[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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