Slashdot Mirror
Torvalds Tells All
Eugenia writes: "Linus Torvalds gives an interesting interview to OSNews.com, talking about everything people are wondering about his personal opinions on several matters: on the GNU/Linux naming, the GUIs currently offered for Linux, the kernel 2.6, his plans for hot-plugged devices & drivers, Microsoft, FreeBSD and the future in general."
Huh? HURD is out already... there's a port of most of Debian to it. Works quite well. Does fun filesystem translations too. HURD does things that linux can't, and won't be able to without a major restructuring of the VFS.
What if there is no "competition"?
Competition between MS and Linux is an invention of the markets, not a feature of the kernel's existence. At least, I think Linus is right if he thinks as much.
~Tim
--
Rushing on down to the circle of the turn
I will remember that in the future. However, that is like saying you won't buy a car unless it is American made. There is no such animal -- and so you have no choice. It is like saying I won't buy gasoline unless it is safe for the environment -- guess you will be biking. I was forced to put up with what options were available. Companies purchase things and only later find out how restrictive the vendor is -- by then it is too late.
Click here or here.
> Major developer? Since when?
Since he started the FSF and started writing things like Emacs and gcc, without which Linux would not exist. Why don't you just remove all the FSF tools from your Linux box and see how productive you are?
Wasn't it actually Jack Trammel who coined the phrase "Business is War?" (I know he took credit for it). Look what he did. Almost killed Commodore and destroyed Atari (snif snif).
GNU/BSD/Linux
Then again, to nearly every user, XFree86 is more important than the GNU tools. So Perhaps:
XFree86/GNU/BSD/Linux
Now, I don't know about you, but I'm a big fan of KDE, and without one of the new cool window managers the whole thing would be significantly less interesting to most users, so maybe a family of OS designations:
And for the purists:
Being a un*x variant implicitly means you can run all the stuff to the left of Linux. The only thing that makes this un*x distribution different is the choice of Kernel. Anyone who doesn't like the Linux Kernel is free to use GNU/FreeBSD!
Education is a better safeguard of liberty than a standing army.
Edward Everett (1794 - 1865)
You know i have read the article and many of the comments here and it brings to my mind a valid point i think is worth sharing. I use linux at home and work, the machine beside me here is Slackware 8.0 Running apache and my notebook at home is Redhat 7.1, i love linux for many reasons, the power it has, the sheer amount of software available, the open and intelligent way so many developers act.
But yet is still use MS for my main system at home (At work i have to and i dont have a problem with that). Why ? I will tell you.
I for one am sick and tired of attempting to install applications etc and finding out that this version of XXX is wrong and you need XXX (GCC 2.69 is a good example) you download a package and try to install it only to find out that you dont have this library etc etc, so its download, configure, make in an endless circle.
Last night i wanted to simply install a Div-x Player for Redhat so i can take my home notebook away on holidays, so i downloaded Mplayer and XMPS, whoops dont have this library, go get it, then install, ok, no didnt find the codec, reintsall, nope still an error and i dont have the patience to find it right now, so i try Mplayer - only it wont work with GCC 2,96 which it says is redhats version so go off and get 2.95, copnfigure, make, nope wont work, so i need to read the documentation - only its no help (not im not an amateur here - i have worked with Unix, Macs, Novell and MS products for almost 10 years)
So i thought damn it i dont have time for this, thus i pulled out my Linux HDD and bunged in my Win2k one, installed the codec and im off an running. Easy - took 3 minutes
Why is it so hard to get this level of funcionality in Linux ? The OS has been around for longer and with open source it should be easier ? The thing is Redhat and Mandrake with Gnome and KDE are getting closer and closer to the point where they can be a desktop replcament - Koffice is very good - but as long as installing ANY software requires arcane knowledge of terminal windows and make files and lib dependencies it will never get there - the average home user (ie 90% of them) wont do this.
The problem is this whole MS V Linux crap detracts from the real issue, making linux the best OS for all users and that means functional and simple - this is what is missing here and it breaks my heart.
To Quote: Linus Torvalds: I'm a big non-believer in manual driver and kernel configuration, be it visual or not. Most of the stuff happens automatically, and we're going to make that more and more common. Things like hot-plugging a device and the driver automatically getting loaded is how things are supposed to work, none of this "device manager" stuff
This is what we need - not another (im gonna get flamed for this but - MS Sucks Linux Rules argument)
A few things i think might be self evident now but i will say them anyway (im asking for it here i think but prove me wrong instead of flaming me)
1. There will always be an MS or MS like desktop- in a world without MS then how do we introduce new people to systems (give me a break i could not give my mother linux - i dont have unlimited support time) THERE IS A THING CALLED CHOICE
2. linux will never destroy MS - this is as stupid as the 'war on terrorism' setting out to destroy puts an enemy on the defensive AND people will continue to use MS products
3. The only way to Win market share is to produce a friendly and superior product - i think i have already commented on this.
I Love Linux - i think its an incredible OS and is getting better - but that does not mean i have to hate MS (its an operating system - get over it)
I refuse to argue with Anonymous Cowards - if you want a discussion get an account....