Re: [vox] [zmcarrico@ucdavis.edu: shoud i get linux?]

[Rick Moen <rick@linuxmafiMAPSa.com>]

Quoting Mark K. Kim (markslist@cbreak.org):

> A problem with not having Windows is that some classes require you to run
> certain software that runs only on Windows.  If the software runs just on
> Windows, they'll probably setup a lab for you, but going to the lab can be
> a hassle with all the potential schedule conflicts.  If they have software
> that runs either on Windows or Mac, they probably won't even provide a lab
> -- UCD now assumes incoming students already have a computer, which means
> either Windows or Mac.

1.  I doubt those would be interesting classes, but I suppose they might
be mandatory.

2.  This sort of thing is why most people in such situations have a
recent computer running the monopoly OS du jour, plus Linux/BSD running
on an older machine.  Once you get acclimated to your nice X11 desktop 
and Unix, you'll probably remove the Win32 box's monitor, run it
headless, put it in a dusty corner, and get to it using vnc
(http://linuxmafia.com/~rick/linux-info/vnc-and-alternatives).

> And Word and Excel -- don't even get me started.  If you ever sumit a
> paper via e-mail, it's probably gonna be required that you submit it in
> Word format....

Submit it in RTF or HTML with a .doc filename extension, and they'll
almost certainly never notice anything different and just be happy.[1]

> If they give you a spreadsheet assignment, it's probably gonna be
> required that you use Excel.

Correction:  It might require that you send/receive MS-Excel .xls files.
Which means using Gnumeric, thank you very much.

[1] In the work world, on _very_ rare occasions, you might encounter
some unprincipled, dishonest ex-EDS manager who'll put you on formal
written reprimand for turning in work printouts prepared in HTML with
tables rather than MS-Word -- as once happened to me -- but this should
be vanishingly rare, and never happen at sane firms.

-- 
Cheers,            There are only 10 types of people in this world -- 
Rick Moen          those who understand binary arithmetic and those who don't.
rick@linuxmafia.com
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