Date: Thu, 24 Dec 1998 20:46:54 -0800 From: gummibear@we.mediaone.net To: freebsd-newbies@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: Unix Desktop Message-ID: <3.0.1.32.19981224204654.0069def4@we.mediaone.net> In-Reply-To: <3.0.6.32.19981225134447.007ce250@qd.com.au> References: <3.0.1.32.19981224133345.006990d4@we.mediaone.net>
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At 01:44 PM 12/25/98 +1100, The Shuzza Man wrote: >At 13:33 24/12/98 -0800, you wrote: > > >>Anyways, I still have alot to learn about the system and how it works. >>Mostly I think I should really get into C programming to fully understand >>how it functions internally. >Very good idea. I think the computer industry has been set back by the need >to build totally user friendly operating systems and applications that >hopefully run without the user knowing a thing about whats going on. The >beauty of Freebsd is that you have the opportunity to snoop around in the >source code if you get a problem instead of having to call a tech support >number and have them tell you to reinstall! Ive had Windows apps crash on >me, reinstalled them and they work again for a while. This doesn't tend to >happen with FreeBSD. If something crashes, it does it for a good reason and >it needs to be fixed! >If you're going to use an operating system like FreeBSD, you are selling >yourself short by not knowing how to look at the code. Well I just got done with a C programming class at the local community college but I really don't feel like I learned anything. I got excellent scores on my exams, but I still don't feel like a guru yet. Besides, the instructor hardly had any homework for us to do, and it was mostly DOS based C programming which really sucked. > >> >>I mostly use my system as a Desktop alternative to Windows 95. Windows 95 >>may have alot of internal problems and stability problems, but the >>interface really isn't that bad. Everything seems to look and work well >>together, such as icons, menus, toolbars that dock along the side, etc. As >>far as appearance goes, it all seems to lookg good (although sometimes it >>doesn't work so great). >> >This goes back to the industries current unspoken rule: If you can't make >it good, at least make it look good. Sure it's a totally unreliable, >unsecure piece of junk but hey look at all the pretty buttons. Good looks >don't make the O/S. > Well, let's make a new rule stating: Make the OS look GREAT and work BETTER than it looks! :) How's that for an idea? > >>On the other hand, on my X desktop I've used KDE and WindowMaker and both >>are pretty nice. Window Maker has the cool Next-like look and feel. It >>looks nice and keeps it's Unix attitude. It also doesn't take a whole lot >>of memory to run, which is really nice!! KDE makes the system usable to MS >>Windows users, and it all keeps a good level of interface standardization >>(ala KDE style) and it has alot of neat applications of it's own. It seems >>to look like OS/2, Windows 95, and MacOS all roled into one. Only problem, >>it's a resource hog. >> >>Lately, I have basically evaluating the X Windows system, and I just can't >>figure out why it hasn't been made any easier for average users. I can't >>figure out why antialiased fonts (such as true type fonts) haven't been >>made the standard. I can't figure out why there hasn't been a solution to >>the problem of not having a standardized Interface (or a few standardized >>interfaces to choose from when developing applications or whatever - choice >>isn't a bad thing). I can't figure out why the standard X libraries and >>widget set hasn't been given the 90's look and feel (ala qt libraries). >Xfree86 is free. >A lot of hard working people put a lot of hours into it because they >believe in what they are doing. The windows gui is built to offer no >customization so hopefully stupid people won't break it. It just doesn't >work that way. There are several Commercial X servers available that have >theyre own customization built in so you don't have to do anything. I Think >you'll find as a general rule, anything in Freebsd tends to be hard at >first but once you have a go, read some documentation and fool around with >it, It becomes a lot easier to work with than windows based stuff. This is >because you REALLY know whats going on. You have a full grasp of the >situation rather than just fumbling with a few menus and buttons. > Customization is great! I like playing with settings and all, but for a long time I didn't mess with the default setting in KDE because it all worked how I needed it to work, and more importantly, it worked how I expected it to work. Then I got bored with how it looked and changed it around a little but nothing dramatic. >>I guess my biggest gripe is the font thing, because my girlffried keeps >>bitching about it. She does alot of work in photoshop using true type >>fonts. I know there are true type font servers for X windows, but she like >>the ability to easily install and delete fonts with a click of a mouse >>button and having the system do it's magic automatically. And that's what >>keeps me from getting Windows 95 once and for all. > >You have to Remember FreeBSD is the best Network Operating system available >today. >It's not strictly designed to be a desktop but this doesn't mean that it >can't be used for that purpose! It is incredibly customizable and it's this >flexibility that makes it great. >I dont think drag 'n' drop fonts are a huge concern. Read some old mail >from the archive, check out some documentation and you may find it can do a >lot more than you expected. I have to agree....FreeBSD is great. I really like it better than Linux (and Windows 3.x/95 for that matter), although I wished it has as much support as Linux and Windows. Then that would rule! > >>Well actually that's one reason I don't get rid of windows. She also likes >>AOL Instant Messager so she can keep in contact with her family. The tcl >>version seems to need some work. I don't know anything about the java >>version to evaluate it. > >Really? >I found it very very easy to install and use. >What sort of problems did you have? > I don't quite remember, but I think it crashed a couple of times or it did something funny. I'm not sure what version it was that I was playing with. I really wasn't paying attention since it wasn't meant for my personal use. :/ Joey To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-newbies" in the body of the message
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