[simpits-chat] Tech...
Brian Sikkema
simpits-chat@simpits.org
Mon, 24 Feb 2003 12:37:33 +0000
>Dude. What a *lame* excuse. Unix is _very_ easy to use. What did >you do
>before Windows? Stare at the C:\> prompt and tremble?
>What were you trying to install?
Umm, actually I was very proficient with DOS, probably even more so than
Windows. My problem isnt with using a command line, its with having to
compile almost everything I get, having the right dependencies, and then
having everything work properly when I try to install those dependencies.
Along with other things. I had this and other problems with most of the
software I tried to work with. For example:
I tried to install the Apache webserver once. I went to their website,
downloaded the appropriate files, and followed their instructions to the
letter on how to install it. Went to the directory I had the new copy
installed in, and ran it as per the instructions. It appears to start up
fine, no errors. But it doesn't work exactly like it should, and its looking
in the wrong directories for the files. Several hours later working with a
friend of mine who works exclusively in Unix, we finally figure out that
another copy of Apache, which I wasnt even aware was ON my computer, was
running. As in, I go to the new apache's bin directory, tell it to run the
command for the new apache, and it runs the old one. I dont care how crappy
of an os windows is (and it is), I've never had it do anything that
backwards before.
Dont get me wrong, Unix is miles ahead of windows, I'll agree. But dont go
sprouting off about how I'm such an idiot because unix is so easy to use.
Its easy to use, sure. And some programs can be a breeze to install. But
some, especially non-professional or non-mainstream software, take 10x
longer to get installed and working, if you can get it working at all, then
a windows counterpart. Now I know that some of the stuff I was working on
wouldnt be encountered by most people (various scripting support for the
server, for example) but I still found it ridiculously convoluted to get
anything to work right. ITs been so long I can't name names really, but I
know I spent way more time trying to get things to compile and work than I
did actually using them. Besides, there just arent Unix counterparts to some
of my fav programs.
Brian
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