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Linuxworld Fun

The Linuxworld Expo is now in full swing, and there's a variety of news. The BBC has an overview. Microsoft has a booth at the Expo in the section intended for "new, up-and-coming companies". Sun is rolling out servers running Linux. And VA Software - Slashdot's owner - is moving Sourceforge.net to IBM's database software.

370 comments

  1. I'm just waiting... by arkham6 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'm just waiting for someone to start defacing the Microsoft booth. This will make us look REALLLY good to the corporate world.

    1. Re:I'm just waiting... by dattaway · · Score: 1, Offtopic

      Or moon the Microsoft booth with pictures for the whole world to see.

    2. Re:I'm just waiting... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Think Bill has been learning peaceful resistance?

      Force the other guy to look bad.

    3. Re:I'm just waiting... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Or for Microsoft to deface their own booth and claim it was open-source heathens.

    4. Re:I'm just waiting... by Geekboy(Wizard) · · Score: 2

      I think you're thinking of the goatse.cx guy.

    5. Re:I'm just waiting... by Sinistar2k · · Score: 2

      It's largely unnecessary. The entire show will be shut down soon due to a sudden plague of distinctly un-American cancer.

      Or so the 'softies will claim.

      Kudos to everybody who has ever contributed to the spread of Open Source and the GPL. You've got Microsoft to the point that they pull stunts like this - keep it up!

    6. Re:I'm just waiting... by Flick · · Score: 0

      "Please come to the [Microsoft] booth, converse, vent, tell us what you love about Linux and tell us what Microsoft is doing right and doing wrong," Houston said. "Just please don't ignore us."

    7. Re:I'm just waiting... by kanthoney · · Score: 1

      The corporate world should lighten up a little. Deface a few pavements, or something. Oh wait, they've done that...

    8. Re:I'm just waiting... by T3kno · · Score: 2

      I've got news for you, the corporate world is a complete and utter sham. There is no semblance of reality or professionalism what so ever any more. I work there, I see it everyday. Who cares about the corporate world, it is fraut with corruption, and it really is up to the little guy to make this whole thing work. The officers of companies that everyone looks to are really just figure heads who lie, cheat, and steal from us, the real muscle is in the little guy that needs to get his job done well and cheaply. If your company has a mandate that it will only allow M$ software, install FreeBSD (or Linux) anyways, then when everyone is down because of ILoveYou, Nimda, or Code Red, and you are still working away tell them why. Be smarter than the rest and you will be heard eventually. Screw the managers, the execs, and especially sales and marketing, be better and you will win. I really don't give a flying pigs shaved shiny ass what the corporate world thinks about Open source software, it works, period, and if they don't realize that because they are too busy stuffing their golden parachutes they will eventually fail, and you will win. Fight the good fight on whatever front there is. Playing the M$ game is just like the Brits lining up to be shot in the revolutionary war. It's a new battle field, kill or be killed. Just my $0.02.

      --
      (B) + (D) + (B) + (D) = (K) + (&)
    9. Re:I'm just waiting... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think you are confusing professionalism with your dad being an stodgy old man.

    10. Re:I'm just waiting... by Atzanteol · · Score: 1

      I still can't figure out why MS is there... Sure, they want to show off their PseudoOpenSource stuff, and their new OS's. They claim they are in the 'OpenSource vein', but LinuxWorld Expo is about LINUX, not OpenSource! They may be related, but it kinda pisses me off when there are companies there showing off Windows-apps that happen to either be OpenSource or work with OpenSource (a PHP editor comes to mind). That's not what I thought LWE was all about.

      --
      "Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge"

      - Charles Darwin
    11. Re:I'm just waiting... by cyberon22 · · Score: 1

      Saw their booth this afternoon. From my experience, "Please don't ignore us" seems to translate into "Please come to our booth so we can hawk our Unix-on-Windows shillware".

      I'm personally waiting for Linuxworld to get "0wned". I checked my email at a public terminal there this afternoon and couldn't help but notice that most of the boxen were running as root.

    12. Re:I'm just waiting... by anotherone · · Score: 1

      "Stunts"? What the fuck are you talking about, Stunts? MS has a booth at a software trade show. MS makes software. That isn't really a stunt.

      --
      Username taken, please choose another one.
    13. Re:I'm just waiting... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I was lucky enuf to be at linuxworld on wednesday, full day. Decided not to goto mickeysoft booth for sake of saving most of my sanity and to keep my blood pressure down.

      Yes, they were sequestered to the "newbie's" circle. small booth, small crowds. Every time I did look over there, there booth was full. I could NOT bring myself to go over there tho. I had thought of putting little stickers on their booth stating "EVIL" or something... nahh, I agree with the other posts. don't go down to their level, so I didn't, and in fact, I stayed completely away.

      But, I talked to the guy at the EFF booth (who was pretty cool and down to earth of course), plunked down some $$$ donation and we chatted and he said he went over to them and tried talking to them but they were just normal a-holes as per usual, but he said that they hired security guards to watch over the stuff during the night, etc... so nobody defaces the place... guess you can't blame em.

      funniest part for me: talking to a guy who looked real lonely in the intel booth. talked to him about beowulf clusters. made the normal joke (hey, that'd make a good beowulf clusters of beowulf clusters). chuckle. someone comes by me and asks the guy for an autograph. I'm like, ummm why? turns out, he's the guy that INVENTED the beowulf cluster. That and getting to talk to the guys that wrote the regex and openssl o'reilly books was damn cool :} that made day for me :}

      Overall - definate difference from last year. Less enthusiasm (not good), less fluff (good), no foot massagers (not good at all), but they had some masseuses and I wasn't about to have them rub my stinky feet...

      I had fun. it was cool. at least nobody was smoking blunts in the pathway between moscone and the metreon this time *hehe*

  2. Wow, go LNUX! by Otter · · Score: 4, Funny
    And VA Software - Slashdot's owner - is moving Sourceforge.net to IBM's database software.

    Damn, I never thought I'd see this graph go upwards again!

    1. Re:Wow, go LNUX! by istartedi · · Score: 2

      Ditto that. It looks like LNUX will escape NASDAQ delistment. As of this post they are $1.20/sh, after having traded below a dollar since July 2. IIRC, 90 days below a dollar and the 'DAQ will delist you unless there are exceptional circumstances.

      --
      For all intensive purposes, "whom" is no longer a word. That begs the question, "who cares"?
    2. Re:Wow, go LNUX! by Fjord · · Score: 2

      Why wouldn't they reverse split. Yeah it sucks, but so does getting delisted.

      --
      -no broken link
    3. Re:Wow, go LNUX! by tim_maroney · · Score: 2

      The big upside here is drawing on IBM's sales and marketing resources, since LNUX doesn't seem to be able to interest much of anyone in SourceForge so far. IBM certainly has a much better idea of how to sell enterprise software.

      Still, I'm reminded of the bounce that Red Hat got when IBM said they would give them its Linux services business. That failed to translate into profit for Red Hat despite the exuberance around the announcement. We will see whether this does any better.

      --
      Tim Maroney tim@maroney.org

    4. Re:Wow, go LNUX! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Don't you get it? When a company grows in size and while open source DBs are great, they have not been around for 20 years or so. If you run out of steam and go down 4 or 5 times a day that can't cut the mustard. You need something eventually that will scale...

    5. Re:Wow, go LNUX! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They need to hold a >$1 stock price for at least a week before escaping delisting. Don't get your hopes up just yet.

  3. I can just see it now... by yeoua · · Score: 5, Funny

    At some point... every single linux geek in the entire place is going to collectively turn to and point at the Microsoft booth, and then in unison, laugh their asses off, when one of the machines bsod's.

    1. Re:I can just see it now... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, that'd REALLY make a good splash in the corporate world.
      I can see it now:
      Bulletin to all fortune500+ companies,
      Employing linux is harzardous, because advocates and those that you would need to employ to maintain it are childish and ignorant of corporate ethics.

      But, seriously, what will really happen is all the geeks will be surprised at how it DOESN'T crash, and then say, "You mean they improved after NT4 and 98SE? I never checked!"

    2. Re:I can just see it now... by yatest5 · · Score: 0, Troll

      At some point... every single linux geek in the entire place is going to collectively turn to and point at the Microsoft booth, and then in unison, laugh their asses off, when one of the machines bsod's.

      Is that right after every MS user has sneered at the downright WANK office suites on Linux? Or any one of the other good features of MS software? Uptime isn't everything you know!

      --
      • Mod parent up! [a] by Anonymous Coward (Score:5) Thurs, June 31, @13:37
    3. Re:I can just see it now... by grendelkhan · · Score: 2

      Uptime isn't everything you know!

      Sure it is, with five nines you have all the time in the world to debug and recompile!

      --
      Wu-Tang Name: Half-Cut Skeleton Get your own Wu-Na
    4. Re:I can just see it now... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Uptime isn't everything you know!

      Uptime is everything, if it's all you've got.

      The problem with Linux and OS in general is that it's an Internet solution. And businesses are based on Intranets. Microsofts IIS lets you open a web page in Microsoft Word, edit it and save it (if you have the password and privledges to do so). That's the kind of functionality businesses run on. Not 'you can share it to the entire world and those troublesome Koreans won't be able to crack it.'

    5. Re:I can just see it now... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What Linux kernel has remained exploit-free long enough to achive five nines before it had to be patched, recompiled, and rebooted?

    6. Re:I can just see it now... by L1nUx+h4x0r · · Score: 0

      What version of Windows has done the same?

      --
      The GPL makes software more like your mom. Free and open to all.
    7. Re:I can just see it now... by kanthoney · · Score: 1

      The 2.0 kernels are pretty stable by now and, sometimes, they're all you need.

    8. Re:I can just see it now... by tempest303 · · Score: 3, Insightful
      Unfortunately, that probably won't happen. Outfitted with a video card and mobo with QUALITY drivers, Windows XP, which is no doubt what they'll be pimping with, is pretty damn stable. It's got plenty of OTHER issues, but stability isn't really one of them.

      I think what we can all laugh about is their absurd new licensing program, or their ridiculous notion that they could acheive the critical mass necessary to put Palladium into effect, or that stupid "Tablet PC" crap.

      Incidently, who the fuck wants a tablet PC? Seems like a neutered laptop to me, but for 85% of the price. No thanks. At $200, they'd be a great toy, nothing more.

    9. Re:I can just see it now... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What Linux kernel has remained exploit-free long enough to achive five nines before it had to be patched, recompiled, and rebooted?

      How about 2.0.39?

      We still use it for our web/mail servers; it does everything we need it to, and it's rock solid.

  4. how is a sun a sun? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    how is a Sun a sun if they aren't using SPARCs and they aren't running Solaris? Might as well called it Bob's OEM PC's running Linux instead of Sun Microsystems.

    1. Re:how is a sun a sun? by Usquebaugh · · Score: 2

      You mean like HAL's(IBM) Xseries?

      Sun used to be the cheap workstation people, looks like they've returned to their roots.

    2. Re:how is a sun a sun? by splume · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Well duh! It's a Sun box because it costs a hell of a lot more than you would normally pay for home brewed box with the same hardware.

      --

      Who is John Galt?
    3. Re:how is a sun a sun? by zmalone · · Score: 1

      They've done it before, although they didn't have much success then either. I thought they gave up after that (outside of Cobalt). Solaris x86 is coming back though, which is probably more major news.

    4. Re:how is a sun a sun? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ah, big diff there! IBM xSeries systems never claimed to be like the pSeries AIX boxes (formerly RS/6000). It's always been understood that these are PCs, and customers are welcome to run their choice of Windows or Linux on them. I don't see Sun offering their white box PCs with Windows... :-) Not to mention, IBM never bad-mouthed Linux only to turn around, package it and sell it.

      full disclosure: yes, I am an IBM employee.

    5. Re:how is a sun a sun? by L1nUx+h4x0r · · Score: 0

      You pay for the logo. Look at how cool it is. "SUN" no matter which way you look at it. That takes tallent. Yes sir. You're paying for that when you get a SPARC.

      --
      The GPL makes software more like your mom. Free and open to all.
    6. Re:how is a sun a sun? by splume · · Score: 1

      I bet you didn't know this, but as part of Sun's brand name push, they started putting nice bright LEDs in most of their new hardware right behind the SUN logo (starting with the "blade" line) so that when you turn off all the lights in your server-room, all you see is really bright SUN logos. Interesting eh?

      --

      Who is John Galt?
  5. from the guys at Microsoft... by garcia · · Score: 3, Interesting

    "Just please don't ignore us."

    For how many years did they pretend like they ignored us while plotting certain death?

    Until that booth has "MS Office TUX" I have no desire to see them at the Expo.

    1. Re:from the guys at Microsoft... by EnderWiggnz · · Score: 1

      would that be TuXP?

      --
      ... hi bingo ...
    2. Re:from the guys at Microsoft... by CmdrPinkTaco · · Score: 1

      According to this (news.com story - not "com.com") it is going to be hard to ignore them.

      --
      Please give your mod points to others, Im at the cap. They will appreciate it more
    3. Re:from the guys at Microsoft... by rmohr02 · · Score: 2

      Oh, this is just a ploy to make themselves look good in their antitrust case.

    4. Re:from the guys at Microsoft... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "to capture the enemy's army is better than to destroy it; to take intact a battalion, a company or a five-man squad is better than to destroy them."

    5. Re:from the guys at Microsoft... by Allnighterking · · Score: 2

      Somebody get a mop we have TuXP all over the floor here. ..... sorry couldn't resist

      --

      I'm sorry, I'm to tired to be witty at the moment so this message will have to do.

  6. Yes, but why does Microsoft need a stand... by altgrr · · Score: 5, Funny

    when all the people at the show know about Microsoft software, and that's why they're running Linux?

    --


    Like car accidents, most hardware problems are due to driver error.
    1. Re:Yes, but why does Microsoft need a stand... by Jonny+Ringo · · Score: 3, Funny

      but they don't know about MS. Didn't you read, it says:

      "Microsoft has a booth at the Expo in the section intended for "new, up-and-coming companies"."

      I am thrilled to finally have something else out there other than Linux. I mean have you ever heard of a Microsoft Windows expo? I didn't think so. Linux is has ruled the planet earth for long enough!

    2. Re:Yes, but why does Microsoft need a stand... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Except for all the zealots who haven't used Windows since Windows 95 and still bitch about problems that were solved 5 years ago.

