Linux Schminux
So, every year or two, I go and test the GNU/Linux waters again, just to see what the newest developments are and to remind myself why I am a Windows user. Last time I tried this, I was attempting to install Mandrake Linux, and that led to a frightening night where nearly everything was lost because a lack of new drivers made it so no distro could recognize my SATA drive, and I had to use a couple of recovery applications to rescue my drive.
This time, I just wanted to check out the Ubuntu distro that seems to be heralding some fanfare these days (along with its KDE twin, Kubuntu). Learning from the past, I decided to just test this one with a live CD. It ran fine, despite having horrific mouse support (in my opinion). The problems came when I felt like mounting my drives so I could actually do something useful. Unfortunately, Ubuntu fought me to the death, as Linux is generally wont to do.
Me (as root): mount -t ntfs /dev/sda /home/orin
Ubuntu: Drive is already mounted or /home/orin is busy, chump.
After half an hour, I did manage to get it to work, by replacing "sda" with "sda2". I'm accustomed to fixing problems by wasting an hour to change one character, thanks to my programming experience. But I still think their error message could have been somewhat more accurate in its assessment.
Ubuntu: Drive is already mounted or /home/orin is busy, or perhaps that file is just PLAIN UNMOUNTABLE, chump.
Just when things seem to be looking up, I realize that the drive permissions are limited to just root - and I don't want those restrictions. I want standard users be able to access it. So I try a simple, common sense command.
Me (as root): chmod 755 /home/orin
Ubuntu: /home/orin is a read-only file system.
Ubuntu: Seriously, kid. Give up.
So I considered my mission complete, and returned to the sane world of Windows. Yes, it's not free, nor is it open-source, but at least it works, it works smoothly if you know what you are doing, and you don't have to battle it until it finally submits. And I can still use many of the creations of the GNU world, like my lovely Gaim.
THREE REASONS TO USE LINUX (according to Plueken)
1. You need it for business purposes.
2. You want to be skilled in it for future job purposes.
3. You want to be a hardcore, self-flagellating Linux zealot nerd.
This time, I just wanted to check out the Ubuntu distro that seems to be heralding some fanfare these days (along with its KDE twin, Kubuntu). Learning from the past, I decided to just test this one with a live CD. It ran fine, despite having horrific mouse support (in my opinion). The problems came when I felt like mounting my drives so I could actually do something useful. Unfortunately, Ubuntu fought me to the death, as Linux is generally wont to do.
Me (as root): mount -t ntfs /dev/sda /home/orin
Ubuntu: Drive is already mounted or /home/orin is busy, chump.
After half an hour, I did manage to get it to work, by replacing "sda" with "sda2". I'm accustomed to fixing problems by wasting an hour to change one character, thanks to my programming experience. But I still think their error message could have been somewhat more accurate in its assessment.
Ubuntu: Drive is already mounted or /home/orin is busy, or perhaps that file is just PLAIN UNMOUNTABLE, chump.
Just when things seem to be looking up, I realize that the drive permissions are limited to just root - and I don't want those restrictions. I want standard users be able to access it. So I try a simple, common sense command.
Me (as root): chmod 755 /home/orin
Ubuntu: /home/orin is a read-only file system.
Ubuntu: Seriously, kid. Give up.
So I considered my mission complete, and returned to the sane world of Windows. Yes, it's not free, nor is it open-source, but at least it works, it works smoothly if you know what you are doing, and you don't have to battle it until it finally submits. And I can still use many of the creations of the GNU world, like my lovely Gaim.
THREE REASONS TO USE LINUX (according to Plueken)
1. You need it for business purposes.
2. You want to be skilled in it for future job purposes.
3. You want to be a hardcore, self-flagellating Linux zealot nerd.