Edward Dolan wrote:
> "Larry Varney" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
>
news:[email protected]...
>
>>Edward Dolan wrote:
>>
>>>"Just zis Guy, you know?" <
[email protected]>
>>>wrote in message
>>>
news:[email protected]...
>>>
>>>
>>>>On Sat, 10 Jul 2004 19:15:47 GMT, Melinda Meahan -
>>>>remove TRASH to reply <
[email protected]> wrote in
>>>>message <
[email protected]>:
>>>
>>>
>>>Edward Dolan wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>>>Why is anyone using Mozilla when everyone else in the
>>>>>>world is using Microsoft IE?
>>>>
>>>>>Um, no viruses, faster browsing time, the pleasure of
>>>>>knowing that you aren't following the Cult of Gates,
>>>>>etc., etc., etc. -- not to mention that I always
>>>>>thought MSIE stunk royally and looks like a dog.
>>>>
>>>>My principle objection to IE is that it is "throatware"
>>>>- i.e. it is rammed down your throat. I don't like the
>>>>fact that you can't uninstall it, and I don't like the
>>>>fact that it effectively gives web sites root access to
>>>>your machine, whatever your user privileges.
>>>
>>>
>>>For the longest period of time I thought Windows and IE
>>>and OE were all
>
> one
>
>>>thing. I think that is how Microsoft wants us to think
>>>about it. Unfortunately, for any competing systems out
>>>there in computerland, what
>
> you
>
>>>first learn when you get a new computer (especially if it
>>>is your first computer) is what you are most likely going
>>>to stay with for all
>
> eternity.
>
>>>The thought of changing any of the three items above
>>>sends shivers up
>
> and
>
>>>down my spine.
>>>
>>
>> Not as a slam against you, since I've known quite a few
>> who behave the same way, but this is something I've
>> always wondered about: why are some people afraid to
>> learn new things, to try something different? I can see
>> where you might want to stick with the "tried and true"
>> if trying something else was somehow life-threatening
>> or dangerous. But a different browser or email client?
>> Or an operating system that might use both mouse
>> buttons instead of just one? This reminds me of someone
>> who didn't want to buy any records in CD format,
>> because she had so many cassettes. I tried explaining
>> to her that she didn't need to get rid of any of her
>> old stuff - unless she wanted to. It's not like someone
>> is going to force you to replace
>
> anything.
>
>> But it's just possible that, in her case, she would
>> find that the new stuff was actually better, that there
>> was a benefit to "learning" something new. But she was
>> afraid, and she still lives with tapes that eventually
>> stretch and break, sound quality that's better than old
>> 78's but far worse than what she could be experiencing,
>> etc. Does the old stuff work? Yeah, to one degree or
>> another. Will the new stuff work better? Maybe - but if
>> you're afraid to at least take a look, you'll never
>> know what good things you may be missing.
>
>
> Larry, your message above contains more wisdom than you
> might suspect.
You just now noticing that? Sheesh! But as you say,
you're always a deccade behind!
An easy way to check
out Linux, though, without changing a thing on your
computer, is to get hold of something called Mandrake
Move. Either download it, get it off of a recent DVD from
Linux Format, a British magazine, however you can. It's a
'distribution' of Linux that boots and runs from a CD -
it'll go out and examine your hardware and, in most
cases, you'll be set to run a nice selection of programs.
It won't run as fast as Linux actually installed on your
computer - it takes longer to load a program from the CD,
as you might guess - but you might be surprised at how
little you need to learn (or re-learn), and how there is
nothing to fear, but fear itself. (Obviously spoken by
someone who has never been chased by a pack of dogs while
riding a recumbent trike!)
The
> fact is that as we get older (most of us anyway) become
> quite fearful of anything new. We know from a lifetime of
> experience that the new is often not better and can be
> infinitely worse. You apparently have retained your
> youthful outlook on all of this and you are open to the
> new. However, many of us aren't.
>
> I am always about a decade behind what ever is new. I have
> been fearful all of my life of the new. I am not an
> entrepreneur which I understand is what makes this economy
> go around. I have often said if every one was like me,
> capitalism and democracy would be the most tremendous
> failure ever known to mankind.
>
> By the way, I am just now starting to get into CD's. I
> have thousands of tape cassettes. Like I said, I tend to
> run at least a decade behind everyone else.
>
--
Larry Varney Cold Spring, KY
http://home.fuse.net/larryvarney