    3. Re:Yes, but why does Microsoft need a stand... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      If there was a Microsoft Windows expo, licenses to attend would be $499. And in actuality, you wouldn't be attending. You would be licensing the use of the concept. That concept would also be closed off to competitors. You wouldn't be able to post information about the expo due to an NDA in the EULA. But you wouldn't own it. And you'd have to upgrade for $200 during next year's expo... You'd also have to phone home at Microsoft and let them know that it is really you. You are only allowed to take a bathroom break 8 times, and each time you return, you must phone home to MS again to verify that it is you.

    4. Re:Yes, but why does Microsoft need a stand... by RussGarrett · · Score: 2

      OK, if people don't read the article most of the time, they're just modded down, but if it's about Microsoft, nooooo, +4 Funny.

      Microsoft representatives at LinuxWorld plan to talk about the company's ASP.Net Web Matrix Project, a collection of free tools and programming code that allows developers to build Web-based applications.

      They will also highlight Microsoft's "Services for Unix," program, a set of tools intended to help businesses integrate their Unix and Windows networks.

      "This isn't about trying to get people to move from Unix to Microsoft products, it's about offering ways for both systems to peacefully coexist," Houston stressed.

      Now I'm not Microsoft's greatest fan, but fair play to them for trying to gain acceptance. I don't think they will, but that's beside the point :).

    5. Re:Yes, but why does Microsoft need a stand... by rhadc · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I don't mean to burst your bubble, but Microsoft knows everything it needs to know to "offer ways for both systems to peacefully coexist."

      On the technology front, the source for anything linux is there. But why would they need that? They have been involved with writing UNIX programs for quite a while. Its code is in SCO unixware. Hell, they wrote Xenix, their own UNIX operating system!

      Peacefully coexist!? They could start by NOT building anti-GPL verbage into their license agreements.

      Look, the bottom line is that Microsoft wants to destroy this open source community.

      rhadc

    6. Re:Yes, but why does Microsoft need a stand... by ch-chuck · · Score: 1

      So they can drool over possible food sources directly - "Hmmmm, slurp, which one to buy, which to buy today, Hmmmm, Yuummmmm, tender, young software companies, Hmmmmmm".

      --
      try { do() || do_not(); } catch (JediException err) { yoda(err); }
    7. Re:Yes, but why does Microsoft need a stand... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What does anti-GPL have to do with Microsoft's thrust here: Unix, and interoperability?

      Why shouldn't they oppose a political agenda designed specifically to run them out of business?

    8. Re:Yes, but why does Microsoft need a stand... by Weird_Hock · · Score: 1

      Keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer. That's why.

    9. Re:Yes, but why does Microsoft need a stand... by _ph1ux_ · · Score: 2

      "Microsoft representatives at LinuxWorld plan to talk about the company's ASP.Net Web Matrix Project, a collection of free tools and programming code that allows developers to build Web-based applications"

      well herein lies the problem. the *free* tools that they are giving away is just like the crack dealer offering you "free" samples just long enough to get you hooked.

      its an open ploy - regardless of the technology there is one goal here - furture profits.

      no - that is not necessarily a bad thing. businesses need to make a profit. period. however what we dont like is the methods and tactics for gaining said profits. Microsoft has a history of bad business practices and monoplistic behaviour.

      so - even though they are giving away these free tools - be sure that the tools have some sort of caveat upon them that likely states that they get a stake in what you develope with the tools - and if it doesnt - it just means that you will be perpetuating the MS engine far into the future by making apps that you develop with their technology.

      that peaceful coexistence will last just long enough for them to stangle the last bit of cash out of every customer it can.

      dont be fooled by their PR engine... its plain as day.

    10. Re:Yes, but why does Microsoft need a stand... by Jason+Earl · · Score: 3, Informative

      Microsoft's Services for UNIX allows you to recompile your Linux programs for Windows. Of course, you get to pay extra for this privilege, and your UNIX services will feel "bolted on." Besides, Linux and Windows already play pretty well (no thanks to Microsoft).

      What Microsoft is trying to do with UNIX services for Windows is give UNIX users a way to migrate to Windows, pure and simple.

      I agree with you that this is a perfectly fair way to play, and I also agree that it isn't likely to work. After all, who is going to take a working Linux application and move it to a Windows box? That makes no sense at all.

    11. Re:Yes, but why does Microsoft need a stand... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sure, Microsoft will eliminate the anti-GPL verbiage just as soon as the GPL eliminates the anti-commercial verbiage.

    12. Re:Yes, but why does Microsoft need a stand... by Schnapple · · Score: 1
      If there was a Microsoft Windows expo, licenses to attend would be $499
      Funny, that's not too inaccurate a statement about their developer's conferences...
    13. Re:Yes, but why does Microsoft need a stand... by coleSLAW · · Score: 1

      This used to be called Interix, which occupied a space similar to Cygwin (now owned by RedHat.) They packaged up some GNU tools, and got a build environment working.

      The interesting artifact is that Services for UNIX provides versions of GCC and GDB and other GNU goodness. The source code for these products is faithfully available on Microsoft's website. I would like to note that you should not buy this product, as it contains non-free software.

      If you want to run POSIX programs on Windows, try Cygwin. It's great, and Free!

      --

      == I am not Me.

    14. Re:Yes, but why does Microsoft need a stand... by AJWM · · Score: 2

      "This isn't about trying to get people to move from Unix to Microsoft products, it's about offering ways for both systems to peacefully coexist," Houston stressed.

      In most conflicts, this sort of sentiment means that one party (eg Microsoft) has realized that it can no longer win, and is suing for peace before it is totally defeated. Since defeat occurs first in the mind of the enemy, this means they've already lost.

      OTOH, they could just be spewing a line of BS.

      --
      -- Alastair
    15. Re:Yes, but why does Microsoft need a stand... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Developers! Developers! Developers! Developers!

    16. Re:Yes, but why does Microsoft need a stand... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Some of us run/use Linux because it's better and freer, not because it's not Microsoft. If Microsoft offered a product that was a) GPL and b) better, I would at the very least look into it, just as I have looked into Microsoft's current offerings and determined that they do not meet either one of my requirements (they aren't GPL and they aren't better).


      It's the same reason we run Linux instead of Mac OS X: Linux is better and freer than Mac OS X.

    17. Re:Yes, but why does Microsoft need a stand... by lactose99 · · Score: 2

      I think an even bigger problem to add to this is the draconian licensing agreements you must abide by to have access to this "free" MS software. IIRC, when MS began to open the code for CIFS, you had to agree to an NDA that prevented you from working on a GPLed product after viewing the source code, even if the source code you create has NOTHING IN COMMON with MS's CIFS code. This is what prompted the Samba.org team to inform developers that if you sign the MS NDA, you are unable to contribute to samba on the grounds that having the knowledge of MS's CIFS implementation would infringe on MS intellectual property when coding for a GPLed project like samba.

      I know MS has a business to maintain, but they are still in the stone-age of licencing, and I think that most developers (GPL developers anyway) know this. I just hope that some of them are prepared to tell Microsoft this at their LinuxWorld booth. If I were there, I'd at least say something about it. Unfortunately, I've used most of my vacation this year already and hence won't be attending to address my concerns of draconian licensing.

      --
      Fully licensed blockchain psychiatrist
    18. Re:Yes, but why does Microsoft need a stand... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      please oh please....

      Buying a company that wrote a Unix-like OS is not the same as writing it.

      Microsoft did NOT write Xenix. please get that through your head.

    19. Re:Yes, but why does Microsoft need a stand... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      When Houston comments on Microsoft's desire to learn from Linux by emulating the high degree of developer participation, I'm reminded of something Stalin supposedly wrote.

      To build up their industries Stalin urged the beseiged Russian people to supplement their serious, industrious Russian characteristics with American style positive thinking. Apparently he wanted to borrow just that one little bit of American culture, to overcome Slavic fatalism and make his people unstoppable.

      Of course it's all well and good to desire such a thing, but that doesn't amount to much. The Gatesists at Microsoft want their Windows community to maintain the things that "made them great", but with the addition of that communal participatory element of the Open Source culture. It just ain't gonna happen. They sure make some pretty tools, but I don't want to use them...

    20. Re:Yes, but why does Microsoft need a stand... by kasperd · · Score: 1

      I have tried to find out, what this stand really has to do with Linux. But seriously I still don't know. Can anybody give us just a single clue about the connection between Linux and this stand?

      I did read the article, and the word Linux is not even used in the description of the stand. Sure the term LinuxWorld is obviously used a couple of times. M$ previous criticism of Linux is also mentioned, but I guess that is not what the stand is about. So what is it about?

      --

      Do you care about the security of your wireless mouse?
    21. Re:Yes, but why does Microsoft need a stand... by t0ny · · Score: 0

      Its sad that you equate the GPL with your right to life free, smoke pot, and breathe. However, in the real world (the one over here with the blue sky), MS needs to have anti-GPL verbage to protect their own closed source IP. If you know what the GPL says, and what it entails, you will see why MS has to make sure there is no GPL code being used in their products. Thats not being evil, thats living in the real world where what you and your employees do has real consequences. Grow up.

      --

      Manipulate the moderator system! Mod someone as "overrated" today.

    22. Re:Yes, but why does Microsoft need a stand... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I belive you need to get your facts straight before making a statement. Microsoft wrote Xenix; sold it to SCO which is now UnixWare.

    23. Re:Yes, but why does Microsoft need a stand... by pyrrho · · Score: 1

      they do not need to ensure that GPLed stuff can't connect to SMB shares, sorry, that's ridiculous.

      --

      -pyrrho

    24. Re:Yes, but why does Microsoft need a stand... by DoctorFrog · · Score: 2
      After all, who is going to take a working Linux application and move it to a Windows box? That makes no sense at all.

      Why doesn't it?

      1)Write great programs on Linux.

      2) Recompile them for Windows.

      3) Purvey to the unenlightened, being sure to let them know that they'd work even better on Linux.

      4) When the end users are using almost nothing but apps which are also available on Linux, migration might not seem such a scary thing.

      That's assuming, of course, that you think a better market share for Linux is a positive thing. Oh, and just for completeness:

      5) ???

      6) Profit!!!

      Well, someone else was going to do it anyway... ;-)

    25. Re:Yes, but why does Microsoft need a stand... by Jason+Earl · · Score: 2

      Good point. Now that I think about it I know plenty of developers that target Linux servers but write their software on Windows machines. Having the UNIX software on the development box is probably an advantage as well. I have been developing at a Linux box so long that I can't imagine using Windows, but plenty of people do.

      Of course, I always figured that this was what Cygwin was for. Is Interix (or whatever Microsoft is calling it) so much better than Cygwin?

    26. Re:Yes, but why does Microsoft need a stand... by Charles+Durst · · Score: 1
      t0ny said:
      If you know what the GPL says, and what it entails, you will see why MS has to make sure there is no GPL code being used in their products. Thats not being evil, thats living in the real world where what you and your employees do has real consequences. Grow up.

      Sorry, but if you knew what the GPL says, you'd realize that it cannot give anyone else the right to release (or force MSFT to release) their source code.

      If you can't redistribute something based on GPL code under the GPL (e.g. because you don't own the copyright for the MSFT code), then you are not allowed to distribute it at all (without removing either the GPL-covered stuff or the MSFT stuff).

      If you had read the GPL, you would realize that this is directly spelled out in Section 7:

      If you cannot distribute so as to satisfy simultaneously your obligations under this License and any other pertinent obligations, then as a consequence you may not distribute the Program at all.

      Since the GPL only applies when someone distributes the software, it normally doesn't prevent you from writing and using something that you will never distribute to anyone.

      IMHO, what MSFT is trying to do (aside from the usual FUD) is to prevent people from using GPL code even in their own programs (e.g. a proprietary web-site backend).

      cdurst
      Typical Disclaimer: IANAL

  7. Slashdot to change? by FortKnox · · Score: 1

    After reading the IBM/VA agreement article, I must ask:

    When's slashdot moving ton a J2EE webapp that employs Websphere and DB2?

    Seriously. This is a very odd combo. Either VA agreed to use IBM's software and prevent JBoss and mySQL/postgres from being on sourceforge, or VA will move its projects like the news sites and sourceforge over to IBM products like Websphere and DB2.

    I don't see any other advantage to IBM making the agreement...

    --
    Good quote, too many chars. Seriously, the slashdot 120 char limit sucks!
    1. Re:Slashdot to change? by r00tarded · · Score: 4, Insightful

      quite simply, VA is preparing to be bought out by IBM.

    2. Re:Slashdot to change? by Twister002 · · Score: 2

      The big advantage I see for IBM is showing how well Linux scales on their hardware. Sourceforge.net has a lot of simultaneous users (to say the least).

      By hosting one of the largest open source repositories on it's hardware and using it's database system, they get a nice showcase.

      Jslash? Lets hope that isn't any time soon. :)

      --
      "For a successful technology, honesty must take precedence over public relations for nature cannot be fooled." -Feynman
    3. Re:Slashdot to change? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      and we all rejoice for that.

    4. Re:Slashdot to change? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So, in "The Game" what would Slashdot be? Cheerleader squad? Or maybe the fan that occasionaly runs across the court ;)

    5. Re:Slashdot to change? by Jason+Earl · · Score: 3, Insightful

      No, they want to have the corporate version of sourceforge run on DB2 and WebSphere. My guess is that VA Software won't be migrating sourceforge.net. Like you said early sourceforge.net handles a ton of activity, and it does it with PostgreSQL and PHP. Migrating to a totally new technology would almost certainly cause problems, and the last thing that IBM wants is for VA Software to switch sourceforge.net from Free Software to their expensive commercial software and have the new setup be buggy or have performance problems.

      The corporate accounts paying for the commercial version of sourceforge are undoubtedly dumber than a box of rocks. They would rather purchase a reimplementation of sourceforge.net on a different technology base than download the software that is good enough for sourceforge.net for free and learn to set it up themselves. Heck, they could even pay someone else to set it up for them (the folks at savannah.gnu.org have some experience in setting up sourceforge). In my opinion these are precisely the type of customers to target. It is almost trivially easy to make money from people who have more money than sense.

    6. Re:Slashdot to change? by mikeee · · Score: 2

      Singing beer vendor?

    7. Re:Slashdot to change? by Ravensfire · · Score: 1

      (from some Murphy's Law's thing I've got lying around)

      Canada Bill Jones' Motto:
      "It's morally wrong to allow naive end users to keep their money"

      --
      "But we decide which is right, and which is an illusion"
    8. Re:Slashdot to change? by Thagg · · Score: 2

      > quite simply, VA is preparing to be bought out by IBM.

      And at 2:42 EDT, LNUX was up 42% to $1.17

      thad

      --
      I love Mondays. On a Monday, anything is possible.
    9. Re:Slashdot to change? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They would be the fan who occasionally streaks the court.

