GilmourD
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I had Verizon DSL once upon a time and I now have FiOS. You don't need a stinking disk. She and the techs she's dealt with are morons.
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Ubuntu Makes You Drop Out Of School
- Thread starter HardOCP News
- Start date
I had Verizon DSL once upon a time and I now have FiOS. You don't need a stinking disk. She and the techs she's dealt with are morons.
GilmourD
[H]F Junkie
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Well, she was wasting her money in college, then.
You know... It's OK. College isn't for everybody. Somebody has to clean our bathrooms.
Did she have DSL or did she have the wireless card (evdo)? Sometimes you may need the disk for setup, of course, not knowing linux, she would have NEEDED a disk.
Most people NEEDS the disk, while techs like us can figure things out, most people can't.
Do you know the difference and benifits of liquid, creme, or cake/stick foundations? Didn't think so. To assume that everyone should be as brilliant as you in computers is an arrogant statement to make.
BloodyIron
2[H]4U
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I don't know where to begin, so I think im just going to do my best to organize my mass of thoughts.
1) What fucking ISP requires software to access the internet? Shaw did a while ago, then I discovered that it was just assisting software, and actually didn't help me get online at all. So I havn't installed it in over 9 years.
Did she call her ISP to try and get online? (NOTE THEY DID NOT MENTION ANY ATTEMPT TO WORK WITH THE ISP)
2) Has she ever used a computer before? How can she use a computer and not realize that at least MAC OS is available? (it's irrelevant that it works on limited hardware, the point is that it exists to begin with). Knowing this, how could she not realize there are other options out there for computers? (And I mean this in a broad sense).
3) Did she actually TRY open office? OH :SHOCK: IT DOESN'T HAVE THE SHITTY 2007 RIBBON EFFECT, IT SURELY CANNOT FUNCTION FOR MY BASIC COLLEGE COURSES.
4) Is this her first scam? It certainly seems like she is trying to play up her ignorance, since she obviously tried ubuntu a bit. I suspect she just doesn't like the way it _feels_. The video leaves so many questions unanswered. Questions that would paint a more reasonable picture if answered.
5) Thanks for setting the OSS movement back about 2-3 more years. People who don't know anything about it, are now going to fear it. The Ubuntu Corp should sue this news company for defamation. As clearly the product is capable of all the things she is looking for. With the way they are portraying her "circumstance" it is done in a slanderous and lying fashion.
I should know, I've actually USED Ubuntu.
6) "That thing Ubuntu"? Please, fear-monger us some more. I dare you.
"Her life was supposed to get easier with this laptop, but let's be clear... it's not" OH HOW CLEAR OF YOU TO OUTLINE THE REASONS THAT IT'S NOT EASIER.
Let's see. 1) Doesn't get on the internet. FALSE 2) Does not have basic office software. FALSE 3) Her life is ruined. FALSE
Let me be CLEAR about one thing: I FUCKING HATE USA NEWS.
1) What fucking ISP requires software to access the internet? Shaw did a while ago, then I discovered that it was just assisting software, and actually didn't help me get online at all. So I havn't installed it in over 9 years.
Did she call her ISP to try and get online? (NOTE THEY DID NOT MENTION ANY ATTEMPT TO WORK WITH THE ISP)
2) Has she ever used a computer before? How can she use a computer and not realize that at least MAC OS is available? (it's irrelevant that it works on limited hardware, the point is that it exists to begin with). Knowing this, how could she not realize there are other options out there for computers? (And I mean this in a broad sense).
3) Did she actually TRY open office? OH :SHOCK: IT DOESN'T HAVE THE SHITTY 2007 RIBBON EFFECT, IT SURELY CANNOT FUNCTION FOR MY BASIC COLLEGE COURSES.
4) Is this her first scam? It certainly seems like she is trying to play up her ignorance, since she obviously tried ubuntu a bit. I suspect she just doesn't like the way it _feels_. The video leaves so many questions unanswered. Questions that would paint a more reasonable picture if answered.
5) Thanks for setting the OSS movement back about 2-3 more years. People who don't know anything about it, are now going to fear it. The Ubuntu Corp should sue this news company for defamation. As clearly the product is capable of all the things she is looking for. With the way they are portraying her "circumstance" it is done in a slanderous and lying fashion.
