Why Mr. Kennedy sucks:

You're comparing a Mercedes from a dealership with a relative's old VW that's given for free.
Do I want to spend a few hundred dollars upgrading my video card and pouring money straight down the bottomless pit to Hell/Microsoft?(A new computer wouldn't be much more) No. How 'bout you compare Ubuntu to something like your beloved NT, or Windows ME? A copy of XP is still going to be a lot more expensive than free.
Have I used Vista? No. Can I use Vista? No.
If I were some rich stupid f**k would I buy I brand new computer every year and rave about how great Microsoft is? Maybe, but I'm not a member of the accursed bourgeoisie.

Brilliant set of articles.

Using Linux is using software that is in constant beta.

Keep up the good work, Mr. Kennedy, don't mind the flamers, they're just frustrated because you're right and they don't like it when someone badmouths their favorite OS. They're attached to that poor quality software more than a reasonable person should be and by revealing the shortcomings of Linux you deeply disturbed them.

I spent more than a year on various Linux distributions, running from Microsoft, because I thought they were the worst developers on Earth. But soon I had to accept Microsoft is doing a hell of a job, compared to the open source fanatics.

Cheers.

Too bad Ubuntu doesn't live up to your expectations.
Don't worry, we will improve. With or without your 'help'. Too bad you ignore (besides just claiming nearly every app on Ubuntu is 'low quality' without giving any arguments) that Ubuntu is about so much more than just the OS. It's about community. It's about Open Standards. It's about software freedom. It's about choice. It's about a healthy PC industry, without just a single company controlling (or wanting to control) virtually everything out there which has something to do with IT.
I truly hope one day you'll decide to contribute to the community instead of just bashing it's products. Until then, please leave us alone. Thank you.

So the interface is on drugs? What the hell does that mean? The analogy was pointless and unfunny the first three times you used it. I have yet to see any convincing evidence that you've actually ever used Ubuntu. All I ask is that you put some argument in your argument.

I'm going to start blocking your ads now.

You microsoft guys are all fucked.

#1 Vista sales hasn't been expected. Why is that? Buy vista and you will need a new computer! Now who the hell is gonna buy a new computer. Just boot up and half of your systems resources are gone!

#2 I hear poeple that have older printers (3 or 4 years old) can't use it with vista because there are no drivers or Vista doesn't detect it.

#3 If linux doesn't have quality software WHY THE HELL IS MICROSOFT GOING AFTER LINUX. If Linux software is just sucks Microsoft shouldn't worry!

#4 Well for games vista sucks for performance. All gamers are still with windows 98 or XP.

I am a web developer and linux is perfect for what I do. I can turn my pc into a server with no problems but wndows is crap for that!

I think if you used something like Paint Shop Pro or Photoimpact instead of Photoshop, you'd complain about their interfaces too because you're not USED to them.

As for Firefox and OpenOffice being descendants of commercial projects, we're talking about the state of open-source software TODAY, not back in your day, grandpa. They DO count, even if they don't help your argument at all. If you're buying a brand new car today, would inspecting the factory where the car's 10-year-old ancestor model provide any valuable information to help make your decision? Probably not.

Hmm...this is probably the first article I have seen saying anything about Linux being "bad". I would have to say that I am a bit of a Linux geek, and at first found this article a tad bit offensive. on thinking about it, and the comparison between operating systems I think you are a little off with the applications you are citing, as the open source alternatives are usable and sometimes even preferable(unless you have grown accustomed to whatever app you used in windows). So this isn't really a great reason not to use Linux....heck WINE is getting really good as of late...and you can run alot of the Windows software on Linux without setting up virtual machines.

For games though, I have to say...even though you could get by with Linux using WINE or Cedega, Windows will have Linux beat for a while as developers keep developing games solely for the beast....oh, and you can't beat a Mac for graphics/music/video production.....it's just a better OS than Microsoft's

I forgot to cite one of the most important reasons I have for not using Windows...........the REGISTRY...Mac OSX dosen't need one, Linux dosen't need one....Hackers need one....I rest my case.

Thanks for taking the other side on this....we Linux geeks do need some practice in defending our preferred OS, as most of what we have been hearing lately has been raving praises of what Linux is becoming...so much so that Microsoft is getting worried.....lol

So, how is that job with Microsoft?.....lol

Holy Crap! I thought you were joking. This guy really is on the Microsoft payroll!