    10. Re:Slashdot to change? by bob_dinosaur · · Score: 1
      The corporate shop I work for would prefer to buy Sorceforge on Oracle than on PostgreSQL. Why? We already have a site licence for Oracle - it doesn't cost us a penny to add another DB. Much more importantly, we already have a pool of trained Oracle DBAs that can set up and manage the DB. Spending a couple of weeks retraining people that cost 300k EUR a year so we can support PostgreSQL 24/7/365 for one application is a waste of time and money. Especially since all the admin tools, scripts, and procedures that have been developed and are well understood by everyone must be thrown away.

      Until you've worked in "dumber than a bunch of rocks" corporate environment where downtime can easily cost millions of dollars an hour, don't make assumptions about what's important and what's not.

    11. Re:Slashdot to change? by fv · · Score: 0, Troll
      > No, they want to have the corporate version of sourceforge run on DB2
      > and WebSphere. My guess is that VA Software won't be migrating
      > sourceforge.net.

      Here is the first line of their press release:

      "OSDN today announced that SourceForge.net, the world's largest Open Source development web site, will run exclusively on IBM's DB2 database software for Linux -- including SourceForge.net's 460,000 registered users and the 45,000 Open Source software development projects hosted on the site."

    12. Re:Slashdot to change? by Jason+Earl · · Score: 2

      First of all Sourceforge is shifting to DB2, not Oracle, so you are still SOL. I certainly understand your point. If you have a large investment in Oracle, it makes sense to use Oracle software. I agree that sometimes Oracle on big iron is the correct solution to the problem. Sometimes you simply pay your money and get the best. You just assumed that I was slamming commercial software because this is /.

      That being said, sourceforge has been remarkably stable, certainly stable enough for the development efforts of any enterprise I can think of. After all, if you can't get to your corporate sourceforge portal because its down you probably don't lose "millions of dollars." And even if you did lose millions of dollars everytime your sourceforge portal went offline there still isn't any evidence that the as yet to be written version that uses Websphere and DB2 is going to be more stable than the version that sourceforge is using to support thousands of developers on sourceforge.net. Websphere and DB2 are both good products, but the new sourceforge could be awful.

      Both of us know that commercial software does not mean software that is completely bug free. In fact, I would rather trust something that comes with source and has a large user base over a brand new commercial product any day of the week. Time tested mature products like Oracle, however, are a different beast altogether. Clearly Oracle has a well-deserved reputation for stability.

    13. Re:Slashdot to change? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      flaimbait!? sombody take away Homos' mod points.

    14. Re:Slashdot to change? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The point wasn't about Oracle specifically, it was that if a company has standardized on a database, it could make more sense to port new app's to run over that database (in this case DB2) than to run over the database it's already written to (in this case MySQL) and set up procedures and training to support a second database for that one application. Trained operations staff are keenly aware of the cost of increasing operational complexity (and thus higher cost and lower quality) of the systems they're responsible for...

  8. "please don't ignore us" by RichMan · · Score: 3, Funny

    Houston said.
    "Just please don't ignore us."

    I didn't know Microsoft was in that bad a way.

    1. Re:"please don't ignore us" by jeffy124 · · Score: 2, Funny

      if a demo machine bsods, they say "Houston, we have a problem"

      --
      The One Rule Of Chess You'll Ever Need: Don't play someone who carries a kit in their bookbag.
    2. Re:"please don't ignore us" by SN74S181 · · Score: 1

      Actually, they'll just bring back moon rocks.

      While the OS zealots moan and wail and gnash their teeth. And, probably, come up with some ideologically sound reason why we "shouldn't interfere with the natural state of the moon's surface."

  9. Linux world and Linux land by brejc8 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Doesnt Linux-world bring images of children going on rides with huge fluffy penguins.
    And wearing penguin ears? hmm maybe not penguin ears.

    1. Re:Linux world and Linux land by suwain_2 · · Score: 2

      In all seriousness (well, kinda)... Do penguins have ears? I have a large stuffed "Tux" sitting on my monitor, and I just checked... He does not have any. But I find this hard to believe.

      --
      ________________________________________________
      suwain_2 :: quality slashdot p
    2. Re:Linux world and Linux land by Maran · · Score: 5, Funny

      Maybe there's an "educational" area where kids can watch fuzzy animatronic characters giving a glossed-over demonstration of how to recompile your kernel.

      And there's people dressed up as all the "old favourite" distros. But they've got their networking disabled, so they just move around a lot and pose, but can't say anything.

      And there's a shop selling lots of ThinkGeek gear, that's a real laugh in the park itself, but wearing it in the outside world results in people giving you strange looks.

      Maran

    3. Re:Linux world and Linux land by elmegil · · Score: 2

      Birds do not have external ears, as a general rule. They can still hear, because they do have ears, but they aren't like yours & mine.

      --
      7 November 2006: The day Americans realized corruption and incompetence weren't addressing 11 September 2001
  10. Good for MS by DavidLeblond · · Score: 0, Troll

    If their intent IS as good as it claims, then I say good for Microsoft. Of course, would them sticking their hands in Open Source make things better or worse?

    And IS their intent as good as it claims?

    1. Re:Good for MS by glitch23 · · Score: 1

      If their intent IS as good as it claims, then I say good for Microsoft. Of course, would them sticking their hands in Open Source make things better or worse? And IS their intent as good as it claims?

      It depends on what your defintion of is is.

      --
      this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom. -- Lincoln, Gettysburg Address
    2. Re:Good for MS by FuzzyDaddy · · Score: 1

      There intent is more clearly seen in their increasingly draconian license agreements and continuing campaign of disinformation. And their continued resistance to making any changes in the face of an anti-trust conviction. A few years back, a friend of mine who was working on real-time Linux was at a trade show, and the Microsoft folks were there, friendly, and certainly interested. They asked a lot of questions, then asked if my friend would like to come work with microsoft. So good for them, they can show up and not tell lies to people's faces for a few days. This is clearly more of a PR stunt than any kind of change of heart. So if you're there at linuxworld - Please, Just ignore them!

      --
      It's not wasting time, I'm educating myself.
    3. Re:Good for MS by Sinistar2k · · Score: 2

      Their claims are pretty simple, really: we want to hang out with Linux folks so we can figure out how we can build as active and fervent a development community around Microsoft products in order to lock even more people into being our revenue drones.

      Well, okay, the bit about "revenue drones" wasn't really stated. I threw that in for good measure.

      Microsoft has come to the realization that people like to code. So, the next step for them is, "How do we get people to stop coding for competitor platforms and start coding for ours?" Understand your enemy and all that. So they set up a booth at LinuxWorld in order to better understand what motivates Joe Coder and the companies that have rallied around Linux to make the choices they do.

      Once they have that figured out, they can then go back to Redmond HQ and have a discussion about what it would take, short of opening up source code, to get all these energetic coders on their side.

      Free development tools? The fostering of an open code community (that is, open source code for individual 3rd party projects, not for Windows itself)? Releasing more information about Windows interfaces/methods/protocols so people can tie directly into Windows APIs for their projects (because using existing code in the OS will be easier than adapting other open source libraries, which means your task as a coder will be simplified - or so the spin will go)?

      So, back to the original question, I think Microsoft's intent is as good as it claims. I just don't think they're claiming everything they have in mind. For Microsoft, the only final solution is to have no competition. In this case, they want to make Linux irrelevant by shifting open source developers to Windows.

      There's no reason why this wouldn't work. There are already plenty of Win32 based GPL projects at SourceForge, few of which required any source from the Linux kernel. I think that's what Microsoft wants - they want to snag those types of developers who don't explicitly need access to the source of the operating system. They want to build a fervent, active, enthusiastic community of coders in order to make Windows looks as lively as Linux does right now.

    4. Re:Good for MS by Sinistar2k · · Score: 2

      Apologies for using "active" and "fervent" twice. I was typing around meetings. :)

    5. Re:Good for MS by L1nUx+h4x0r · · Score: 0

      Isn't it not very sanitary to stick ones hands in an open sore?

      --
      The GPL makes software more like your mom. Free and open to all.
    6. Re:Good for MS by DavidLeblond · · Score: 0

      How is this a troll?

  11. I don't get it. by FreeLinux · · Score: 2

    I can understand that MySQL and Portgres don't cut it for your particular need but, damn, what about SAP. Surely a repository for Free as in beer and Free as in speech software deserves to remain free.

    From a purely business standpoint I don't get it either. Source Forge isn't making a whole lot of money, if any, as it is. Can VA really afford to spend the money on DB2, or are they simply aligning themselves for the future? I can tell you now, if VA has any fantasy of turning Source Forge into a paid service, they'll be more than a bit suprised by the backlash/bitch slapping that they will receive from the community that they claim to hold so dearly.

    They couldn't really be stupid enough to think that? Could they?

    1. Re:I don't get it. by PDHoss · · Score: 2
      It's unlikely that they are paying much for DB2. It's a VA-gets-db2, IBM-gets-cool-Linux-press thing, I gotta believe.

      PDHoss

      --
      ======================================
      Writers get in shape by pumping irony.
    2. Re:I don't get it. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Simple, if you pay a hell of a lot of money for the enterprise version of sourceforge you want a TOP QUALITY PRODUCT.

      MySQL...Well, we all know about that one. :)
      Postgresql: A bit better but in no way enterprise ready and will not likely reach that state in the next few years.

      Remember, even if these product costs a lot of money the cost of loosing code, bugreports or feedback is more expensive. A lot more expensive!

    3. Re:I don't get it. by Col.+Klink+(retired) · · Score: 3, Interesting

      It's also possible that IBM will get to use SourceForge On-Site at no or low cost.

      Not that I've heard anything, just idle speculation...

      --

      -- Don't Tase me, bro!

    4. Re:I don't get it. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      IBM already uses the free version of SourceForge extensively internally. I doubt the commercial version is of that much more value for IBM.

    5. Re:I don't get it. by fiftyfly · · Score: 2, Interesting

      It makes a lot more sense if there's plans for IBM to buy VA - in a M$/Hotmail sorta way.

      --
      "Sanity is not statistical", George Orwell, "1984"
    6. Re:I don't get it. by rhedin · · Score: 1

      Think about it for a moment-- this is a publicly held company. They just announced a means by which they are going to "boost revenue". Since it's much easier to make licensing revenue off of "expensive" software as opposed to "free" software, the investors see this as a net positive. Also, selling a license for their product does not preclude additional service revenue from your licensees.

      Keep in mind that share price has nothing to do with how good their product is or whether they will be successful. It only reflects investor confidence in the the company.

      Whether you or I see this as a good move is immaterial (unless either of us are VA stockholders, of course).

      rob.

    7. Re:I don't get it. by hendridm · · Score: 1

      > It makes a lot more sense if there's plans for IBM to buy VA - in a M$/Hotmail sorta way.

      Now that idea has some potential, and I believe IBM wouldn't trash it like MS did to Hotmail either. I think they would respect its design. Sure, they throw some ads for eServers and such in there, but the core would remain.

    8. Re:I don't get it. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      Assuming from the context that you use "free" to mean "no cost" (i.e. free as in beer), just try a little logic on for size:

      A company gives their core product away for free to anyone. Revenue: $0.00.

      (or)

      A company sells their product at $x. Revenue: $x * [num_customers].

      Now, granted, if the company doesn't sell any copies of its software, the revenue for both situations comes out to $0.00. But, by selling just a single copy, the company would have made a mathematically infinite amount of money more than if they had given it away for free (any amount over 0 is, by basic definition, an infinite multiple of 0).

      And in VA's case, they *have* been selling their software to some pretty large customers.

      Now, which of those two situations above do you think an investor would prefer his money to be associated with?

      I honestly don't understand the bitching and moaning I read from ungrateful sods (this is not targeted at you -- I'm entering rant mode here) that want to start a holy war against VA for selling a proprietary version of SourceForge. VA still runs SourceForge.net as a *free* service to any Open Source project that wants to make use of the wonderful services available there. VA provides the community with free web hosting, CVS, bug tracking, mailing lists, forums, etc. They have compile farms for you to test your software out on platforms you very likely would never have access to otherwise. And yet, people bitch that they can't download SourceForge Enterprise Edition for free.

      How many of the people that make use of SourceForge.net as a free service would really want to have to hire a full time admin to install, configure and manage a local SourceForge instance? Not to mention the purchase of all the servers and paying the bandwidth bills and colocation. How many of those projects would be able to afford a setup that would provide them with all the systems in VA's compile farm? Would they be able to get the exposure they currently do by being on SF.net?

      I wish I could kill -9 all the pathetic assholes that complain incessantly about VA's *free* SourceForge.net because it isn't Free enough for them.

      Which would be better?

      a) VA sells SourceForge Enterprise Edition (running on PostgreSQL, DB2 and/or Oracle -- customer's choice) to make their money. Using that money, they continue to provide SF.net for *free* to the community of Open Source developers that have nowhere near the resources necessary to provide themselves with the same services (or the money to pay for it elsewhere).

      (or)

      b) VA Frees everything, continues to lose money, eventually goes bankrupt and is forced to completely, and very abruptly, shut down SF.net, leaving tens of thousands of Open Source developers out in the cold because some ass nuggets thought SF.net/SourceForge weren't Free enough.

      In closing, I have one thing to say to these same people (again, this is not directed at the person to whose post I am replying -- I'm still in rant mode):

      Start your own company that will provide *every* service VA currently does through SF.net without compromising on a single feature -- including developing all of these resources yourself (no cheating by using an earlier GPL'ed version of SF), providing the compile farms, etc. or

      Shut the fuck up and show a little god damned appreciation for everything VA has done, and continues to do, for the Open Source community.

      And, just in case you are wondering, I am *not* affiliated with SourceForge or SourceForge.net.

    9. Re:I don't get it. by AdamInParadise · · Score: 2

      They already do. Check out the footnote of this project:
      http://www-124.ibm.com/developerworks/pr ojects/ana nas/

      --
      Nobox: Only simple products.
    10. Re:I don't get it. by Phil+Hands · · Score: 2

      Your price comparison seems to be making the same false assumption that the people who bought their stock seem to have made.

      Why do you think that they should be able to charge a comnpany more for a sourceforge installation using proprietary software, than for one using Free Software? Personally, I'd pay less for the proprietary one, because I know it's going to cost me in future license fees, subjects me to vendor tie in, and generally shafts me in the long term, but each to their own, eh?

      Surely having sourceforge installed is worth a certain amount to a company, and if you have astute sales people they will extract a decent percentage of that amount.

