Re: [SLUG] On Line Order # 195735 of 15 Nov 04

From: Bryan J. Smith (b.j.smith@ieee.org)
Date: Tue Nov 30 2004 - 11:20:20 EST


2 issues to know:

1) the kernel is getting bigger and is to the point that not all drivers can fit on a 2.88MB floppy which El Torito emulates on a CD. Now while most distros use the native El Torito mode with full access, IBM ships very old BIOSes that lack a lot of support.

2) the best notebooks for Linux are quickly becoming Apple. The PC notebook is now very proprietary and tied to a specific instance of Windows. This is not so much an anti-Linux thing, but ties back into the superstore model and control of sistribution with forced upgrades. With today's loss leading, accessories and other add-ons which are not even model intercompatible is how the make money.

-- 
Bryan J. Smith (currently mobile)
b.j.smith@ieee.org

-----Original Message----- From: Justin Prior Date: 04-11-30 10:53 To: slug@nks.net Subj: Re: [SLUG] On Line Order # 195735 of 15 Nov 04

The grammar is a little off, but overall well said. Personally I am not a Mandrake fan but have heard similar complaints.

Justin

----- Original Message ----- > Hi All > > The following is a memo I just sent to the Mandrake sale representative > that > handled my last Mandrake order. > > I am posting this so that the group knows of my level of displeasure with > the > Mandrake 10.1 distribution. > > Also, hopefull Robolomo will pick up on this an supply some input. > > Thanks > > Frank > > > __________ > First, order was received - Thanks > > Unfortunately I am having to send this to you as I do not know how to > contract > upper level management myself. > Thus, please take this e-mail to upper level management immediately. > > I assume that Mandrake is selling goods and services because Mandrake is > attempting to make a profit by supplying semi technical people an > operating > system that is cutting edge. Computer techs on one hand have the ability > to > down load assemble, compile add modify and generate such an operating > system. There are those of us on the other hand who for one reason or the > other are NOT fully technical qualified to do this assembly but who do > have > the qualification to install a distribution such as Mandrake from a disk. > I > am one such and I have installed Red Hat and then later Mandrake over 100 > times from disk but I can not install Mandrake 10.1. The reason for this > is > that Mandrake in it good graces has decided that us less than fully > technical > qualified people do NOT need a version that is installable. > > Placing the new 10.1 disk in my old IBM Thinkpad A30P I promply got a > message > that says to install the "Additional Drivers Disk" in the floppy drive. > Now > 8.2, 9.0, 9.1 and 9.2 installed just fine but now suddenly 10.1 will not > because some idiot decided that the drivers required for installation are > NOT > necessary for NON tackies. Tackies of course know where to obtain these > drivers and how to manipulate Linux and Mandrake such that this is not a > issue. BUT! To us non tackies what that translates into is that I have > wasted > the purchase price of Mandrake 10.1 on a system that I can NOT install and > have latterly NO idea of how to acquire the files necessary to install it. > > At this point if one is astute one should ask why a NON teckie would want > to > upgrade from 9.2 to 10.1 in the first place. Well the issues with 9.1 and > 9.1 > to an NON teckie were not issue with the various programs but mostly with > the > interaction of the programs in particular cut and past. Now cut and past > in > Open Office, KDE, and a number of other programs works just find AS LONG > AS > ONE DOES NOT LEAVE THAT PROGRAM but copping words off a web site in to > Open > Office some tines yes and some times no depending on if Open Office or > Konqueror was opened first. There were a number of issues like the cut and > past example that make it worth of an upgrade but the biggest issue is a > major major issue. > > This computer is a laptop not a desk top, not a server or router or fire > wall. > Infact as a desktop user I am appalled that server, router, and firewall > programs are included with desktop programs while depriving one of > additional > user programs. I just can not seem to understand why Apache and its like > are > on a Desk Top distribution. This unfortunately NOT the major issue but > only a > colliery. > > This computer is a laptop. As such it has the ability to be connected to > the > internet by eather DSL or modem. For DSL it works in either WiFi mode or > in > direct cable connection. For dial up it is only direct cable connection. I > have made both work and have connected to the internet in 9.1 and 9.2 by > either DSL or modem but not both. The major problem is no matter what I > have > tried I can not make the computer connect to the internet by one or the > other > WITH OUT reinstalling the system. Believe me I have tried. The internet > connection configuration wizard allows one method or the other but NOT > BOTH. > Thus if I set the laptop up to work off DSL I may us it in the office > where > we have DSL but NOT at home where I have a telephone and NO DSL. If on the > other hand I set the computer up to do dial up from home I can not use the > computer in the office with DSL and our digital phone system. > > The point to this whole e-mail is that Mandrake has a long history of > putting > together half ass distributions that require a higher degree of technical > expertise than one should expect for anyone paying money for the > distribution. A techie who is NOT going to pay for a fully integrated > system > when he is completely capable of integrating the system himself. On the > other > hand anyone who is willing to pay money is most probable NOT capable of > doing > the integration themself. > > Lets be more specific and please pass this comment off to the integrators. > > Hay stupid what do you think we are paying you for to continue to throw > out > half ass unusable distributions? Because if that is what you think and if

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