# Ubuntu is evil?



## beorning (Apr 14, 2006)

http://www.wkowtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9667184



> MCFARLAND (WKOW) -- Abbie Schubert paid more than $1,100 for a Dell laptop hoping to enroll in online classes at Madison Area Technical College, or MATC.
> 
> But something stopped her: she bought an operating system for her computer she never heard of, Ubuntu.


This made me laugh a little. I'm enrolled in the same school that this woman wishes to attend. I've taken online classes there. I've submitted scads of documents. All while running ubuntu. Not to mention that the tech support folks at the school are absurdly helpful. This could have been remedied with one phone call to the help desk, or to one of her instructors.

Stuff like this may give pause to the folks behind linux distros when they consider deals with companies like Dell. You really can't just ship linux out on a laptop to someone with limited computer skills and expect it to go smoothly.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

She ordered her laptop with Ubuntu "accidentally?" She agreed to change operating systems on the word that "everyone liked it", and even expected it to be 100% transparent to Windows?

When it arrived she tried to configure her DSL on Ubuntu with a Windows configuration CD? She wanted Word to work with Ubuntu? She dropped out of college because she couldn't configure her Internet connection or install a word processor?

How about she configure her DSL to a router? How about she install OpenOffice?

She blew $1,100 on a laptop? I'm sorry. I hate to be unkind, but this chick doesn't sound resourceful enough to get through college anyway.


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

I'm sorry, but while I try to be sympathetic to people, I agree with Nevada on this one. I will say that if you are 

a) used to Windows and
b) used to Windows/Microsoft force feeding you their pablum,

yes, Ubuntu will confuse you. But some of the stuff is ridiculous. If she didn't want Ubuntu, she could have said "Uhm, that's ok - I'd rather have Windows."

But gee, Dell says college students like it, so she'll stick with it.

She then dropped out of college? There are any number of geeks out there who would have helped her out. Heck, there are any number of geeks who would have helped her out in hopes of scoring a girlfriend. LOL

I agree with Nevada completely on this one. One call to either the college helpdesk OR any fairly knowledgable geek/techie would have taken care of any/all of this.


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## beorning73 (Apr 7, 2006)

Yeah. That almost mirrors my thoughts exactly.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

Its like anything else, you do your homework and know exactly what you want/need BEFORE talking to a salesman, then stick to your guns and the only thing to negotiate is price. 

And anybody who tries to tell somebody linux is just free version of windows needs to be hung upside down by their toes for a while. Its a good operating system, better than windows in lot ways, but it isnt "just like" windows and doesnt run windows software without lot fumbling with WINE. Again anyone who's done their homework would know that.


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## lharvey (Jul 1, 2003)

She chose Ubuntu because it was cheap. Not because she knew anything.

If she isn't smart enough to understand the difference between Ubuntu and Windows and bought it because it was cheap, then she is SOL in her college pursuits.

I run Ubuntu on my laptop in my vehicle and wouldn't use anything else. But.... I knew what I was doing when I installed it.

It is the same thing as people buying Macs because they are talked into it and then can't find a specific program that they used to have on their old PC. DUH

Just my two cents.


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## OntarioMan (Feb 11, 2007)

Lots of folks drive cars and have no idea of the technology behind them - and lots of folks use computers who are not, nor should they have to be, technology experts.

$1100 on a laptop - I really doubt she was trying to save money by choosing Linux.

Why Dell, or any other manufacturer, offers Linux as an operating system option is beyond me - they're just asking for headaches. For 99.99% of the population, Linux is the worst choice for a desktop operating system - contrary to what many Linux geeks like to spew.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

OntarioMan said:


> $1100 on a laptop - I really doubt she was trying to save money by choosing Linux.


Really. And while I don't know what else the package might have included (printer, scanner, broadband service, etc.) that's a lot of money to be spending on a laptop these days. You can get a pretty nice laptop for $500-$600, and you can get virtually anything you want for $800.

It's been my experience that when people spend too much on computer equipment they are usually trying to buy peace of mind, not a hot machine. While I have sympathy for her situation, she's the one who shot herself in the foot.


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## beorning (Apr 14, 2006)

This person lacks resourcefulness. Not in terms of technical knowledge and ability, but in terms of being able to do things like make a few phone calls in the attempt to resolve her problem. 

MATC (the school in question) has a program that offers free MS software to students under an academic license. Including xp and vista. They also offer assistance in downloading and installing the software. One phone call to the school could have resolved this issue without anyone having to learn how to navigate through a linux OS. Instead, she gave up after a call to Dell and called the local news stations consumer watchdog number. Now she's famous. For being a moron. Not a moron that can't use ubuntu, but a moron who can't get any further in her attempt to attend college than making a single call to the wrong people before she throws her hands up in the air and gives up.

I agree that linux is not for everyone. I don't make a practice of recommending it to friends with little technical knowledge because I don't want to spend alot of time supporting it for them. That said, my nine year old daughter uses ubuntu with no problems at all. She also knows how to ask questions to resolve a problem until she gets an answer that works. Especially if what she's trying to figure out is important to her.


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## gccrook (Nov 21, 2003)

Nevada said:


> Really. And while I don't know what else the package might have included (printer, scanner, broadband service, etc.) that's a lot of money to be spending on a laptop these days. You can get a pretty nice laptop for $500-$600, and you can get virtually anything you want for $800.
> 
> It's been my experience that when people spend too much on computer equipment they are usually trying to buy peace of mind, not a hot machine. While I have sympathy for her situation, she's the one who shot herself in the foot.


I have been amazed many times at the rationalization I hear from people for buying the more expensive laptops. The problem is that many do not know what the real world difference is for what they need. I am a fairly advanced user, and I bought the $600 laptop and it does all I need plus some. A friend of mine has 3 kids in college now. For each one of them, he bought a high dollar Dell laptop, and had all sorts of rationalization for why he did that. My kids would get the cheaper Dell or HP, and it would be plenty.

As for UBUNTU, it is fun to play with, but I have never had enough time to really get into it, so I get mine with Windows, and use live CD for playing with UBUNTU.


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## Gary in ohio (May 11, 2002)

I bought a hammer but it will not tighten these bolts I need tighten. Can I sure lowes?


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## lharvey (Jul 1, 2003)

Gary...

Yes if it is a ball and peen.
No if it is a claw

:banana02:


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