Randall C. Kennedy is the Director of Research for Competitive Systems Analysis and Contributing Editor to the InfoWorld Test Center. A 20 year IT veteran (his client list includes Intel, Microsoft, Hewlett Packard and IBM), he specializes in enterprise desktop computing technologies and issues.

You'd think that this would make me madder, but it really makes the whole thing seem kind of chickenshit and inconsequential. No IT newsite that has any pretense to being reputable would allow a microsoft employee to do a four part hatchet job on Ubuntu. You're throwing away any chance you ever had at credibility for a few cheap hits based on a manufactured controversy, you poor bastards.

Infoworld will be a good name for this site when it becomes one of those sad little search portals.

these pathetic commentaries remind me of a driver uncapable or unwilling to learn how to drive a stick shift bragging about how much better automatic cars really are. Sure they are... for grandma... and YOU!

Are you PAID by the FUCKING MICROSOFT to write the bullshit article?

If you did not learn how to say nice words, then I will teach you:
Fuck Randall Kennedy
Randall Kennedy is such a son of bitch
Randall Kennedy shall go to the fucking hell

Randall,

Nearly there in your 5-piece series. Have to say that I am enjoying them immensely.

I am fiercely opposed to the death-penalty, and was saddened to read about the prisoner executed in Texas yesterday because...

..."his lawyers had suffered a computer breakdown and were unable to file the appeal within regular working hours, and had begged Judge Keller for more time. Ms Keller refused." [Guardian Online, 25 Oct 2007]

Normally when Windows crashes at work (3 or 4 times today - which is more than usual) it is not serious. At home so far not managed to crash Ubuntu 7.04 or 7.10.

About the whole 'quantity does not equal quality' argument, I don't think Linux can hold a candle to the amount of crappy software created for the Windows systems over the decades.

You cite two examples of a free office pack and a free photo editing program, and compare them to two $500 software products. Oh gee, I wonder why they don't have exactly 100% the same features!

Plus you haven't mentioned that those programs can run just fine under Linux through a variety of methods (Wine, VMs, Crossover), but then again it's not really your agenda to point out what Linux can do and provide a fair review, is it? You just create strawman deficiences and complain about them.

And how do these OSS applications somehow 'not count' because they started as business ventures? The businesses in question realized that open source collaboration was the best way to create a useful product and that's the way they went. These programs have changed a lot since they were released.

Also, I'm sorry for your marital problems, but don't take it out on Gnome's naming conventions.

I ran a graphical disk allocation tool in Knoppix, and it was pretty good too... until it crashed ugly upon program exit.

Now, the program was pre-version 1.x, so it was Beta software. The Linux-lovers would automatically excuse that of course. However the Knoppix distro itself WAS NOT Beta. Nor was the program marked in any way as Beta software, except for the version number itself.

Where I come from, this is simply unprofessional. And the Linux-lovers would flame endlessly if MS ever did anything like this.

What bashers miss is that it hardly matters where problems originate from. Users, ordinary clients, just don't care. It's our job to prevent clients from seeing the ugly bits in computing.

Either we provide a smooth, seamless experience, or we need to do better. The origins of problems only matter when we are doing root cause analysis and trying to prevent our clients from experiencing the same pain we computer types experience.

It's interesting that you make sure to claim the stuff that works well doesn't count when talking about how apps don't work.

I'd also like to point out that those all-important third-party developers need to port their software to Linux systems.

It's the same reason why Macs don't work in so many enterprise scenarios - many line-of-business apps only run on Windows.

You really make me laugh. I can't figure out if you are serious or if you make such a bad argument just to make Ubuntu look good.

One tiny thing you forgot to mention is that all those nice professional applications on Windows don't come with the OS. For most of them you need to pay big bucks. Most home-users won't do that anyway.

In this whole series you are not explaining why Ubuntu sucks but why (you feel) that Vista is better. When I read through the comments it doesn't seem like there is anyone on the planet agreeing with you.

Why are MS fanboys always complaining about the GIMP? It works fine for me. I never figured out photoshop, so I don't complain about something I don't understand. He never says it doesn't work. He says it's "on acid". No examples, no explanation, nothing concrete, just on to the next unfunny one liner.

It's not about bias, even from a guy with a ticket on the Microsoft gravy train. It's about crap. I happen to think Ubuntu does suck, sort of. There's certainly valid criticisms to made about Ubuntu, but this guy obviously doesn't understand Linux enough to make them. He's just trolling.