I should know, I've actually USED Ubuntu.
6) "That thing Ubuntu"? Please, fear-monger us some more. I dare you.
"Her life was supposed to get easier with this laptop, but let's be clear... it's not" OH HOW CLEAR OF YOU TO OUTLINE THE REASONS THAT IT'S NOT EASIER.
Let's see. 1) Doesn't get on the internet. FALSE 2) Does not have basic office software. FALSE 3) Her life is ruined. FALSE
Let me be CLEAR about one thing: I FUCKING HATE USA NEWS.
The poor gal doesn't know any better, it happens.
But what fries me is the reporter. In story 1 he comes off as this hero, and in story 2 he whines cause he was a tool in story one and thousands of people called him on it. Sorry man, but learn the subject for which you report on.
And as for her saying in the 2nd story she didn't really want all this publicity, well why in the hell did she call the news over this to begin with. Bottom line is that she wanted out of her mistake without paying the consequences for it and thought being the squeaky wheel on the news would do just that for her.
But what fries me is the reporter. In story 1 he comes off as this hero, and in story 2 he whines cause he was a tool in story one and thousands of people called him on it. Sorry man, but learn the subject for which you report on.
And as for her saying in the 2nd story she didn't really want all this publicity, well why in the hell did she call the news over this to begin with. Bottom line is that she wanted out of her mistake without paying the consequences for it and thought being the squeaky wheel on the news would do just that for her.
If you order online some ISP's like Comcast includes software that you have to run to activate your service.
Have you ever called an Indian tech support and asked them about Linux support? lol
What relevance does this have?
And you think that she would have known MAC os like the back of her hand? What about budget? What about the fact that she wanted windows (Read the article), but the sales person talked her out of it telling her that she can do everything with Ubuntu and that it's perfect for college?
If she hasn't used a computer like you are insunating, do you expect her to know all the operating systems out there? I'm curious, if you are so smart to belittle her like this, can you use HP-UX? AS-400? BSD? etc? Not everyone out there (especially the consumer) is going to know everything about every operating system and everything each one does.
Have you used open office or better question yet, have you given linux to a person with minimal experience and expected them to navigate to open office and use, save, and print a page... better yet, expect them to do that without printers being installed and no internet connectivity?
Why does it have to be a scam, the only scam here is that she was sold something she did not want and was assured that its the right thing for her.
lol, then Microsoft should sue half the computing community for trashing vista and not being able to get things to work.
Feel free to go keep up to date on whatever Utopia nation that you live in. I would like to move wherever you are where there aren't dumb people and people will know everything, from quantum physics down to saving a word file and emailing it.
Yes, I'm playing devils advocate.
GilmourD
[H]F Junkie
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Not true. Comcast redirects any http requests to their activation page, just like Cablevision. You have to enter your account number and some personal information. I forget if they ask for the MAC address on your modem... They might. I set up the Comcast account for my wife when she lived in a Comcast area as well as my parent's Cablevision setup and my in-law's FiOS setup.
Jabroni31169
My Future Son-in-Law
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Cant cure stupidity...this girl was obviously very, very ill with stupidity
Well, she is a moron and that is how life treats them. She is a liar too because after you find the laptop you want you don't get a choice of Ubuntu or Windows, Dell has clearly put Ubuntu on a few selected machines. "It defaulted to Ubuntu," well, yeah? because you picked a Open Source PC; Dell even has the walk through customize when you buy a PC and she didn't notice it then.
Icing on the cake is that this was picked up by a News station with a idiot journalist. Thanks for making Linux sound inferior and stupid...
Icing on the cake is that this was picked up by a News station with a idiot journalist. Thanks for making Linux sound inferior and stupid...
Why all the personal attacks? When you put anything into the hands of the general population this sort of thing happens. The way it was handled by her, the media, and Dell was not right. Still, this sort of thing is to be expected. I support medical equipment and have seen doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals show complete lack of understanding for the equipment they used to diagnose, and treat patients.
After the way it was handled I don't think anyone should cut her much slack, but the vicious attacks are not called for.
Just shake your head and move on.
After the way it was handled I don't think anyone should cut her much slack, but the vicious attacks are not called for.
