Original article by Perro, published in Spanish on the site http://paraisolinux.com/
Since I use Linux for several years now I’ve found Linux users of all kinds, having a blog has helped me to identify many types of Linux users. But of all the guys there are some that are very annoying and I will try to classify them.
I promise that this post is angering some who feel identified. 😛
Anti windows : While the vast majority of Linux users know which are the advantages of Linux vs. Windows, there are those who exaggerate. Not only bother if someone speaks ill of Linux, but also if someone speaks well of windows. That is, if someone says things like “photoshop is better than gimp” this could be true or not, but these users began a war of offensive comments in blogs and forums. Windows users are criticize and discriminate for simply using Windows as operating system.
Anti Ubuntu : They are similar to those above, but these will focus on Ubuntu. A distro heavily criticized by many but also loved by many others. They are using words like “typical winbuntu”. Generally they believe that they are better than people who use Ubuntu distros just because they are using ‘Tougher’ distro as Arch, Slackware or something like these 2 . Long ago I commented because Ubuntu is not the same as windows (NdR link in spanish) .
Extreme evangelists : The mere fact of having a blog and talk about linux makes me an evangelist that is trying to convince others to use Linux. But there are some that take you to the end, if something is not completely free they are against and again, a war of comments begins. Sometimes they intend to achieve, or impose, their way of thinking, which usually is the ‘freedom’, but they fail to understand that not everyone uses linux to be ‘free’ or for the philosophy, but because it works better than other alternatives.
Complainants : Of the more annoying. They use Linux but complain all the time that it does exactly what they want. As if the community had to seek their approval and work all the time to make all the programs that they want. Examples: “why it’s so hard to install the program X ?”, “Why Flash does not come by default?”, “I hate the X program it should do this well blah blah blah”
Vague : This user usually does not last long in Linux. It is the user who does not bother to learn, who wants everything served and if something does not work he want someone that fix it or tell him how to fix it but without having to open the console, or type a command. It is the user that when having a problem before searching for a solution in google goes directly and ask on a forum or blog leaving his email, without even looking! This type of user usually becomes a Complainant user and finally end up abandoning Linux.
I must say I’ve gone through each of the above states except for the last. And is not so bad, what is wrong is to stay in only one of them forever.
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Excellent article.
I just wish more people would consider the idea that respect for another’s choice is more important than whatever personal opinion you have.
You should add one more to the list…. Ubuntu fanboys! O, and get the pronunciation right. Ubuntu contains 3 u’s, they are all pronounced the same – “u”!
And if some clueless “other OS” user ask you what OS you are using, it’s Linux!!! Ubuntu is just the distro.
So there you have it, I am officially ANTI UBUNTU 😉
ps.
Have a nice Christmas break! Relax, we are all on the winning side!
I know, I know, this going to sound very anal, but just bear in mind that “Linux” is just the Kernel and “Gnu/Linux”, or rather, “Ubuntu” is the OS.
Why? Because an OS is a kernel + all programs you need to work, namely a distro like “Ubuntu”.
Why is this important? Because it eliminates all the “Linux has too many incompatible versions/RPM vs DEB” whining.
Each distro should be viewed as an independent OS with the same roots as other Unix OSes.
Of course, if someone on the street asks you, you should probably still say “Linux” as to reduce confusion to the minimum..
Well i am not sure that i am in any of these categories.
I do know one thing, i am a serial distro hopper and Ubuntu and a few others make life user friendly. The serious Linux distros prefer to make life difficult at the installation stage, and a few more will do there utmost to make package additions that go beyond there philosophies even more difficult.
Time for a god to appear and marry these distros and forks of distros in to something that as a solid background.
I am probably a windows hater. But i run it on two machines?
OMG those Ubuntooers are the worst. Formally a Windows user who happened by chance to get Ubuntu installed believe they are some kind of Linux experts. Lump of coal to all of them.
It all boils down to maturity or the lack of it.
Spoken like a true Ubuntu zealot! From my side of the fence, the most annoying Linux users of all are the ones that act like Ubuntu is the only distro that matters. They make blogs about what’s so special about Ubuntu, but 99% of the features are also on openSuse, Fedora, Mandriva, PCLinuxOS, Arch, Debian, and many others. Instead, they should just quit replacing the word “Linux” with “Ubuntu” and come to grips with the reality that there are other distros out there that are just as good, if not better, and NO…Ubuntu is NOT the most user friendly distro out. It’s Linux that’s so great, and not just Ubuntu.
