Is 50 too old to be learning Linux
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ChrisElston wrote:
Wouldn't he better served finding a young mistress?
Now there's a thought!
The best reason for going to Linux would be to save money, a mistress would cost too much.
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Having used all the flavours of Windows since Windows 3.1 right up to Windows 8 and having used Amiga OS 1.3 to 3.9 before then I'm wondering if it's time to try a Linux distro. What I'm wondering is, have I left it too late at the age of 50 to start to get into the intricacies of Linux and which distro would be a good one to start with? I don't mind getting my hands 'dirty' with writing scripts and using a CLI as I've done this before on the Amiga (which was Unix based) and on Wind :-O ows. Any thoughts?
My dad made the switch from Windows to Linux in his 50's and he's so happy he did. We've been using Windows since 3.1 days, and I never would have thought he'd switch to Linux but he's a full convert now and keeps trying to drag me in with him. I keep trying to like Linux, but I suppose i just dont have the time right now with 3 young kids to sit down and use it enough to feel comfortable with it. I guess I'll just around to it, when i'm in my 50's ;-). So, No you're never too old to learn something new.
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Having used all the flavours of Windows since Windows 3.1 right up to Windows 8 and having used Amiga OS 1.3 to 3.9 before then I'm wondering if it's time to try a Linux distro. What I'm wondering is, have I left it too late at the age of 50 to start to get into the intricacies of Linux and which distro would be a good one to start with? I don't mind getting my hands 'dirty' with writing scripts and using a CLI as I've done this before on the Amiga (which was Unix based) and on Wind :-O ows. Any thoughts?
Like others, you're never too old. The value of learning Linux isn't in the GUI layer on top, it's in the CLI layer underneath. Knowing Ubuntu or Red Hat GUI layer isn't what's helping me understand the kindle hacks I've been playing with recently, nor did it help me turn my smartphone into a web server. The CLI layer is very similar under all of them. Recognizing the CLI layer on these devices is what dramatically changes my thinking about what they can, and cannot, do. I've still got my Amiga 1000 :)
We can program with only 1's, but if all you've got are zeros, you've got nothing.
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Marc Clifton wrote:
FP languages like Python
Python is not an FP language (assumming you mean Functional Programming) - it is a dynamic, mixed-paradigm language with some functional features, but really is more of a classic procedural object-oriented language for the most part.
"If you don't fail at least 90 percent of the time, you're not aiming high enough." Alan Kay.
Rob Grainger wrote:
Python is not an FP language
I stand corrected - I have seen it used like a true FP language, in fact, it was promoted at my previous job as an FP language, but I never really looked into it, so thank you for correcting my ignorance. :) Marc
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My Blog -
Having used all the flavours of Windows since Windows 3.1 right up to Windows 8 and having used Amiga OS 1.3 to 3.9 before then I'm wondering if it's time to try a Linux distro. What I'm wondering is, have I left it too late at the age of 50 to start to get into the intricacies of Linux and which distro would be a good one to start with? I don't mind getting my hands 'dirty' with writing scripts and using a CLI as I've done this before on the Amiga (which was Unix based) and on Wind :-O ows. Any thoughts?
So you are a young pup then... I am 56 and back in school to get my Bachelor degree. I started before there were PCs (about a year before the Altair) and used CP/M, MS-DOS, Windows 386, and yes the Amiga OS. BTW - The Amiga OS was not in any way UNIX-based. I had the original 1000 model and a 3000. It was where I taught myself C programming, which I later used when I started using UNIX (SYSV.2) at work. You may have thought it was UNIX-based because a lot of open source utilities from the UNIX world were ported to it, like Emacs and GNU C, but a few utilities does not an OS make. I will stop learning when I die, or get Alzheimer's, whichever comes first. Mike
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Having used all the flavours of Windows since Windows 3.1 right up to Windows 8 and having used Amiga OS 1.3 to 3.9 before then I'm wondering if it's time to try a Linux distro. What I'm wondering is, have I left it too late at the age of 50 to start to get into the intricacies of Linux and which distro would be a good one to start with? I don't mind getting my hands 'dirty' with writing scripts and using a CLI as I've done this before on the Amiga (which was Unix based) and on Wind :-O ows. Any thoughts?
Hi, First question is why? (never too old to learn ... moving to a new country and learning the culture and language may be more fun) I am in my 50's having started with computers in 1966 (IBM 1401,IBM 1410 & IBM 360-50) I (with 2 others) wrote a multi-user virtual memory operating system and a FORTRAN 4 compiler for a mini computer system since any available system at the time sucked (worse than dos) Suggest looking into the current marketplace such as IOS, Android, window8(phone/tablet etc). Lots of tools available, some free Write some apps and maybe make some or even a lot of money.
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Joan Murt wrote:
If you want suffering you can always go to debian.
Or, if you want true hell, go to Gentoo. Of course, you will have to cancel all your plans in the foreseeable future so you have time to maintain it.
I started on Ubuntu at 46; I was also retraining myself from an imaging/bio/C programmer to a software generalist. I now have double the wage and double the fun. From Ubuntu, I've gone to building OS's from scratch(heavily mutated LFS), and delving into the minds and experience of very much more experienced Linux specialists. At work.(We use a lot of windows too). At home I run Ubuntu throughout(apart from being one of the lucky people to pick up a HP Touchpad in the fire sale with Web OS). I've even been adventurous and built systems which are outside the Ubuntu/Linux hardware comfort zone. So, no, it's not too late, but the sooner the better. The only problem you will face is trying to keep a straight face when somebody is talking about windows, and not swearing too much when windows swallows resources(the little man goes out back to fetch another box of electrons, don't bother ringing the bell again, he'll be back as soon as he can with your GUI.)
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Rob Grainger wrote:
Python is not an FP language
I stand corrected - I have seen it used like a true FP language, in fact, it was promoted at my previous job as an FP language, but I never really looked into it, so thank you for correcting my ignorance. :) Marc
Testers Wanted!
Latest Article: User Authentication on Ruby on Rails - the definitive how to
My BlogWhat a welcome change, I'm getting used to vociferous opposition when I correct something on the intertubes. Thank you.
"If you don't fail at least 90 percent of the time, you're not aiming high enough." Alan Kay.
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Having used all the flavours of Windows since Windows 3.1 right up to Windows 8 and having used Amiga OS 1.3 to 3.9 before then I'm wondering if it's time to try a Linux distro. What I'm wondering is, have I left it too late at the age of 50 to start to get into the intricacies of Linux and which distro would be a good one to start with? I don't mind getting my hands 'dirty' with writing scripts and using a CLI as I've done this before on the Amiga (which was Unix based) and on Wind :-O ows. Any thoughts?
If you are used to windows start with Linux Mint with MATE. Nice familiar desktop interface. (In MATE 1.6 to get windows key to bring up applications menu use dconf-editor, go to settings for org > mate > Marco > global-keybindings and set panel_main_menu to be Super_L )
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Having used all the flavours of Windows since Windows 3.1 right up to Windows 8 and having used Amiga OS 1.3 to 3.9 before then I'm wondering if it's time to try a Linux distro. What I'm wondering is, have I left it too late at the age of 50 to start to get into the intricacies of Linux and which distro would be a good one to start with? I don't mind getting my hands 'dirty' with writing scripts and using a CLI as I've done this before on the Amiga (which was Unix based) and on Wind :-O ows. Any thoughts?
I would suggest MINT and dual-boot. It's painless.