      So the sales team can either convince the customer that the extracted amount needs to be what it is because of some licence certificates that they buy from IBM, or they do it on the basis that setting up sourceforge is quite complicated (which it is) and they are the experts in doing so, because they wrote the code --- I think the arguments are both pretty convincing, so the two resulting amounts are likely to be fairly similar.

      If that's the case, are they going to make more money out of installing the Free Software, or out of reselling licenses? (Hint: You get to keep all the money if you go the Free Software route).

      Personally, I take the apparent lack of comitment to Free Software as being symptomatic of VA losing the plot. I'm not sure what their business model is supposed to be now, but it seems to have little to do with Free Software, so one wonders how long they'll keep thinking that the publicity from running SourceForge justifies the expense.

      --

      Debian: GNU/Linux done the Linux way
    11. Re:I don't get it. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I won't argue with you that in certain situations (not relating this statement in any way directly to SFEE) you could charge money for the installation and support and give the product away for free. I do think that for certain types of software (especially if it is a tremendous project just to do the install -- not unheard of for enterprise level systems) you could probably extract just as much out of that service as you could for the software itself.

      I don't think that is a viable business model for software as a whole, however. SourceForge may (or may not) fall near the threshold between the "nightmare to install/setup, so let's pay for that service" and "easy to install, we'll handle it ourselves" scenarios. I really don't know -- I've never installed it, nor have I ever even looked at the code of the older GPL versions.

      My original point, however, was that from an investor's point of view, to take the Free (and free) + service$ route boils down to the following for your "average investor" that has little real technical background. Company A produces a single software product targeted at enterprise installations. This is not only their flagship product, it is really their only product. They give it away for free and hope that a few companies will pay them to install it. Oh, and they own some websites that sell banner ads.

      That sounds exactly like the business plans of many companies from way back in the days of 1998 through 2000. It may have been hot back then, but look around these days and see how many companies still get funding (hell, how many still exist) that use that, or a similar, line as their business plan/model.

      From a purely business perspective, VA is doing the right thing. They have a strong product that obviously some businesses want (otherwise they wouldn't have already sold the copies (along with installation and support contracts) that they have). Not only can they bring in some revenue through support contracts, but they can also bring in revenue by actually charging money for the software. To an investor, two revenue streams will virtually always look better than one.

      The downside is that "Joe User" or "Mom & Pop Software" won't be able to get free copies of SourceForge Enterprise Edition. But those classes of end users running local instances of SFEE is like using a Porsche to move between your couch and bed. SFEE is far better suited to internal corporate installations to support large development teams, or for services like SF.net -- which it cannot be stressed enough to the other people that bitch and moan all the time is an absolutely *free* service for which they personally have never paid a penny, but have been able to reap tremendous benefits from.

      So, I don't truly disagree with your statements -- I think there is some merit. But, purely from business and investor viewpoints, if you can charge for the software *and* charge for the install/support, why not do both? The price of enterprise software is very often a contract issue, so it's not like VA has said the fixed price of SFEE is $250,000, plus $50 per user, regardless of who buys it (please note: I have absolutely no idea whatsoever regarding what VA charges for SFEE -- I have completely made those numbers up and they may be lightyears off from what VA really charges). I'm sure they negotiate the price on a customer by customer basis and charge according to some formula that takes into account the size of the customer's company and what they could afford to spend.

      Lastly, on the issue of VA's commitment to Open Source. It is my belief that there are two main reasons VA continues, and will probably continue for as long as they can afford it, to run SF.net. I don't really know which is more important, though. The first is to generate good will and to "give something back." The touchy feely side of it. The second is far more pragmatic, possibly just to be able to say to potential customers, "Hey, you have 500 developers you want to run on our software? SFEE won't even break a sweat -- just look at SF.net, it supports tens of thousands."

    12. Re:I don't get it. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The share price reflects "investors" expectation
      that they will be able to sell it to a greater
      fool. It has little, or nothithing, to do with fundamentals.

  12. hmmm... by i_have_no_name · · Score: 0

    you people are naive. they are flocking .NET SERVICES they give a flying fsck if you are using windows or linux or even mac os when youll be using THEIR services!

    1. Re:hmmm... by i_have_no_name · · Score: 0

      they dont give... damn preview button right next to submit button... ok i didnt think of using the preview button,..

    2. Re:hmmm... by RazzleFrog · · Score: 1

      Something tells me that the revenue they see from .NET services is about 0.00000001% of the revenue they see from licensing Windows and Office. They want you to use Windows but if you choose not to they still want some of your dollar.

  13. How many of these companies... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...do actually make any money of significance? Would just be interresting to know.

  14. DB2? Will it scale? by emil · · Score: 3, Interesting

    While some may scoff at such a question, even the most basic DB2 documentation stresses the importance of keeping transactions short, due to limited resources for row-level locking and the dire effects of lock promotion on concurrency.

    Conversely, Tom Kyte in his first book stresses that Oracle provides an unlimited number of row-level locks (by storing the locks on disk), and never promotes a lock.

    Now, obviously, people have gotten DB2 to scale, since it powers some very large databases. I have an interest (and certifications) in both systems, but I can't help but wonder what sort of tricks must be played with the database to overcome concurrency issues with memory-based lock structures - does this require a 64-bit address space even for a moderately-sized db?

    1. Re:DB2? Will it scale? by FatherOfONe · · Score: 1

      Great question!

      But what are they currently using?

      I would love to see the performance benchmarks on the old system and what it will be on the new system.

      I have had numerous BAD experiences with IBM. I have seen 100+ million dollar projects go down in flames, because of them. I have NEVER seen them admit any fault though... they tend to blame the business, when things go wrong.

      I don't doubt that DB2 CAN scale, just what will it take to get it there.

      Also, just because you get the first drug for free (DB2), don't think that it will continue to be free with upgrades and support cost.

      --
      The more I learn about science, the more my faith in God increases.
    2. Re:DB2? Will it scale? by Jason+Earl · · Score: 2

      That's the question I would like to see answered as well. How many machines running Websphere and DB2 will it take to replace their existing PHP + PostgreSQL setup?

  15. Hot off the presses! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Keynote speaker Linux Torvalds announced at 11:53, just before the break for lunch, that BSD is dying!

    1. Re:Hot off the presses! by skidgetron · · Score: 2, Funny

      Linux torvalds? Is he going to fight windows gates?

    2. Re:Hot off the presses! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Thats Linux torvaldes to you, duuude.

  16. Gotta love those final comments by MarvinMouse · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Tell us what we are doing right and what we are doing wrong"

    Well.. this is going to take a while.

    --
    ~ kjrose
    1. Re:Gotta love those final comments by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Well.. this is going to take a while.
      ...yeah, followed by 10 minutes for what they're doing wrong.
    2. Re:Gotta love those final comments by benson+hedges · · Score: 1

      well, telling them what they are doing right actually won't take very long.. maybe some minutes to think up something.. ;)

      --
      Karma : Soylent Green (Mostly due to eating junk food and mocking religion)
    3. Re:Gotta love those final comments by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, they have over one billion dollars a month income from their capital in the bank alone, so they are doing something right.

    4. Re:Gotta love those final comments by jazman_777 · · Score: 1
      "Tell us what we are doing right and what we are doing wrong"

      Please, anyone at LinuxWorld, tell them: "Microsoft Bob." Please.

      --
      Slashdot: Failed Car Analogies. Amateur Lawyering. Anecdote Battles.
    5. Re:Gotta love those final comments by hayden · · Score: 2

      Just tell them what they are doing right and everything else they are doing wrong.

      --
      Nerd: Derogatory term typically directed at anybody with a lower Slashdot ID than you.
    6. Re:Gotta love those final comments by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      OOOOO, so thats why the booth was so crowded.

  17. Perhaps they got something right! by Corporate+Troll · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Microsoft is still less than convinced that flexibility is what most people want.

    Now, I'm no real Microsoft Affectionado, but this is probably the single most insightful thing I ever heard from a Microsoft representative. People don't want to fiddle with anything on their computers, just use the standard apps. Heck, most users don't even change their background nor their colours (God help them, the day they get XP!).
    I know this is going straight against the mantra on slashdot "choice-is-good", but normal users have no base on what to make a "choice", and there inflexibility is good: it makes the normal user feel "good" about his (non)choice. How many times have I told people to switch from Lookout Express to a better email client (especially when they just got infected by the virus/worm of the day), but it doesn't help: they are familiar with it, it comes with the computer and everyone uses it. That's infexibility, and the users are inflexible, hence they need inflexible software. Sad but true.

    1. Re:Perhaps they got something right! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      Flexibility is a layer of experience that the user can be isolated from. Just look at Mac OS X, it is nice and flexible underneath, but moron-simple on top. Give KDE and GNOME a couple more years, and maybe they'll get there too.

    2. Re:Perhaps they got something right! by garcia · · Score: 2

      they are less than familiar w/OE. It's the fact that they are either a) too clueless or b) too lazy to go out and get something else.

      OE has that neat little icon on their taskbar, it is usually auto-linked from their Mail option under the IE menubar, and it has a big icon on their desktop.

      The people who get email through this software have no idea how to use it. They call up tech support who sets it up for them. You ask them to do a "Send and Receive" and they go huh? "You know the big button near the menu bar, Send/Receive", "I don't see any button that says that."

      They close and then reopen OE and there's their mail. They want the attachments to auto-open, god forbid they have to click on the little paperclip!

      They downloaded McAfee remember? They don't need to worry about viruses.

    3. Re:Perhaps they got something right! by Telex4 · · Score: 2

      There's more to a flexibile OS than twiddling with colours and switching apps once in a while (though for those that use their computer regularly, it's nice to have that ability).

      Flexibility also means that someone can set up your computer to be orientated towards your tasks, have nothing but the apps you need, the buttons and shortcuts you need, the functions you need, at hand. Having an OS as flexible as GNu/Linux lets you do stuff like that OEone desktop easily, securely, and quickly.

      And I don't think it's entirely true to say that users don't want choice in their software. When you're talking about Windows (and, increasingly, MacOSX and perhaps even KDE), you're given most of the apps you need out of the box, so few feel the need or the motivation to look for different apps. But when you can select from the start the app that does what you want, it's a good thing and something a lot of people value. I can't tell you how many people got fed up of the power of Outlook2000, or the lack of modularity in MS Office when I worked as an IT trainer. I've also found people respond really well to being shown IE, Mozilla and Opera, and then choosing the one that best suits their needs.

      It all depends on how flexibility is approached, from the kernel developers, to the app developers, to the marketers, right through to the people that set-up/sell the boxes and the training users get. I've always found Microsoft's one-size-fits-all attitude rather at odd with what people want. Afterall, look at how many different stereos you can get - consumers do want the choice, when properly presented.

    4. Re:Perhaps they got something right! by SMQ · · Score: 1

      Notice the underlying assumption in Microsoft's position: that it's an either/or choice between stability and flexibility.

      I've got to ask, "Why?" Couldn't a well-written, massively modifiable system with thoughtfully-chosen defaults accomplish both?

      We in the open source/free software community(ies) have perhaps missed the mark with the "thoughtfully-chosen defaults" part, forcing users to make zillions of small and large decisions just to install and run everyday software. Microsoft most often misses the mark on the massively modifiable part, locking users into choices they might not have made themselves. And I'm not sure either one of us consistently gets the well-written part right. Still, speaking as an application developer myself, I don't see any reason it should be inherently impossible.

      Just my .00000002 megadollars

      --
      SMQ 90AE4B2BC4F6BEAF7340F0B40BA2DEF7340F6BC2D0392
    5. Re:Perhaps they got something right! by Telastyn · · Score: 2

      I totally agree, but that should not keep microsoft from making users ABLE to choose if they want. There's absolutely no good reason not to. It's not as though standard apps, and the choice of non-standard apps/configuration are mutually exclusive...

    6. Re:Perhaps they got something right! by garcia · · Score: 2

      oh yes, my point was that it's not that they don't want flexibility they really don't have a choice. MS appeals to the laziness inherent in every person. If the complete functionality is there and is easily accessable, why bother worrying about something else?

    7. Re:Perhaps they got something right! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Mac OS X is layered, like the walls in the apartments in the movie Brazil. It's all nice and clean in the apartment ordinarily. Sure there are some baroque and rather odd features that sometimes fail. The toast gets sprayed with coffee or what-not.

      But if you open up a wall panel, geez, all those fucking ducts. Good good! Now the place is full of them!

    8. Re:Perhaps they got something right! by MissMyNewton · · Score: 1

      It's the fact that they are either a) too clueless or b) too lazy to go out and get something else.

      There it is.

      The attitude that will, if not changed, keep Linux off the desktop forever... :-/

      --

      ---

      Information wants...you to shut your pie hole.

    9. Re:Perhaps they got something right! by Reziac · · Score: 2

      Exactly -- every one of my clients tell me the same thing: "Just show me ONE way to do it, otherwise I get too confused!"

      I know a guy who insists on "training" by showing his clients EVERY way to do ANYTHING. They tend to depart wearing shell-shocked, glazed-over expressions, having clearly absorbed none of it.

      The main reason for software to be flexible is NOT so any *one* user can have a bunch of options, but rather so that *many different users* can use different options, according to however each person prefers to work. A secondary reason is so that in the event that one particular method has problems or conflicts, the user has alternatives and can still get the job done, rather than being stymied because there's no way around the problem.

      --
      ~REZ~ #43301. Who'd fake being me anyway?
    10. Re:Perhaps they got something right! by IamTheRealMike · · Score: 2
      I know this is going straight against the mantra on slashdot "choice-is-good", but normal users have no base on what to make a "choice", and there inflexibility is good:

      I have to disagree with this. I feel the reason some users are confused by choice is simple - they are not used to it.

      Computers are complex and powerful devices it is true, but then so are cars, hi-fis and so on. People seem to cope with choice and flexibility in these markets just fine, I know some people who actually enjoy browsing around car shops going "ooh" and "aah" at all the different makes and models.

      Computers are different of course, because there has never been any competition in computing, thanks to Microsoft. As far as the public is concerned, MS is the way, and has been from day 1, ever since the PC arrived. Yes, there was the Mac, but there's a reason Apple lost the platform war so miserably: given a choice between a completely single vendor solution and a semi-open solution, they chose the semi open one. And so we have Microsoft.

      It annoys me when people say, or imply, that Linux cannot succeed because people don't want choice, or are too stupid to deal with it. This is doing a disservice to both Linux and computer users. There are users who are confused by choice, but they can and will adjust. The total lack of training many people have doesn't help here of course, far too many people have learnt computing by trial and error and the attitude that "The user must not have to make any effort to learn this thing" is pervasive in computing.

