Inertia prevents Bruce Schneier from moving to GNU/Linux

When you don’t see new posts here, it probably means one of three things:

1. I’m busy with other things in my life, such as:
   • Family
   • Work
2. I’ve lost interest in the blog.
3. I’m actually doing the free software thing! I’m learning about free software or getting things set up in support of the move.

While #1 is almost always true, the past week has also seen some of #3, and I’ve been enjoying it. And as always, I’m trying to think about how to write about it. I do want to write about it, hopefully in a way that is useful and possibly entertaining for others. But it takes so much time. So maybe I should learn to just post some hasty blurbs here.

And I’m still wondering how much technical detail to go in to. I’m putting some notes in my Google Notebook, but even then I don’t keep up when trying a lot of things. It would be good to write it up here in a slightly more coherent way, to help settle the knowledge more firmly in my mind, and as a future reference.

I’ve written before about how I’m very comfortable using Windows and even enjoy using it, but that I want to switch to GNU/Linux for ideological reasons. I believe in free software. However, it’s so much work. I’m spending a lot of time learning how to do things I already know how to do in Windows, and it’s slowing me down in doing the things that I want to use my computer to accomplish. But I think it’s worth it. And I do enjoy the learning process. So I’ll keep plugging along.

Related to the idea of ideology and convenience in operating system use, I came across an interesting interview with Bruce Schneier yesterday, from rebecca’s pocket. It was mostly about blogging, but then there was this near the end:

Mac or PC?

PC. Windows. I catch a lot of hell over this from readers, but it’s just easier for me. I would very much like to be a Linux user, if for no other reason than the political statement. But I don’t do my own tech support, and I don’t want to learn, so I use what my company uses.

–Bruce Schneier

I can sympathize with that attitude. Bruce’s blog is one of my favorites, and it consistently has great discussions in the comments. From his writing I had gotten the idea that he was sympathetic to free software and culture, but I was happy to see such a clear statement of support.

While it’s tempting for me to take that same approach (or the similar approach of saying I’ll just use and support what I already know), I really don’t want to. I want to make that statement.

And I want to enjoy using GNU/Linux. In my recent adventures, I’ve gotten a lot of satisfaction out of getting some things working. The satisfaction is countered somewhat by frustration at having to spend so much time on laying the groundwork for the move, but there is time, I try to remember:

You can do a lot in a lifetime, if you don’t burn out too fast. You can make the most of the distance… first you need endurance; first you’ve got to last!

–Neil Peart (Rush), “Marathon”