Linux: A Rebel Yell!

I was bored so I changed my desktop on my laptop, shaggy, again so it sort of more suited the wallpaper I had chosen for the background. I was pleased with the effect I got as it certainly went together well or so I think but hey that is the most important thing.

It also got me thinking that Linux allows people like myself can create desktops we are comfortable with rather than large majority of Windows Users who are given a desktop by Microsoft with no ability to change it other than colours and positions of tiles in the case of Windows 8.

Basically Microsoft forces the users to accept their desktop regardless of the fact most users cannot use it or dislike the desktop they are provided with by Microsoft.

You might say Linux Users like myself cry a Rebel Yell against the desktop fascists like Microsoft and Apple by creating our own customised desktop in a small defiance to their attempt to control the minds and souls of the computer users!

The following is the current desktop of the laptop in question which will change when I fancy a change:

Why Do People Have to Make Fun of Linux and It’s Users?

I have had a recent experience on a Social Web site with one particular Windows User there who all they could do is make fun and put down Linux to a point they accused me of being a dreamer!

It got me wondering why this person was like this and what are they afraid of?

Of cause they are a Microsoft Window user not someone like myself who messes around with computers and for around 10 to 15 years actually worked in the Computer Industry. But regardless point of this singular fact they gave me whole set of reasons why Microsoft was so good and Linux was so bad and limited, all this from their own extensive experience of working with computers.

It got me me really thinking just why are they so closed minded about computers and software to a point they will not consider any software outside of the mainstream as viable or useful software regardless of the fact now Open Source software is now widely used the major example being the Android operating system on large majority of Smartphones and Tablets.

Plus why do they feel the need to put down anyone who dares to use software outside of the norm to a point of personal attacks which frankly are offensive and hurtful.

As I said it got me wondering why are they so afraid of Linux, Open Source and it’s users?

The Surface? Yet Another Tablet?

Finally the Microsoft’s Surface appeared in the Computer Store I worked in some months after it’s release here in the United Kingdom. It was welcomed by a lot of people who worked there with usual ohs and ahas as all new products arrive in store. But soon became oh yet another tablet for us to sell as it frankly was nothing special in the end.

My personal opinion the appearance of the Microsoft’s Surface in our store is far too late to capture big sales or cause an impact as both Apple and Android tablets who have already got the tablet market nearly sown up already so it is going to take something special to change that. Frankly the Microsoft’s Surface really has not got it to stand out from the crowd after all everyone already seen Windows 8 on computers and not been welcomed with open arms by all users.

In the end Microsoft’s Surface is just going to be yet another tablet in already saturated market with nothing to make it stand out. It would of helped if Microsoft had released the Surface earlier in the United Kingdom especially before Christmas when it might of made inroads into the Tablet market.

Real Lack of Choice Given!

What has become very apparent to me this week in the retail side of computer industry especially on the high street is the real lack of choice they give the customer especially in hardware section which consists of desktops/laptops either running Windows 8 or Apple OS or tablet either running Android or Apple IOS.

I suspect it has always been this way and especially in these hard times the retailers are not going to look elsewhere or take any risks even if it is slowly dawning on them that by not giving their customers more of a choice they are damaging their future customer base in so much they miss so many opportunities including gamers and serious computer users within business sector.

This has been further highlighted by the advent of Microsoft Windows 8 which frankly has not been the success everyone has expected as it uptake they users has been even less successful than Microsoft Vista not helped by the fact that it has not had good reviews elsewhere especially within the business sector.

All not helped by the fact that once users start using Microsoft Windows 8 in anger they are finding numerous problems with it and it is not as friendly as the previous Microsoft Operating systems. Some customers are actually asking the retailers if they sell computers running older Microsoft operating systems or even going elsewhere, especially on-line, to buy computers not running Microsoft Windows 8!

Personally it is high time that Computer retailers started to reflect what is happening elsewhere within the Computer Industry, for example Dell and HP, and actually give the customers a real choice of operating systems which should include Linux even in the form of Ubuntu rather than what they are doing now putting their all their eggs in one basket in the hope Microsoft and Apple are going to pull something spectacular out of the hat as it has become very apparent they simply are not going to do so. This is because both companies lack that real spark to inspire people into buying new hardware or software.

