Survey: What Brings You to LXer?
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| Author | Content |
|---|---|
| dcparris Nov 13, 2005 11:54 PM EDT |
There are a number of news sites offering news on GNU/Linux and libre software in general. As the word has been getting out about LXer, our reader base is growing. I'm curious to know what brings you here? If you have recently made us your primary news site, perhaps you'd share your reasons? I would offer you a list of reasons to choose from, but I prefer to know what you think - not what answers you think I'm looking for. Thanks in advance to all who are willing to share your views on LXer! |
| phsolide Nov 14, 2005 3:56 AM EDT |
1. Increasingly obvious takeover of "Slashdot" by MSFT shills and trollers. 2. Increasing irrelevance of "Linux Today". 3. Better audience participation than "Newsforge". |
| TxtEdMacs Nov 14, 2005 4:03 AM EDT |
Upon seeing the name Dave Whitinger and a notice of his starting a new Linux web site sufficed. However, I was one of the late arrivals. Moreover, I had stopped visiting Linux Today not long after his departure. |
| helios Nov 14, 2005 4:27 AM EDT |
This has to be the most intelligent and helpful Linux News Site in existence. The staff and particularly the members have molded this site into a "personal experience" and not just another news outlet. I have come to count on reading the comments as much as the actual articles in order to learn more about Linux and would be hard pressed to name another site that can even come close to this quality and relevance. helios |
| number6x Nov 14, 2005 4:48 AM EDT |
The witty banter of the commentors reminds me of the algonquin round table. :) |
| nicsmr Nov 14, 2005 6:32 AM EDT |
Quiet advertising, links that go directly to articles, a mix of serious and downright funny banter, and most importantly good solid information. Just want I wanted. Nick |
| jimf Nov 14, 2005 6:53 AM EDT |
The short of it is that, this is a great bunch of intelligent and highly experienced people who are passionate about promoting an important cause, They don't always agree, but they are nearly always civilized about it. I agree with helios that the comments are many times as or more interesting than the articles. |
| sharkscott Nov 14, 2005 10:24 AM EDT |
The single most complete Linux News site on the web. The only forums I have ever participated in where everyone shares their knowledge and opinions without throwing an attitude. It makes you want to participate. Clean look, always up to date. I'll bet that there were several new articles posted while I wrote this. Talk about an easy URL to type :) |
| peragrin Nov 14, 2005 11:45 AM EDT |
I started showing up here after it was annouced on The Linux Show a couple of years back. I quickly found it to be the easist on the eyes, the fastest way to read, on top of that a group of intelligent posters to bounce ideas and questions off of. |
| bdumm Nov 14, 2005 12:00 PM EDT |
fellow dahuters |
| tuxchick Nov 14, 2005 12:10 PM EDT |
I too like the folks who hang out and comment. I still visit LT, but the quality of the comments has gone way downhill. It's hard to say why, my own theory is when the Microshaft ads appeared and did not go away it chased away a lot of folks. It really is a slap in the face to stick that crap on a Linux site, and it makes me wonder about the motives of the publisher. Linux is the orphan stepchild there; notice how Linuxnewbie.org got morphed into a poo collection of forums, the name changed to JustLinux, and all the nice Linuxnewbie articles have been cunningly concealed. LinuxPlanet is a gawdawful mess- disorganized and ugly. But at least they keep publishing decent articles. Apache Today is nothing anymore. On the other hand, more FOSS coverage is leaking into their mainstream sites, so it's not a completely bleak picture. Anyway I like LXer for the same reasons as the rest of you- clean layout, no microshaft Facts, intelligent commenters, and kewl original features. |
| joel Nov 14, 2005 2:53 PM EDT |
I found lxer while searching for a better alternative to Linux Today. Am I ever
glad I found this fantastic (errm,, does that make me a fanboi??) oasis filled with
refreshing wit, humor, insight, & experience, PLUS a very user-friendly site.
Since I'm new here, a little intro may be in order. I've been a Linux desktop
(gaassppp) user for the last 6 or more years, after one too many attempts to rescue
another widow's hosed MS Win**** computer. Been MS free & loving it for a long time now. For those who haven't tried it yet, the water & air are refreshingly clean and pure.
