I am not entertaining comments from computer users concerning Linux that cannot objectively argue both sides. I received a comment on an old post (more than two years!) today about these things, and I can’t really believe that there is still a draw on these pests by this electric bug zapper.

Clearly there are advantages to both systems. If you’re going to present an argument for why Linux is the bee’s knees without a nod toward what Microsoft has done, then you’re going to have to explain why Microsoft operating systems reside on the overwhelming majority of desktop systems on the planet, and why Linux hasn’t overtaken it, since it’s so great.

I am perfectly willing to profess that Windows cannot easily and effectively be stripped down to a light and fast operating system like Linux can. So why is it necessary for Linux zealots to claim that chmod/chown file permissions are so superior to ACL? I find that Linux users have myopic view of the usability of GUIs on their preferred OS, too.

If you’re going to start on the security issues, please be aware of your numbers. That is, the number of security-ignorant users of Microsoft software versus the number of security-ignorant users of Linux. The number of people who even know how to apply patches to Linux parts versus the number of people who have Windows automatic updates turned on.

You’re going to have a hard time convincing me that software that has unknown quality control on their patches is better than software that has people dedicated to searching out, evaluating, and providing quality-controlled patches for those types of issues. But please take into account that this is the case, rather than blathering on about the zero-day (zero-quality?) patch for Linux that fixes everything.

Here, maybe this will make you happy: Linux is great. I use Linux. Yay, Linux! Now stop trying to convince me that it’s better than Windows or that my computer use would somehow be improved by your coming in and replacing all of my software with Linux equivalents. I don’t think Windows is better or worse, and it’s what I use. Trying to convince me of anything else would be a waste of everyone’s time.

No I’m not asking you to fight for linux with this post. I’m telling you to back off. Frankly, I’m sick of the Windows-bashing, which seems just for the sake of bashing Microsoft at this point because it makes you seem “hip”. Your impression as an angry, prattling, argumentative, biased, elitist OS snob doesn’t endear me to your cause, which - as I’ve mentioned - I have no problem with.

Does commenting or pinging this post seem like a good idea to you? Please keep reading the previous paragraph until you come to the correct conclusion.

Grr.