Just shake your head and move on.
The biggest question for me is: How did she get Ubuntu?
There are only two ways. She either went specifically to the Dell Ubuntu site or was told to (and that site is very obvious that it's not the normal Dell site), or Dell mis-shipped her order and somehow managed to give her a hard drive with an Ubuntu image on it.
The first, well, is pretty hard to do accidentally, which would mean she's lying about that part, if it's true.
The second would mean that the Dell tech was very much at fault, because if the system was purchased as a Windows machine and she received the wrong OS, it would simply be a matter of dispatching a hard drive with the correct image on it, walking her through the replacement steps, and she would be good to go. That would take less than a week from call to computer with Windows.
His response would make more sense if she ordered Ubuntu and didn't like it.
So... I'm not sure who's the main problem here, but someone screwed up pretty badly, and the news station took it and ran with it for some ratings. Gotta love the media. Ratings over facts.
There are only two ways. She either went specifically to the Dell Ubuntu site or was told to (and that site is very obvious that it's not the normal Dell site), or Dell mis-shipped her order and somehow managed to give her a hard drive with an Ubuntu image on it.
The first, well, is pretty hard to do accidentally, which would mean she's lying about that part, if it's true.
The second would mean that the Dell tech was very much at fault, because if the system was purchased as a Windows machine and she received the wrong OS, it would simply be a matter of dispatching a hard drive with the correct image on it, walking her through the replacement steps, and she would be good to go. That would take less than a week from call to computer with Windows.
His response would make more sense if she ordered Ubuntu and didn't like it.
So... I'm not sure who's the main problem here, but someone screwed up pretty badly, and the news station took it and ran with it for some ratings. Gotta love the media. Ratings over facts.
I still can't get over how the "reporter" kept saying that she needs to work on her pronunciation of Ubuntu when he has NO IDEA what he was talking about and was pronouncing it wrong himself...
In the second article he whines about how "extreme computer-lovers" were calling him and being mean to him... but then one actually gave him some links about Ubuntu, and he was surprised about how much information there was on it!! OH MY!
Anyway, it seems like every person on the news needs to speak out of complete ignorance at least once to learn from it... or not.
In the second article he whines about how "extreme computer-lovers" were calling him and being mean to him... but then one actually gave him some links about Ubuntu, and he was surprised about how much information there was on it!! OH MY!
Anyway, it seems like every person on the news needs to speak out of complete ignorance at least once to learn from it... or not.
Yup, BIG difference between www.dell.ca/ubuntu and www.dell.ca
Relativist
Limp Gawd
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For those blaming her, she did call Dell and say she wanted windows before it shipped. Dell talked her out of it, that is the first problem. Second problem was her trusting them. Nothing to do with Linux vs Windows IMO, and so what if she configured the cheapest she could, she should probably be paying less because of student discount, wonder if she even knows about it.
What I think she really needs is.......... Braces! and a Macbook - tripleboot &/or VM Ware/Parallels.
What I think she really needs is.......... Braces! and a Macbook - tripleboot &/or VM Ware/Parallels.
Oh yeah, update the video to this one: http://www.wkowtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9667184
It also has an update to the original story...
It also has an update to the original story...
FOR GODS SAKE NOW HE SAYS YUBUNTU!!!
Pyroja
Gawd
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I think you're missing the point.
You're right, I don't know the differences.
But I do know how to find that information. I'm not going to flail my arms and cry helplessly. I'm going to seek out the information I need. That's what I take issue with here. She's not a moron for being computer illiterate. She's a moron for not knowing or not trying to find the information she needed.
We live in a time known as the Information Age. If you are unwilling to seek out information yourself, when it is far easier today than ever before, you deserve your unpleasant lot in life.
By the way, the information you requested: Foundation Types
stevedave said:
Wow. Your local junior college may be crap, but that doesn't mean all of them are. I'd put my junior college up against almost any 4-year institution when it comes to quality of education. Over 70,000 active students can't be wrong.
Kinda hard if you dont have an internet connection or computer in the first place
Most people don't know how to research, this is why we have stores like BestBuy flourishing.
Did you happen to miss the part in the story where she said she couldn't get online because the software install disc wouldn't work with Ubuntu?
