Nobody knows Linux

c.dric · 06-03-2007

Quote:

... Linux, and the open-source movement in general, somehow missed Africa. It’s slowly gathering momentum in places like South Africa. But across the rest of the continent, Bill Gates owns the desktops and servers. All these internet cafés where criminal Nigerians mail their scam letters from, they all run on Windows. And they’re all infested with key-loggers, trojans, viruses, mass-mailers and all the other software tools a scamster might need. Daily system crashes are the norm. I avoid using these cafés, and fortunately, EFCC began a crackdown last year on internet cafés that tolerate these criminal activities.

The place I used to go to often had server issues and a lot of the workstations where unavailable due to problems caused by key-loggers and people arbitrarily downloading spyware-infested software from the internet and installing them. I told the admin he’s better off installing Linux on the server and workstations. Linux comes with KDE, these days, so usability shouldn’t be a problem. Most people use internet cafés just for browsing the web and sending emails. So, it shouldn’t be that difficult a transition for the customers to make. Maybe a short ReadMe on the desktop that explains how to launch things like the web browser and IM software.
And most importantly, Linux is immune to viruses, and how many of these guys would know how to install a key-logger or mass-mailer on a Linux desktop? User management would help prevent these issues. The admin agreed, but said he had no real Linux administration skills and his boss wanted Windows anyway. I offered my services, but again I was waved off. It seems they’d rather accept all the downtime and the accompanying loss of revenue that comes with running a Windows-based internet café in Africa. ...

UbuntuniX · 06-03-2007

That's just pure ignorance.

cunawarit · 06-03-2007

"The admin agreed, but said he had no real Linux administration skills and his boss wanted Windows anyway."

In my experience many at management level are afraid of open source for some reason. They don't understand the licenses, they don't like the fact they don't get a box or a warranty, and they still think of it as “freeware” and not open source.

And I do agree, if I ran an Internet cafe I'd probably use Linux for increased security, I;d try and use little low powered machines like Linutops too and market it as a green-low-power Internet cafe.

Extreme Coder · 06-08-2007

Maybe it's because the cafe managers still want fraud and criminal activity at their cafe? :P

Liquid Punk · 06-18-2007

"Linux comes with KDE these days"

That's news to me; only distros with default KDE these days are Kubuntu and Slackware. Even (open)SUSE is going GNOME.

hessiess · 06-18-2007

gnome is simple and esely costoamieble. and it looks nice. havent used kde so i dont know how it comperes. i just have absolutly no need to try it.

Extreme Coder · 06-18-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Liquid Punk

"Linux comes with KDE these days"

That's news to me; only distros with default KDE these days are Kubuntu and Slackware. Even (open)SUSE is going GNOME.

Actually, most distros come with both( and XFCE too):
For example; Ubuntu, OpenSUSE, Gentoo, Mandriva, Fedora, and there are probably others.

06-03-2007	#2 (permalink)
UbuntuniX Stoner Hippie Join Date: May 2007 Location: Ireland Posts: 160	Re: Nobody knows Linux That's just pure ignorance.
	Cyber-Phreaks I <3 My Ubuntu!

06-03-2007	#3 (permalink)
cunawarit Commentator Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 48	Re: Nobody knows Linux "The admin agreed, but said he had no real Linux administration skills and his boss wanted Windows anyway." In my experience many at management level are afraid of open source for some reason. They don't understand the licenses, they don't like the fact they don't get a box or a warranty, and they still think of it as “freeware” and not open source. And I do agree, if I ran an Internet cafe I'd probably use Linux for increased security, I;d try and use little low powered machines like Linutops too and market it as a green-low-power Internet cafe.
cunawarit Commentator Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 48

06-08-2007	#4 (permalink)
Extreme Coder ^_^; Join Date: May 2007 Location: Cairo,Egypt Posts: 1,203	Re: Nobody knows Linux Maybe it's because the cafe managers still want fraud and criminal activity at their cafe? :P

06-18-2007	#5 (permalink)
Liquid Punk Discussion starter Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 80	Re: Nobody knows Linux "Linux comes with KDE these days" That's news to me; only distros with default KDE these days are Kubuntu and Slackware. Even (open)SUSE is going GNOME.

06-18-2007	#6 (permalink)
hessiess open software rules!!!!!!!!!!! Join Date: May 2007 Location: chepstow-uk Posts: 162	Re: Nobody knows Linux gnome is simple and esely costoamieble. and it looks nice. havent used kde so i dont know how it comperes. i just have absolutly no need to try it.
	pronounced hess-I-ess. means, the eternal. hessiess is the main carictor from wizard land, my story. it currently reeds badly, but the ideas are very original