Why does the Linux/Windows war get so flammable? Because of nerds with way too much time on their hands. Massassi has a few of its own (on both sides) whom, to promote peace and hopefully flame-proof this thread, shall remain nameless.
Namely, its the long debated method of gauging one's penis size over the internet. The average Windows user doesn't know or care what the hell Linux is. They're still mystified by the idea that they can create a shortcut to something on their desktop AND THEN FILL THE ENTIRE DESKTOP UP WITH MULTIPLE COPIES OF SAID SHORTCUT JUST TO MAKE SURE ONE OF THEM WORKS.
Computer nerds, on the other hand, are typically lacking in terms of social life and girlfriends, and thus their computer becomes their ultimate expression of exactly how well endowed they are. Linux nerds think that using a GUI slapped over a (really robust) command-line based OS is the nerd equivalent of being Ron Jeremy, whereas Windows nerds basically believe that, although we may not like it, Microsoft is pretty much the de facto standard, and thus why bother with learning Linux when we could just be doing stuff with (relatively) the same interface we've been accustomed to for almost a decade now.
Thus, these two fairly small groups of computer geeks (myself an admitted member) scream at one another, constantly trying to convince the perhaps 3 real live girls, who mistakenly wandered into a forum discussion looking for something completely unrelated, that they, in fact, have the bigger sex organ, and thus they are obviously the better sexual partner, blah blah blah. Meanwhile, the vast majority of moron computer users sit in Windows bashing their keyboards while attempting to make their poor workstations implode under the weight of spyware, viruses, and 600 million shortcuts to the same file on the desktop, all while being INSANELY terrified of the "magic box" in front of them.
In summary: Linux v. Windows debates + internet = neither of the people involved are getting laid anyways, so in 40 or 50 years, this issue will resolve itself due to the natural order of life. I do, however, feel for whomever they're buried next to... Can you imagine an eternity's worth of "OMG LINUX" or "OMG WINDOWS"?
------------------
I'll admit to
Reactor CTF,
Duel Abyss,
Duel Turbulent,
Duel Dustball, and even the
CCCP, but not
Sky High! (my first, be kind!) Ok so maybe I will.
[This message has been edited by Gonk (edited April 12, 2004).]