Posted by: Anonymous Coward
on January 22, 2005 10:30 AM
I've recently begun to think of Linux as something analagous to a high-end HP calculator. Scientists, professors, business people may have had HP calculators, and there are certainly many fans of HP calculators, collectors of HP calculators.
But for many people, a solar calculator handed out for free from some conference or any old $10 calculator is enough. Calculators to many people are like disposable pens, or pencils - just so long as you can find one, just so long as they haven't all disappeared. Oh where did I put that thing?
For people who don't care about computers, as such - anything that is convenient and easy to use will do. I can see how so many people might think that a HP RPN calculator would be "broken", or perhaps misunderstood. When I was a young child, my dad taught me how to use his HP RPN calculator with the red LED numbers -- and consequently, I always thought that "real" calculators used RPN.
I think Linux is sort of like that. It's a serious tool, for people who need a real computer.
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Re:sounds right to me
Posted by: Anonymous Coward on January 22, 2005 10:30 AMBut for many people, a solar calculator handed out for free from some conference or any old $10 calculator is enough. Calculators to many people are like disposable pens, or pencils - just so long as you can find one, just so long as they haven't all disappeared. Oh where did I put that thing?
For people who don't care about computers, as such - anything that is convenient and easy to use will do. I can see how so many people might think that a HP RPN calculator would be "broken", or perhaps misunderstood. When I was a young child, my dad taught me how to use his HP RPN calculator with the red LED numbers -- and consequently, I always thought that "real" calculators used RPN.
I think Linux is sort of like that. It's a serious tool, for people who need a real computer.
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