[plug] Quote of the week: the WinTel-AOL axis

[Leon Brooks]

Favourite part between the [*> <*] markers.

    http://www.desktopos.com/sections.php?op=viewarticle&artid=34

    Sometimes as a Linux user, I feel like I'm in a Star Wars movie. I am a
    member of the Rebel Forces, and [*> we're up against the Evil Empire.
    And who is that, you might ask? (and then again, you might not). The
    WinTel-AOL axis of stupidity! <*]

    [...]

    Now at this point I have to say this, I do NOT hate Microsoft Windows. I
    am still very happy with 2000 when I have to use it. I just dislike their
    business practices. I know of NO other company that gets away with
    putting out a faulty product, and gets away with dumping the
    responsibility of fixing it on the consumer. Read the EULA. When my
    friends finally do, they are shocked.

    [...]

    One argument I hear [...] is "Yea, but I can drive a car but don't have to
    know how it runs or what's under the hood." That's true, but you have to
    learn THE RULES OF THE ROAD! You have to learn HOW to drive before you
    get your license.

    [...]

    If you take a close look at the average, everyday user, what does he do?
    What do most of the people who call you for help do with there computers?
    In my case they surf the net, write an occasional letter, listen to music,
    burn CD's full of mp3's, and play the odd game, on and off line. Do you
    really need a 400ghz computer with 10gig of memory and 300 terabytes of
    hard disk space? Yes, some people do, but not the majority of the people I
    run into everyday.

    [.../ME reflects on how well this applies to people choosing cars etc...]

    The steps I took to make my friends take more responsibility for there
    computers, and their on line life, has to be one of the most satisfying,
    and hardest, things I have done. They were a little pissed when they
    finally got it in there heads that I was not running over every time
    something happened, but now there is a feeling among them that they can
    DO something to fix their computers, and that in itself gave them the
    confidence to try out new things, Linux being one.

Cheers; Leon