Free at last, Free at last!

**Perldog007** · 17th July 07, 11:50 AM

The network support tech just left my warehouse and I am finally free. I have been free from trouser tyranny for about six weeks now. I am talking about I.T. freedom.

My office uses a wireless router from Verizon that does not support real operating systems like FreeBsd or Linux. I am a freedom kind of guy. Have been trying for about six months to get a network cable to my corner of the shop (waaay in the back, as most can probably envision)

Since my employer has so far been too cheap to provide me with a computer, I have had much resentment at having to run a proprietary Operating System on mine own laptop. Now that I can get online, and a thoughtfull hacker has patched up a nice little hack to run Internet Explorer on Linux - I AM FREE!!!!!( some of the functions within my baliwick require internet explorer)

No trousers! No proprietary Operating system! This is living!

Thanks, just had to share

**Archangel** · 17th July 07, 01:25 PM

Mac users wonder why?

**demobud** · 17th July 07, 04:42 PM

sigh...because...Bill Gates said so?

**MacTavishOfJapan** · 17th July 07, 05:28 PM

Am a Linux guy myself, made the break about 1 or 2 years ago. It's not without it's head-scratching (probably cos I try to do things I don't understand) but that's half the fun for me. I used to miss iTunes now I actually prefer Amarok. Life is sweet.

**Perldog007** · 17th July 07, 05:57 PM

Originally Posted by Archangel

Mac users wonder why?

Long Answer:

Mac is pretty darn cool, have liked it since the beginning. For the truly disturbed, there is something really magical about being to see the source code for everything.... (even if you can't understand just by looking at it, for me I have to "root around" a while)

I get strange thrills from making things do more than they did when they left the factory (My ipod dual boots linux and the apple O.S.)

And then there's the whole ANARCHY thing of a system with so many flavors, no real standard, which has become a standard.

Finally, it's FREE (free of charge and free to modify it, sell it, give it away, whatever)

For the code geek, it gives you a plethora of free things to learn and earn with. Replacing all of my free compilers, interpreters, database servers, SDKs' etc with proprietary ware would easily cost the price of a nice home in most hemispheres.

If you are into Mac, or PC that is a good place to be. For the FOS lunatics like me, it's open source Just one of those things.

Short Answer:

It rules

My cheapo laptop 500 USd

My Operating system and software - 0.0 USD

Being able to spend the rest on kilts? Priceless!

**Perldog007** · 17th July 07, 06:00 PM

Originally Posted by MacTavishOfJapan

Am a Linux guy myself, made the break about 1 or 2 years ago. It's not without it's head-scratching (probably cos I try to do things I don't understand) but that's half the fun for me. I used to miss iTunes now I actually prefer Amarok. Life is sweet.

Ahh, somebody who can understand the sheer exuberance of going from pants to kilts and from proprietary ware to open source in the same summer. Too bad it took 45 of them for me to figure it out, So nice that I found it at all

**MysticMead** · 18th July 07, 05:27 AM

what flavors of Linux do you prefer? I've used several of them..in fact I have a box of CD's in my office with different versions right now.. lately I've been using Ubuntu a lot...before that it was Xandros...and Fedora...with some Mandrake tossed in... I did have a SuSe server running for years at work that was used for a PHP knowledge base so other techs in my dept could keep the flow of information going between the group...that server ran 24/7 for a little over 3 years without a reboot

**Dirk Skene** · 18th July 07, 06:24 AM

Originally Posted by Perldog007

.... I have been free from trouser tyranny for about six weeks now. ......I am a freedom kind of guy. ..... No trousers! ..... This is living!

Thanks, just had to share

Rub it in you

**Perldog007** · 18th July 07, 07:12 AM

Originally Posted by MysticMead

what flavors of Linux do you prefer? I've used several of them..in fact I have a box of CD's in my office with different versions right now.. lately I've been using Ubuntu a lot...before that it was Xandros...and Fedora...with some Mandrake tossed in... I did have a SuSe server running for years at work that was used for a PHP knowledge base so other techs in my dept could keep the flow of information going between the group...that server ran 24/7 for a little over 3 years without a reboot

Started with Slackware 2.0. did the redhat thing, mostly worked in Debian, still like to tussle with FreeBsd now and then. Currently basking in Ubuntu fiesty. This poor little start menu is so confused, I actually get the KUbuntu welcome screen and have Gnome, KDE, XFCE, and enlightenment on here.

Mostly use GNOME. If I had a better vid card would be into beryl. Initially when I heard about Ubuntu, the whole user friendly thing turned me off, but after giving it a spin it has become my distro of choice.

**MysticMead** · 18th July 07, 08:44 AM

I like Ubuntu... the server version is even better... answer a couple questions and presto.. a LAMP install ready to go... much better than how I used to do those.. now for fun, do a Gentoo stage 1 install... I know a lot of people that swear by Gentoo... but why should anyone be forced to go through a long drawn out install like that... I could see it as an option... but I want a OS up and running in a few minutes... not hours..

now, one distro I have that my kids love is eLive... it's good for a live CD version.. and at least my kids know there's something out there besides windoze