[NBLUG/talk] I'm on the war path now!

Lincoln Peters sampln at sbcglobal.net
Mon May 30 17:18:32 PDT 2005


On Mon, 2005-05-30 at 16:43 -0700, Edward wrote:
> I have absolutely had it with Microcrap! Their pathetic, virus laden excuse 
> for an OS has made a nightmare out of my life for the last time! It has 
> been depressing carrying on an endless bullfight with a completely crashed 
> "OS" when I have a life I need to be living.

Welcome to the group.

> 
> I'm switching Linux. I want to have the top three suggestions for the best 
> versions of Linux from this group. 

I personally use Debian/testing, but I know a lot of people who also use
Fedora Core 3.  In general, I've found that Fedora is easier to set up,
while Debian is easier to maintain.

Don't worry, you can use the exact same applications on both
distributions.

> I am sick and tired of the totally 
> unscrupulous stranglehold that these greedy saboteurs have had on my pocket 
> book for years.

You too, eh?

> 
> I still have one other PC workstation that disgracefully I have to keep a 
> repulsive Microempire "OS" on BUT I want ALL of the available alternative 
> applications to Microsloth's "programs." I don't ever want to use Word, or 
> Excel, PP, or their ridiculous layout design "Publisher" or ANYTHING else 
> of theirs again.

Try OpenOffice.  It is functionally equivalent to the standard version
of MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), although the upcoming 2.0
version is supposed to include a database program comparable to Access.

If you need a page layout program, I'd suggest that you look at Scribus.
I've never used it myself, but I've heard good things about it.

> 
> I have heard that there is a version of OpneOffice that I can use in an Ms 
> environment. 

You can run OpenOffice very easily on Windows (the Computer Recycling
Center in Santa Rosa installs OpenOffice on ALL of the Windows PC's they
distribute).  In fact, many other Linux applications will compile and
run on Windows, given the appropriate libraries.

> My plan is to have one workstation have exclusively Linux on 
> it. And one other workstation have an Ms OS but with NO Ms applications on 
> it whatsoever.

I'd STRONGLY recommend that you set up your Windows box with no Internet
connection whatsoever, as that will nullify the the threat of viruses
and spyware (though it certainly won't protect you from the inevitable
Windows sclerosis).  Of course, as soon as you're sure that you can do
everything in Linux that you could do in Windows, don't hesitate switch
your second workstation to Linux!

---
Lincoln Peters
<sampln at sbcglobal.net>

Fascinating, a totally parochial attitude.
		-- Spock, "Metamorphosis", stardate 3219.8




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