      To some extent this is good, because it means we can get up to speed with new software quickly, but it can also backfire in the case of people who never really understood what they were doing in the first place and so can't generalise their learning to something else.

      Some users are only inflexible because they are scared by choice, because they have never had it before and don't understand it. They are scared by it, because they know they never really learnt how to work their computer in the first place, only that if you click here, then there, and then on this picture you can access the web. For instance, I once asked somebody to visit a website I'd made and tell me what they thought. What they saw was all messed up, so I asked what browser they were using (I was pretty sure it was ie5 but wanted to check). The answer: "Sorry, I'm not technical, what's a browser?" shocked me. How can anybody use something yet not know what it's called? Simple - she hadn't been taught how to use a computer, she had learnt by rote.

      If somebody doesn't want to switch to something better than Outlook, sit down with them and teach them how to use Outlook - and then teach them how to use MozMail or whatever. And if they don't want to know .... well, next time they get a virus, let them fix it themselves. I've done this, and it works wonders.

  18. nice BBC article by Clover_Kicker · · Score: 5, Funny

    From the linked BBC article:

    >Linux is gaining corporate fans is because it is
    >cheap, easy to maintain and much more secure than
    >Microsoft software.

    You can't buy advertising like that.

    1. Re:nice BBC article by caluml · · Score: 1

      There's someone at the BBC that really loves Linux....

      If you're reading this, whoever you are, send me an email :)

    2. Re:nice BBC article by micromoog · · Score: 2
      You can't buy advertising like that.

      Nope, you have to find a biased reporter.

    3. Re:nice BBC article by g()()ber · · Score: 1

      You can't buy advertising like that.

      Yes you can. Buy a publication.

      --
      I am so one thousand three hundred and thirty seven!
    4. Re:nice BBC article by damiam · · Score: 1

      Probably the same person who approved testing of Ogg streaming.

      --
      It's hard to be religious when certain people are never incinerated by bolts of lightning.
    5. Re:nice BBC article by thelexx · · Score: 2

      Yeah, it's a bitch finding ones that are biased toward the truth! :)

      LEXX

      --
      "Gold still represents the ultimate form of payment in the world." - Alan Greenspan, 1999
    6. Re:nice BBC article by kubrick · · Score: 1

      You can't buy advertising like that.

      Yes you can, and I can introduce you to the right journalists... for a fee. :)

      --
      deus does not exist but if he does
    7. Re:nice BBC article by Ilgaz · · Score: 1

      Biased? er, maybe guy uses linux or BBC uses Linux and they saw its advantages?

      bitch about the people who bitch about linux and bitch about the people who OPENLY bitch (unlike majority of US media) about MS...

      no idea

    8. Re:nice BBC article by You're+All+Wrong · · Score: 1

      "maybe guy uses linux or BBC uses Linux"

      Until very recently the BBC web site was run primarily on Unix boxes. However, due to increased pushes towards streaming media, which were served from MS-powered boxes, teh BBC decided that it would migrate towards all MS software for its web pages. They kidly said to the Unix guys that they could still have their jobs, but would have to commute 50 miles to their new location, joining the MS guys in London. Thispissed a lot of BBC employees off. (Both the migration, and the forced commute.) So the BBC doesn't really have a pro-Unix attitude at all, it must be the individual reporter.

      The Register (.co.uk) had a story on the server migration about 2-3 months ago.

      YAWIAR.

      --
      Your head of state is a corrupt weasel, I hope you're happy.
    9. Re:nice BBC article by jazman_777 · · Score: 1

      Here's a local newspaper, The Eastside Journal. Redmond, WA, is in the Eastside. Check out the bottom of the page. Just about every page on the site has Tux.

      --
      Slashdot: Failed Car Analogies. Amateur Lawyering. Anecdote Battles.
    10. Re:nice BBC article by Ilgaz · · Score: 1

      Streaming? I understand your comment (and it must be true) but I didn't understand one thing. BBC still uses Realnetworks servers (seems working great imho) and those servers perform best on Linux and Solaris.

      I mean, if they ported to wmedia, of course they should run windows type servers (which I doubt can handle that much users)

      Englighten me(us) please.

    11. Re:nice BBC article by pmz · · Score: 2

      You can't buy advertising like that.

      Which is ideal. This means that there is real merit behind Linux, and it can succeed mainly through word-of-mouth and steady development. Microsoft, on the other hand, is successful mostly due to aggressive paid marketing and advertising and very aggressive business tatics.

    12. Re:nice BBC article by DunbarTheInept · · Score: 2

      Check this:

      http://uptime.netcraft.com/up/graph/?host=news.b bc .co.uk

      If there's any truth to your claim that they are planning on going to MS web servers, it hasn't happened yet. (Your use of Unix in the past tense implied it has already switched.)

      --

      Don't label something "offtopic" unless you know the topic well enough to tell what's on topic.

    13. Re:nice BBC article by You're+All+Wrong · · Score: 1

      "decided that it would migrate towards"
      ^ past tense ^ future looking

      Quite how long the migration would take, I don't know. And quite whether the Unix guys put their collective foot down and put a stop to the plan I don't know. However, I've not seen a follow-up story on the reg (but don't read it every day).

      If migration takes as long as a search on theregister.co.uk then it'll probably never happen... I seem to remember the Unix guys being based in Reading, so I'm searching for "BBC Unix Reading" there, but the site just ain't responding...

      I'll post more if I can find it. Maybe a plain google would do...

      YAWIAR.

      --
      Your head of state is a corrupt weasel, I hope you're happy.
    14. Re:nice BBC article by You're+All+Wrong · · Score: 1

      I should've gone straight to google...

      http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/7/25730.htm l
      cache at
      http://216.239.35.100/search?q=cache:do_iXVtOn wcC: www.theregister.co.uk/content/7/25730.html+BBC+sit e:theregister.co.uk&hl=en&start=2&ie=UTF-8

      """
      The Unix guys who work for BBC Technology in Kingswood Warren, Surrey, and are responsible for making the Internet work for the Beeb's online ventures have been told today they're relocating to Maidenhead, where Streaming Media Services, bought last year by the BBC, is based.
      [...]
      This could prove a little troublesome in the short-term as Streaming Media Services is essentially a Windows shop, we understand.
      """

      Not Reading, oops, crap memory.

      YAWIAR.

      --
      Your head of state is a corrupt weasel, I hope you're happy.
    15. Re:nice BBC article by DunbarTheInept · · Score: 2
      "decided that it would migrate towards"
      ^ past tense ^ future looking

      Yes, but your original post began with the following sentence:

      Until very recently the BBC web site was run primarily on Unix boxes.

      That implies very STRONGLY that you meant it isn't anymore. Now, if you want to get technical, yes it doesn't literally say that, but then again under that pendantry I could say, "until very recently I was alive" and it would be true.

      --

      Don't label something "offtopic" unless you know the topic well enough to tell what's on topic.

  19. Pirates of Silicon Valley? by MarvinMouse · · Score: 4, Funny

    Anyone remember that scene from the movie "Pirates of Silicon Valley" where there was an Apple booth and the company MS worked with at the expo. Everyone ignored the other booth and went over to the Apple booth. When Bill tried to talk with any of the Apple reps, he was ignored.

    wouldn't that be great if that happened here. The entire MS booth is barren while everyone is busy doing what they came to a _Linux_ expo for. To look at _Linux_ products, not Windows products.

    just a thought. :-)

    --
    ~ kjrose
    1. Re:Pirates of Silicon Valley? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Only on /. could that work of pure fiction actually be used as a real world example. It's rare to find anyone here that actually can tell fantasy from reality. You better learn to do so before you graduate from high school or you are in a lot of trouble!

    2. Re:Pirates of Silicon Valley? by Skyshadow · · Score: 2
      Hm, I think a more appropriate part of that movie was where Gates and Balmer are at that Mac convention at the end as "friends" of Apple.

      Worry about Microsoft most when they're smiling.

      --
      Every year during my review, I just pray the words "slashdot.org" aren't mentioned.
    3. Re:Pirates of Silicon Valley? by g()()ber · · Score: 1

      I suspect the MS booth will get a lot of attention, just like MS gets a lot of attention on slashdot.

      --
      I am so one thousand three hundred and thirty seven!
    4. Re:Pirates of Silicon Valley? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      But what happened after they were ignored? That is the worst possible response. Engage them. Question them. But do not ignore them. We all like to bash MS but from a market standpoint there is one thing they do very well...watch and adapt to the competition. Over the last few years they may have grown complacent due to the lack of competition but their roots remain the same. See the enemy, analyze what they are doing, do it better/quicker/faster/cheaper. To treat them with disdain will be our undoing.

    5. Re:Pirates of Silicon Valley? by MarvinMouse · · Score: 2

      Ah,

      Sun Tzu's art of war, eh? Know thy enemy more then you know thyself. :-)

      That's understandable. So, then the question to ask is what is MS's motives for having the booth at the Linux expo? What do they have to gain?

      --
      ~ kjrose
    6. Re:Pirates of Silicon Valley? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      From what I saw today, it was very crowded. I was very disappointed.

    7. Re:Pirates of Silicon Valley? by LinearBob · · Score: 1

      I was at Linux World Tuesday afternoon, and witnessed a live interview on CNET radio, of a representative from Microsoft's booth. (The CNET radio host's name escapes me at the moment.) CNET may have an audio clip of it on their website (if they do such things) because when the interviewer asked the M$ representative about Steve Balmer's saying that Linux was like a Cancer, and went on to quote other M$ types also bashing Linux, the M$ guy sitting there said that if the same questions were asked today, he thought their (those high level Microsofties) answers would be much different.

      Whether their M$ booth at Linux World and the words I heard during that CNET radio interview represent M$ "smelling the coffee" or if they are just another PR ploy, I do not know. What I did notice was that the M$ booth was small, pretty far off to one side of the hall, and that there was not much traffic going past their booth other than from folks like me, walking by and looking, just to see if the rumors were true.

      The words I overheard from the M$ folks at the show were all about co-existence, but if what I read about M$ and their "Software Choice" initiative is true, than I saw an Oscar winning performance during that CNET radio interview.

      I do not think M$ sold much of anything while I was there. My guess is that selling was not their purpose in attending the show. I think they wanted to see who else was there (both individual customers and exhibiting companies), and I think Microsoft wanted to mix with and listen to the folks staffing those other booths. There were several large booths from companies like HP, Sun, and IBM, and they all got a lot of traffic. The fact that I saw so many server racks, each 42 (or more) RU tall, filled with 1 RU servers, all running Linux/Apache, on display at the Linux World show has to say something to M$ about their future in the server arena. IIS has been cracked far too many times for many webmasters to trust IIS with anything important.

      In addition, I was amazed to see just how many large companies were crowing about how well their Linux/Apache servers are running, and how much money they have been saving with that combination.

      While I did see some desktop software (Gnome, Star Office 6.0, and Open Office), but I think the emphasis in this show was much more on servers and on network devices of various types, like Network Attached Storage and Storage Area Networks.

      --
      An analog gray hair frantically clinging to the trailing edge of technology. :-)
  20. I don't get it. by caluml · · Score: 2, Interesting

    You move from free to expensive software "VA Software, whose roots lie in the open-source world of Linux, is trying to move more toward proprietary software in an effort to boost its revenue", and your share price doubles? "VA Software's shares surged by more than 50 percent on the news, rising 42 cents to $1.24 in early trading"

    What gives?

  21. Intel & Sun = Good Lovin? by FistFuck · · Score: 1

    Here's the announcement:

    http://www.sun.com/2002-0812/feature/

    Their flash based interactive thingy
    http://www.sun.com/servers/entry/lx50/lx50_demo.ht ml

    Looks remarkably like:
    http://www.intel.com/design/servers/accessories/sr 1200/SR1200ProdBrief.pdf

  22. Sourceforge down the hole by StarHeart · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Ok, I think this is the straw that broke the camel's back for me. First it was the poor site interface, then it was the auto-download system, and now this converting to DB2. Sourceforge offically now sucks in my book. I wish everyone would start moving their projects off sourceforge.

    --
    Havoc Penington, the bane of my Linux desktop.
    1. Re:Sourceforge down the hole by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      What if the upgrade to DB2 and WebSphere improves the performance of the site? Does it automatically suck because it doesn't use open source software? If the functionality you get is still there, what is the difference? Open Source people have got to show a little maturity if they want people to listen to them, taking all your toys home is not a good response to this. Making MySQL better than DB2 IS a good response.

    2. Re:Sourceforge down the hole by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      just sit down and stop trying to be the first to complain. Sourceforge provides a great number of raw Internet resources that you can't get in that many other places unless you are blessed with bandwidth and extra servers from work. The ideals of sourceforge are not sacrificed simply because IBM wanted them to use their db. Shit maybe IBM is footing some of the bill for all the bandwidth sourceforge is using, or giving them some new servers. But I really think you are too skeptical of a person if you think that those listed are reasons why you shouldn't support the people that are trying to make our open way of life more possible. To any VA/sf people who are reading the aforementioned comment: don't listen to this guy. He is taking your free service for granted.

    3. Re:Sourceforge down the hole by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ok, to what?

      NR

    4. Re:Sourceforge down the hole by Twister002 · · Score: 1, Offtopic

      Mod parent as a troll.

      How about listing some reasons WHY you think that the interface sucks, or why you don't like the auto-download, or why you think that moving it to DB2 is a bad idea instead of just bitching about it?

      --
      "For a successful technology, honesty must take precedence over public relations for nature cannot be fooled." -Feynman
    5. Re:Sourceforge down the hole by StarHeart · · Score: 1

      Lets see

      The interface is overly complex and cluttered. One of the biggest flaws is lack of search for mailing lists.

      Auto-download/Mirror setup makes all download links not actually point to the file directly. When I right click on a link and select copy link I expect to get a link to the file not to the auto download page. Auto-download also can't be opted out of directly. You have to click the link, stop the page load and/or cancel the dialog, and then copy the link at the top of the page.

      DB2/Websphere seems like a marketing decesion. Change in technology solely for marketing sucks. I go to sourceforge sites constantly haven't seen a performance problem for a while. I also question how much downtime, new problems, etc we will see during the switch over.

      --
      Havoc Penington, the bane of my Linux desktop.
    6. Re:Sourceforge down the hole by kubrick · · Score: 1

      Hello, my immediate /. user-id predecessor! :)

      Anyway, on with the comment...

      I wish everyone would start moving their projects off sourceforge.

      Right then, if you say so. Have to move everything elsewhere to make life better for StarHeart.

      --
      deus does not exist but if he does
    7. Re:Sourceforge down the hole by Jorrit · · Score: 2

      > The interface is overly complex and cluttered. One
      > of the biggest flaws is lack of search for mailing
      > lists.