There are those who say choice in computer retail is a dangerous thing as it will confuse the user but these people fail to see the bigger picture as by not giving the customer a real choice in operating system and the such they are crippling and reducing their own market. At some point by not giving people this choice the retail companies will find themselves out in the cold and out of business wondering why it happened.

Plus it makes perfect business sense of including Linux machines in their stock as they could increase their margins on already struggling computer sales and sell even cheaper computers in a background of the economic hardship. Plus it will have the bonus it will generate more revenue on their service side as Linux machines need a little more set up than Windows machines. Then add to this a reduced loss of time and revenue of their service desk dealing with constant problems caused by the instability of Windows Operating system as likes of Linux, much like Apple OS, are so more stable. This would release the service side to deal with real problems rather than problems generated by poorly written software.

The biggest plus would be the retailers would find they would appeal to a greater range of customers including those more serious computer users and they might even find it would put back a zip in the computer retail industry which frankly not there at present.

But as always voices like myself will be ignored by the big retail companies and beyond especially over Linux as people like myself do not live in the real world as far as they are concerned and they believe what they have been told Linux is too difficult to use and simply will not sell. This is ironic as the large majority of goods the said retailers sell already use Linux as an operating system especially tablets.

In conclusion by not giving the customer a real choice the computer retailers are sowing the seeds of their own downfall!

Code is it’s Own Artwork

I’ve been writing computer code on and off for over 15 years and it still amazes me that simple words put in a specific order can produce some amazing effects on the computer or just make life simpler by doing more mundane and repetitive tasks for you.

But I seam to be one of the few people who see this even within the computer industry itself who see coding as a chore not what it actually is an act of creation in itself. On top of which a myth has also grown up around computer coding can only been done by a small group of people who are called geeks.

But to be frank this is far from the truth as anyone who has a basic intelligence and imagination can write computer code as the basic concept behind writing computer code is very simple though some of the tasks it needs to do can be complex.

My personal view our education system currently fails to give it’s pupils the base tools to effectively use computers at a cost both to the pupil themselves and society in general. It has escaped both governments and educations just how important a basic knowledge of computer coding is in everyday life as it turns a user into effective and productive user of computers even if the computer coding is the creation of macros to do simple tasks.

After all now computers are starting to touch our lives more, be it slowly, both at home and place of employment a knowledge of just basic knowledge of using a computer is not going to be enough in the future for someone to be effective in their job or in life.

I know the title of this blog entry is a bit misleading about it’s content but it’s sort of a way to get people’s attention plus in it’s own way it is true. In so much writing a piece of computer code in itself is a creative process much like an artist creating a work of art except the programmers canvass is the computer screen and his paint brush the code itself.

Technological Apathy Rules!

It has been over 30 years since computers appeared with the hope of a new world full of wonders but it never came to pass as 30 years later the computer is still this mysterious thing to a lot of users which might me useful even in business.

Yes, there are some interesting things going on within the computer world but it is against a backdrop of an apathy from both the public and business alike. All this has done in the end is dampen the passion for new technology not helped by large corporations who put profit before innovation.

We now live in a new technological age which frankly has not taken off as we were first told of when the computers first came out but is a parody of what it could have been. We can almost see and touch this technological future which still seams far away even now.

All this not helped by growth of the big massive Computer Corporations who have lost their way and innovation for the god of profit in doing so have killed the very innovation and hope we all had for a bright and glorious future some 30 years ago. Now how hard they try to sell their products as the next new thing which change our lives for the better people are now hardened to it because of their business practices in the past.

Then add to this over the years a general apathy from both governments and business which has meant they have again and again failed to understand or even embrace the new technologies. This even with the notable exceptions from both governments and businesses which have embraced technology to find it actually meant they were more effective and actually helped them make more profit.

So now we live in a world still poised on the edge of a computer revolution even after 30 years where people in general totally fail to understand the tool that sits on their lap or desk and it’s power to change their lives socially, creativity and even how they do business or earn their living!

A Growing Frustration with Microsoft!

It strikes me that even within the IT Industry itself there is a growing frustration with Microsoft especially with it’s last release Windows 8 which has had a very indifferent reception from both users and industry alike. If anything a lot of people have been very disappointed by Windows 8 with a large number of reviewers openly slating Windows 8 even with a number of major gaming companies and hardware manufactures now are seriously looking into alternatives to Microsoft Windows machines.

