The message 627288ec248353848e3d7b6c7afa0a6b@bouncing.localnet from MJ Ray mjr@dsl.pipex.com contains these words:
Until our generous list hosts at blackcat tell us we're too big, I think unsubscribing just for lurking is a bit harsh. The automatic processes seem to reap the bouncers after a month or so at worst.
I don't think anyone suggested that dedicated lurkers should be unsubscribed. Probably, there are people who receive the list and who CBA to read it and CBA to unsubscribe themselves.
However, I suppose that there's always the hope that a sudden availability of correctly-shaped tuits or a rush of enthusiasm might ressurect their interest and they all will live happily ever after.
In response to things earlier in the day:
If I think something is better, then I may say that. Someone else can say that they think it's not. People can try to convince each other. As long as it's opinions, both are right in saying *they think* it's better. Long arguments about who is more justified probably shouldn't be on the list. Set out your thoughts and then continue in private email or at a meeting. Try to avoid circles.
Cliques? Or circular arguments?
Or both?
I would really prefer not to see statements like "hasn't got anywhere near [...] a viable alternative to Windows for the average Joe" stated as if they were facts rather than opinions.
Well, fair's fair, while some distros which are appearing attempt to make installation and use much easier and more intuitive, my experience in trying them has resulted in their falling over before ever I had a chance to try to bork them: that's S.u.S.E. a couple or three years ago, and Mandrake 7.1, so I think the accusation is justified.
That depends on the meaning of so many words like "near", "viable" and "average". Also, we have our own commercial software writers and I'm quite happy if some of the Windows horrors don't come. Finally, it's worth remembering that different flavours of Microsoft Windows support different hardware to each other, so even upgrades within that group of products can leave you with doorstop kit.
"near", "viable" and "average" have very specific meanings and I guess they are pretty-well understood by most people, and even sloppy use of them can only wander a short way either from their proper or intended meanings.
No-one could argue that the real horrors of Windows should be mightily eschewed, nor what I believe to be an element of cynical commercial built-in obsolescence, so that successive (alleged) upgrades of Windows and some of its applications are not backwards-compatible.
No-one's picked up on it, but Tony said he asks manufacturers about driver support. That's worth doing, even if you get no result. Water droplets can change a mountain eventually if there are enough of them.
Yers. Most of them don't respond at all. When I get all my stored boxen back here to this, my new abode (If ever I find the room!) I'll look out the three letters I did receive in return.
One was quite terse and said they only supported M$ Windows; another said that not enough people used Linux for the development to be viable; and the third said they were watching the situation 'with interest'.
To the second I replied that as there were so few manufacturers catering for Linux that if they did write drivers for their scanner they would corner the market before anyone else did, but after that they sort-of went dead key.
To Stowmarket by train after Ely meetings is possible but slow, Ely d2300 Cambridge a2317 d2330 Stowmarket a0032. I think Anglia's Plus tickets are now valid on all trains Ely-Cambridge so it shouldn't cost more.
How much would it cost to hire a minibus for an evening, pick up all interested parties (as fas as economically could be worked out) and return them in a state of unfitness to drive, I wonder?