We all know what's coming next, the article about crazy linux fanboys. You know that he was already writing it in his head before part 1 of "Ubuntu Sucks" was posted.

We've seen this dance before, but rarely from such a clubfooted dancer.

I guess Unix is just over the authors head.
But then again, so is the history of the technology he writes about.

The "guys" who brought us vi would be Bill Joy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Joy

I would suppose the best examples of the distrobutions software (GCC, Perl, Python, Wireshark, ect.), went unused.

Perhaps a new line of work, would be in order. You seem to be qualified to be a garbageman.

Once again your bias against anything that runs on Microsoft is so crystal clear it's probably powering a medium sized city.

As someone else pointed out, you compare FOSS programs with programs that cost several hundred dollars just to upgrade. But to minimize programs like OpenOffice.org and Firefox because of their history simply points out how unconcerned you are with the state of applications available for Linux today (not to mention Windows and the MacOS)if it doesn't prove your point.

It's unfortunate that many Windows users will take your articles as coming from an expert and not investigate things for themselves. If they spent even an hour or two looking at independent sources for information on what you're writing about they'd see just how foolish and biased you truly are.

I'm glad to see your series is almost over. it means that not only can you go back to writing about how wonderful Vista is (despite the mounds of evidence to the contrary, including from people who have used it and rolled back to XP) and let the professional journalists handle the task of writing about the state of Linux in late 2007.

Yawn. More drivel. More fodder for the flamewars. Well, who knows, it could be a cold winter. And remember: this is a Windows user saying this.

Thanks for the hilarious blog post. This is one of the most consistently funny websites on the net, can't wait for the next satire filled post.

Wow, I just read you series (parts 1-4) in sequence. I didn't have time for all of the comments but I got the gist of them.

Part 1: "Vista's search is better"
Except for the fact that I watched a friend install a program onto a vista laptop and when he could not find the program in the start menu he used the search and... he couldn't find it.

Part 2: "Vista has better Eye Candy"
If Ubuntu's attempt is a knock-off why is it better? I use the cube to look at two desktops at once. Then I go to a Vista computer (which I do not own) and I am missing that feature

Part 3: "Vista has more stable graphics"
Yes, Linux graphics can be buggy, but I can use them to their full potential, I don't have to use half of the card to run my Desktop.

Part 4: "Vista has better applications"
...but it cannot run them, the computer I own could only run vista without anything else. As to the quality, yeah Linux programs could be better, but they do what needs to be done well.

But I know why you can unashmedly support Vista. They pay you to. I would have to be paid a couple million a month to consider lying to the public.

"Randall C. Kennedy is the Director of Research for Competitive Systems Analysis and Contributing Editor to the InfoWorld Test Center. A 20 year IT veteran (his client list includes Intel, Microsoft, Hewlett Packard and IBM), he specializes in enterprise desktop computing technologies and issues."

You are a sad little man - and not very bright either. I hope you are NOT on the microsoft payroll because you don't deserve to be paid for this drivel. Although I guess I can forgive you. You are obviously reacting out of fear. You can see the writing on the wall and fear what's coming -- a world increasingly dominated by Linux. Better start studying or you'll be out of a job in 5 years.

Although I have not read your previous articles in this thread, my family and I are quite pleased with Ubuntu (especially the latest, 7.10, aka Gutsy Gibbon).

Our motivation to switch from Windows XP Home to Ubuntu (Dapper Drake at the time) was the horrible virus/spybots/rootkits that infested the machine. They probably got there because one of the children used the administrator account and visited some site or some other innocuous event. Anyway, we switched.

Overall, it's been a pleasant experience for all of us. They have been some disappointments, some of the games and applications, of course, are not supported. We got around this quite nicely by using VMWare server. I bought a copy of Windows XP Home (on the computer it came pre-installed without the OS disk), installed it as a virtual machine and whenever we want to run a Windows app or game, we just fire up VMWare server and boot up the virtual machine. It works very well.

We branched out from there and installed Ubuntu (and keep installing Ubuntu!) on the two laptops we have. We initially had some trouble with wireless but were abale to overcome that with help from the most helpful ubuntu forums.

Overall, we disagree!

Here's a question for you...

If Ubuntu is so bad, why are you writing a multi-part article about it?

I smell a shill.

Luckily, I've got Adblock enabled in Firefox, so your tripe isn't racking up ad impressions from me.

Interesting articles nad it makes me want to ask the question.

How many major corporations are running Linux on the desktop and with Open Source applications.

