Hello everybody!

[iGraphiX]

Hi guys!

My name is Dorian, I'm a 31 years old guy from Romania. I've joined this forum because I've found here a well structured forum and many times it solved some of my Linux related problems. Since I'm touching this subject, I thank to the admins and owner for the good job and to all the people who freely contribute.

I'm not such a big user of Linux, I mean I'm not a developer, but I've recently applied to contribute for developing the KDE in Romanian and some GUI's of different Open Source software/projects.

Basically I hit the GNU/Linux and Open Source programs when I needed to host my own website and I had to make setting for the Apache. Well, I'm sure most of you started here or just started from curiozity. So from Apache problems I starte knowing people who taught me a few things, intelligent guys who never run away from giving a lesson to a noob like me.

After that I start reading manuals, getting books from the net, studying and testing different distributions in order to see which one suits me and looks more friendly, because at that time, the console was for me like a monster, hehe. Indeed, until I realized that without knowing how to use the console you're just a w|nd0ws user got caught in the shadow of the UNIX tree.

From this moment I understoof what Linux is and what's wrong with it: it's addictive. I never read so many manuals and books in my life, not even in school. And yet, I'm still a noob. I don't do programming, I barely know five or six functions in PHP, that's all, I'm a designer who uses Open Source software for the art work. This was my point on a LUG meeting here, that I can do the same quaility design using Gimp instead of Photoshop and the same DTP using Scribus instead of Quark Express or PageMaker. And I proved practically that it's possible. All my fellow designers know my attitude towards operating system choice, and some of them envy me because I don't buy an Adobe licence to create a nice banner. Of course, Gimp is way back from Photoshop, but come on, I'm talking about Internet graphics and Desktop Publishing. not about painting in Photoshop, that's another area, which Gimp will cover soon.

Now back to the subject, I've learnt to use Linux because it gave me the oportunity of actually owning my system, it gives me the sensation that the system is mine and only does what I say, and when is doing it, is letting me know the stage of process, it tells me what it does if I'm stupid enough to forget what what my last command.

I like Linux because it's a system that doesn't lie to you, Linux is conceived like a person I might say, if you don't try to know it better, he won't care. But if you learn how to treat it, it will become friendly and a great tool for entertainment and of course, for work and production. I've started on using Linux since RedHat 6.0, I even have a computer where I test almost all the distribution listed on distrowatch.org; and I'm not a reviewer or something like this, it's just for my knowledge and fun.

This is why I'm here, for more knowledge and to share what I know, because others when I was a beginner, shared with me their knowledge. And when I'm wrong, I have the common sense to say "I'm sorry, my mistake, thank you for telling me".

I'm glad to be here and I might sound so excited and pleding for Linux a lot, but what the hell, I am excited because this is the Year Of The Penguin and yes, I'm pleding for Linux, it got me and it wil lget more people around.

Have a great weekend, be good (sometimes), stay safe and party like hell!

Friendly yours,
Dorian

[Cabhan]

That's a great story! I wish more people would approach Linux the way you did.

Don't worry about not being a developer. As you have shown, Linux really is pretty widely usable. It is popular among programmers, but that's not because you have to be one to use it.

Welcome to the forums, and I look forward to seeing you around.

[ryokimball]

Welcome to the forums! How's the weather and scenery in Romania?

I've always wanted to visit...

[Freston]

Nice intro


Welcome to the forums!

Of course many of us here are no programmers ourselves. And many others are. We each have our own way of using Linux, at varying levels of competence and understanding.

Have a very great weekend yourself! If you can't be good be careful... and if you party like hell, don't forget to buy a round for the bouncers

[MikeTbob]

Hello and Welcome to the forums.
I think you will find that this is a great place to be whether you are a Linux Guru or Newbie, we have more nice people than you can shake a stick at and they are always willing to help. If you ever need anything, just ask.