[clug] Re: Software Feedom Day [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

[Paul Wayper]

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Randall Crook wrote:
> All in all, I use linux on all but one of my 7 systems here at home.
> (The one windows box does nothing but run a game server) and I have no
> intention on going back to Windows on any of them. BTW... even my girls
> (10 and 13) don't miss windows on their laptops either. The wife wont
> have anything else on her box. Its here and it out shines windows in so
> many areas, the areas it doesn't are now down to things that the
> community have little control over, but even they are getting better.

That's really inspiring Randall!

I had an experience recently (blogged about but worth repeating, perhaps) that
confirmed that Linux is not as far behind as its detractors think.  I bought a
Targus bluetooth optical mini-mouse that comes with a stack of features - a
joystick that acts as a two-way scroller, press a button and it becomes a set
of media keys, etc etc.  I was expecting a fight, especially when the thing
came with a full A4 page with instructions on how to install it on whichever
of the three different bluetooth drivers that you can get with Windows (and
how would you know, exactly?).

Yes, my solution did involve the command line, but after a bit of Googling I
found the one command to enter that would connect to the mouse.  And it worked
perfectly - even the media keys! - without any fussing with xmodmap or GNOME's
keyboard shortcuts or anything.  Another command set it working permanently.
For a product with Linux not mentioned on the box or in the documentation at
all, I think that's pretty good coverage!

These days when people ask about hardware support in Linux, I tell them it's
as good as Windows - which still isn't always perfect.

Have fun,

Paul
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