Linux Trivia
Posted: 30 Mar 2016, 18:33
Fellow Porteui,
First I'd like to apologize for not continuing the dialog on the Thread/Topic -General chat/30 miles from home and off the wall. Issues at the mentioned nursing home site are out of my control presently, the computer has been removed. I'm very frustrated, trying to do good, with stop signs at every turn. I will continue as soon, and if possible, that may be never. I hope for the better. (this is a real sore point for me, as I have not been able to use any suggestions made here, and the point of contention is out of my reach, I apologize)
A thought came to mind recently about this Linux Desktop subject. The topic of the Linux Desktop has been tossed around now for well on to 12 to 15, or 16 years, perhaps more.
So I thought I'd divulge my own personal experience with Linux. Of course I have no dillusions that it would put the Linux Desktop issue to rest, finally. However, in the end, my own personal conclussion counts the most, to me, of course :-) And I will give it there.
In 2004 I was using IBM's OS/2 operating system, for reasons that would waste your precious time reading. But OS/2 was a Cadillac of an Operating System. IBM however decided to stop supporting it, and since I never used Windows, I looked to Linux as an alternative OS. I had installed and tried Mandrake and Red Hat around 2000. Found them both great with the CLI, but severly lacking with the GUI. I did, however, continue to watch Linux and it's "Desktops", then Gnome and KDE, very closely.
Now I can't remember exactly how I became aware of it, or why I decided to try it but sometime around 2004 I heard about Novell Susie Enterprise Linux being available for $50 (fifty United States dollars). I had been "online" (internet connected, very slow) for only a short time then (I'm way out in the Boonie's away from the cities), but was able to find some US telephone numbers to call in order to purchase Novell Susie Linux Enterprise edition (#9.?) as I remember. Being a long time ago, I can not say for sure how much time I spent on the telephone, but it was considerable!
At home here somewhere, on an old harddrive, are the exact answers, but I'll try to hit the important points without going to that trouble. After much frustration calling Novell about this Linux product they were then advertising on the internet, and finding no person with any knowledge about how a person could make the purchase, I reached the head of all marketing for Novell. This took a couple of days.
To my surprise, I mean Novell had just purchased "Susie Linux" and were hoping to make something of it, this top director of marketing for Novell totally understood my problem/frustration in obtaining Novell Enterprise Linux 9. I was told he himself was experiencing the identical problems within Novell as to the exact process for a customer to physically purchase the product. We discussed our mutual difficulties and made way for easier communication with one another, I having expressed a willingness for patience and my own assistance, however usefull.
(I had finished this piece, then felt the need to express my total *&$%#@* frustration with why a company would R&D a product, manufacture it, advertise it, and yet provide absolutely now avenue for a customer to make the purchase.)
After several weeks time Novell snail-mailed me a CD with their Susie Linux Enterprise 9 and I was able to install it on an old Dell Optiplex GS-260 (which is running today al biet sans-Susie/Novell Linux).
Well, I couldn't believe what was before me. Here was everything I thought I'd ever need, and it was all running beautifully. I called my new friend and head of marketing at Novell and told him of my satisfaction, and how wonderful I found Susie Linux to be. Of course he loved hearing all I said. Then I questioned Novell's marketing of this fine product, like where was the marketing? There was very little of it, and still no easy way for a novice to purchase it. His hands were surely tied, easily "seen" even via audio telephone conversation.
Our communication was lost a year later when this entire process was repeated in trying to update/upgrade to Novell Susie Linux Enterprise 10, still $50. And I found a new director of marketing, I went pretty much through the same frustrations and eventually received the product. One of those fella's, can't remember which, sent a box of goodies to my home, CD's of the system for installation, a T-shirt, and a couple of other marketing handouts. That was very nice and appreciated.
I may be old and naive, but when the bottom line is drawn, a desktop is simply " a super menu", from an old-timers point of view. I'd be willing to bet that a DOS menu could be created to the same effect we expect from today's "Desktop editions" of any operating system. KISS
My conclusions are these;
(1) Marketing is a "KEY". IBM failed to market OS/2, Novell failed to market Susie Linux Enterprise. If one were to go back and look at the first Novell Susie Linux Enterprise 9, and then look at the very first Ubuntu (2005 or so?), they would see an extremely similar product. Novell "Susie" did not lose to Mandrake, Slackware, Debian, or Red Hat. Novell Susie sat on it's bum and lost to Canonical/Ubuntu !!!!!
(2) In 2004 Susie Linux had a complete desktop for Linux. It did everything asked of it.
The Linux desktop is not coming anytime soon, it's already been here for years, 10, 12, 15 at least!!!!!!!!!!! (How can something arrive that is already here?!)
And that's how I got started with Linux. And now I thank goodness for Porteus Linux!
