Begun The Clone War Has

You need to make sure you turn on Anti-Aliasing. I don't know if Mandrake turns it on right out of the box or not.

It has nothing to do with the font smoothing; the general interface is just SICK. Like someone threw it together in an afternoon or something. I'm talking KDE… GNOME… neither one is the least bit impressive in terms of attractiveness (even though they're feature-rich).

You are right, sadly. They do not look as good. But take a look at Red Hat 8.0. Their new interface does look a little more refined. It would be something you would have to get used to. I do love OS X, but I also like linux as well… not because it looks good but it makes you get intrested in computers again. Personally, the aqua interface looks amazing compared to anything else, imo. Don't let the ugliness of X get you down.

I've been a user of KDE and Linux Mandrake for many years I can tell you that Mandrake unfortunately has set a few things OTB to be rather uglified, if you want, I can send you a screenshot of my machine's UI. It's quit userfriendly and attractive.

Uh, if what you're really saying is that the *plumbing* that comprises the Linux GUI is unrefined, I coudn't agree more. Fortunate or not, those Pacific Northwestern Developers have oodles of cash to spend on interface refinement and usability studies.
That said, I encourage you to drop MDK and check out RedHat 8.0 instead. It approaches the refinement you are looking for.
“Love you, love your show. First time caller!”

Hey, you might wanna check some other themes or window managers! Check out Enlightenment: http://enlightenment.org/pages/shots.html
or themes.org to get the look your computer deserves.
Regards from Brazil!

Unfortunately, that's a proved fact: Actually, Linux is not a replacement for Linux for anybody.
One of the most flagrant problems I found installing these distributions was fighting with the GUI to work my way. They're so plenty of things that go click… and unless you have a fast machine, they feel slow, and unstable (I cannot remember ending correctly any evolution session).
If your feelings toward the system are about the same, I suggest you try Knoppix. It's a Live CD so you don't need to install anything. I found that is one of the most usable (to Windows/Mac users) distribution at the time. If you still don't get the knack for the GUI, then you don't need to try more: Linux, as it is now, it's not for anybody. Try next year ;) .
BTW, I didn't give up on Linux, only I dropped for daily personal use. I finally instaled Linux as a test server. It's a Gentoo Distribution and is mostly CLI (I use WindowMaker, but only as a nice frontend to configure the server).
I like the way Gentoo installs, because it doesn't install anything in excess (in fact, it doesn't install anything), and after getting the system to work, you yank the apps you need (and only what you need) to the system. I would recommend Gentoo or Debian(I didnt' test for myself, but they told me that's nicer to the users) for a real Linux experience.
Before telling me anything, prior to the installation of Gentoo, I have no real experience on Linux or UNIX operating systems (exceptuating completing three instalations of OTB Distros).
Hope It helps you. Regards from Spain!

firstly, use a real operating system – use Debian GNU/Linux.
secondly, if you think that kde/gnome don't look as good as mac OSX then either a) your distribution has configured it really crappily or b) you have no taste in interface (don't worry, using windows most of your life can have this effect on people's interface judgement)
i'm going to say to you what i'm always saying to people these days; “just use windows then, and stop complaining.”
have a nice day! :)

Chirs,
Can you be a bit more specific about what you don't like about the interface? I have used KDE 2.x and I was pretty happy with it. I didn't even take the time to customize it.
I guess I'm not the pickiest guy on the planet when it comes to design. Give me the ability to change my screen resolution and color depth and I'm a pretty happy guy.
It takes an opinion like yours to improve the product. I suggest that you make a list and send it to the developers of KDE and Gnome.
You said yourself that the OS is “powerful” and “feature-rich” don't give up on it just because of the cosmetics. They are probably the easiest things to fix.
Thanks for at least giving Linux a whirl. I hope to see blog entry with a day in the life of the Windows-Gnome as Linux user, complete with the things you like and dislike about the OS and Windows manager you are using.

