[ILUG] Re: The anoraks' new clothes

[Jon Kelly]

:  My god. What a fuckwit.
:
:  "The anoraks liked windows when it was new 9 years ago"
:  "The anoraks say 'if it works, it has no value'"
:
:  This man should be beaten, and they made use Windows 2.0 in all it's four
: colour "oh my god it's shite" glory.

Whereas a lot of what he says was sophomoric trash.. he did raise a couple
of points. (Although the fact he didnt back them up well didnt help his
arguement). One of the points he made (slightly indirectly) was the fact
that a lot of people that use linux use it for the image that it puts
across. These include the long-term linux users as well as the new users
that want to use Linux to "hack" (in the media's sense of the word).
Long-term linux users, the ones that have been with it since god knows
when.. *resent* the fact that such applications as the Code Commander and
vTCL are beginning to appear on their OS. They *resent* the fact that Linux
has become a "bandwagon". And it's one that they wish to get off of as
quickly as possible.

I have been accused of using a (direct quote) "Fisher Price" OS in running
linux. This came from a FreeBSD zealot..  And not one reason was
forthcoming. The only conclusion I could draw from the lack of response I
got from this person is that, to many, OSes are status symbols, as much as
they are Operating Systems.

I think the best comparison to demonstrate this is from Top Gear last night
(Anyone watch it?) They went on about people buying Kit Cars, that they make
themselves. The people say that, although the car is perhaps less powerful,
comfortable, quiet, than a car of similar price.. their kit car is
completely unique, and they had the satisfaction of spending 8 months in a
garage full of oil and junk putting it together, getting to know the car
from roots. These people are defiantely car enthusiasts (£13,000 for a car
they have to BUILD? Of course they are). Perhaps computer enthusiasts just
like putting things together themselves, They enjoy the difficulty. The
mechanics want to get to know their car from the roots, the "anoraks" want
to get to know their OS from the / (har har).

</rant>

- Jon