      Check again. If you go to the new SF mailing archives (not the old GeoCrawler ones) then there is a 'search' on the left side of the window. This works very well and has been there for a few months now as far as I remember.

      Greetings,

      --
      Project Manager of Crystal Space (http://www.crystalspace3d.org). Support CS at http://tinyurl.com/cb3x4
    8. Re:Sourceforge down the hole by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Savannah...the other white meat.

    9. Re:Sourceforge down the hole by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hmm...announcement of enterprise version. Then a change of chief execs. Then movement to DB2 and coziness to IBM. Buh-bye Open SourceForge...Hello new business opportunity for free Open Source project hosting.

  23. Isn't this how that song goes........ by fatboy · · Score: 1

    I was lonelier than A Microsoft booth babe at a Linux Expo that night..........

    Ok, so it was bad. Bite me.

    --
    --fatboy
    1. Re:Isn't this how that song goes........ by morgajel · · Score: 2, Funny

      keep in mind this is a microsoft booth babe.

      (it was either him or the goatse pic, just be glad I chose what I did!)

      --
      Looking for Book Reviews? Check out Literary Escapism.
    2. Re:Isn't this how that song goes........ by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      ...it was either him or the goatse pic, just be glad I chose what I did!


      I'm tempted to say you chose the wrong picture...
  24. moving Sourceforge to DB2?!?! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    ..that's a total moronic PR-driven move.

    ..DB2 is not a good platform for web applications there's quite a bit of functionality that's impossible with DB2. stuff you wouldn't miss if you were running a POS system on DB2, but sure matter if you're working with the web. here's a couple of examples:

    random row selects - there's no way to get a random row without pulling some kind of COUNT() result. this sucks in large recordsets.

    autoincrementing integers - you know, a field that increments upon every insert. what a fucking pain it is to write this functionality into every web app.

    so. nice PR move guys, but you're only causing yourself pain.

    what's wrong with MySQL again?

    1. Re:moving Sourceforge to DB2?!?! by vpthomas · · Score: 1

      I'm afraid you are out of date both these things are possible with DB2 UDB. I would also like to make the point that to me Free is not about $0. It's about not being locked into one vendor's product. That's why Richard Stallman started EFF in the first place. So support for standards is more important than price. It think databases highlight this. As long as I can get at my data and there are no roadblocks put in the way of changing to another vendor then I don't see a problem in making a choice based on function/price.

    2. Re:moving Sourceforge to DB2?!?! by Lendrick · · Score: 2

      what's wrong with MySQL again?

      Perhaps this is fixed in a version later than the one I'm using at work (although their website would seem to indicate otherwise), but the MySQL I'm using can't even handle a simple sub-select. It also lacks triggers and the like.

      MySQL is a nice, fast database for doing simple queries, but if you want to do anything remotely complicated in pure SQL, you need to use something a bit more robust, feature-wise.

      Lendrick

    3. Re:moving Sourceforge to DB2?!?! by bberg · · Score: 1

      I don't know mutch about either, but what about posgress?

    4. Re:moving Sourceforge to DB2?!?! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Postgresql isn't anyway near Oracle or DB2, not in the same legue what so ever.

    5. Re:moving Sourceforge to DB2?!?! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "what's wrong with MySQL again? "
      *LOL*

    6. Re:moving Sourceforge to DB2?!?! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I may be a little off tpic here, but since visiting /. on daily basis just over a year ago, I have rarely seen discussion of Interbase. Why not use Interbase? Is it not everything you could ask for in a DB? Can someone please explain?

    7. Re:moving Sourceforge to DB2?!?! by Verizon+Guy · · Score: 1
      autoincrementing integers - you know, a field that increments upon every insert. what a fucking pain it is to write this functionality into every web app.
      create sequence table1_seq start with 1
      /
      create or replace trigger table1_incr_trig
      before insert on table1
      for each row
      begin
      select table1_seq.nextval
      into :new.autoincr_field
      from dual;
      end;
      /
      That was just way too difficult.
      --

      Aw, fuck it. Let's go bowling. - The Big Lebowski

    8. Re:moving Sourceforge to DB2?!?! by joib · · Score: 2

      Which you don't seem to know much about either, as you can't even spell it right.. :)
      *hint* PostgreSQL *hint*

      Well, postgresql is what sourceforge.net is currently running. I doubt they'll change either, I think this announcement was about sourceforge enterprise edition, which is the thingy va software tries to sell to companies.

  25. Beware sysadmins! by EdMcMan · · Score: 1
    "This isn't about trying to get people to move from Unix to Microsoft products, it's about offering ways for both systems to peacefully coexist," Houston stressed.

    Microsoft has offered services to 'peacefully coexist' for Netware, and Appletalk. While both are not dead, Netware is nowhere as near as popular as it once was. Don't be fooled! Keep your unix machines! As in typical Microsoft fashion, the 'standards' will change to only support Microsoft, or support them better.

    1. Re:Beware sysadmins! by schon · · Score: 1

      Microsoft has offered services to 'peacefully coexist' for Netware, and Appletalk. ... Don't be fooled! Keep your unix machines!

      My thoughts exactly.

      This guy is a diplomat - and you know what they say about diplomacy, right? It's the art of saying "nice doggy" until you can find a big enough stick.

      Take what he says with a grain of salt, and make sure you keep your eye on whoever is pulling his strings.

  26. m$ office TUX by dollargonzo · · Score: 3, Interesting

    since the representative said that he thinks all users want is ease of use "out of the box" and not flexibility, then porting, say, microsoft office to linux would make some people happy, and at the same time not harm microsoft, because linux is supposedly NOT easy to use out of the box.

    obviously, i disagree. i have had enough fun with windows video drivers that don't work causing the screen to be black, but since EVERYTHING is gui, i can't do anything about it, which means i need to reinstall. can i switch back to vga? NO. but that is besides the point. frankly, linux comes with far more out of the box than windows ever will. but that is besides the point.

    if microsoft is bold enough to say that their operating system is easier to use, and then appear at linuxworld, i think they should at least be bold enough to port some software (as a software vendor not, operating system creator) to prove their point. it seems they are kissing up to linux geeks to pull some PR move or some other unpredictable stunt.

    QED

    --
    BSD is for people who love UNIX. Linux is for those who hate Microsoft.
    1. Re:m$ office TUX by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I don't like windows any more than the next guy, but don't trash the OS because you don't know how to fix it. Boot into safe mode to enable the old 16 color 640x480 vga mode.

    2. Re:m$ office TUX by dollargonzo · · Score: 1

      ofcourse. that however, is a clever hack. not a fix.

      QED

      --
      BSD is for people who love UNIX. Linux is for those who hate Microsoft.
    3. Re:m$ office TUX by kma · · Score: 1

      ofcourse. that however, is a clever hack. not a fix.

      Umm, safe mode is the documented, standard way of fixing fatal driver problems with windows. There's nothing "clever" or "hacky" about it. You claimed windows refused to boot in VGA mode, and grandparent pointed out that this was because you are ignorant. Thank the man and move along.

    4. Re:m$ office TUX by dollargonzo · · Score: 1

      sure, i know that...i never said bill didn't recommend it. i just simply said that it was a hack. instead of fixing things so that video drivers don't require video, they make u reboot the system into another "mode" to go back to where u started. even more importantly, if drivers don't work, i can't exactly FIX them in safe mode, i can just remove them ;-)

      QED

      --
      BSD is for people who love UNIX. Linux is for those who hate Microsoft.
  27. What's up with this? by un4given · · Score: 5, Interesting

    From Netcraft:

    The site www.linuxworldexpo.com is running Microsoft-IIS/4.0 on NT4/Windows 98.

    1. Re:What's up with this? by dollargonzo · · Score: 1

      we know who did THAT!!

      --
      BSD is for people who love UNIX. Linux is for those who hate Microsoft.
    2. Re:What's up with this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You beat me to the punch. Damn.
      wehavethewaytocompletehumiliation.com anyone

    3. Re:What's up with this? by zapfie · · Score: 1

      What makes you think they didn't just hire someone to make and host the webpage? wehavethewayout.com was running Apache for a while. It's highly irrelevant what the server is running, for the end user.

      --
      slashdot!=valid HTML
    4. Re:What's up with this? by jamesdood · · Score: 2, Informative

      According to Netcraft they are running Solaris and Apache.. Not IIS See here

      --
      *narf!*
    5. Re:What's up with this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No you stupid gerbil fucking moron the site is
      www.linuxworldexpo.com

    6. Re:What's up with this? by zapfie · · Score: 2

      Um, wrong site.

      The site www.linuxworldexpo.com is running Microsoft-IIS/4.0 on NT4/Windows 98. FAQ

      NT4/Windows 98 users include ABB Asea Brown Boveri Ltd, Gillette, British Nuclear Fuels Ltd and Ernst & Young International

      Microsoft-IIS is also being used by www.dellhost.com, www.datapipe.com, geotrust and Ferrari

      --
      slashdot!=valid HTML
    7. Re:What's up with this? by Density_Altitude · · Score: 1

      They use this product to manage the show and they are hosted there right now, it seems.

      --
      delete free(system.gc);
    8. Re:What's up with this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Irrrelevant. indeed it is.
      But you have to admit that it is pretty damn funny.

    9. Re:What's up with this? by damiam · · Score: 1

      Have your ever heard of spoofing server information? There are some sites claiming to run IIS on a Game Boy.

      --
      It's hard to be religious when certain people are never incinerated by bolts of lightning.
    10. Re:What's up with this? by laserjet · · Score: 2

      Your point is valid - it really doesn't matter what they use, it was just not in good taste, IMHO.

      I mean, honestly, is it so hard to find a linux web host?

      slashdotters are probably the only people who look at such a thing, but they could have at least hosted in on linux to satisfy all the /. geeks.

      --
      Moon Macrosystems. Sun's biggest competitor.
    11. Re:What's up with this? by Ilgaz · · Score: 1

      joke or a security measure.

      check ebay.com while you are there too .)

    12. Re:What's up with this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Look up www.idgworldexpo.com
      These are the guys running this site.
      IDG World EXPO
      -
      HA

    13. Re:What's up with this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      64.124.73.43
      abovenet communications
      -
      -
      linux masters ?????

    14. Re:What's up with this? by Jack+Wagner · · Score: 2, Insightful

      No biggie, really.

      Wagner LLC did some backend work for Linuxexpo as a level II sub contractor for IBM (a big shout out to the chief IBM tech Pablo Cruise in the design lab!!!) and it turns out the company who did the webpage design/artwork was a photoshop/Windows only shop and needed the new .asp extensions that are only experimental in Apache so the whole works ended up on and NT server. This stuff is always contracted out and means nothing regarding the whole webserver debate. It's just a matter of what tools they are comfortable using.

      Warmest regards,
      -Jack

      --


      Wagner LLC Consulting Co. - Getting it right the first time
    15. Re:What's up with this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No biggie? You mean linux wasn't up for the job?

      Fuck off and die moron. That's like holding a KKK meeting with all black people.

  28. Perhaps, little clip-on neckties... by RicochetRita · · Score: 1
    or big rubber webfeet? ...or beaks?

    ...or maybe not.

    --
    Stuff that matters: circuitbreakers, vacuum-cleaners coffee makers, calculators generators, matching salt+pepper shakers
  29. M$ Schwag? by smartin · · Score: 4, Funny

    What are they giving out? I like to give any Microsoft T-shirts i get to homeless people. Puts them to a good cause :)

    --
    The difference between Canada and the USA is that in Canada healthcare is a right and gun ownership is a privilege.
    1. Re:M$ Schwag? by Paul+the+Bold · · Score: 2

      Don't take the swag! Let them return to Redmond with full boxes. That will send a clear message: we don't want ANY of their stuff.

    2. Re:M$ Schwag? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I already gave away all my Linux T-shirts to the homeless but they wouldn't accept them because they didn't want to look like elitist fucktards.

    3. Re:M$ Schwag? by L1nUx+h4x0r · · Score: 0

      It isn't that they didn't want to look like they were elite, it's just that they kept hearing that it *wasn't* free beer, and that's all that really matters...

      --
      The GPL makes software more like your mom. Free and open to all.
    4. Re:M$ Schwag? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They are handing out these little metal yellow glowlight keychains.

  30. Far Side by Shadow+Wrought · · Score: 1

    "Microsoft has a booth at the Expo..."

    I am suddenly reminded of the far side cartoon that has the Polar Bear wearing a penguin mask...

    --
    If brevity is the soul of wit, then how does one explain Twitter?
    1. Re:Far Side by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And that reminds me of the so pathetic Linux booths and mini cons at Comdex. It's purely laughable. Well I guess Linux can look good when it's not actually competing with anyone. The little OS that tries and tries, and fails.

    2. Re:Far Side by bowronch · · Score: 1
      Never ascribe to malice that which could merely be incompetence


      From the jargon file:

      Hanlon's Razor prov.

      A corollary of Finagle's Law, similar to Occam's Razor, that reads "Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity." The derivation of the Hanlon eponym is not definitely known, but a very similar remark ("You have attributed conditions to villainy that simply result from stupidity.") appears in "Logic of Empire", a classic 1941 SF story by Robert A. Heinlein, who calls it the `devil theory' of sociology. Heinlein's popularity in the hacker culture makes plausible the supposition that `Hanlon' is derived from `Heinlein' by phonetic corruption. A similar epigram has been attributed to William James, but Heinlein more probably got the idea from Alfred Korzybski and other practitioners of General Semantics. Quoted here because it seems to be a particular favorite of hackers, often showing up in sig blocks, fortune cookie files and the login banners of BBS systems and commercial networks. This probably reflects the hacker's daily experience of environments created by well-intentioned but short-sighted people. Compare Sturgeon's Law, Ninety-Ninety Rule.

      --
      My Stuff: pspChess and foobar2000 plugins
    3. Re:Far Side by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Man leave the scientologists out of this.
      Nick Cage is having enough trouble with his new
      Scientologist wife(lisa the bitch presley).
      What a moron this guy must be.

    4. Re:Far Side by Shadow+Wrought · · Score: 1

      Excellent! I did not actually know that there was so much derivation behind this. My buddy used it once but could not remember from where he had heard it. I do paralegal work in both litigation and bankruptcy (all the fun, all the time!) and use the phrase to remind myself that the other side is more likely to be incompetent than evil;-) Not that I have not seen evil... Thank you much for the elucidation.

      --
      If brevity is the soul of wit, then how does one explain Twitter?
  31. I wonder... by BlackMesaResearchFac · · Score: 2, Funny
    I wonder what those MS employees did to get sent there. Somebody's not well liked.

