On Computer Use
by Phoenyx
Pardon me while I wax poetic.........
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I don't know why I'm writing this message (essay?). It
really
serves very little purpose except to allow me to express
my
personal thoughts and feelings on this subject. And maybe
to shed a little light on the subject for those who may
not
understand the debate. If it starts to bore you or, heaven
forbid,
annoy you please feel free to ignore the rest of it and
move on
to the next and probably more important messages in this
news group.
As Apple2 users we have developed a certain relationship
with
our computer. It is more than just a machine which processes
data. In many ways, it is a member of our family, or
a close and
dear friend. Yes, it is just a machine and yet it is
so much more.
Part of this relationship is based upon knowledge of how
the
computer works. We have learned through the years how
to
change it's personality, how to improve it's performance.
We
have acquired many ways to increase our enjoyment of
it's use
and a large variety of possible uses. Mine for instance
can be
anything from a number cruncher up to and including a
great
time waster and excellent adventure companion on dangerous
quests.
For some of us, this relationship is stronger than the
ones we
have with other machines in our lives, such as our automobile,
which for many, plays a dominant role in our lives. Not
even
the television, another of our greatest inventions, can
claim a
relationship such as this. Arguably, this does not happen
to all
who use the computer, but it is a major reason for the
amazing
success of a device, which many experts decried as pointless.
Many of us have an insatiable urge for any knowledge we
can
find and any improvements we can make to enhance our
Apple2
and thus our relationship with it, without changing the
essence
of the computer.
During the declining years of Apple2 dominance, I ventured
into
the PC world searching for a possible replacement, fearing
that
my relationship would have to end. Needless to say, this
was
unnecessary, thank goodness, but it was also a fruitless
search.
That is until I came across Linux. While the relationship
is not
the same, it is very close. Once again I can change the
way my
computer and I interact. I am not limited to an impersonal
and
impartial machine. An appliance, developed by someone
else,
to be used by everyone else, in exactly the same way,
no matter
what application I am using. I believe this is part of
the reason
I never cared much for the Macintosh. It's a great appliance
and
very useful in it's intended functions, but it has no
individuality.
One Mac is pretty much the same as another. The same
can be
said for a Windows machine. They too have no personality,
it is
simply a tool, used to perform specific functions. I
suppose the
same could be said for Linux, and once it develops to
the point
where it becomes a mass market product, probably will.
But
currently Linux still has that aura of individuality
and the need for
personal customization with the machine on which it resides.
Perhaps I place too much importance on the role of my
personal
computers in my life. After all, they are just machines,
a tool to
improve our lives. They are not people. In fact they
aren't even
capable of independent thought. Yet, other than my family,
friends
and religious beliefs I have found nothing which I can
enjoy so
thoroughly and spend so much time doing so. I can think
of no
other tool I use with which I have developed such a relationship.
Not even my car, which I rely on daily, to help reduce
the burden
of a variety of necessary tasks.
I am not a computer user. I have no real need for the
machines,
and could live my life without them. Yet I think my life
would be
somehow, lessened. I am glad I'm not just a computer
user. I
think I would be bored to tears if I could only use the
machine
for data manipulation and record keeping. I can't imagine
what
my life would have been like without it. Not knowing
the joy
of completing an RPG. The looks of personal pride on
my son's
face when he performed some complex task or broadened
his
mind with the great educational software we've used over
the
years. I cherish the memories of all the time my family
shared
while playing, learning or just working on our Apple.
I consider myself a hacker, but not in the current sense
of the
word. I like to tinker with my computers. I like to change
them
and try to improve them and the things they do. With
the Apple2
this was almost a requirement. You needed to have a basic
understanding of how things functioned. You needed to
know
what could happen if you used it recklessly or failed
to pay close
attention to what you were doing. For the most part,
it could not
be taken for granted or treated as a simple tool,
unlike today's
computers and their GUI software systems. This does not
mean
that I dislike the advances in the technology, quite
the contrary.
I just prefer to have some individuality in the tools
I use.
Linux also requires some knowledge of the system. It requires
a
certain effort on the user's part to make the most effective
use of
it's power. It also requires extra effort to deal with
the multi-user
security benefits built into Linux or any of the *nix
clones.
For those who are just computer users, Linux is not the
proper
OS and never will be. Simple GUI systems perform all
the
functions they need with relative ease. Someone else
has taken
all the work out of using their computer and they can
perform
the jobs which need to be done with a minimum of effort
or even
thought. While this is a benefit in the business market,
it may
not be a benefit to the home user. At home we have no
one to
rely on should we get in a jam. There is no I.S. department
to
call when things don't work and many times this simplicity
tends
to interfere with our other uses of the computer. There
are many
of these, not the least of which is gaming and education.
For those, like me who want to push their system past
the
standard limitations, Linux is the perfect OS. Because
of
Linux, I can run a great GS emulator and access HFS disk
partitions and if necessary, I can run emulators for
the
Macintosh or x86 platforms. If I need the real Windows,
I
can easily select it at boot time and share my MS partitions
with my Linux apps.
With a good installation package, Linux might gain a lot
more popularity but until it becomes more 'single user'
friendly
it's not likely to replace Windows as the leading user
OS. It's
too bad that Linux will have to be lobotomized before
it can
become a legitimate threat to Microsoft.
Phoenyx