Hot and Cold on Linux
After two weeks of this nonsense, I went back to Windows XP. I'll take its ease of use and hardware compatibility any time.
Jeff Hansman, Carmel Valley, California
As a Linux user, I know most hackers are looking for the most clueless Windows users, but not for me. I yawn every time the latest Microsoft-targeting worm makes its rounds: I know my PC will not be turned into a zombie spammer, and spyware and adware don't work on my system. Applications aren't bloatware and are in general better designed; I can run a bleeding-edge OS on a PC old enough to remember the first Bush administration; I can upgrade when I'm ready; I don't have to buy a lot of expensive software; I'm not bound by restrictive user agreements; and I never, ever see the dreaded Blue Screen of Death.
Nicole Chardenet, Wethersfield, Connecticut
It's nice to see articles on Linux. The more people read about it, the more they realize there is an alternative OS. That in turn motivates more and better Linux programs and might also inspire more software companies to write Linux versions of their products.
Pearu Tamm, via the Internet
Trouble-Free PC?
Despite the promise of "The Trouble-Free PC" [February], such a critter unfortunately does not exist in this universe.
A year and a half ago, my PC and I had a joint and complete meltdown. Over the years, I had added a CD-ROM drive, a Zip drive, a CD-RW drive, printers, a flatbed scanner, a slide scanner, network cards, multiple disk drives, video and audio cards, and a ton of software. Each addition seemed more difficult. Trying to get the PC to be the control point for my home theater system was the last straw.
I realized I was trying to get one machine to do far too much. Given the low cost of basic computing power, the answer was separation of labor. I now have five PCs--one for my home theater, one for business apps, one for my wife, a laptop for mobile business and digital camera downloads, and one more desktop for office and Net stuff plus scanning and image processing.
Mutual backup over my wired LAN minimizes damage if one unit dies. I also save my older PCs from the dump.
Ed Boesch, via the Internet
One thing to note about your [utility suite] Best Buy, V Communications' SystemSuite 5. I was blown away by its many features until I found out that it is incompatible with the new SATA drives. Every time I tried to have it scan my hard drives, it would just shut down. On the plus side, V Communications' tech support people were very helpful, and I received my refund quickly.
Mark Mitchell, Austin, Texas
The Hardest Search Task
Steve Bass's column "Learn (Almost) Anything About Anybody" [Home Office, February] did not treat one almost impossible search task. Try finding an old female friend who has married. For years I have been searching various directories for a friend under her maiden name (all I have for her) with no luck.
Joe Zimmerman, via the Internet
Net Phone Cautions
Thanks for the article on switching from standard land-line phones to Internet or VoIP phone services ["Time to Switch to a Net Phone?" News and Trends, February]. This change may be good for some people in some instances, but we need to know the downsides.
For example:
1. For security it is always good to keep at least one wired phone. In case of a power failure, you will still have phone service. While cell phones are less susceptible to such failure (usually some cell towers will remain live), they too could be dead in your area.
2. The land phone line is often used for other, less obvious purposes with which the VoIP system may not be compatible--most important, emergency contact monitoring services (911) and security and alarm systems, but also cable and satellite TV boxes.
Eugene Wright, via the Internet
