On Sat, 13 Jul 2002, Rich Kulawiec wrote:
> On Sat, Jul 06, 2002 at 10:09:19AM -0700, Chuq Von Rospach wrote:
> > (quoting me, Rich Kulawiec)
> > >> [2] I certainly care as an individual. Use of Microsoft products is
> > >> both unprofessional and unethical.
> > You know, I'm no great fan of Microsoft, but I still use some
> > of their stuff. When it makes sense.
(snipperoo)
As a user (6 - 8 hours a day) who would be unable to tweak
code if it *were* open-source, but one who is at least aware of
OS/2, linux, and to a still lesser degree others, I yield to none
-- not even Rich -- in my detestation of MurkySlop. But there is
another point here that I don't see addressed.
Only this morning did a first report come in of someone
really pleased with a non-Ms version (i.e., on written for MS but
being run under wine) of one of the various GPS-compatible topo map
CDs; and that one happens to be, of the half-dozen such I use, by
far the most unmitigatedly infuriating in the way it treats its
users.
Every time you turn around -- move a few miles, or zoom in
from high-orbit view, or other such trivial change -- you have to
yank the CD out of the drive and put in another. Literally.
It takes me several iterations of that routine just to get
to a decent overview of the hunting ground where I'm gradually
mapping my "secret" trails for my hunting buddy and my protege to
use when I'm gone. And that's a drop in the bucket to what I'll
want to do after my impending move, when I have to learn new
hunting grounds in what's left of my time.
I think I'll skip trying to run that one under wine; I
don't run it under its native W98 without great need.
Nevertheless, I'll go on using the other map software --
under wine as soon as feasible, and in the longer term in versions
for linux I hope -- even though I have to boot to W98 to do it.
Cursing & snarling & gnashing my teeth, trying constantly to get a
few more minutes before the next inexcusable crash; but I'll use
what there is while it remains all I can get.
No doubt there are other things for other people where a
decent OS version isn't yet to be had, and they lack time,
programming ability, or other capacity to change it themselves.
Listserv itself might be one, for all I know ....
--
RR 'Beartooth' Neuswanger <karhunhammas (at) Lserv.com>
Delenda est MegaSleazo! May earthquake, tornado,
tidal wave, and a new volcano erupt in Redmond!
Lava about 100 yards thick might just suffice ...
References:
|
|
