Pointer: blog post, "RANT: Is the Linux dream a myth?"

[blnchflr]

I came across this blog post in the openSUSE forums: RANT: Is the Linux dream a myth?

I've met a few characters that are living the Linux dream or at least claiming to. But here's the rub... is there anyone who's exclusively using it? I don't mean "I've got Linux installed on my USB stick" or "I dual boot". Is there anyone who is actually using Linux as there sole operating system. Booting into everyday to check their email, write their documents, develop their code, surf the web and yes.. play their games. I fear there is not.

Having used Linux exclusively for almost a year, and knowing people who've been Linux-exclusive for longer than that, not to mention MAC USERS, the author seems naive or sheltered. Which surprises me, as he's a coder - apparently I'm prejudiced about coders :o)

Comments

[yvi]

Huh, that sounds very uninformed. I know a couple of people using it exclusively and I would even count myself as one of those people - I have two desktop computers (home and work) and a laptop and of that only the laptop is of the "OMG dual boot doesn't count" variety - because I want to occasionally play The Sims 3 :)

[blnchflr]

I can understand saying "dualboot doesn't count" - because if you are using Windows occasionally, even just for games, then it shows it isn't possible for you to use Linux exclusively.

Anyways, I don't think anyone denies games/Linux are a problematic combination. I'm not a gamer, so I'm happily Linux-exclusive, but if I were a gamer, I doubt I could live without Windows, even if I only used it for gaming.

[yvi]

because if you are using Windows occasionally, even just for games, then it shows it isn't possible for you to use Linux exclusively.

I disagree. It is totally possible for me to just not play computer games :) I haven't even played one through in 8 years or so.

[blnchflr]

I actually agree with you - but I can understand for purposes of counting exclusive Linux users, you'd want to discount dualboots, because who knows if they get up at 2 a.m. to boot into Windows and surf in IE, you know :o) ?

[yvi]

So I am not a real vim user because there's emacs hidden somewhere on my computer ;)

[blnchflr]

The operative word is "exclusive" - if you use emacs, even irregularly, then you're not an exclusive vim user. You say yourself you "want to occasionally play The Sims 3", so again, I can understand not counting dualboots when assessing exclusive Linux users, *gets into fight over it* :oP