A Paradigm shift: A change in the basic assumptions, or paradigms. A shift in the distinct concepts or thought patterns in epistemological context. That is to say, new premises.
All my life I've been a hard working Linux user. I tried to maintain my OS, keep up with my optimizations. But recently my attitude towards computing changed greatly. It was a slow change, spread over a year; but change I did. Before starting to explain what I am talking about I should say that there is no better way of doing things, there is only doing.
Anyway, I believe there are two different main paradigms in desktop Linux world. One that forces user to create his (or her) own system; and one that which does not, like Ubuntu. I used to hate Ubuntu, it was restricting, always dictating how my system should be (at least I saw it like that), and fixed releases, what a chore. And I used to love Arch. Building the system from the beginning, patching packages you want to patch, mixing things you want to mix. Having total control over you system is, I must agree, a special kind of technological high, even if there is no Snow Crash like drug is involved. But I guess I am getting older now. Work takes almost all my time, reading new legislations, new cases, writing essay, reading and commenting essays... I noticed that I don't have time to tinker with my system. Recently I was even becoming afraid that my system would break with that new update. My system was great, I had lovingly created it up from the command line and used it for years; but as I said, priorities change.
Nowadays I hardly want to use Arch, or something similar. I've been using Ubuntu for a while now and against what everyone things, I kind of liked Unity. But I were using a deeply customized Gnome 3 with Arch so I am hardly a judge of GUIs. Clearly, I am not one of the majority when it comes to GUIs.
I could muse a lot longer about merits of two different paradigms but this is a topic much visited in Linux world and I am sure everyone understands what I am saying here. So this is what I want to do: ask you a question. Did you went through a personal technological evolution of this kind? If you did, how and more importantly why it did happen? I would be very glad if you take time to comment on this.
Post Scriptum: As a side note, the reason I choose Ubuntu is that almost perfect feature called HUD. I use it almost constantly and it is great, at least I feel so.
Actually, I went the other way around, from Ubuntu over Arch and Debian to Slackware. I felt the same as you, Ubuntu was too limiting, so I changed to Debian, which allowed me much more. For some time I used Arch, then back to Debian. After some time of tinkering with that I finally changed to Slackware.
ReplyDeleteNow I have the best of two worlds: If I want I can tinker with and customize my systems to the fully extent, having total control over everything.
If I need a work machine I install and configure Slackware once and it basically runs forever. Slackware is rock-stable, has a sane release cycle (it is ready, when it is ready) and there is no pressure to upgrade if you don't want to or can't (the oldest still supported version is 8.1, released 2002).
When it comes to GUIs, I went from Gnome 2 to XFCE to Openbox and finally discovered the tiling WMs and fell in love (currently using i3). My personal opinion about GUIs (and OSes): My computer is a shapeable tool, it has to adapt to my way of working, support me with that and otherwise has to stay out of the way. I can't understand why so many people rather adapt their style of working to the tool, instead of using a tool that helps them with their own style of work.
I can very much sympathize...and must say, with some regret, that it gets worse as you continue to "get older".
ReplyDeleteI started out my present career some 15 years ago as a developer/analyst at a small company, at which time coming home and rebuilding my personal desktop system from the motherboard up was a form of therapy.
I'm now a project manager for a very large company. I remain adamant in my comment to using OSS and Linux (at least on my own time). But when I get home at the end of the day, I just want everything to work. The extent of my tinkering is occasionally blowing up the GUI (XFCE, in my case) when I have some free time on weekends.
We all make compromises in this world. The important thing is to know that you're making them, know why you are making them, and evaluate the costs and benefits. If switching to Ubuntu is the only compromise your career ever forces you into, you shall be most fortunate.
I'm currently on Fedora 15, and am somewhat going through a similar change.. although WAY slower (not even a student yet). Compiling all packages by yourself to get the most bleeding edge stuff is all nice and fun, but if I have to completely redo everything every year, it just gets redundant (ie. the bane of Fedora). That's why I'm considering switching to a rolling release like Arch, although I'll miss yum for sure..
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I'm just happy I didn't have to read yet another "and that's why I'm switching back to W7".. yeah, like that's gonna alleviate any burden
For the record, I have found Arch to be remarkably stable. I actually had more major problems with Ubuntu than I have had using Arch. Of course, like anything, the more you customize it (AUR or PPAs), the more likely it is to go all wonky on you. With Ubuntu, I had several PPAs active, to keep some packages current. At least one of these seemed to always be causing problems. Arch's rolling release keeps everything current, which seems very scary. But in reality, I've had very few issues over the last couple of years of using Arch every day.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I do understand the allure of popping in a CD, and a few clicks later, having a fully functional OS installed.
There is room for us all :-)
Though not so fundamental as your case. Mine was that I had to kill my arch setup in favour of ubuntu sibling, when I screwed the partition setupю And just because I didn't have time to set arch all over again after work, I had to install an "out-of-the-box" distro and use it for a about month or so.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed that nonchalance. But after some time it started to get dull and empty, I felt like this was not my way, I felt like a part of joy has left me)
So, as soon as I had time I happily returned. I don't know if the way back is possible in your case, some ppl here expressed good thoughts. I just wish you to find your joy and stick to it whatever you plunge yourself into.
I like your story, that's the reason I love Fedora's ability of being able to upgrade to the next version I started with fedora 14 and am currently at fedora 16. I have a dual monitor setup with a lot of customizations and I don't have the time to setup a new system from scratch every six months anymore. My main options were either Debian squeeze or fedora, I chose fedora as it's more bleeding edge.
ReplyDelete