Comments on: Breaking this Site, Jacob Nielsen’s Opinions on Platforms http://meganmcdermott.com/2007/01/24/breaking-this-site-jacob-nielsons-opinions-on-platforms/ Web design and that Fri, 04 May 2012 23:55:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Andy http://meganmcdermott.com/2007/01/24/breaking-this-site-jacob-nielsons-opinions-on-platforms/comment-page-1/#comment-18318 Andy Thu, 06 Mar 2008 12:07:26 +0000 http://www.meganmcdermott.com/2007/01/24/breaking-this-site-jacob-nielsons-opinions-on-platforms/#comment-18318 I've always been a fan of FOSS and freeware generally, which is why I stated the www.lessfuss.co.uk website not so long ago (I'm still pouplating it). But I still havn't had the guts to install Ubuntu or any other flavour of Linux for that matter. The trouble is, I've become comfortable with Windows, and also need to run a few apps for work which are Windows only (such as MSSQL). Although I do detest many of their business practices, and buggy releases. I had thought about running a dual boot system, but when I'll round to it I don't know! I’ve always been a fan of FOSS and freeware generally, which is why I stated the http://www.lessfuss.co.uk website not so long ago (I’m still pouplating it).

But I still havn’t had the guts to install Ubuntu or any other flavour of Linux for that matter. The trouble is, I’ve become comfortable with Windows, and also need to run a few apps for work which are Windows only (such as MSSQL). Although I do detest many of their business practices, and buggy releases.

I had thought about running a dual boot system, but when I’ll round to it I don’t know!

]]> By: Adam Kinder http://meganmcdermott.com/2007/01/24/breaking-this-site-jacob-nielsons-opinions-on-platforms/comment-page-1/#comment-4804 Adam Kinder Sat, 27 Jan 2007 01:06:04 +0000 http://www.meganmcdermott.com/2007/01/24/breaking-this-site-jacob-nielsons-opinions-on-platforms/#comment-4804 I will admit, I haven't tried Ubuntu, but I've heard good things about it. I clung to the RedHat distros, since we were using them as servers at the same time. Most of my pain came from the fact that I built frankenstein computers, and was constantly swapping parts when things blew up. Nine times out of ten, I had to spend several hours getting the system stable again, new drivers, recompile kernel, etc. And of course, then I started playing HL:2, and Counter Strike in between projects, and Wine doesn't cut it just yet. I will admit, I haven’t tried Ubuntu, but I’ve heard good things about it. I clung to the RedHat distros, since we were using them as servers at the same time. Most of my pain came from the fact that I built frankenstein computers, and was constantly swapping parts when things blew up. Nine times out of ten, I had to spend several hours getting the system stable again, new drivers, recompile kernel, etc. And of course, then I started playing HL:2, and Counter Strike in between projects, and Wine doesn’t cut it just yet.

]]> By: Liam McDermott http://meganmcdermott.com/2007/01/24/breaking-this-site-jacob-nielsons-opinions-on-platforms/comment-page-1/#comment-4799 Liam McDermott Fri, 26 Jan 2007 01:50:13 +0000 http://www.meganmcdermott.com/2007/01/24/breaking-this-site-jacob-nielsons-opinions-on-platforms/#comment-4799 I agree with Adam K's comments mostly. It's a shame you haven't made Linux work for your desktop though. :( Have you tried Ubuntu? You're not that bad Andy K! Most fanboys would have exploded with anger at the suggestion that everyone in the world shouldn't immediately buy every product Apple product. :) It's Microsoft Office for Mac mostly, their 2008 version is apparently going to contain more features than the PC's 2007 release! Microsoft don't have a problem with Apple anymore, since they own quite a percentage of them (or at least did last time I looked, could be wrong). Most of the problems with Ubuntu Megan's experienced are because her computer is rather old so I put a smaller, more streamlined version on there called Xubuntu. It requires that I assist her more with more complicated stuff (setting up printers etc), but that's ok. Unfortunately this has given the impression that a Linux geek is needed to help with the average system. Most problems with proprietary codecs was just bad luck, and has now been permanently (and legally) solved for everyone else: http://www.cnr.com/faq.html this is CNR, Linspire gained the right to distribute Microsoft proprietary video codecs and they're making it available for everyone. They're also providing a one-stop-shop for downloading Linux software for the most popular distros, removing the confusion of where to get stuff for new users. Here comes the Linux desktop!!! :) I agree with Adam K’s comments mostly. It’s a shame you haven’t made Linux work for your desktop though. :(

Have you tried Ubuntu?

You’re not that bad Andy K! Most fanboys would have exploded with anger at the suggestion that everyone in the world shouldn’t immediately buy every product Apple product. :)

It’s Microsoft Office for Mac mostly, their 2008 version is apparently going to contain more features than the PC’s 2007 release! Microsoft don’t have a problem with Apple anymore, since they own quite a percentage of them (or at least did last time I looked, could be wrong).

Most of the problems with Ubuntu Megan’s experienced are because her computer is rather old so I put a smaller, more streamlined version on there called Xubuntu. It requires that I assist her more with more complicated stuff (setting up printers etc), but that’s ok. Unfortunately this has given the impression that a Linux geek is needed to help with the average system.