Sean
(not a Guru)
First I'd like to apologize for not continuing the dialog on the Thread/Topic -General chat/30 miles from home and off the wall. Issues at the mentioned nursing home site are out of my control presently, the computer has been removed. I'm very frustrated, trying to do good, with stop signs at every turn. I will continue as soon, and if possible, that may be never. I hope for the better. (this is a real sore point for me, as I have not been able to use any suggestions made here, and the point of contention is out of my reach, I apologize)
A thought came to mind recently about this Linux Desktop subject. The topic of the Linux Desktop has been tossed around now for well on to 12 to 15, or 16 years, perhaps more.
So I thought I'd divulge my own personal experience with Linux. Of course I have no dillusions that it would put the Linux Desktop issue to rest, finally. However, in the end, my own personal conclussion counts the most, to me, of course :-) And I will give it there.
In 2004 I was using IBM's OS/2 operating system, for reasons that would waste your precious time reading. But OS/2 was a Cadillac of an Operating System. IBM however decided to stop supporting it, and since I never used Windows, I looked to Linux as an alternative OS. I had installed and tried Mandrake and Red Hat around 2000. Found them both great with the CLI, but severly lacking with the GUI. I did, however, continue to watch Linux and it's "Desktops", then Gnome and KDE, very closely.
Now I can't remember exactly how I became aware of it, or why I decided to try it but sometime around 2004 I heard about Novell Susie Enterprise Linux being available for $50 (fifty United States dollars). I had been "online" (internet connected, very slow) for only a short time then (I'm way out in the Boonie's away from the cities), but was able to find some US telephone numbers to call in order to purchase Novell Susie Linux Enterprise edition (#9.?) as I remember. Being a long time ago, I can not say for sure how much time I spent on the telephone, but it was considerable!
At home here somewhere, on an old harddrive, are the exact answers, but I'll try to hit the important points without going to that trouble. After much frustration calling Novell about this Linux product they were then advertising on the internet, and finding no person with any knowledge about how a person could make the purchase, I reached the head of all marketing for Novell. This took a couple of days.
To my surprise, I mean Novell had just purchased "Susie Linux" and were hoping to make something of it, this top director of marketing for Novell totally understood my problem/frustration in obtaining Novell Enterprise Linux 9. I was told he himself was experiencing the identical problems within Novell as to the exact process for a customer to physically purchase the product. We discussed our mutual difficulties and made way for easier communication with one another, I having expressed a willingness for patience and my own assistance, however usefull.
(I had finished this piece, then felt the need to express my total *&$%#@* frustration with why a company would R&D a product, manufacture it, advertise it, and yet provide absolutely now avenue for a customer to make the purchase.)
After several weeks time Novell snail-mailed me a CD with their Susie Linux Enterprise 9 and I was able to install it on an old Dell Optiplex GS-260 (which is running today al biet sans-Susie/Novell Linux).
Well, I couldn't believe what was before me. Here was everything I thought I'd ever need, and it was all running beautifully. I called my new friend and head of marketing at Novell and told him of my satisfaction, and how wonderful I found Susie Linux to be. Of course he loved hearing all I said. Then I questioned Novell's marketing of this fine product, like where was the marketing? There was very little of it, and still no easy way for a novice to purchase it. His hands were surely tied, easily "seen" even via audio telephone conversation.
Our communication was lost a year later when this entire process was repeated in trying to update/upgrade to Novell Susie Linux Enterprise 10, still $50. And I found a new director of marketing, I went pretty much through the same frustrations and eventually received the product. One of those fella's, can't remember which, sent a box of goodies to my home, CD's of the system for installation, a T-shirt, and a couple of other marketing handouts. That was very nice and appreciated.
I may be old and naive, but when the bottom line is drawn, a desktop is simply " a super menu", from an old-timers point of view. I'd be willing to bet that a DOS menu could be created to the same effect we expect from today's "Desktop editions" of any operating system. KISS
My conclusions are these;
(1) Marketing is a "KEY". IBM failed to market OS/2, Novell failed to market Susie Linux Enterprise. If one were to go back and look at the first Novell Susie Linux Enterprise 9, and then look at the very first Ubuntu (2005 or so?), they would see an extremely similar product. Novell "Susie" did not lose to Mandrake, Slackware, Debian, or Red Hat. Novell Susie sat on it's bum and lost to Canonical/Ubuntu !!!!!
(2) In 2004 Susie Linux had a complete desktop for Linux. It did everything asked of it.
The Linux desktop is not coming anytime soon, it's already been here for years, 10, 12, 15 at least!!!!!!!!!!! (How can something arrive that is already here?!)
And that's how I got started with Linux. And now I thank goodness for Porteus Linux!
Sean
(not a Guru)