    Hopefully everyone will react with nothing but class.

    --
    -- Scientist: You aren't going to leave me here, are you? Boagh! Thump...
  32. Time to move to Savannah by Phil+Hands · · Score: 4, Informative

    For those of you that use sourceforge for their free software projects, it looks like it's time to move to savannah.gnu.org.

    In case you're wondering, the gnu.org in there does not imply that your project needs to be under the GPL/LGPL --- any Free Software projects are welcome.

    Why would you want to move? Well, from what I hear, extracting some of your meta-data is already hard/imposible from Sourceforge --- this seems like a trend that is likely to continue, so perhaps you should get out while you still can.

    At least you can be sure that the Free Software Foundation won't pull any similar tricks.

    --

    Debian: GNU/Linux done the Linux way
    1. Re:Time to move to Savannah by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      http://savannah.gnu.org/phpsysinfo/

      OK EVERYONE move all their projects from VA's 8+ high end servers and bandwidth with a compile farm attached, to the 1 server (with ide drives) that savannah has. I'm sure savannah can take the load. look their system has 20 gigs of space to use (not in the audio-video dir), don't you think that it can hold all the worthwhile free software? Come on everyone! grab your files and GOOOO sf is obviously sucky now since they are going to use... *GASP* a paid for program.

      I mean seriously guys.. no one else can replace what sf.net does for our community so SHUT THE FUCK UP unless you have a good pipe, a pile of servers, and some time to take the sf.net code base and modify it to your microcosm of a vision for how it SHOULD be done.

    2. Re:Time to move to Savannah by Jacek+Poplawski · · Score: 2

      Why would you want to move? Well, from what I hear, extracting some of your meta-data is already hard/imposible from Sourceforge --- this seems like a trend that is likely to continue, so perhaps you should get out while you still can.

      I have two projects on SourceForge. Please tell me when exactly should I expect problems. I hadn't single SourceForge problem yet.
      I am not SF fanatic, I just like this service (and for example IRC support) so tell me what is wrong with it.

    3. Re:Time to move to Savannah by FreeUser · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I have two projects on SourceForge. Please tell me when exactly should I expect problems. I hadn't single SourceForge problem yet.

      Not exactly into being proactive, are we.

      The concerns are (a) difficulty to extract meta-data from SF (already mentioned), (b) the uncertainty of whether or not the free (beer) SF service will be around for the forseeable future, even for non-commercial, free projects, and (c) the uncertainly as to whether or not VA will be around to offer the service, in any form, for the forseeable future.

      Contrast this with the FSF, which is a charity that has been around since the eighties (at least), isn't going to 'go under' like the rest of the dot bomb anytime soon, if ever, and will never pull the kinds of stunts SF does to make obtaining and extracting one's information more difficult over time, or to change the conditions of use.

      It isn't about predicting trouble with certainty, it is about recognizing a vulnerability and doing something about it before the problem can arise.

      But it is your project, so if you prefer to wait until trouble actually arises, that is your perogative, and in the end, your fault.

      --
      The Future of Human Evolution: Autonomy
    4. Re:Time to move to Savannah by irix · · Score: 2

      But it is your project, so if you prefer to wait until trouble actually arises, that is your perogative, and in the end, your fault.

      His fault for what? If for some reason VA could not longer afford to run sf.net and nobody else wanted to step up and pay for it, then it would shut down. Ok, it might be somewhat of an inconvenience, but you would still have the important part - the source code - to continue and host the project somewhere else.

      I don't get the bitching about sf.net. Ok, so some people don't like the fact that VA is selling a closed-source fork, but does that really impact the service? And there are a lot of stupid stage 1 projects in there that are going nowhere, but again, does that really impact the service?

      People amaze me with the ability to complain about something that has been such a tremendous help to the open source community. Look at the number of important high-profile projects hosted there. Alternatives like GNU Savannah are good, but they don't have the server capacity (or features, yet) to measure up to sf.net.

      It would be a huge loss to the community if sf.net shut down, and maybe that was your point. However, I prefer to look at the glass half full and hope that either VA will pull through or someone else will step up to pay for sf.net. Either way, sticking with them to host your project in the meantime is hardly stupid or short-sighted.

      --

      Do you even know anything about perl? -- AC Replying to Tom Christiansen post.
    5. Re:Time to move to Savannah by jmu1 · · Score: 2

      I believe the issue here is mainly that they will not be running on FreeSoftware, nor OpenSource software. Instead, they will be running on who knows what OS inside of IBM's proprietary DB. I think I would have a problem with that if I were trying to make a socio-political statement by writing FreeSoftware too. Case in point the current state of cvs -vs- bitkeeper use on Linux kernel development. It becomes less open when you _have_ to use the proprietary tools. It's not about wanting something for nothing, but about wanting everything for everyone! I can afford it, but someone else may not. That shouldn't keep innovations from occuring.

    6. Re:Time to move to Savannah by irix · · Score: 2

      It becomes less open when you _have_ to use the proprietary tools.

      I'll give you that, but sf.net isn't forcing you to run anything - they'll just be running some closed source stuff behind the scene.

      I could see how some people might have a problem with that, but I am a bit more pragmatic. For example, would you refuse to visit Slashdot if it was hosted on a Solaris box running Oracle? I wouldn't!

      --

      Do you even know anything about perl? -- AC Replying to Tom Christiansen post.
    7. Re:Time to move to Savannah by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ... trying to make a socio-political statement by writing FreeSoftware ...

      Ah.

      Ok.

      Now I understand.

      (lessee here, where did I put that moron filter?)

    8. Re:Time to move to Savannah by jmu1 · · Score: 1

      ;) You know, I've been looking for a real reason to break my addiction! lol

    9. Re:Time to move to Savannah by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      FUD

      https://sourceforge.net/export/

    10. Re:Time to move to Savannah by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The concerns are (a) difficulty to extract meta-data from SF (already mentioned), (b) the uncertainty of whether or not the free (beer) SF service will be around for the forseeable future, even for non-commercial, free projects, and (c) the uncertainly as to whether or not VA will be around to offer the service, in any form, for the forseeable future.

      a) SourceForge XML Exports

      b & c) The goal of CoopX is to define a standard format based on XML to exchange information on projects hosted by facilities such as SourceForge, Serveur Libre, tuxfamily or Savannah. With this format a project maintainer could migrate his project from one hosting platform to the other or mirror it.

    11. Re:Time to move to Savannah by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      I mean seriously guys.. no one else can replace what sf.net does for our community so SHUT THE FUCK UP unless you have a good pipe, a pile of servers, and some time to take the sf.net code base and modify it to your microcosm of a vision for how it SHOULD be done.

      You mean the part about getting everyone to move their projects to the SF.net framework, VA releasing the back-end code that powers Sourceforge as Open Source, then crippling basic features of cvs, ViewCVS, mailing lists, ssh, and bugtracking in the interest of "security" because they didn't understand it properly. Then they proceed to update their back-end code to a closed-source, unreleased, proprietary codebase, but don't tell anyone.

      Now if you try to export your project from Sourceforge using their current (closed-source, proprietary, not downloadable) version, you get a version which cannot be re-imported back into Sourceforge's own (prior version, only one available to download, incompatible with the current version) source.

      How nice.

      Oh and let's not forget the part about how 40% of the projects on Sourceforge are completely empty, not a single file in them. Too many people seem to think that creating a project there will magically cause it to be written. The "Code Pixies" will come when you're sleeping and write your code for you.

      Sure, they'll tell you they get 450 new developers a day, but 1,000 a day leave Sourceforge for better alternatives such as Savannah and SourceFubar.Net

    12. Re:Time to move to Savannah by extrasolar · · Score: 2

      Yes. Damn them people. Why do they always want to change things? Things are perfect just the way they are.

  33. Slashdot to change? Not likely by Frothy+Walrus · · Score: 5, Informative

    Despite the immediate speed increase which could come from migrating to a real database which supports grown-up DB features like subselects, etc, I don't see it happening on Slashdot anytime soon.

    Not to flamebait here, but if you've gone through Slashcode source, you know that it's a pile of spaghetti. It doesn't lend itself to a redesign of the database access methods to take advantage of an industry-quality DB's featureset, at least not without redesigning much of Slashcode itself.

    The resulting weblog software could be really badass, but seeing as this site's gone since 1998 without a significant redesign (Slash 2 is Slash 1 with lipstick on), I don't see it suddenly happening now.

  34. MS secret plan by ethelred · · Score: 1


    "Please come to the booth, converse, vent, tell us what you love about Linux and tell us what Microsoft is doing right and doing wrong," Houston said.

    Why is MS suddenly interested in what Linux has to offer as advantages...? An MSLinux perhaps... Or maybe they are planning new "innovations"

    --

    Remember: If you buy anything from spammers, you have a small penis.
  35. Apples and Oranges by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Bill works in the corporate world.

    Open source does not.

    Being agreesive in a market where you don't belong will cause you to simply dig yourself into a nice large hole.

    1. Re:Apples and Oranges by ScubaS · · Score: 1

      you couldn't have said it good enough. open source is bad for the economy.

    2. Re:Apples and Oranges by cburley · · Score: 1
      open source is bad for the economy.

      Then why are MS, IBM, et al selling the stuff, I wonder?

      Could it be that they don't care about what's "good for the economy"??

      Or perhaps they're just doing what is in their own best interest, which is what some of us believe that, when more people are permitted to do that as they see fit, makes for a better economy?

      (It is really funny to read and hear about how terrible open source, especially GPL, software is for the world, the economy, the American capitalist system, etc., especially from Microsoft, while they sell the stuff -- including GPL'ed software I wrote!! -- out of the other side of their mouth! MS: "This GPL stuff is dangerous, but we can't stop selling it! Somebody stop us please!" LOL.)

      --
      Practice random senselessness and act kind of beautiful.
  36. What MS is missing by secondsun · · Score: 1

    MS markets its programs to developers and business. Their claim to fame is that they are cheap, easier, and their stuff works well together. And most of use would agree, Microsoft products play well with other microsoft products (develope and deploy using Visual Studio. NET and IIS for example). And this is what they want to show at the show.

    What they should be showing at the show, however, is an easy implementation of .NET services on Linux and other GNU systems. And it owuldn't be bad for them to open up their file formats, or better yet start a discussion for a new type of open document format.

    In conclusion, Linux is now a real business solution, and MS wants to be able to capitalize on it.

    --
    There is nothing wrong with being gay. It's getting caught where the trouble lies.
    1. Re:What MS is missing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      .NET's going to be running on BSDs IIRC... can't be that hard for you guys to write an ABI to use our binaries... we do it with your stuff all the time.

  37. It's proof positive... by FreeLinux · · Score: 2

    That the irrational exuberance or the dot com era is indeed, not dead. Like a dormant virus it occasionally rares its ugly head.

    It also proves, yet again, that investment analysts are complete morons. No wonder the economy is in such a shambles.

    1. Re:It's proof positive... by rhedin · · Score: 1

      What you're saying doesn't make much sense. This is a penny stock-- what do investment analysts have to do with anything?

      Look- the last time I checked the stock was at about $1.20, up $0.38. The previous close was at $0.82, so if I had put up $5000, I could sell and make an easy $2,250 on the +45% move.

      But... BUT... just because you see a large gain today doesn't mean you won't see an equally large retreat tomorrow. When you're dealing with stocks that trade so cheaply, almost ANY move is a big move percentage wise. Crap, if they'd went up a DIME that would have been a 12% gain! This is NOT big money.

      There is a big difference between the "irrational exuberance of the dot com era" when VA opened at $300/share and a stock trading at $1.12 on good news.

      rob.

  38. VA Software's shares surged by more than 50%... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "VA Software's shares surged by more than 50 percent on the news..."

    Sounds pretty good, doesn't it? Until you realize that's only 42 Cents!

    That's got to hurt your bankbook.

    1. Re:VA Software's shares surged by more than 50%... by SN74S181 · · Score: 1

      Yep.

      Raymond's got enough now to afford a classic VW Beetle Convertible.

      Not a restored one, mind you...

  39. From the Wired Article by rhizome · · Score: 2

    Houston would like to make it perfectly clear that the company comes in peace.

    How poor a memory does a cancer have?

    --
    When I was a kid, we only had one Darth.
  40. M$ booth? by dmouritsendk · · Score: 1

    When they stop countering samba they are welcome ;)

    1. Re:M$ booth? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      When Samba gets it's act togeather and actually becomes useable, that might mean something.

    2. Re:M$ booth? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Samba? That's that crackers tool for breaking into the SMB protocol, right?

      Thank goodness Microsoft paid attention and implemented some security measures in response, after they became aware of it.

    3. Re:M$ booth? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's not Samba's fault that you suck so much!

  41. Or in half an hour by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Whats down?

    Windows NT4 and IIS, like opening a can of worms? I have the logs to prove it.

  42. Any port in a storm by Ars-Fartsica · · Score: 2

    The bottom line is that VA has to take a life preserver from anyone who will throw one. They are a public company, so the bottom line is the only line.

  43. Exhibition no longer free? by 2Bits · · Score: 2

    It used to be free for the exhibition floor, and you only had to pay for the seminars. It's no longer, the exhibition is now $30.

    Gee, I guess that will be the first year I'm not attending, even though I'm local. It's kinda hard to justify to pay just to get exposed to ads, isn't it?

    1. Re:Exhibition no longer free? by EvilStein · · Score: 2

      I know.. and I'm guessing you're like many of us that had no idea that it was going to be $30. I didn't see any mention of it anywhere.. until I went to the LWE website to register for the exhibits-only pass and noticed the price. It was only $10 before a certain date, but again, we all thought it would be free still.
      A letdown, for sure..I wish that I had checked the site before.

    2. Re:Exhibition no longer free? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If you can't afford 30 bucks, you'd better get a job and move out of your mom's basement.

  44. Sun webcast by awptic · · Score: 2

    For those with nothing better to do this afternoon... you can watch Sun's presentation via a webcast at 1pm EST here

  45. Un-American or just plain wrong ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0


    So, MS must now either:

    - Admit to being Un-American ?

    Or:

    - Admit that Allchin's previous comments were NOT TRUE.

    Otherwise they are hypocrits of the highest order ( and Un-American ).

  46. Awaire ness by oliverthered · · Score: 2

    Most uses aren't aware that there is choice, give them something and they'll use it, even if it breaks all the time and is crap.

    In my experience :
    10% of people who buy something from a shop that doesn't work that well just bin it.
    40% will use it even though it isn't fully functional
    40% will take it back and get a replacement (or alternative if they know there is one)
    5% will moan like hell and take the shop to court.
    and the other 5% will fix it and have a fully functionally product.