In large corporations the dollar is the bottom line so if the DP and technical service area can save thousands of dollars on NON-MS OS's, and applications then they will!!!
Why spend about $1000 on the OS and Desktop Applications when a Opensource product will cost nothing.

Sure I have seen Linix in teh server area's, and for file servers. But never on the desktop.

Its not the learning curve.. Many of the open source products are very similar in their interface to the MS ones. Not is it the file compatibility because files can be swapped between say StarOffice and MS Office.

And it will only take a trainer a couple of hours to bring a Windows user up to speed with an Linux windowing interface.

I believe it comes down to a basic arguement.. Reliability.

I am sure that if the technical services department were to send a memo to the financial department saying that they can save a bucket load of cash on software purchasing and maintenance then they will have.. (or directed the monies to something more useful like beefier hardware for the servers)

But they have not..
Just an interesting question for all of the Linux guy's out there.

Dave

I went to Linux BECAUSE it was more flexible than windows, not in spite of it.

I like being able to plug my Cannon camera into a USB port and being instantly presented with the storage folder on the flash disk, rather than having to dig for the installation disks. Most Windows installations just pile a bunch of software I'll never use on my desktop because some Windows developer thought I might like to see it so I could buy the "full" version.

My Motorola phone settings and virtual drives were at my fingertips the moment I plugged it into USB on Ubuntu. I had to spend $34 and some change to get half the access on my Windows work laptop.

Let's not talk about half baked, barely usable, applications - we've all seen thousands of them packaged with Windows software in the past (some of them from Microsoft--think hyperterminal).

And never mind that the Vista desktop is basically a spin-off of the desktop widgets that have been available on KDE desktops for quite some time now. BUT, I can shut the KDE widgets off when I want to.

Continuing comments from Linux-lovers about Microsoft and Windows are inappropriate and out of place here. This is a series on Linux and Ubuntu.

The repeated and highly defensive flames sure reveal a thin skin among many in the Linux community. They miss the point all the time.

Linux (and all of it's popular distros) are worth criticizing because the system is actually pretty good. When you use something, you want it to be better than it actually is. Death in the software world is when you are ignored and irrelevant. Take a look around for commentary on BeOS, or OS/2, or Plan9.

You think we don't tear strips off Windows and Microsoft? Sure we do. You just didn't know that, or care about it. They too disappoint us, sometimes more than others. But we use them because they are, at the end, pretty good anyways.

Those apps will run, just rebuild the kernel!! If I used a computer as a hobby this would be fine, I have to do real work, who has time to mess around with the "VW"?

This is probably the worst piece of disinformation that I've ever seen!

I bet you'd argue for stealing if it made you money.

Vista = $1000 in hardware, ~$150 in OS, and another $200-$3000 in software (baseline used for all the malware protection you need)! ..for a barebones system!
Ubuntu = $500 in hardware (which you can probably have given to you by a friend), $0 in OS (okay, maybe $0.50 for the CD..), and another $0 in software (okay, so you need an internet connection)!

Hmmmmm... Yes, I think I'll deal with a slightly unfamiliar look and feel in the OS, instead of paying an additional ~$1500 (minimum, usually). And if you HAVE that kind of money to toss around, might as well get a Mac, which runs on *nix anyways, because it's light years ahead of Vista (which isn't even selling to the 'common computer user' properly)! It'll last you an extra 2 years, and can do anything Windows can (usually better than it can).

I think someone needs to check and see if there was a sudden increase in your bank account with a M$ label attached...

I am not sure if you are smart or stupid, but I think you must be brave :-)

I agree, Brian - the flamefest is unnecessary. It's enough to note that (1) Mr. Kennedy is paid by Microsoft, and (2) his analysis is clearly biased ("a thriving, commercial, 3rd-party development community is essential" to Windows, but open source equivalents "don't really count since their origins are commercial").

For shame, Infoworld. For shame, Mr. Kennedy.

Dave, you ask how many major corporations are running Linux and open source applications. The answer is, a lot more than you think.

Where I work (Fortune 50), Linux has been deployed to many desktops in engineering centers for CAD and software development work. It's also used on some of the manufacturing lines.

This is in addition to the Linux clusters and servers, of course, and the Linux tablets and phones and...

Oh, you weren't around when Windows won over the desktop one computer at the time? Had you been, I think you would recognize the trend.

It's happening again - but this time, the up-and-comer is called Linux.

Don't fear the Penguins, Dave. It's an improvement, really!