I think the source of frustration is the fact since Microsoft released Windows xp Microsoft have not produced an operating system which has been a true improvement. I think I am not only one who must of noticed that to run newer Microsoft operating systems you need more basic resources, including ram, just to run them.

Add to this the disaster of Windows Vista and complete breaking of their own rules with Windows 8 I sense there is a real frustration with Microsoft which simply failed to improved their operating system since Windows xp in real terms.

While other major companies move forward with new technologies and ideas Microsoft seams to be in terrible malaise of it’s own making out of which it simply fails to light up the world any more as it did in it’s early days. The evidence of it’s own internal troubles come from the resignations of number of it’s high level executives end of last year along with constant stories coming out of Microsoft about major problems with it’s own internal corporate troubles both of which have muted Microsoft as an innovator and leader in the IT Industry.

Some of us remember when Microsoft was the first real leader and innovator of Personal Computers in so much they created an operating system which made computers accessible to wider range of users. They did help to create the first Personal Computers.

But that is not the Microsoft of today which is more of a Corporate Giant who will keep its domination at any cost including at the expense of it’s innovative nature so now Microsoft is far from a leading light in IT Industry and if anything starting to look very old fashioned and backwards looking.

Personally Microsoft should wake up and strive to regain the life it had in it’s early days because if it does not the growing frustration with Microsoft will turn to people starting to turn away from Microsoft and look for viable alternatives!

2013 a Year of Change!

It really looks like 2013 is going to be a year of change as far as computers are concerned driven both by the user and industry itself and we have already seen the starts of this change at the end of 2012 at Christmas.

In so much this Christmas the general public brought Computer Tablets rather than Laptops especially here in the United Kingdom which has not gone unnoticed by both the Computer Retailers and Industry alike. It looks like the general public here have cotton on to the fact that the Tablets actually do what they need in so much content consumption on the internet for a fraction of a cost of a laptop or desktop.

This is exactly what Tablets were designed for which is internet content consumption and exactly what the large majority of the computer users out there only need. You might say it is a marriage made in heaven which will has not gone unnoticed by the Computer Industry who now speeding out more innovative designs of tablets and laptops.

What does mean and has become more evident this Christmas the sales of the more traditional Laptops and Desktops have fallen dramatically dropped and I suspect this fall will continue to happen over this year. But I do not suspect that Laptops and Desktops will totally disappear but will become a more niche market as the more serious business users, gamers and hobbyists will still need such computers as frankly Tablets cannot do the job they want to do.

I do not see this as a bad thing but something which will add a new life to a flagging Computer Market as the Manufactures and Software Creators find new ways to take advantage of the wider base of hardware ranging from Smart phones to high end Desktops and their integration between them.

Though I suspect this change in the Computer Market along with the indifferent attitude of Microsoft especially within the United Kingdom will mean that Windows 8 is not going to be the great success Microsoft thought it was going to be if anything could be a serious mistake as laptops and desktops are used more and more by more serious users and more normal users drift towards Tablets. This will because the more serious users demand more out of their computers which frankly Windows 8 cannot give such a user.

These users are finding Windows 8 difficult to use and with viable alternatives now available will turn away from Windows even the Computer Manufactures are recognising this fact and now are developing laptops and desktops specifically for more serious users and developers which use more usable operating systems including Linux distributions like Ubuntu.

I really think 2013 is going to see a big change within the Computer Industry as a whole from the humble home user to high end business users which will spell the start of the end of the domination of Apple and Microsoft and rise of Android and Linux as the nature of the modern computing world changes because of the advent of tablets and inaction of the major players to adapt to the market.

In conclusion 2013 could both be an pivotal time and an exciting time to be associated with Computer Industry in any form.

Time has Passed for the Big Boys of Social Web Sites!

It seams to me the time has passed for the big boys of the social web sites as they have become too big, too impersonal and they have lost their direction/propose of actually being social web sites. All made worse by a general attitude of self importance on their part and a general disrespect of their users including their privacy the honeymoon of the big boys of the social web sites as far as the users is now over.

