* On 2014 17 Jan 05:15 -0600, Ralf Mardorf wrote: > The advantage of Windows over Debian is hardware support and that more > people get payed for writing software for exotic usages, such as audio > and video editing.
In amateur radio circles there is a constant warning against USB to serial dongles using the Prolific chips due to driver issues and FTDI chipsets are preferred. A year ago I intended to use my laptop which came with Windows 7 to log an amateur radio event. The OS completely forgot the FTDI device that was attached and could not find it. I lost nearly an hour of time tracking down a replacement driver and finally getting it installed. The same hardware has been very well supported in Debian for several years at least. I think the meme that Windows automatically has better driver support is, these days, suspect at best and an outright lie at worst. The other issue Julian had was that he jumped into a Linux distribution at about the worst time to be using KDE. I suspect his experience would be better today, but the dearth of amateur radio software compared to the Windows platform still exists, especially pretty looking programs. I also wonder if Julian, as many other hams I've talked to over the years, get the idea from those of us who favor Linux that a Linux distribution is a bug for bug replacement for Windows. We know that is not the case although many of the same things may be accomplished in a Linux based environment as in Windows or OS/X. I still see the glass as half full as there are opportunities to improve the Linux environment. Not everything has been done that can be done. Also, for a general computing environment either a Linux or BSD based system seems to be the remaining choices as Windows and OS/X seem to be moving toward a media centric focus. While our free systems can do that as well, they will never receive the blessing of the big media companies whole still hold their customers at a paranoid arm's length. Perhaps it is the perspective of time or age, but while it is unfortunate that some people find that a Linux system doesn't meet their needs or expectations, it is helpful to remember that neither do the popular proprietary systems meet the needs or expectations of all. What I want to avoid is the monopoly position held by Windows during the late '90s and early part of this century. I just ask for the freedom to choose. - Nate -- "The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds. The pessimist fears this is true." Ham radio, Linux, bikes, and more: http://www.n0nb.us -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/20140117130245.gj15...@n0nb.us
