imho - thanks to the spread of
cablemodems / dsl into the home market.

When you combine clueless users with a reasonably permanent (long lease DHCP or
even static) IP address, you get an 3l337 h4x0r's dream come true.

A well secured linux install becomes imperative - even for "home users" in such
a case.  Ask any cablemodem / dsl provider or clued user stateside if you want
true-life examples of default linux installs (typically redhat) getting rooted
within 20 minutes of bringing them online.

	-s
	
-- 
Suresh Ramasubramanian  <-->  mallet <at> efn <dot> org
EMail Sturmbannfuhrer, Lower Middle Class Unix Sysadmin
"What separates normal people from kooks is how they react when people disagree
with them or tell them "NO"  <-- Ron Ritzman on news.admin.net-abuse.email