They may be the biggest social networks in the world but there is a growing discontent among their own users over their privacy and the constant changes to both the web sites themselves and terms of service without direct consultation of their own users. These actions are alienating their users from the social web sites themselves as the said users feel less in control or have no input into the social web site itself something really needed for a social web site to work effectively and to grow.

But rather than the big boys of the social web site actually addressing these issues directly or even to start a direct discussion with their users they continue to ignore their users and try to woe the users with brand new features which frankly do not solve the underlying issues and muddy the waters even more.

But as I said the big boys of the social web sites are so self assured that they have failed to see the warning signs of their own demise even to a point ignoring in a smoke screen of media hype saying all is good and there are no problems. It is a sad fact the large majority of users actually believe this hype and continue to use the said social web sites.

My personal view the big boys of the social web sites are on their way out as people discover other more productive and personal ways to communicate with people over the internet some of which already exist, through smaller social new works, for example True-Friends.org, and even more vibrant and creative virtual worlds, for example Second Life.

Who do I mean by the big boys of the social web sites?

Facebook, Twitter, Bebo and MySpace

All of which have singularly failed to listen to their users concerns about them and they are resting on their laurels rather than moving forward!

Where is the Difficulty?

I am still totally mystified how the large majority of people who use computers are totally confused by them and seam to lose the ability to follow instructions!

This made worse by the fact if you gave the same people tasks which involved fixing a car or even following a recipe to follow they would have no trouble following or understanding instructions about the tasks themselves.

On a fundamental level using a computer is as difficult as either fixing a car or following a recipe as long as you can follow instructions which in all cases are written in similar ways or even the same way.

It is as if people throw out their basic common sense when they are faced with a computer which they would of used to either fix a car, follow a recipe or similar tasks!

All I have to ask why?

As computers are no more of a mystery than just following instructions!!!

Spam on the Phone!

It seems we have new annoyance on the telephone those Indian Call Centres who are propagating a wide spread scam which has ripped off hundreds of the more innocent Computer Users here in the United Kingdom.

As a background the scam works as follows an Indian calls claiming to be from Microsoft saying you have a virus on your computer and they can remove it sometime for a charge. Then if the person actually lets them on their computer remotely the Indian in question will load malicious software on to the persons computer which most of the time was not infected in the first place. This then is only the tip of the iceberg for the person in question as afterwards their bank accounts and so on start to lose money.

The scam only works on those people who use computers but have no real understanding of computers which sadly is large majority of computer users here in United Kingdom and it must be working well with the sudden increase of such calls here.

Where I work we now have to deal with the fall out from such calls from worried customers to those who have allowed these people on to their computers and it is getting more common now. In my case in the last month we have had two calls from two such companies who have been told to go away in less than pleasant ways.

The question we have to ask here in the United Kingdom is what are the authorities doing about the scam as by now they should be aware it is occurring considering the amount of complaints they must get from the people who have fell for them.

The answer is simple is absolutely nothing this being both the Police and the Government itself who seem powerless or unwilling to face up to the problem to a point of simply ignoring it in the hope it will go away.

I have news for them the problem is not going away, if you keep doing nothing about it in the end you will have face the angry victims of these scams and explain why you did nothing!

End of an Era of Procrastination!

It dawned on me in the shower today, for some reason I think of things while having a shower, that for years I have procrastinated for years just how bad likes of Apple and Microsoft are bad at what they were doing while I was still using their products because I thought I had no choice in the matter and brave enough to use an alternative.

This sort of made what I said about these companies slightly hypocritical and hollow both to myself and people listening to me as I was still using the products in question though some 5 years ago to be fair I would not of had much choice in the matter as there was no real alternative to Apple and Microsoft.

Both Linux and Open Source have not become more viable alternatives to both Apple and Microsoft then only because of Microsoft’s disaster with Vista and constant run ins with the European Commission over its businesses practices in Europe. Add to the fact that both Apple and Microsoft have blatantly ignored the rise of Linux and Open Source software all in the hope it would go away only now, especially Apple, are they taking notice.

But what it does mean I can end my era of procrastination and actually take the move and remove all the Microsoft products including Windows off all my Computers replacing them with both Linux and Open Source software which reflects the fact that both Linux and Open Source are now viable alternatives.

So the upshot of which I can now criticise both Apple and Microsoft without being such a hypocrite and true to my views that both Linux and Open Source are, if not perfect yet but no software is, viable and usable alternatives.