One more thing, I'm principaly a user, 'tho I love to dig in & explore the inner workings, something that Linux allows & encourages. Ah, the sweet smell of true freedom. Peace begins with Isiah 32:17-18, & 54:14 KJV. cheers |
| Koriel Nov 14, 2005 3:38 PM EDT |
I come here for the simple layout, lack of ads and the pleasant atmosphere and im another LT refugee, bet Dave wishes he never appeared on the Linux Show now :) |
| AnonymousCoward Nov 15, 2005 1:08 AM EDT |
Relatively complete set of news, sensationalism rationed/restrained, great community (can disagree but still discuss), no in-yer-face ads. But not the 'leventy billion near-meaningless links you get when you click "Next". (-: |
| tripwire45 Nov 15, 2005 3:00 PM EDT |
I posted one of your stories at another site I frequent. At the time, I hadn't really taken a look at LXer. A friend from that site got curious and came over here. He gave me a glowing report so I thought I'd stop in and catch up on the news. |
| dinotrac Nov 15, 2005 4:34 PM EDT |
I don't really remember how I first find out about lxer... That Ferris guy may have clued me in, or I might simply have stumbled across it. Just plain don't remember. Once I arrived, however, it was like old home week. I was a relative latecomer to Linux Today. By the time I arrived, it was a hustling, bustling place. Dave and Dwight had already sold it, or were about to. Ferris was editing along with some other good folks. I had the good fortune to meet most of them and share a drink or two. Because of those guys, Times Square will always mean the late, lamented Times Square microbrewery. I left LT (as a community member) when Paul did, and had no real place to go. I could go and harass the folks on the New York Times forums -- nothing quite so much fun as whacking hopeless liberals upside the head -- but my Linux itch went unscratched. Lxer -- a real Dave Whitinger production -- has changed that. Some old faces hang around, and lots of interesting new ones. A number of different perspectives, smart people, good writing -- lots of Linux love. What's not to like? Plus, I love watching that silly little visitor counter climb. 15,000 now? WooHoo!!!! |
| devnet Nov 16, 2005 3:43 AM EDT |
"The witty banter of the commentors reminds me of the algonquin round table." I dunno. That Paul guy kinda dumbs things down a bit ;) Perhaps witless banter? |
| jdixon Nov 17, 2005 6:09 PM EDT |
Like others, I think I heard about it on the Linux Show. That and Dave Whitinger's name caused me to check it out. I've been lurking for some time, but Paul finally convinced me to register with one of his posts on his blog. So, you know who to blame. :) |
| helios Nov 17, 2005 6:55 PM EDT |
convinced me to register with one of his posts on his blog.... Who incidently won the "blog of the week" award at Lobby4Linux. checks in the mail Paul. I mean the chex are in the mail. I got you wheat chex, they were out of rice chex and the corn chex are terrible. Oh, your supposed to put MILK on them...not water...? That explains alot. helios |
| jwbr Nov 22, 2005 5:55 AM EDT |
I have been routinely turning to LXer.com for about a year for news on Linux and Open Source. Reasons: * Consistently good mixture of industry watches, technology reviews, articles on Open Source and society, and editorials/original articles. * A number of posters keep on top of the misinformation being cast about on the Internet and respond to it in a factual manner. * Intelligent, thought-provoking discussion threads free of zealotry, trolling, obscenities, and media hype. * Simple user interface. I hope this site keeps on going as as far as I can tell there is no other Linux/Open Source news site as well maintained as this one. |
| Bob_Robertson Nov 26, 2005 11:53 AM EDT |
Because LXer didn't "shut down" for American Thanksgiving! Thank you. I might have had to, I dunno, go read a book or something. |
| helios Nov 26, 2005 3:45 PM EDT |
I dunno, go read a book or something.... LOL, If my "book" does not have a power switch, I don't read it. That's really pathetic on my part since I rant at my 12 year old that she spends way too much time on the computer...wonder where she got that? What I find amazing is that she reads "Linux in a Nutshell" and understands the grep command. harumph...12 year olds... |
| Bob_Robertson Nov 28, 2005 4:45 AM EDT |
Don't forget that the traditional age of majority is 14, with such concepts as "highschool" being more education than what a BS or BA means today. The difference isn't technology, it's expectations. I taught my 2-year old how to shut down mommy's Windows box last week. Her games only run on Windows, and I'm not ready to try to teach her the touchpad on the old laptop. :^) |
| chris Nov 28, 2005 2:03 PM EDT |
I like the lack of annoying, flashing ads. I like the frequent updates, the voting, and comments. The choice of articles is very good too. The people here are, for the most part, pretty smart and it's nice to be with others that are capable of thinking rationally about computing. :) I found out about LXer when it was first started having seen it mentioned somewhere (can't remember where), and that's why I used a first-name only handle--it was still available. Way back then, comments for articles had like 5-6 views. Now it has grown immensely, to where comments have between 40-100 views . I like that the site is responsive, and not overrun by idiots (yet) like SlashDot. Grow too much and it may get unpleasant here too, unfortunately. I don't think anyone has heard of the "lxer effect" on a website yet, and that's a good thing. It's hard to be a community when you don't ever recognize anyone due to sheer size. |