I honestly think you should not base how well an OS is based on how it looks superficially; otherwise XP has got to be the best OS out there (next to OSX:P). Wouldn't you be considered a _true_ geek if you knew and had to “configure your system seven ways from Sunday”? On that note, I've barely begun to scratch Linux thanks to Penguin Shell but I'm not shallow enough to diss it because it doesn't have a nice interface.

Okay Chris… from one Chris to another, Give it a go man! Yes, you could take the high road, and work with the easy to install, easy to operate Redmond OS… but you're a gnome… gnomes take the low road. Stick with the penguin my friend, and give it a chance. A smart guy like you should be able to handle it. And the nice thing to remember, you could always create your own GUI …. interesting …

Chris….If you like OS X, check out http://www.mosfet.org/liquid.html. It's a style engine used under KDE. If you want a clean desktop, try Blackbox. One of the best sites I've found for X Window managers is http://www.plig.org/xwinman/. There's a lot of good info. I personally like xfce because I come from a Solaris/CDE background.

Go grab Red Hat 8.0. It's a much cleaner look than what you get out of a Mandrake distro.
P.S. Ignore all “Debian” posts. Debian would surely turn off any Linux newcomer. :-)

Hey Chris,
I realize that you're going to get a zillion postings from those who know Linux forward and backward. I recently switched to mandrake. Forget about trying to find another distribution and it's pretty bells and whistles and cleaner format. Mandrake is easy. Head over to KDELook.org and download the Keramik Style and GTK and Connectiva Crystal Icons. It makes at least the OS look a little better – There's even transparency in the menus – similar to Mosfet, but without all the oval buttony feel…

Give Linux a try before you judge. I have been using Mandrake for about 4 months and I love the fact that I don't get the dreaded BSOD every time I turn around. As far as distros go for a newbie it has to be Mandrake or Redhat. Once you get your feet wet then you will be curious as to what the other distros have to offer. I do agree that Debian would turn a newbie off but since I do use Debian on one of my boxes I find it nice. If you do try Knoppix as one of our fellow posters suggested and you like it you can install that to the hard drive from the root shelll. Good luck and don't fear the penguin.

Hey Chris; after giving both Mandrake and Red Hat a whirl I had three issues in common with both. I know I am a “Windows impaired” user, but I could not get three things to work properly. (1) My scanner – it is not SANE compliant. Visioneer 4400. Both distros recognized it, neither distro could use it. (2) My scroll wheel on my wireless mouse. A4Tech. I am addicted to the scroll wheel and neither distro allowed the wheel to work in ANY configuration I tried. (3) Print sharing device. For some reason I could not configure the 3Com Gateway/Print sharing device and my HP DeskJet Plus to print properly. All I ever got was pages of garbage. I do WANT to use Linux but at this time I can't. Maybe in the future my issues will be cleared up as I can't believe I am the only person with these hardware items.

I remember when switching from Win98 to Mandrake how neat I thought KDE looked! I don't understand why you think KDE is unattractive, Win2K must have left you feeling constantly nausious. : )
There are quite a few free themes, window decorations and icon sets for KDE, go take a look at http://www.kde-look.org.
Oh, and if you don't like the Linux default cursors and you'd prefer a more Windows cursor look, check out http://www.muenster.de/~gansm/mousecursor.html
Anyway, I thought you liked tweaking things… or is that just Windows things? It sounds like you WANT to be negative towards Linux. : (

I have to say after so many year of different GUI's I don't think the linux community has gotten it correct, yet. I like the BeOS, MagicOS was good too, and these are interfaces date over 5 years. What Apple did with OS X was create the best user interface and the most useful KDE on the other hand has the feel of those old DOS menu systems. BTW any Lindows users?

I think its all about taste. To me, http://www.pipesbaby.com/pics/shots/hcinc.jpg is a great desktop.
To someone else (Chris maybe) GUI-FU OS/X might be perfect.
It's the beauty of computers now days, anyone can have it the way they like it ;)

KDE looks great to me out of the box, but that's just me. It's also endlessly configurable. Don't give up on Linux; I hated it at first too, but these days it's my sole OS. And get this, I use a crappy version: Mandrake 8.1.