Obviously she's not a computer expert. If it's true that she asked for Windows even after she ordered the Ubuntu laptop and Dell told her that Ubuntu was just as good, then it's completely Dell's fault. I'm sure she could get it working, but she would need quite a bit of tech support and to many who don't consider their computer as a hobby just isn't worth it.
RangerXML
Supreme [H]ardness
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Interesting turn of events, why doesn't Dell just get her Vista and charge her the difference...problem solved. This is just bad press for everyone and the only reason the news reported this update was because of how inflammatory it was. I'm still willing to bet that she chose ubuntu because it was less then basic Windows Vista and now Dell isn't willing to just give her Vista because she is demanding it for free playing the sympathy card.
What a pain in the ass for every one, at least Linux got some free press out of this. To bad because of the hostile user base it seemed more hostile. Why is it that Mac users are considered passionate to the press when they are just as if not more hostile.
What a pain in the ass for every one, at least Linux got some free press out of this. To bad because of the hostile user base it seemed more hostile. Why is it that Mac users are considered passionate to the press when they are just as if not more hostile.
When has Mac users been dubbed "passionate" when hostile?
Kinda hard if you dont have an internet connection or computer in the first place
Most people don't know how to research, this is why we have stores like BestBuy flourishing.
...which makes it even worse. Why didn't she seek out assistance from the "Geek Squad"? I'm sure Best Buy would've been more than happy to sell her an OS and charge her for the installation.
That's possible, though I know that, except in special cases, installing an operating system other than what it was shipped with will void the part of the hardware warranty that covers the OS -- reinstalls, "resets", etc.
The reason they could change it initially without going outside of policy is Dell's 2 week (or one month?) satisfaction guarantee. Basically you return the computer for a replacement with the preferred OS.
RangerXML
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Lets see, last time I walked by a Mac store I was almost stoned to death, while they were chanting "Let ye without sin cast the first stone." Something about Windows and original sin?!? Getting hit by glass bongs and pet rocks really hurts! One was wearing a shirt that has Steve Jobs on it that looked hauntingly like "Buddy Christ".
All joking aside, I've gotten attack more times here, UCSB and SBCC for recommending Windows and Vista by Mac users without any real explanation other then "Its bad, mmm...kay" then I've seen episodes of South Park.
All joking aside, I've gotten attack more times here, UCSB and SBCC for recommending Windows and Vista by Mac users without any real explanation other then "Its bad, mmm...kay" then I've seen episodes of South Park.
There is this little thing called money. Not everyone has they money to pay geeksquad a few hundred bucks with a copy of vista.
Secondly, geeksquad would have tried to sell her a new laptop with crap she didn't even need, like a performance plan, printer, and an overpriced laptop bag with cables.
RangerXML
Supreme [H]ardness
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Sorry, got a little side tracked. Plenty of times on the news when talking about the newest OSX release and any mention of the words Windows. They are a special breed, and 'special' is about the furthest I'm willing to go to describe a Mac user. Mind you I have some friends that use Macs and not just to running Windows. Great little machines, just not my cup of tea and I do like to tease them.
Yes I know the Mac users you are talking about, but I thought you meant in the media....
silent-circuit
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Yes. That pretty well sums it up.
The follow-up story makes the younger reporter look like the self-righteous idiot he so clearly is. Unfortunate and amusing all at once. I love that they completely failed to admit they were at fault in any way. "We were only trying to help." Come on.
NightOps
[H]ard|Gawd
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Invalid statement. She ordered it online, based on what she said in the initial interview.
Either way, please stop calling this girl a 'moron'. She may be *ignorant* when it comes to computers, but 'moron' refers to a general lack of understanding. Ignorant simply means that she is not of a fluent understanding in a particular category.
Most non-techs really don't care about computer hardware. They know the 'buzz' words and companies...that's pretty much it. USB (don't even bother with Firewire), Intel this, AMD that, Memory (most don't know the difference between RAM, HDD, and L2), and DVD/CD burning is about all they know. Oh, and the obvious: Dell, Apple/Mac, HP, Sony.
End score... she should have done some research or asked around. I know very few people who dump $1000+ on anything without having done *some* homework on it.