And, Johan is right – we’re all on the winning side: Linux!
Nope! Linux is not an OS. I would rather say it’s GNU Linux. 😀
Devo dire che non rientro in nessuna di tali categorie.
– Anti Windows: non penso che Windows sia un cattivo sistema operativo, ma è buono solo per certe cose (per esempio giocare) e comunque rimane sempre instabile e fine a sè stesso. Ad ogni modo, anche se ne parlo male, so riconoscere i suoi pochi pregi.
– Anti Ubuntu: beh, uso Ubuntu quotidianamente, quindi non potrei neanche volendo rientrare in questa categoria!
– Evangelisti estremi: ho un blog dove parlo del linux gaming, e quando posso elogio l’open source e il software libero, ma non costringo nessuno a pensarla come me e mi capita alcune volte di usare programmi non open source e non liberi (anche se di solito evito di farlo).
– I lamentosi: so bene che ci sono cose che possono non funzionare alla perfezione, quindi non ne faccio un problema. Risolvo i problemi da solo e non mi lamento con gli altri se ci metto tanto e impiego molte forze. Anzi, lo trovo costruttivo!
– Vago: sono esattamente il contrario di questa categoria. Prima di scrivere su un forum per cercare risposte faccio tonnellate di prove senza chiedere aiuto a nessuno. Lo faccio solo quando non riesco a cavare un ragno dal buco, e comunque seguo con costanza il topic che apro senza aspettarmi una risposta precisa ed esaustiva a tutti i costi.
Alla fin fine, io credo di essere semplicemente paziente e tollerante 🙂
Ottimo e divertente articolo… credo di poter dire di essere un Anti-Windows. Un solo appunto ( e spero di non sollevare un vespaio…) ma l’ultima frase dovrebbe essere corretta in “…sono passato per ognuno degli stati…” (“ho passato” è grammaticalmente scorretto in italiano).
Ciao e buone feste.
Ciao, grazie per la segnalazione, ora è corretto.
Buone feste anche a te
I’ve been the anti windows guy, during my mac fanboy period.
Sometimes I am the anti ubuntu guy, but then realize my mom really likes it. Not everyone is as tech-savvy as me.
I might be an extreme evangelist. Probably until I need to find a job. (student now…)
I try not to be the complainant. But sometimes… AArrgGh!
And vague… Most of the times people don’t get what I talk about. So I’m probably to explicit.
Anti Ubuntu = fanboys,
Ubuntu fanboys = fanboys,
they are fanboys brotherhood.
6 people that use Ubuntu as a synonym for Linux and vice versa.
I think you have misinterpreted my message. I do not use Ubuntu. I use Sabayon 7 on my main PC. I have 9 PCs/laptops/netbooks scattered around and 7 run Linux.
devo dire che non mi identifico, metterei una nuova categoria:
ottimisti: quelli che usano Linux quando possono, usano i programmi open(e linux) quando sono adatti, apprezzano le continue migliorie e aspettano che anche software closed source (un modellatore solido potente come Solid Edge, Solid Works o CATIA) sia utilizzabile senza emulatore, e a tempo perso ne propongono le ottime caratteristiche ma solo ad amici pronti allo switch.
Mauro.
Ben detto. Forse avrei dovuto pensato.
The more I have become aware of the ethics, principles, and business models behind either the popular proprietary software or libre software then the more I have come to despise the first and love the latter. Strength of feeling arises from emotional, political and ethical reasons. There is some economics too, but I find I spend far more money now on supporting the software I love than ever I did before I used it.
Of all the FOSS distributions out there Commodore OS 64 Vision takes the FLOSS trophy, there is not one distribution out there to match it, Everything works out of the box from the live disk. Every conceivable package that one needs is installed. set up ready to go. Though I’m not a gamer there are games galore from Commodore Atari and Linux for the gamers, Why other distributions don’t use XBMC media centre I don’t know,
Well done Commodore team you have shown the Linux world how to get things done. It’s a pity you have not made a 32bit release.
I agree. Especially about those that are all anti-Windows. Come on, Windows is not THAT bad, otherwise it would not be the most used operating system. I love Linux but I can appreciate Windows and Mac OS too for that matter.