Most problems with proprietary codecs was just bad luck, and has now been permanently (and legally) solved for everyone else: http://www.cnr.com/faq.html this is CNR, Linspire gained the right to distribute Microsoft proprietary video codecs and they’re making it available for everyone. They’re also providing a one-stop-shop for downloading Linux software for the most popular distros, removing the confusion of where to get stuff for new users.

Here comes the Linux desktop!!! :)

]]> By: andyk http://meganmcdermott.com/2007/01/24/breaking-this-site-jacob-nielsons-opinions-on-platforms/comment-page-1/#comment-4797 andyk Wed, 24 Jan 2007 23:11:30 +0000 http://www.meganmcdermott.com/2007/01/24/breaking-this-site-jacob-nielsons-opinions-on-platforms/#comment-4797 Did someone say Apple fanboy? That would be me ;) PS... I agree, Plesk sucks. I hate using it and I hate having to support it! Give me a basic LAMP install and a text editor any day! Did someone say Apple fanboy? That would be me ;)

PS… I agree, Plesk sucks. I hate using it and I hate having to support it! Give me a basic LAMP install and a text editor any day!

]]> By: Adam Kinder http://meganmcdermott.com/2007/01/24/breaking-this-site-jacob-nielsons-opinions-on-platforms/comment-page-1/#comment-4796 Adam Kinder Wed, 24 Jan 2007 19:31:19 +0000 http://www.meganmcdermott.com/2007/01/24/breaking-this-site-jacob-nielsons-opinions-on-platforms/#comment-4796 No fanboy here, especially not Apple :P I don't really have an opinion on the three major operating systems on the market, other than Apple is praised far too much, and Microsoft bashed far too much, for practicing some of the same ideals ( DRM, lockin, etc ). For some reason it seems that Apple is given the thumbs up on lockin, whereas MS is attacked ruthlessly for every small move they make. For Linux, I use Linux ( Fedora ) for my fileserver at home, and all our client machines, but I'm not a huge fan of it for desktop use. I tried for 3 years, but went back to WinXP. After getting rid of the horrid teletubby theme, I can stand WinXP :) Hm, after reading my comment again, I guess I do have an opinion heh, but no zealotry. No fanboy here, especially not Apple :P I don’t really have an opinion on the three major operating systems on the market, other than Apple is praised far too much, and Microsoft bashed far too much, for practicing some of the same ideals ( DRM, lockin, etc ). For some reason it seems that Apple is given the thumbs up on lockin, whereas MS is attacked ruthlessly for every small move they make.

For Linux, I use Linux ( Fedora ) for my fileserver at home, and all our client machines, but I’m not a huge fan of it for desktop use. I tried for 3 years, but went back to WinXP. After getting rid of the horrid teletubby theme, I can stand WinXP :)

Hm, after reading my comment again, I guess I do have an opinion heh, but no zealotry.

]]> By: Megan http://meganmcdermott.com/2007/01/24/breaking-this-site-jacob-nielsons-opinions-on-platforms/comment-page-1/#comment-4795 Megan Wed, 24 Jan 2007 15:45:39 +0000 http://www.meganmcdermott.com/2007/01/24/breaking-this-site-jacob-nielsons-opinions-on-platforms/#comment-4795 Wow, um, that first bit was incredibly geeky. My eyes glazed over for a bit ;) Great information to follow-up on some of the things we've been talking about here lately. No need to accuse anyone of being a fan-boy though. I don't really know Adam K. too well, but I don't get the impression that he suffers from fanboy-ism. I <em>am</em> hearing a lot of raves about apple in regular people land lately so I don't think that comment was out of line at all. Those are good points about Mac not being an enterprise solution. That's true, and I can't imagine that changing (outside of the land of graphic designers). What do they use for an office solution on Mac anyway? Oh, and after discussing it with Liam, I have decided to take back what I said about <a href="http://www.meganmcdermott.com/2007/01/20/liam-broke-my-site-plus-some-stuff-on-platform-independence/" rel="nofollow">Linux having usability problems</a>. I did have an easy time migrating to Linux last fall. For the average user, I don't think Ubuntu is any more or less usable than Windows. I did have trouble with a few things, but that mostly had to do with proprietary restrictions that make it difficult to get Flash and Mp3 support working. Wow, um, that first bit was incredibly geeky. My eyes glazed over for a bit ;) Great information to follow-up on some of the things we’ve been talking about here lately.

No need to accuse anyone of being a fan-boy though. I don’t really know Adam K. too well, but I don’t get the impression that he suffers from fanboy-ism. I am hearing a lot of raves about apple in regular people land lately so I don’t think that comment was out of line at all.

Those are good points about Mac not being an enterprise solution. That’s true, and I can’t imagine that changing (outside of the land of graphic designers). What do they use for an office solution on Mac anyway?

Oh, and after discussing it with Liam, I have decided to take back what I said about Linux having usability problems. I did have an easy time migrating to Linux last fall. For the average user, I don’t think Ubuntu is any more or less usable than Windows. I did have trouble with a few things, but that mostly had to do with proprietary restrictions that make it difficult to get Flash and Mp3 support working.

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