Upper memory limit

[Chris Barker]

Siegfried Gonzi wrote:
> The above is the reason why I never will suggest to my friends to
> install Linux (yesterday a collegaue got interested because he saw that
> I installed successfully Linux; but it took me quite a long time to
> convince him not to waste his life if he does not have any dire need for
> a change). Don't get me wrong, in Windows I make click and a few minutes
> later I work.

I understand you have solved your problem, so I won't comment there, but
I cna't help but take the bait you have set out:

why have you chosen to install Python in your home directory rather than
the standard location?

Have you ever tried to do a  custom install of Python (or any other
software) on Windows in a way that was not intended by the writer of the
installer? I'm sure you'd have a pretty hard time with that too!

As a little windows vs. Linux example: I recently got a new Laptop from
Dell with Win2k installed on it. I needed a dual-boot system, so I
re-partitioned and installed Linux and re-installed Win2k. Installing
Linux on this thing was harder than it had every been before for me
(except the first time, with Slackware something, and an experimaental
kernal that included support for my SCSI card). IT still wasn't hard,
except that after installing, I needed to go to NVidia's web site an
download the X-server, and then search the web for a config file that
worked. I found this a bit frustrating, but then I went to re-install win2k:

It installed just fine, but with a generic video driver. I tried to
install the NVidea drivers, but I needed a newer version of directX or
something, that I had to go to the microsoft web site to get. The
ethernet card didn't work, so I had to install the driver for that off
the Dell cd, before I could even start to download the updated DLL. That
did not go smoothly, but I got it working. Then I managed to download
the new DLL, and could finally install the Nvidia drivers, and got it
all working. This was, infact, more of a pain that the Linux install!

When you consider that Dell ships the machine with Windows, and
officially supports it, I thought that was pretty pathetic. If I had
bought the machine from a vendor that supported Linux (I would have if I
any control over where I bought it), it would have run fine
out-of-the-box, and they could have given me a custom install disk so
that re-installs would have been painless. 

In general, I think Windows (and even Macs) appear easier not because
they are easier, but because it is impossible or at least much more
dificult to do the difficult things, so people don't even try. Try to
install Window or MacOS on a machine sold by someone that does not
support that OS on that hardware!

-Chris



-- 
Christopher Barker, Ph.D.
Oceanographer
                                    		
NOAA/OR&R/HAZMAT         (206) 526-6959   voice
7600 Sand Point Way NE   (206) 526-6329   fax
Seattle, WA  98115       (206) 526-6317   main reception

Chris.Barker at noaa.gov