On 2008-02-09, The Natural Philosopher <a@b.c> wrote:
> Tom Newton wrote:
>> These days, there are two kinds of Linux runners. Thanks to the
>> corporate-sponsored yuppy geeks at KDE/Gnome/freedesktop.org and
>> the distros that support those Windows-clone user-interfaces,
>>
>> There are the true Linux runners, who want to learn Linux and to
>> share their knowledge with others and/or write-maintain the free,
>> open-source software that makes Linux possible.
>>
>> And there are the false Linux runners who simply want a
>> free operating system and free technical support, who
>> don't care about learning Linux and don't have any intention
>> of doing their fair share of the work needed to maintain
>> Linux. Or of donating to the developers and maintainers of
>> the software they use.
>>
>> They just want to watch videos and listen to music and shop
>> and play video games and engage in mindless chatter with IM
>> and IRC and on web forums, etc.
>>
>> The false Linux runners are destroying Linux, which is precisely
>> why the corporations have put 10's of millions of dollars into
>> KDE and the like.
>>
>> They know the couch potatos won't take the time to learn Linux
>> from the command line (note that I am not talking about Linux
>> without X, which I use) and they won't learn to type because
>> they need one hand free for their beer, cigarettes, junkfood,
>> cellphone, or whatever else they are consuming while they click
>> and point with the other hand.
>>
>> The corporations really want that other hand free to consume...
>>
>> And they really _don't_ want people to learn how to run computers.
>>
>> Once most of the people running Linux are ignorant couch potatos who think
>> that KDE (etc.) and Linux are the same thing, the game is over. The
>> software will become non-free and non-open source.
>>
>> They've already tried, remember:
>>
>> http://www.gartner.com/DisplayDocument?doc_cd=116445
>>
>> But there wasn't a high enough percentage of couch potato, false
>> Linux runners around to allow them to pull it off.
>>
>> If we don't do something about this situation, if we don't drop KDE (etc.)
>> like the radioactively hot potatoes they are, you can kiss Linux good-bye.
>>
>> Or prepare to become, literally, outlaws.
>>
>> No, KDE (etc.) are not nice ways to introduce people from the Mac/Windows
>> world to Linux. They are traps deliberately set and baited by huge corporations
>> who hate free and open source software and people who really understand computers.
>> And they especially hate computers they can't access at will. Which they cannot
>> on Linux OSes that don't run KDE (etc.).
>>
>> Yes. I know that every blabbermouthed idiot on the Linux groups going to reply to
>> this. Sorry. But don't blame me. If it wasn't for KDE (etc.) none of these
>> lazy, thieving couch potatoes would be running Linux.
>>
>> If I can ignore their malicious gibbering, so can you.
>>
>> Tom
>>
>>
> Once upon a time wheels were free. They still are actually. No-one can
> stop you making your won wheel, or making anything out wheels.
>
> However most people buy their cars complete.
>
> They are not interested in building one. They want to pay someone else
> to do it for them.

I get your point, but it didn't hit the target: I am not talking about
building anything. That's been done.

I am talking about the difference between mastering KDE, or a similar
collection of applications and utilities (that's all it is) and
mastering Linux.

And about the motives of the people who are financing and writing
and supporting KDE.

I didn't build anything. I just installed Slackware 12.0 without
KDE. But with X and a window manager and all the X applications
I want.

I'm no guru or expert. It doesn't take a guru or an expert to
enter:

firefox &

on the commandline. It's no more intellectually challenging than
clicking on an icon.

And any moron can alias ff to 'firefox &', which I have done,
so all I need to do is to enter:

ff

I can do that as rapidly as one can click on an icon.

And I do the same thing with the other X and non-X apps
I use.

Big woo.

The amount system resources I save for better purposes by
not installing KDE is staggering. I also have a lot more
freedom in my choice of apps and utilities. As well as the
freedom to use any Linux/Unix computer effectively, regardless
of whether it has KDE or not. If it is there I can just ignore
it.

And I can run Linux OSes that don't even have X.

I am not a builder. To pick up on your automotive analogy,
one can use a GPS with voice instructions to get around,
or one can use maps.

If you use maps, you'll learn the area you are in.
If you use the GPS you never will,

The corporations that sell GPSes, of course, try to make
you believe you can't live without it. And if you start
relying on it, pretty soon you can't live without it.

Because you won't know the area are in.

KDE = GPS


Tom

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