Quote
Windows is not THAT bad, otherwise it would not be the most used operating system
The only reason windows is the most used OS is because of Microsoft’s forced sales monopoly,
Every computer that’s sold has GOT to have windows installed on it. and who says windows is the most used operating system, You heed to do your home work and see how many governments and education depatrements over the last 3 years have dropped MS operating systems.
You can start with Brazil who dumped windows in 2002, India, Turkey, Spain, Italy France Germany. Russia who will be all Linux by 2015 and the list goes on.
>Russia who will be all Linux by 2015
Could you please quote the source of this information.
Sorry, I meant to say disinformation.
DarkDuck
Sorry little Tux broke the dirty windows. He likes to be free to do what and when he won’t. Little Tux isn’t a MS mouse clicking zombie Get over it
Dark Duck. Would you like some computer lessons on how to use Google search. You can rest assured if I make a statement I can back it up with true facts,
In a move to decrease Russia’s dependence on American technology, the Russian government has announced plans to develop a state-sponsored national operating system. Shifting away from Windows would mean both money savings for Russia, and increased digital security.
http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/10/28/russia-to-develop-linux-based-windows-alternative-to-reduce-US-tech-depdenence/
http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Linux-and-Open-Source/Russian-Government-Mandates-Shift-from-Microsoft-to-Linux-by-2015-792623/
http://ostatic.com/blog/russian-government-will-transition-to-linux-by-2015
http://opendotdotdot.blogspot.com/2010/12/putin-orders-russian-move-to-gnulinux.html
According to IDC, China’s Linux market revenue reached $11.8 mln in 2005, up 27.1% over 2004. 2005
http://www.itfacts.biz/chinese-linux-market-reached-118-mln-in-2005/6229
How MS tried to kill Linux in 2007
Microsoft has made it easy for Chinese users to purchase legal copies by offering a $3 Windows & Office bundle to Chinese students.
Microsoft resorts to Linux to crack China cloud market
http://www.information-age.com/channels/the-cloud-and-virtualization/news/1649668/microsoft-resorts-to-linux-to-crack-china-cloud-market.thtml
Category 6 : The pure Linux user that will explain to you that “Linux is just a kernel, and it’s not right to say Linux but you have to say GNU/Linux”. Whenever I hear or read one of these retards, I reach for my gun.
Good point Niki, i agree with you on this 😉
Laughing out loud
No need to “reach for your gun”, but sometimes remembering that some
people just have to show off their knowledge –
While showing their intolerance and lack of maturity
There’s nothing wrong with show ones knowledge –
it’s also worth remembering that some people think it’s showing their intolerance and or lack of maturity
@Niki
It does not matter what the names are on some ways, but free software is working against the tide and uphill, including against a very rich powerful monopoly. It is favorable for powerful proprietary companies when some easy going software licenses are used alongside free software and become popular, the proprietary companies can adopt the stuff and then ‘close’ it for themselves. They have more dislike of the more hard-line freedom software licenses. The Linux kernel has an easy going license, because the author is happy to just think engineering, not politics. The original stuff, which developed from when free software was invented, has become more carefully licensed in that it has been defined in a way to (try) to make proprietary use, even by the back door, impossible. The ethical and political principles behind the two cultures – GNU and Linux kernel – are very different. When the struggles of free software to survive are considered you can see why those on the freedom front line react as they do. The free software movement has miraculously kept alive since the1980s against all the odds. But it is totally *pants* at marketing itself and being up front in media, whereas proprietary companies – well they have pretty BIG marketing budgets and they are really skillful.
So this is the reason I try to call a little separation between the Linux kernel and Linux based systems, it is the politics of freedom, it is not just words.
I am waiting for the 5 annoying types of bloggers and blogging article…
Try this one 😉
http://lxer.com/module/forums/t/32645/
Category 7: Idiots who think they have it all figured out about why Linux only has 1% of users and claim that there needs to be only one distro, only one DE, only one FM, only one packaging system and only one desktop background throughout the entire open source world to solve all existing problems.
I have not anti ubuntu and windows.
But I dislike M$ ‘s marketing way.
And Ubuntu development issue about unity desktop .
Ubuntu did like Redhat linux did before redhat linux to be fedora project.
Redhat linux with bluecuve look like ubuntu with unity desktop.
After ubuntu 10.10 I move form ubuntu to arch linux.
Ubuntu very easy to use more app PPA and community than arch linux.
But on arch linux I can customize my linux pc than unity desktop.