| Abe Nov 28, 2005 5:20 PM EDT |
Tom:
(I thought this would be better discussed here instead.) Right on, it is the content, but we need more of it with different variations. We need reviews of distros and apps, evaluations of products (commercial), and comparisons. I would volunteer to do some of these. By the way how do you handle images for an html? I am not sure whether Carla was kidding when suggested a poll, I thought it was a very good idea. May be we should take more time and come up with a set of good questions. |
| Libervis Feb 28, 2006 8:49 PM EDT |
I go to LXer.com because it loads fast, looks clean and usable and isn't so loaded with advertising. It also seems to have news up faster than any other news aggregating sites. I also like the fact that RSS feeds of LXer.com lead directly to the story source instead to LXer.com as intermediate. One could practically make an LXer.com front-end just because of that feature alone. All you'd need is a drupal equipped with an aggregator module and a great theme and you'd have a brand new GNU/Linux site which is actually LXer.com beneath the hood. ;) And comments are great too, as already said. Cheers Daniel |
| NoDough Mar 01, 2006 5:59 AM EDT |
I came for the news. I stayed for the community. |
| SFN Mar 01, 2006 6:02 AM EDT |
I was told there was going to be pie. |
| NoDough Mar 01, 2006 6:07 AM EDT |
Dang it! Why didn't anyone tell me about the pie?! |
| bdumm Mar 01, 2006 6:40 AM EDT |
Well that is because to make an open source pie you need help from
everyone and NoDough you don't seem to be bringing anything to the table.... :) |
| NoDough Mar 01, 2006 6:45 AM EDT |
Ouch! |
| techieMoe Mar 01, 2006 11:22 AM EDT |
It's not OSNews. |
| tuxtom Mar 04, 2006 7:53 PM EDT |
It just feels like Home Sweet Home. |
| rob Mar 05, 2006 3:03 AM EDT |
Mostly stuff posted by tadelste. And having comments made by people who know what they are talking about AND not (yet - that may change in the future) droves of shills. |
| dcparris Mar 05, 2006 6:20 AM EDT |
The thing that really pulls me to LXer is the fact that, no matter how many shills show up, we will always be about GNU/Linux and libre software. Our management and our editorial team consists of committed LXers. If that changes, you'll find me moving on. Which means I am likely to be around here for a mighty long time. |
| djohnston Mar 05, 2006 9:28 PM EDT |
Forgive me if I paraphrase what most everyone else has already said: *Insights into past history provided by tadelste, *Great links to the IBM how-to articles, *Links DIRECTLY to the articles without an intermediary hop, *Intelligent comments without the cross-banter of "he said", "she said", *Simple direct layout of the site. Some personal comparative observations: *OSNews site has become much more MicroShafted lately than what it was when Eugenia was there, *I believe Tom likes Digg, but after reading comments on that site for a few months, I believe that not only is the site mostly MS fanbois, they are indeed about 14 years old. The comments on both sites sometimes remind me of the satirical "Rotting Dog blog" series on The Register. 'Nuff said. I am a relative newcomer to this site. I first "lurked" about 6 months ago when I finally made the full switch from MS to Linux. I have used alternative OSes on my desktop(s) for years; things like Oberon, Bluebottle, AtheOS, Syllable, FreeDOS, BeOS, etc. I think you get the gist. I discovered this site by googling for Linux sites and following links from one site to the next. Once I decided to dump the bad habit of dual booting MS with other OSes and got serious about using only Linux, I found myself coming to this site every day for the latest industry news and how-tos. I find myself still coming back every day due to the QUALITY of the content. I still dual-boot, but now it's 2 Linux distros; PCLinuxOS for the "works out of the box" experience, and Arch for learning and experimenting. I have helios to thank for my decision to try PCLinuxOS after having tried about 42 or 3 distros. When he said he (they) had tried hundreds and found PCLOS to be the best for newbies, I went for it and have stuck with it. The switch from MS to Linux has been as exciting for me as it was when my employer updated the PDP8 to 8" floppy disks. We no longer had to bootstrap with toggle switches and paper tape! The only category this site lacks is distro reviews, (besides the weekly link to DistroWatch news), and I go to tuxmachines.org for those. She does a thorough job of testing and often weeds out, (for me at least), a distro I had considered trying. To Tom Adelstein: *kudos *accolades *author! *encore!! |
| grouch Mar 13, 2006 6:56 AM EDT |
What brought me here: Noticing links to LXer at Groklaw and other places. Following the links a few times and seeing lots of news, little cruft. What made me look closer and decide it's real: Hearing my wife mention the name "Dave Whitinger" even though she has to use a flowchart to login when the electricity goes off longer than the battery lasts. (No, she's not an idiot, she just doesn't care to learn much about Linux. It's enough that it stays out of her way while letting her do things easily). Naturally, I had to find out where she read that name. Noticing that Lxer did not just sprinkle Linux news amongst the same old MS PR pieces masquerading as news. Seeing Paul Ferris's name as author of a comment. |
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