Trust me Chris things get better and better as you delve a little deeper and there is even a mac theme you can apply if you so desire to make you feel at home .

> don't have to configure seven ways from >sunday
This said after all the years of delivering tweaks to the masses for windows is completely different from configure kde how? it's not like regedit isn't the least bit archaic, either. computing with linux is like driving an old mustang with all the corresponding ups and down.

I runing mandrake 9 and it was a near perfect install , even my boyfreind (who is a bonafide card carrying microsoft freak )
was impressed with the install , and the fact that i could dual boot with out any third party sofware (hey that even blew me away) but the realy cool thing about the gui's or window managers in linux, is that you can configure them to look any way you want, basicaly if you dont like the way it looks just change it.
I have my kde set to look and sound just like windows xp looks pretty cool to me.
and as for the command line there is a very good book out there called the Universal Command Guide ISBN:0-7645-4833-6 http://www.ucg.com which is a great cross referance for many diffrent os commands,
my windows freek found it very usfull
to sum up give linux a chance it realy is a great os and weather you want to belive it or not it is catching on slowly but shurely

Well Chris after reading the Windows newsletter It trips me out to hear you used Mandrake. I recently installed Redhat 8.0 and the new “BlueCurve” Gui is awesome. Its a mix between KDE and GNOME and looks quite stunning. here's a screenshot of what I'm running here at home:
http://www.abstrakone.com/art/Redhat_Linux/abstrakshun_1.jpg

Chris,
Man oh man.. I guess you you wanna live in a perfect world, too bad you won't find it in microsloth products. @ work I use Win2k, I emulate into MVS sessions (no gui older unix stuff guess you would have no clue what that is), so yes even in winblows I use Unix. @ home I use Lycoris/Red Hat/Windows XP and trust me the best and easiest os out of the bunch all around is Lycoris, wake up and smell the coffee on the internet… it is mostly Linux servers that the masses plug into using Winblows. Winblows is like the AOL of operating systems… 1) It contains extra software and advertisements you don't want and can't get rid of 2) It disconnects every 45 minutes(blue screens) 3) It is user friendly, made so the weak of mind could use it,
I like windows..I really do..but when it comes to a robost O/S that makes you think… Linux no matter what flavor Red Hat/Mandrake/SuSe/Lycoris/Lindows/Corel .. oh and dude I would like to see what kind of gui a genius like you would come up with in one day, my bet is you could not cme close on to kde in one year….. it is good to know more than one O/S learn linux dude as your palTony Steidler-Dennison that writes a more intelligent newsletter than yours .. I bet you look @ his letter and scratch your head.. why because you have no clue what it is all about… I myself know more about windows than you could ever want to know working developement for programs that run within windows, and the funny thing is when I work on code for some programs @ home..I use Linux to write it..go figure, using linux so people like you can use windows much easier..get a life and stop charging money for stupid gnome tips what do you need the money for anyways does not your job on tv pay enough. And I am suprised your wife does not leave you after stupid breast jokes…grow up dude and stop acting like a wanna be something or other.
S-

Hey Spart – if your knowledge of Windows is as strong as your grasp on grammar, word usage, and sentence construction, you should have been fired years ago. And yes, you can quote me on that, jackass.

Yeh, I found the gui a little rough around the edges at first, but once you dive into the gui and tweak it all you want. Really the only complaint I have is the fonts. I think Microsoft does a better job. All in due time.
I use to be a strong Microsoft supporter and I still am in some ways, but I have to say Linux has come a long way and I now use it pretty much every day.
Thanks for all you fine newsletters I read them every day and manage to learn a lot from them.

Yeh, I found the gui a little rough around the edges at first, but once you dive into the gui and tweak it all you want. Really the only complaint I have is the fonts. I think Microsoft does a better job. All in due time.
I use to be a strong Microsoft supporter and I still am in some ways, but I have to say Linux has come a long way and I now use it pretty much every day.
Thanks for all you fine newsletters I read them every day and manage to learn a lot from them.