Please Note: If want to view my Second Life Journal then go to the Journal of a Spectral Traveller.

Please Note: If want to view a Second Life Wikipedia then go to the Encyclopedia Umbra Machina.

Where Apple, Microsoft and Others Keep Going Wrong!

It dawned on me just where Apple, Microsoft and Others keep going wrong with the designs of their user inferences with computers in general and it is a very fundamental error in so much they try to add too many features and eye candy but singularly ignore the fact users want a simple and elegant interface to use.

These companies have got so tired up in what they are doing crowing just how good their front ends look and innovative ways to interact with their computers they seems to have forgotten the user who gets pushed aside and ignored.

It is all very well having these nice front ends but did the companies stop to think what the normal end user actually uses their computer for and from personal experience very little other than emailing, communicating via the web or checking their social web sites and all these people want is a nice simple front end not cluttered with gadgets, wigits or other junk the computer companies think they want.

These people have been largely forgotten by the companies regardless of the fact they form the large majority of the users of their software and they make using computers for these people a chore and far from pleasant to use when computing front ends should be simple for these people to use.

This does not mean there will not be people who will love the new front ends to the software but these form a small minority of computer users who have more specialist needs or simply use computers for fun. To be frank this niche of the market has already been sown up by operating systems like Linux in private market and mainframe manufacturers like IBM in the business sector.

In conclusion companies like Apple, Microsoft and others should stop believing their own hype, hoping that end user will not get fed up of their hype and get down to actually asking the end user what they want out of a computer and they may even come up with a good idea or two. After all it not the developers, managers or so called visionaries within Apple, Microsoft and others who have to use computers everyday in a real life situation as they keep forgetting they live in a rarefied environment, you might say an Ivory Tower, not in the every day world of the end user.

Please Note: If want to view my Second Life Journal then go to the Journal of a Spectral Traveller.

Please Note: If want to view a Second Life Wikipedia then go to the Encyclopedia Umbra Machina.

Apple on the Road to Nowhere!

Once again Apple are suing Samsung yet again over patents in the US and now it is striking me that it is now a blatant attempt by Apple to destroy the Android market by attacking it major player Samsung!

What Apple is doing is morally wrong on so many levels as it has no right to waste US court time on a battle with another company rather than use the market place where their battles should be fought!

Plus what gives Apple the right to determine just what we as a consumer should buy and I think this is not lost on the Far East consumer.

In the end if Apple continues to follow this course it will lose in the end especially in the Far East which frankly the market it needs to expand and their current actions will result in consumers there not buying Apple products any more as Apple are suing likes of Samsung. Consumers in the Far East unlike most Europeans and Americans are far more loyal to companies who produce products in their own country.

Add to this a general underlying worldwide anti-US sentiments Apple’s actions just confirms and validates this sentiment in a lot of people outside of the US. I do suspect that Apple’s actions against Samsung especially in South Korea will become a political hot potato as governments will eventually accuse Apple of anticompetitive action within their markets and they will take action against the company.

All this shows that Apple, like Microsoft, has a very over inflated view of it’s importance in the Computer World. Personally in my view Apple is still an overly expensive minor player in Computer World who only gets away with it’s actions through good advertising and a mystique which surrounds the company.

Myself since using Linux now I would not spend money on Apple products as their mystique and functionality does not impress me any more.

Please Note: If want to view my Second Life Journal then go to the Journal of a Spectral Traveller.

Please Note: If want to view a Second Life Wikipedia then go to the Encyclopedia Umbra Machina.

Of Star Stuff!

Someone’s question on Anybeat about our connection to the Universe reminded me of something which has always fascinated and always amazed me.

The singular fact that within us we have the stuff of actual Stars which have died to create us our planet. In so much all chemicals above Iron are only created in the death throws of a Star as it Novas or Super Novas.

I will never stop being amazing to be as it sort of confirms my place in the Universe in general in so much my origins were out there. It also means I do not any religion to define my place in the University as I know I am made of Star stuff.

Some people I know find this view very strange but it is perfectly natural thing for intelligent human being and still proves I have a passion for life an the Universe around me.


Please note: If want to see my second life journal then go to the Journal of a Spectral Traveller.