Why Linux?

I was reading an article on slashdot today about why people switch to Linux. Included in the article was a question for /.ers on why they switched. Reading through people's various stories, I began to reminisce about my roots in linux usage.

My first experience with linux was in early high school when I bought a network card that came with some version of Redhat. I never really installed nor used it, but I distinctly remember how boggled I was that I was given a copy of (what I considered) a professional Operating System. I didn't really have any real concept of what it was. I thought it was like being handed a version of Windows NT. I didn't actually use linux until 2001 when my friend Carl gave me a copy of Slackware 8.0. I still remember using it; KDE 2, Kernel 2.4.5... oh it was something else. I had to be walked through so much just to get X up and running. Unfortunately, I had gotten bored with it once I finished playing with all the installed applications... and promptly returned to Windows, where all my games had been installed.

My next chance to explore the OS came in 2002, when I began college. I had gotten a much better grasp of various network services, and began to realize practical applications of things like FTP daemons and the like. My roommate and I were always trying to quench the boredom of in-between classes, so we had done some silly things; i.e. building a computer (sans case) into my sock-drawer, selling expired bread on Ebay, etc. With the sock-drawer computer I had installed Slack 8.1 and was messing around with various things, but was still heavily dedicated to my main computer, which ran windows. As winter approached, I was running out of things to keep my attention in Windows, so I investigated more linuxy options, settling on giving Redhat 8 a shot. Starting off with a distro that did stuff for me, then working my way backwards into the insides of the system proved to be that educational boost I needed to beat the learning curve and start doing trying unique things. Unhappy with the automation of RH8, I went back to Slack and there I've stayed for the most part. I've messed around with various other systems, such as FreeBSD, Debian, RH9, but I always come back to slack.

All in all, I've come to the conclusion that the reason I use GNU/Linux is because it allows me to do more tinkering than I can with Windows. And this point was presented to me by a poster on slashdot, the reason folks switch isn't because they hate Bill Gates, or because they're simply looking for cheap software, but because they can do things in Linux that they can't in windows. I find myself agreeing with this poster wholeheartedly. If the people who are trying to gain a market share don't focus on making something different, Linux will never become popular. Critics talk about Linux being poised to finally take the consumer computing world by storm, but if it's only a windows clone, it won't ever be anything but a distant second. Why do I use linux? I can be creative and do many different things at a different level than you can in windows. Why would Aunt Mae use linux? She wouldn't, and won't until Linux does something else.

Of course, there's the option of simply getting linux more visibility to bolster use... anyone want an "LPod?"

Wow...

Whilst reading some of my older posts I decided that I like the way I ramble online. In order to further hone my mad ramblin' skills, I've decided to start posting regularly. Namely, at least twice a week. Lord knows I have enough time during my afternoon block of classes. My afternoon block of classes are a bit of a joke... "Mathematical Reasoning" and "American Government." Both of which I do well in despite my best efforts (which include, but are not limited to: Not paying attention, playing video games during class, not owning the books, etc.).

In an attempt to make my new routine easier to maintain, I've been working on removing a couple of those little obstacles that keep me from wanting to write (with the exception of "I just don't feel like it/don't have anything to say). Firstly, the post editor that blogspot provides is spiffy if you have a machine that is quick and snappy. However, this hand-me-down laptop is a little putsy, even with the wysiwyg editor turned off. So, I started looking for blog clients. I figured there must a fair number of them because livejournal clients abound and you hear more blogger-related news. Wellp, I was wrong. The only blog client I found was kblog, which assumes that you have your blog posted on your own server (which I don't.) After a little more digging, I decided to do the blog via e-mail. Now I can write my entries in Kmail (which is much snappier than the blog interface) and send them along withouth needing to open a browser. As a matter of fact, I no longer need to open KMail. Using KHotKeys, I created a shortcut that opens the url "mailto:sidiasus.notshown@blogger.com." This allows me to do some simple blogging by only pressing Windows+Alt+B. Sleek.

I tested it earlier with a quick post (that was nonsensical), and I had a spam post before I even could delete the post. What the hell? If I really needed to know how to consolidate my debt, I would go and seek the information. Though I will say that it is always nice to hear that my blog is cool from an automated ad. Who knows, maybe those random strings of characters really meant something to that commenting script. Who knows? In any case, my professor is wrapping up his lesson, and I should prolly pack up and head onwards to the next class. Wish me fun.

-Me.