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Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc Path: sserve!newshost.anu.edu.au!munnari.oz.au!labtam!news.mel.aone.net.au!OzEmail!metro!news.cs.su.oz.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!simtel!news.sprintlink.net!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!uchinews!twpierce From: Tim Pierce <twpierce@midway.uchicago.edu> Subject: Re: Slight flame from Linux user X-Nntp-Posting-Host: kimbark.uchicago.edu Message-ID: <D9nMI9.Lys@midway.uchicago.edu> Sender: news@midway.uchicago.edu (News Administrator) Organization: Vinegar Cabal References: <3ql3gd$je2@bell.maths.tcd.ie> <3qo2af$nqo@bell.maths.tcd.ie> <3qq5i8$2jj@anshar.shadow.net> <3qqotb$sla@hamilton.maths.tcd.ie> Date: Sun, 4 Jun 1995 15:20:59 GMT Lines: 48 In article <3qqotb$sla@hamilton.maths.tcd.ie>, Timothy Murphy <tim@maths.tcd.ie> wrote: >dwhite@anshar.shadow.net (Don Whiteside) writes: > >>: Fortunately, your patronising attitude does not seem typical >>: of FreeBSD people; > >> I don't think such a comment is patronizing at all - it's at least >>unrealistic and at worst outright foolish to expect installation of an OS >>as complicated as Unix with as varied a device support list as FreeBSD to >>be a full walk in the park. > >I guess your attitude, and that of the original poster, >encapsulate for me why 10 times as many people run Linux as FreeBSD. Good for you. Keep running Linux. We need more people like you. >There is no reason at all why installing Unix should be particularly difficult. >It's not meant to be an obstacle race. I don't believe that there is an advantage in making an operating system as easy as instant pudding. Running, administering, debugging, and configuring an operating system will never be "easy," in the same way that flying, landing and troubleshooting an aircraft will never be "easy." Giving people the impression that it's just like playing DOOM will lead them into a net of false expectations. Jordan and the FreeBSD gang are to be commended, highly, for the work they've done in the installation package as well as the excellent work they've done on the system itself. I just don't agree with the goal of making the system shrinkwrappable. >You sound to me like one of those people >who thinks if they make something sound complicated enough >everyone will think they must be terribly clever. Fortunately, your patronizing attitude was apparently not shared by Ken, Dennis or Rob. -- By sending unsolicited commercially-oriented e-mail to this address, the sender agrees to pay a $100 flat fee to the recipient for proofreading services.