From: ronb02NOSPAM@gmail.com   
      
   On 2026-01-30, CrudeSausage  wrote:   
   > On Fri, 30 Jan 2026 07:35:06 -0000 (UTC), RonB wrote:   
   >   
   >> On 2026-01-29, CrudeSausage  wrote:   
   >>> On Wed, 28 Jan 2026 23:31:45 -0000 (UTC), RonB wrote:   
   >>>   
   >>>> On 2026-01-28, CrudeSausage  wrote:   
   >>>>> On 28 Jan 2026 02:54:49 GMT, rbowman wrote:   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>>> On 27 Jan 2026 22:29:00 GMT, CrudeSausage wrote:   
   >>>>>>   
   >>>>>>> The numbers don't lie. Ubuntu was the catalyst for a great number   
   >>>>>>> of people giving Linux a chance and the free CDs weren't the only   
   >>>>>>> reason. Unlike most Linux distributions, both the installer and the   
   >>>>>>> installed product worked as they should and it made Linux easy for   
   >>>>>>> most people. That's not to say Debian and others weren't easy   
   >>>>>>> enough _before_ Ubuntu's release, but Ubuntu finally attracted the   
   >>>>>>> mainstream users who weren't as dedicated as we all were to getting   
   >>>>>>> the operating system working for us.   
   >>>>>>   
   >>>>>> Leading to the Year of the Linux Desktop, right? You may have a   
   >>>>>> better chance of witnessing the second coming.   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>> It wasn't the second coming, but suddenly Linux was an operating   
   >>>>> system which could appeal to regular people as much as the geeks.   
   >>>>   
   >>>> Yep. Linux wasn't that easy to download in those days. You could buy   
   >>>> Linux magazines and most months they included a Linux CD but you could   
   >>>> just email Ubuntu and check off how many CDs you wanted and "voila"   
   >>>> they came in the mail.   
   >>>   
   >>> That's actually how I used to get it installed for people back then.   
   >>> I'd often have a friend or family member who got some hand-me-down PC.   
   >>> Obviously, they understood nothing about it and wondered whether they   
   >>> could get some life out of it. They wanted Windows, but it was always   
   >>> going to be too slow for them, so I suggested Linux. I'd then drive   
   >>> over to the closest magazine store and get a Linux magazine   
   >>> specifically for the installation CD.   
   >>   
   >> There were a few of those Linux magazines. I'm guessing they're either   
   >> dead or limping badly as the Internet has pretty much killed them.   
   >   
   > Yeah, the business model was a pretty bad one: sell a magazine about a   
   > free operating system to people who use said free operating system because   
   > they enjoy getting things for free. I jest, but I imagine that the   
   > audience was minimal. Still, it was a wonderful way for me to learn about   
   > the operating system, and to get Linux CDs quickly.   
      
   I think they did well, pre-high speed Internet. Online shopping (and   
   reading) have pretty much killed a lot of outfits. But it looks like the   
   Linux magazines are still around (mostly online, see Vallor's post).   
      
   --   
   "Not just insane... Trump insane."   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)