Chris: Regarding your answer to Spart: Let's see…you make fun of his grammer, his spelling, his sentence construction, and you finish your well thought out argument with the term “Jackass”.
Gee…I am still waiting to hear how much gui coding you have done, what your experiences have been with MVS sessions, and why you think Windows is not a top-heavy bloated OS with so many inherent problems that a whole “amateur” industry had to evolve to help people make the thing work.
I know people just like Spart…and I am willing to bet he built his first computer sometime in the 80's…and you Chris built your first one when? Oh yes…it was this year. And you went on and on about it in your newsletter like you were inventing the wheel…except of course the people who invented the wheel were doing something original and didn't have nearly as much trouble as you did.
So we have several arguments from Spart about Windows, Linux and mentions of other processes…and we have your well thought out answer: he's a jackass.
Of course having watched Call For Help once or twice, I am not surprised at the intellectual level of your reply. I still cannot believe one segment where you were so happy and self-satisified to tell someone that they can actually move a cdrom from one machine to another.
I was hoping you would then explain how to click a mouse…but alas the program ended.
What bothers me…and this comes from over 20 years in broadcasting…is that you are clearly screening and researching such “difficult” technical questions before “answering” them on the air.
You are fooling no one.

I installed Mandrake Linux on my old Pentium Pro 200MHz which was running slow as molasses on Win98. Now it runs like a Ferrari again. I do think it looks a little rough and, unfortunately, for the work I need to do on my computer (I use a laptop primarily at work running Win98 and a Pentium 4 at home with XP) I really don't have the time to learn all of its intricacies. Also, every time I boot the machine I have to reset the system clock and reconfigure the soundcard because it won't recognize it when I boot up. After attending a Mac Jaguar seminar last week, I was blown away! Since they're both based on Unix, I think Mac is the way to go for someone who doesn't have the time to become a computer programmer. I'm going to keep my Linux box around to fool with though. Maybe I'll learn something.

Hey actingman: you're a jackass, too. To sit there and judge me without knowing me – or my motivations – is rude, crude, and vile. I shoot from the hip with my opinions, and like it or not, Mandrake 9.0 (out of the box) looks horrible. “Look at me… I know how to use MVS in a sentence!” I'm not clearly doing anything, jackass. I can admit that I don't know everything. It sounds to me like you're another one of those holier-than-thou geeks who I (and others) can't stand to be around. Having watched Call for Help once or twice, you wouldn't know shit about me.

Go get'em Chris! Actingman is a jackass. And that comes from someone who first started using computers when you had to punch holes in cards.

I'm almost starting to think that Linux has become somekind of religion with alot of people. If you say anything against it, they go to war against you. All I want out of my computer is that it perform the tasks I need it to do in the most efficient, reliable and user-friendly way possible. Isn't that what it's supposed to be about, making your life easier?

Sorry Chris, but if you are going to write your thoughts everyday in a newsletter…if you are going to make disrespectful comments about your wife's anatomy on your blog…if you are going to adlib on television, then I can judge you…what you put out there is what we judge you by. If you can't take it…then I suggest you remove yourself from public consumption…or grow a thicker hide. If it is so easy for us to push your buttons…and get such an angry intense answer…either we are hitting way too close to home, or you are not really happy.
And again, you fail to answer the intellectual points of the posts…you just resort to anger, and in my case…profanity.
And I find it very interesting that you accuse me of judging you. You know nothing at all about me…and yet you have judged that I am judging you. And neither of us knows anything about Spart…for all we know he is a level two at IBM somewhere and works with MVS all day long.
Sorry Chris…but you cannot put out there the body of work that you have and then whine that we misunderstand you. If we misunderstand you…then you didn't do a very good job of putting it out there.
Of course, if you had a thicker skin, or actually enjoyed doing this stuff…then maybe you would have gotten into a discussion with this Spart person rather then just dismissing him with the Noel Coward-like reply of “jackass”…and I never would have even gotten involved in this discussion. (That last part about you not enjoying this activity is a cheap judgement on my part…thought I would indulge a little bit…the difference being I know when I am doing it.)
By the way…it's real easy to renew IPs…

Those are awfully big words coming from a man who doesn't post his true e-mail address anywhere, munged or not. Sorry, but if people don't give me a way to e-mail them, I don't take them too seriously.

