| Defenestrating Windows (Part 2) |
(continuation)
Early scorecard
Next, I set about gathering up the various bits and pieces of software necessary to satisfy my check-list of system requirements.
Knowing the reputation of Linux as a reliable server operating system, I expected that having a stable OS would be the easiest part -- and sure enough, it was. As a matter of fact, despite my countless downloads and experiments with dozens of programs -- including many beta versions labeled "Warning! This program will definitely delete all your data and explode your system!" -- I was continually amazed at how Linux itself never crashed. Meeting requirement #1 was clearly not an issue.
Since I was already a Netscape user on Windows, and a mature Linux version of Netscape was readily available, I was confident that the browser and email software I needed were but a few quick mouse clicks away. Eager to get going with Linux as my daytime OS, I downloaded and installed Netscape 4.75 for Linux. But I soon found several severe limitations that would clearly need to be overcome before I could use Linux as my daytime system. These were . . . - inability to use my Windows Netscape email files
- the email address books didn't work properly
- horrible fonts and an overall ugly appearance
While I managed to locate a good solution to the first of these problems, the other two were real deal killers. In fact, the fonts and appearance were so bad that I tended to get a headache whenever I used Netscape in Linux for more than about half an hour.
I definitely needed a better solution for my browser and email requirements.
My browser and email ordeal
I thereupon commenced what I hoped would be a quick search for suitable Linux browser and email software (per my check-list of requirements). The quick search grew into many months.
I tried everything.
I downloaded the latest Mozilla. It really looked a lot nicer than Netscape. Its email address book worked properly and it could access the email files I had by now learned to transfer from Windows Netscape. "Surely this is the solution!" was my initial reaction -- until I realized how totally s-l-u-g-g-i-s-h-l-y it ran. Like molasses. No way I could use that all day!
Being a flexible sort of guy, I even decided to consider using Netscape for its browser and some alternative email program. I tried Balsa. Spruce. Evolution. Later releases of Mozilla. You name it! They looked pretty good, but none of them provided everything I required (which included the requirement for compatibility with Netscape's email files and address book).
Hoping to improve the appearance of Netscape, I also tested each new release GNOME and KDE as soon as their "stable versions" became available in binary format, in order to be sure I was aware of the best Linux had to offer at any given moment. But to no avail -- the ugliness persisted.
Eventually, I decided that the solution to my browser/email problem would most likely come from the ongoing (and relatively rapid) evolution of Mozilla.
Sensing that I would have to wait a while for the arrival of that solution, I grudgingly acquiesced to continuing to use Windows during working hours, while focusing my after-hours efforts on assembling the rest of what my check-list said was needed.
--- Continued ---
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