Open Office : can generate .pdf files. Windows can't.
GIMP: Faster than Photoshop. And freeeee...

What's your arguments ?

You guys are behind the curve. In part V, Mr. Kennedy reveals that he was just kidding. He he.

The last time a "joke" made me this angry was in the 1980s. I saw Louie Anderson tell an incredibly tasteless joke about Rock Hudson's recent death from AIDS. Twenty years later, it still makes me seethe. (He was buried face down, so his friends could pay his last respects. He he.)

I'm blocking all ads from this site. He he.

OMG, I want to yell at this guy, and I don't even use Linux.

WINDOWS sucks for many other reasons. This guy is a complete whiner.

When microsoft gives me Vista Ultimate + Office Ultimate + Expresion Studio + Visual Studion Team System for FREE, it would be equal to Linux. Until then, it's over-priced, second-rate crap.

Penguins, I think you mistook my point.

I'm not saying that Linux doesn't belong, or even that it's not used. I'm saying that it could be used a lot more, if more third-party developers would write their software to work with it.

By way of example, the firm I work for has line-of-business software that only works on Windows. Would but that it wasn't the case, but it is.

Also, as this is the "Enterprise Desktop" column, I was not referring to servers. I use Linux (and BSD variants) as much as possible for servers, as I know many people to also be doing.

Well first of all you sound like the short stick, I'm still laughing at what you said

quote "An operating system is only as good as the applications that run on it"

It's more like a computer is only as smart as it's programmer, and an operating system is only as good as the person(s) who programmed it, and a program that runs on it is only as good as the software that was developed to be developed on (super high level, dig high I'm talking visual studio, no one in windows actually programs anymore.)

When your talking about Linux and who developed it, your talking about the whole world, and that isn't something I would personally do. Since the only thing the world seems to agree on IS Linux.

In windows you got a 50/50 chance that the application might run if you don't get some kind of error first (or a blue screen, with no useful information) And this was after spending some good money to get a "solid" product --> Veritas backup exec for example, the biggest most expensive piece of sh** on the market, installed by a guy who spent thousands of dollars getting training to just setup the software, and yet it still crashes almost daily, and refuses to backup certain critical system files!!

I'll compare to the amanda tape backup software, it's free, easy as hell to configure, and it runs forever what do you know..... but that is just one very small yet expensive comparison.

Again the most important question here is, how long will this program work, not how well does this program look. Seems like someone has their priorities mixed up.

By the way, everything Micosoft has done or is doing is and has all been stolen ideas from other makers.

Kennedy you are a narrow minded troll

I am mosty a windows user, but to rag on Linux the way you do simply show you are nothing but an un-educated troll who has a love affair with Microsoft. You simply haven't used linux enough to really understand it therefore you rag on something you really know nothing about.

Linux "is not" Windows common tasks are performed differently like loading drivers and etc, Windows is not easier than Linux or vice-versa just "different" it is really no harder loading a video card driver on linux than it is windows, you just go about it differently

Linux is much more "stable" than windows could ever hope to be(this is coming from an avid windows user) i had a linux box run for literally 4 years and never had a single crash, restore or anything.

Linux is more secure "by design" than Windows...User Account Control is just a cheap rip off of the Linux Root function that has been hacked quite easily, Linux disables the root account by default and allows users to achieve "limited" Admin/root access on a per need basis, yet it is not "full root" access, where as Windows User Account Control allowws full admin access and can be defeated by Social Engineering and other rootkit tactics...ever hear of rootkit.com? check it out, many malware authors have allready gotten acound vista's User account control and patchguard...Windows vista is no more secure than XP...it is actually less secure because it gives users a "False" sense of security

Linux will be a major competitor in a few years against Windows

and since you have so much trouble setting up your graphics card on Ubuntu, go to the synaptic Package Manger, search for "Envy" download it, install it, run it, select your Nvidia or ATI(whichever video card you have) and it will automatically download, install and configure your card and enable 3d right out the box for you

but quite ripping on a Os just because it isn't microsoft...Ubuntu is making big strides, and soon, they will give Microsoft a serious battle in the desktop department

Vista isn't all its cracked up to be, Windows XP Pro is 3 times the Operating system Vista can ever hope to be

Thanx! Please continue your help to identify weaknesses in Ubuntu. A few of your flames really ARE correct! And once identified they will be fixed.

Meanwhile have a nice time with Microsofts Windows!

BTW: Does this page run on Windows?
It seems so slow...hehe