Then I guess we are even. I don't take too seriously someone who “shoots from the hip”…rather then from the intellect.

“Even” my eye.

Dear Chris,
I would like to apologize for all of the Linux users in the world who truly aren't jackasses. Thankfully, we're the majority. Unfortunately, due to the 10-1 rule (negative impressions stick about ten times as well as positive impressions under most circumstances), these tend to be perceived as the most vocal. That and most intelligent Linux users don't bother with obvious trolling, whether for good or ill- they're too busy.
As for your impressions of Linux… I'm not exactly incredibly happy with Mandrake's UI- it isn't pretty enough out of the box, I agree. I think the taskbar at the bottom is too large, a problem I have yet to rectify. I also don't like a lot of the system UI defaults. Thankfully, there are a number of sites that offer excellent themes- some of the best have been listed above.
Linux does require more tweaking, and yes, it does have a philosophy different from Windows. It requires a different understanding of your computer.
I will say that Linux has a lot more to offer- security, stability, quick bug fixes, lower prices, freedom from corporate control of your computer, endless flexibility *if you choose to exercise it*, a knowledgable community, amongst others- than just the CLI. Heck, I try not to use the CLI at all- it's just not my UI paradigm. Sure, in some areas it's less refined… but on a desktop computer I've kept Linux running for four months without a reboot or crash, and that's with extremely heavy use including gaming, numerous upgrades, web surfing… stuff I would otherwise do on Windows. And quite honestly, most of the time I have no idea what I'm doing… for me, it just works.
You've gotten used to a particular way of doing things, and that's fine- it works for you. You're comfortable with Microsoft's growing control over what you can do- and that's fine; Microsoft's business model and software agrees with some people better than others. I'm generally happy with Linux, and for me it stands on its own merits, although I agree it needs work. If you're not comfortable with elements of the UI, the developers are always willing to listen to reasoned, well-thought-out suggestions. I'd like to suggest that you try a different distribution, probably Lycoris or Suse, even though I use Mandrake at home. Linux comes in different flavors, like ice cream, and you've just managed to get the wrong scoop. Try another one.

Actingman 2. Chris Pirillo 0.
By the way, I thought Jackass was a great movie.

geospart: Wow all that said and all you comment on is grammer.. hmmm
makes one think… or maybe not..oh well, oh and who cares
about grammer this is supposed to be a blog..oh well no more
fun here chris was crying, oh and thanks for making fun of my dislexia. Oh and I see you like to call
anyone who disagrees with you a jackass must be an Iowa thing… me, actingman..who next..maybe me
again… must be a limited vocabulary.. oh and I enclosed my e-mail in case you want to reply to me personally.

Geospart here: Chris there was a time when I respected your opinion, looked @ your software reviews and liked them… then somewhere along the line you went commercial.. dude lighten up.. and stop calling people jackass's when you have no real good come back for an opinion off your comments/blogs .. guess your not one for a good debate. The gui is good and you can change the fonts and everything else just play with the kde controls.

How come most linux users can't spell?
Is there something wrong with the keyboard drivers?
Does this mean we can look forward to more typos in LockerGnome?
BTW, Chris… lighten up. You are a “public” figure. Your tirades on your blog against people… is that your real self? We hope that you are just having a bad day or something. Six of one.
Be Seeing You!
Number 83

What the hell are you talking about have you seen the GUI on Redhat 8? I love it and want to father it's children

Number83, concerning your “How come most linux users can't spell?”, I used to say the same thing about Windows users.