rackIT @ GWD

Apple has had the soft gui (apps that make you go “WOW”) and the hard gui (hardware aesthetics that make you go OOOH!) down for some time – it’s because one company has a hand in both that provides a tart and tender user experience. I’ll bet good money that at least two people from hardware/software sit on one another’s team at Apple.

Windows, on the other hand does the soft gui well and then licenses anyone, and their brother, to handle the hardware — no aesthetic “OOOH!” here, and just a tad of the wow. The result is this disjointed stepchild of a system that everyone is buying.

Dell and HP have, of late, been making tentative steps into this “OOOH!, But I am disappointed that I couldn’t find any information on the HP series that impressed me enough to spend a half our looking at their wares by following an ad to see a slick box with all it’s machined inlays of critters, flora, and whatnot, with procs to make it so, yet a simple search acquired nil. How’s that for marketing, but for the fleeting whims of inept copy?

I currently run kubuntu on pc hardware; a desktop and a laptop. The utilitarian hardware design in my desktop pc is more than compensated for by the myriad customizations available through Linux, as are the general lack of balls in the laptop. Both systems are tools that are custom-fitted for me and what I do everyday, letting me be comfortable in my work, while making the 8 to 12 hours a day that I spend in front of these screens more efficient than I once could ever have conceived – all without the premium cost of branding. – Yeah! Go FLOSS!

This is what it all really boils down to, in my eyes:

Windows on a pc is like some jeans and a t-shirt. It's comfy, and it works!

Apple is a three piece Italian suit from that swanky boutique. Wow that's slick. Who can take in the cuffs?... How much!?

Kubuntu on the pc is the finest of three piece suits that is custom fitted by thousands of tailors from around the world. We're cheap and easy, if you know the right crowd. Then we all look good!

I recently ran across this bit of copy from Dell (Europe) in which they try to explain why you may, or may not want Windows or Linux on your computer. I wanted to touch on a few of these, namely the argument that you may not want to learn new programs. The average user would be no more “lost” in Open Office than they are in Microsoft Office. Same goes for Thunderbird, or Evolution as compared to Windows Mail (formerly Outlook Express), or Outlook. It has been my experience that what is familiar is the icon. If people know which icon to click on, they shouldn’t have any problems using “new programs”. To wit: I installed Open Office a few years ago on the machines at a dental practice in lieu of the much more expensive Microsoft Office Suite. Once I showed folks what icon to click, they were, in fact, good to go. I have never in over 4 years had a support call as a result of this installation – but I get them regularly from other clients regarding Office issues.

The “You are new to using computers” so you should pick Windows is another charm that I felt particular disdain for. Being new to computer use is precisely the BEST time to start using Linux. The new user has no preconceptions about what the experience should be like. The learning curve is, dare I say, the same for either system (no data to support this – just a hunch). I hear that once you try Linux, you never go back!

On the Ubuntu side, we are told that this would be a good choice if you are interested in Open Source programming. If I am not, I don’t know what Open Source programming is. On the other hand, the Windows side doesn’t say that Windows is a good fit if you are interested in proprietary programming – Dell really missed the opportunity to up-sell the latest .net developer environment!

Lastly, the screen shot of Windows shows the Control Panel – very serious stuff! While the Ubuntu screenshot shows the game folder. Some how this denotes that one can’t do much “real” computing on the Ubuntu system.

I’m not a hater, or a fanboy but it really seems to me that Dell dropped the ball in this “comparison”. It’s just another illustration that the products a company marks up for profit get bias treatment.

So, there’s my 2 cents. What’s yours?

Richard Stallman

Richard Stallman, the founder of the Free Software Foundation and The GNU Project, has had a consistent message about freedom for computer users for over 23 years. His first experiences with computers predate his work with the MIT AI Lab, which began in 1972. When I began researching for this interview, I had a different concept of Free Software and Open Source – so much so, that I rarely distinguished between the two. After nearly two months since my initial contact with Mr. Stallman, I’d like to think that I have a better grasp on the differences between them. I’ve also learned that Richard Stallman’s vision for Free Software – that’s “Free” as in “Free Speech” – has remained his primary focus.

You’ve been a programmer for longer than most common folk realize computers have even been around. What is it about programming that you enjoy most? What compels you to code? Continue Reading »

As a web developer for small business, I don’t have a need for complex project management, but I do need to keep track of time, otherwise, I’ll short-change myself and end up making $5.00 an hour! Analysis of time spent on various tasks has also helped me to identify bottlenecks in my process, making me more efficient – keeping clients and the accountant happy. Continue Reading »

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Aircut Light

Another Larabie Font (This guy makes lot’s of fonts). With a “Neo Art Deco” style, this light action font is ideal for print and screen display. Download here. Have a look at the Aircut Light PDF Sample for a better view.

Adriator

Yet another Larabie Font. This one looks kind-of 70’s to me. As always, for a better look, see the Adriator Font PDF Sample or download the font here.