Unfortunate Ubuntu media coverage

[Evan Leibovitch]

Peter wrote:
> One more thing: Invariably discussions around this theme lead to political wars.
> Beyond politics, people have a simple choice: pay for an integrated product that
> does what they need, such as a Mac, or pay very little for a bootable Linux
> image on CD or DVD and live with the tiny problems that may occur, problems
> which may require some help from a discussion group (like this one) to sort out,
> or even a paid session with a professional linux expert who will actually
> customize a bootable distribution to perfectly suit the person's needs (and I
> have done this repeatedly in the past).
Maybe. Sometimes things just break, with no help in sight. The loss of 
use my $5 microphone when upgraded to Ubuntu 8.10 could not be helped by 
anyone -- not here, not in the Ubuntu Forums, not after an extensive 
Google search for every error message and similar scenario. This is one 
of those things that 'just works' under Windows -- even old versions -- 
but is now one of this classic dead ends that I encounter every so often.

Compounding the problem is the increas in finger pointing. When using 
Apple there's one source of complaint. When using Windows there are two 
(The motherboard/chipset vendor and Microsoft. Under Linux there's the 
additional step of the packager/distribution -- if my current problem 
the fault of the soundcard maker/driver, ALSA, or Ubuntu?

Granted, the over-engineering of ALSA comes in really helpful if you 
have many sound inputs, but is infuriating if you only have one but 
don't know to which slider it belongs.

Slowly many of these kinds of problems have been solved -- working with 
scanners was once a *Huge* pain but is now quite easy -- but many still 
remain.

I think part of the problem is from the diversity of the Linux user 
base. As a tinkerer's workbench it has no equal, you can get right down 
into the source code IF that's your inclination. It is also being 
installed on some of the smallest laptops, cellphones, and some of the 
world's fastest supercomputers. No other system offers anywhere near 
that broad a coverage, but that is also part of Linux's weaknesses. The 
superior adaptability of Linux poses a huge problem to the plug-and-play 
folk.

> So there are lots of choices but comparing apples with prunes (full Linux distribution install vs. crippleware vs. boot-and-use appliance style computers like Macs) is not fair, and does not serve the community (ANY community).
It's indeed fair in the context that there are some who believe that the 
current state of Linux and other FOSS is the answer to every computing 
problem. Stallman and the FSF have steadfastly maintained that using 
inferior quality free software is preferable to using better-suited 
proprietary work. In instances where people are driven to make (or 
advocate) choices based on that influence than FOSS folks had better be 
ready when their favourite stuff is found to not satisfy all needs as 
has been promised by some.

> Clueless journalists writing 4 page articles about Linux based on notes and discussions with 'experts' (some of whom are paid employees of various interested parties) is not exactly the best news source in the world,
So what? There are clueless journalists of all kinds, including some who 
over-hype Linux and open source as more (and more-polished) than it is. 
There are plenty of pro-Linux and anti-Microsoft points of view 
throughout the IT media world, just as there are Linux bashers and 
Microsoft defenders. And I've experienced first hand the observation 
that Apple fanboys put even the open sourcers to shame.

If you look it's easy to find reports showing any kind of bias you like. 
The original article was bizarrely noteworthy because it suggested that 
someone quit their education because the tools wouldn't work right. I 
see this in the same light as those from netbook vendors who seem 
surprised when they install core SuSE Linux on a system targeted at 
first time users and wonder why the return rate is so high. The error 
was partly in the choice of SuSE for a beginner system but also in 
improperly set expectations.

Personally I believe that Linux is a good choice for many people -- but 
not all. I would heartily recommend a Mac for those who hate computers 
and want a minimum of intervention between them and application-related 
technology tasks. They certainly pay for that comfort through less 
freedom and higher cost, but that's a reasonable choice to make.

> and blogs are in the same category since it has become common knowledge that bloggers can and do get paid for what they write. Remember that viral advertising works in both  directions (both as a smearing campaign and as an awareness raiser).
>   
Neither Apple nor Linux have a shortage of online advocates.

- Evan

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