Thank..
Use if you want.
Say if you think.
Haha, I can relate to this article since I have met a lot of distroist (distro racist).
[…] the other day I read an article entiled 5 types of very annoying Linux users, and the article is very true. The article is a reflection of a certain Linux user who observed […]
People who hang out on lxer and heilos fanbois or another class of annoying Linux users.
“long ago I commented because Ubuntu is not the same as windows”. Well, it ain’t Windows yet. But it’s trying damn hard to be it. Look at bug #1 in their bugzilla. And what this usually entails is that they have to dumb down, because that is the only way to overtake Windows in terms of marketshare. It is not that “we elitists” run “tougher”, more elite distros – it is that Ubuntu does not seem to do a hell lot to get users out of Plato’s cave[Wikipedia:Allegory of the Cave] but have a big mouth (and money, for that matter, making it worse, as many will therefore see their prejudice against Canonical/Ubuntu as being “so full of themselves” verified).
I’ve been using both windows and linux for quite some time (20 yrs for windows and 14 yrs for linux)..
I find all the above quite true especially the ones about fanboys.
And this goes to all the fanboys (also extreme evangelists) out there: If you are so smart, rather than flaming people’s choice, why dont you state what have you contribute (a line of code, or anything) that benefits the linux community or distro that you support?
It’s easier to talk big, brag and trying to look smart. Even linus himself don’t talk that big.
For me, since i am not smart at all and thus never contribute, I just shut up and use whatever works for me.
well i am anti-ubuntuist for sure for me exist only ONE real DISTRO: debian (old way) who use ubuntu is a exM$ so low level linux user
Debian is only the real distro!!!!!! Obiviously without any GUI: only me,shell and the rest of the world 🙂
May I add the sixth one
FOSS Extremists: These people criticize if proprietary apps, drivers, etc are used. 🙂 They simply do not tolerate (eerrr like) anything that is not FOSS
ahaha! It’s crazy if you think that they actually want to use those devices into their computers…but they don’t want proprietary drivers! …Medication needed for those guys…
Totally agree with you, i like linux and use it as my development enviroment, but also use windows for some things . . . .Dont have to hate it, works for somethings both have pros 😀
[…] the other day I read an article entiled 5 types of very annoying Linux users, and the article is very true. The article is a reflection of a certain Linux user who observed […]
Great article. Just one word, though, in defense of some Complainants – the thing that is really frustrating and that makes you want to tar and feather a developer, then drown them, then toss their lifeless bodies into a trash compactor, is when they initially start out offering a great program and then over time start REMOVING features that people have come to depend upon. But because it is an online program and there have been popular exploits for that program, or for some other reason, you can’t just continue to run an ancient version indefinitely. So it is either upgrade, at which point working with that software becomes about 500% harder, or stay with the old version as long as you can and risk being hacked.
Usually this happens where the developer has a bad case of “creeping featuritus” in which he wants to keep adding new features to the software (sometimes features never requested by ANY of the current users) but in order to make the new features work properly he has to dump some of the old ones. Never mind that the old ones made using the program a much easier and more pleasant experience, and that the new ones are of dubious benefit to anyone!
Closely related are the developers of software that use plugins, that seem to break all existing plugins with every new release. Sure, in an ideal world the plugin developers would all scramble to keep their plugins current, but the world is not ideal and plugin developers drop out of the scene, lose interest, get incarcerated (maybe for murdering one of the first type of developer) 🙂 or even pass away, and yet people may come to depend on those plugins. Then a new version of the main software comes along and bam, half your existing plugins don’t work anymore because of some minor and often completely unnecessary change that’s been made to the main program.
I think that sometimes when people complain in those cases, it’s with the usually vain hope that maybe the developer will actually see their comments, and the developer will in turn feel some fraction of the pain that they have caused others. That’s why such comments are often so vitrolic – they want to get the point across to the developer that he is an asshole for initially creating a software masterpiece, then wantonly defacing it with future changes. Sure, he CAN do that – it’s his software – but doing so still makes him an asshole, particularly if he waves off all criticism from long-time users that helped make his software popular when no one had ever heard of it before.
ahahahah ma siamo seri ?!
Al giorno d’oggi un SO che sia win linux o mac ha i suoi pregi e difetti, lo si deve capire a priori, la cosa migliore da fare è sempre vedere, poi gli estremismi non fanno mai bene !