    If the user doesn't know that something is broken, or doesn't understand what they have there far less lightly to take it back.

    --
    thank God the internet isn't a human right.
  47. KKK member at an African American rally by Perlguy · · Score: 1

    Having Microsoft at LinuxWorld is like having a KKK booth at an African American rally!

    The similarities are remarkable...

    - Both lie, cheat, and steal to promote their messages.

    - Both prey on ignorance, and then fill those gullible enough to listen with lies and FUD.

    Microsoft, get the fuck out, until you can actually act with _honest_ integrity and play fair, you are not welcome. It will take some time to gain mine, and many others, trust. (if ever).

    http://www.wehadthewayout.com

    --
    -- Windows security? Sure, which ONE would you like? -me
    1. Re:KKK member at an African American rally by yatest5 · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      Having Microsoft at LinuxWorld is like having a KKK booth at an African American rally!

      The similarities are remarkable...

      - Both lie, cheat, and steal to promote their messages.

      - Both prey on ignorance, and then fill those gullible enough to listen with lies and FUD.


      If this analogy was even near true, how lame would it have been if the african americans had posted up their own message board where they all banged on and ON and ON to each other reaffirming the same tired old viewpoints. Nope, they went an did something about it. Look and learn. Or, alternatively, don't use such WANK similes in future you Linux zealot fool.

      --
      • Mod parent up! [a] by Anonymous Coward (Score:5) Thurs, June 31, @13:37
    2. Re:KKK member at an African American rally by Perlguy · · Score: 1

      Hmm, would I have been better off saying a pro-Nazi booth at a Hanukkah celebration?

      --
      -- Windows security? Sure, which ONE would you like? -me
    3. Re:KKK member at an African American rally by Warped-Reality · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      I always thought it would be funny to have some black guy sue the KKK for refusing to allow them into their organization... on the grounds of discrimination, of course.

      --
      This is not the greatest sig in the world, no. This is just a tribute.
    4. Re:KKK member at an African American rally by HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE · · Score: 1

      Java? I've heard of it, it is what I drink while hacking Perl! -me

      hrmm....

      Having Microsoft at LinuxWorld is like having a KKK booth at an African American rally!

      The similarities are remarkable...

      firstly, an O/S war is nothing like human opression and should not be compared to such a sensitive issue.

      - Both lie, cheat, and steal to promote their messages.

      What exactly did Microsoft STEAL? If you are going to say that they stole ideas, that is how everything works in corporate business, and even, life. You are a LINUX man, where did XMMS get it's GUI from?

      - Both prey on ignorance, and then fill those gullible enough to listen with lies and FUD.

      Microsoft, get the f*** out, until you can actually act with _honest_ integrity and play fair, you are not welcome. It will take some time to gain mine, and many others, trust. (if ever).

      #1 please don't use such coarse language. this is a great site and doesn't need someone polluting it with stuff like that.

      #2 perhaps Microsoft attending the LINUXWORLD conference is a step in the right direction; maybe they'll learn something. Also, there's nothing to worry about, Microsoft can't BUY LINUX as it is fully protected by the GNU free public license so we're safe for today.

      who are you? I am me. - a great buddhist monk fightthefuture3@hotmail.com

      --
      -Thomas maerz HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
    5. Re:KKK member at an African American rally by schon · · Score: 1

      What exactly did Microsoft STEAL?

      How about Stacker?

    6. Re:KKK member at an African American rally by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I call Godwin's law here. Actually the Parent qualifies too.

    7. Re:KKK member at an African American rally by SN74S181 · · Score: 1

      It would scare the hell out of me.

      It would be the government saying that people are not allowed to have private organizations that are allowed to choose their own memberships.

      The week after that happened, there would be Klansmen in the NAACP, and the NAACP would cease to be a viable organisation.

      Anti Abortion people would stack pro-choice organizations.

      Bible thumpers would stack the Gay rights organizations and appoint their people to the leadership positions.

      It just doesn't work.

    8. Re:KKK member at an African American rally by Perlguy · · Score: 1

      I am NOT saying that a KKK member would not legally be allowed to go...

      I am saying that they would probably not be the most "welcome" people there, given their past...

      --
      -- Windows security? Sure, which ONE would you like? -me
  48. Yes it will by RatFink100 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Speaking as someone who's worked with another RDBMS which uses memory based locking (Ingres) for over 10 years, I can say that this can scale and scale very well.

    Your application designers need to have concurrency issues in mind - but then that tends to make for better applications anyway. There's more to concurrency than simply the number of locks available in the system.

    Ingres has always used memory-based locking and has only been extended to 64-bit addressing in the last couple of years. There are people using Ingres with databases in the hundreds of Gb or higher and with thousands of concurrent sessions.

    I guarantee that any system of that size Ingres, Oracle, DB2 or Bob's own DBMS would need to consider concurrency pretty carefully regardless of how locking is implemented.

    1. Re:Yes it will by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I've also seen a Ingres perform a fraction faster on a Sparc 4500 than a 420R. The 4500 was leased by sun for a day to do performance testing and Ingres stalled.

      I have also seen a Ingres db > 100GB, and it led to the downfall of a great unix based financial software product. The dba would spend hours trying to fine tune the db (with the help of CA), and they could never do it.

      Basically I would never trust Ingres on any important production software.

    2. Re:Yes it will by RatFink100 · · Score: 2

      I'd be interested to know more details.

      I've worked with Ingres, Oracle, SQL server and others and my opinion is that if you have to rely on fine tuning the DBMS to get adequate performance then I question whether it really was a "great financial software product". Maybe in terms of functionality it was great - but performance has to be designed in. Tuning the DBMS, like tuning the OS, will usually only give you the last few percent performance improvement.

      One of the companies I've worked with provides billing systems for mobile phone companies. Millions of records, thousands of transactions a day. Due to pressure from their customers they tried to write it in Oracle and just couldn't get the performance. Runs fine with Ingres.

      The point is - if we're arguing based on anecdotes then it's easy to point out individual cases where there was a big problem. We could do that for all the major DBMSs. I'm not going to get into a religious war about which is the best DBMS - but I know that Ingres is up there with the best.

  49. sourceforge moves off of free software. by r00tarded · · Score: 4, Insightful

    And VA Software - Slashdot's owner - is moving Sourceforge.net to IBM's database software.
    I think this is a much bigger story then linux kernel 2.34.56 is released, yet its a one liner? Next time you wanna bury a story throw it into a slashback or a jon katz story.

  50. Re:Yay! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    How's that offtopic? He is right. VA is moving to propriety software yet they preach OPEN SOURCE OPEN SOURCE. Stupid

    oh well censor the truth and enjoy it cuz you don't have much longer to live.

  51. Its good business sense by egg+troll · · Score: 1
    ...they'll be more than a bit suprised by the backlash/bitch slapping that they will receive from the community that they claim to hold so dearly


    Basically if it turns into a paid thing, SourceForge will be rid of all the dead, Stage One projects that have gone no where. It'll cut out all the deadweight that's just costing them money. I mean does the world need another mySQL-based MP3 playlist generator?

    By turning it into a paid site, they'll get funding and get projects that are worth checking out. Might not make much sense from an OpenSource philisophy but then again, you can't pay the bills with doctrine.

    --

    C - A language that combines the speed of assembly with the ease of use of assembly.
    1. Re:Its good business sense by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So open source doesn't work?

      Welll Gaaaahlie Jeebuz

  52. sourceforge will survive!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It is great they found an advertising partner and HW/SW sponsor. VA was losing way to much money standing on their own feet. If they could no longer pay for their sourceforge site a lot of open source projects would be killed with it.

    1. Re:sourceforge will survive!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      sweet. then when the large corperations realize "holy shit, we've been screwed by the commies!" they'll give the network cables the chop and the media would cry "bad for the economy and bad for business!"

  53. Waiting For Slashdot To Close by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I was dismayed but not suprised to see a :

    "Microcrap Visual Studio.net

    Try it now
    Get your trial DVD

    Microcrap"

    add at Slashdot this afternoon. Proof that
    the bottom is approaching.

    1. Re:Waiting For Slashdot To Close by RobotRunAmok · · Score: 1, Interesting

      You don't want to use Visual Studio, don't use it. Don't begrudge the SlashDot crew the opportunity to make some money, however. Do you want to pay for the privelege of using this site, a la Salon? Didn't think so.

      For this reason, I took it as a sign this place would be around for a while to come. Money makes the world go 'round, Ace. Count on the juvenile knee-jerk-anti-MS epithets to get modded into the sub-basement as Chairman Gates picks up more and more of the weekly pizza lunches. Small price to pay, I'm figuring.

      Whoever thought up the idea of MS having a booth at Linux World is a friggin' genius, and is probably getting a big bonus right about now. You need look no further than today's WIRED [ http://www.wired.com/news/linux/0,1411,54489,00.ht ml ] to see the positive spin this is all getting from the mainstream tech press. ...and, what, you think only MS-hating Linux-geeks frequent SlashDot? It ain't 1999 anymore. If you've been paying attention, you'll note this site is going a bit more mainstream in both the tech-news, the news-news, and the membership's postings. And with C-NET, et. al. going bankrupt, more power to 'em!

    2. Re:Waiting For Slashdot To Close by Worminater · · Score: 1

      Speaking of going more mainstream, I would probably fall under that(I know, kill the n00b!). But seriously, I dont own a nux box of any time, fiddled with it before, yes, but nothing I didnt revert for one reason or another. I use XP, I played sports(fball and track) in high school(going to college first year 25th, w00t), and wouldnt be a linux-geek I guese. Geek? Yea, probably. I have two boxes running Windows systems (xp,98biz). My point? I am here because I find the high level of the posts here extremely interesting. There are some gems sprinkled liberally through each news posting. Thats why I am hear, not because I am an MS Hating Linux geek.

  54. Good for MS, bad for us. by Paul+the+Bold · · Score: 2
    And IS their intent as good as it claims?

    No, I do not believe Microsoft has any good intentions toward Linux. They have not been a trustworthy company for years (antitrust for nearly a decade).

    I see their "Services for Unix" software to be part of a familliar Microsoft trick: interoperability for a few years, then a quick format switch. They are trying to entice users away from Unix. Don't believe anything else. It is an attempt to subvert the growing Linux phenomenon.

    They are trying to win Linux developers over to Windows. Maybe we should try to win them over to Linux. Instead of vandalism or name calling, give them some Linux CDs when you pass their booth. Don't take their free stuff. They'll get the idea.

  55. It's the Hardware by grendelkhan · · Score: 2

    The memory will cost a fortune, that's the difference.

    --
    Wu-Tang Name: Half-Cut Skeleton Get your own Wu-Na
  56. in other news... by benson+hedges · · Score: 2, Funny

    microsoft announces they'll have a booth at linuxworld.
    sales of nerf weapons and super soaker water pistols rise to all-time highs.

    --
    Karma : Soylent Green (Mostly due to eating junk food and mocking religion)
  57. yeah, BUT...! by bsDaemon · · Score: 1

    do you remember the scene towards the end, which went something like this:
    Jobs: you STOLE from us!
    no, Steve, let me clue you in. You and I are like these two guys who both had this rich neighbour -- Xerox -- who always left his back door unlocked. And one day, you go sneaking in to steel the TV. only when you get there, you find out your too late -- I got there first Steve! I GOT THE LOOT!!. And now you want to screame and cry and say "that's not fair!! I wanted to try and steel it first!!" No Steve, it's over. You've lost.
    Jobs: We're better than you are, you know. We have better stuff
    Gates: When are you going to get it, Steve? That doesn't matter

    Gates and Balmer turn and walk out.

  58. Not too late by Mojo+Geek · · Score: 1

    There's still time to sponsor my attendance.

  59. Devo knew it all along by Enonu · · Score: 2

    victim of collision on the open sea
    nobody ever said that life was free
    sink swim go down with the ship
    but use your freedom of choice
    i'll say it again in the land of the free
    use your freedom of choice
    in ancient rome there was a poem
    about a dog who found two bones
    he picked at one he licked the other
    he went in circles till he dropped dead
    freedom of choice is what you got
    then if you got it you don't want it
    seems to be the rule of thumb
    don't be tricked by what you see
    you got two ways to go
    freedom from choice is what you want

    1. Re:Devo knew it all along by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Mod this up, (+1, Cool).

      C'mon, it's Devo lyrics, what more do you want?

    2. Re:Devo knew it all along by President+A.+Lincoln · · Score: 1

      Right on, spud. You have once again crystallized my thoughts eloquently. People don't want freedom of choice. They want freedom from choice.

  60. lol by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny
    The site www.goatse.cx is running Microsoft-IIS/5.0 on Linux.


    That goatse guy cracks me up. And when I say "cracks me up" I mean "makes me want to gouge out my eyes".
  61. Heh... by Faust7 · · Score: 1

    Maybe simply not running the latest IIS on W2K is enough to show a lack of MS support.

  62. Re:Slashdot to change? Not likely by _xeno_ · · Score: 2
    You are aware that almost all of Slashcode involves select from comments where sid=37919? Slashcode is almost all select statements - something which MySQL does quite well. In fact, MySQL is supposedly faster with simple SELECT statements than other, more feature-rich databases. Based on my very poor sampling, MySQL is indeed noticibly faster than Oracle when it comes to running a lot of SELECT statements in rapid succession. (Not that I don't take issues with the fact that the application loads the entire [expletive] database on startup which is where this "benchmark" comes from, but that's another story...)

    Appart from SELECTing data to generate the pages, the next most common action Slashdot does is INSERT. Since MySQL contains an "AUTOINCREMENT" metatype, the ID fields need not be calculated as a transation - MySQL will ensure that an appropriate key is generated when the INSERT is run.

    There are several sections of Slashcode that do updates - but for the most part, they don't need transactions or anything too fancy. Multiple requests to change a single user's parameters are rather unlikely, and for the most part, editors are unlikely to update the same story at the same time.

    Bottom line is that MySQL is more that sufficient for Slashcode. (Just like MySQL is fine for the above mentioned application, even though it uses Oracle in the "production" environment. Poorly.) There's no need to use a more robust database - Slashcode simply isn't really that intensive a DB application. In fact, it could probably be rewritten to use text storage files instead of a database. I'll bet it would be possible to store Slashcode information in a miriade of XML files. I wouldn't suggest it, but it might be possible...

    With Slashcode 2, much of the database code was moved out into a module (which should speak to the speghettiness of the original design), helping to solve move most of the MySQL dependencies (most notably, AUTOINCREMENT everywhere and TEXT blocks as opposed to LONG VARCHAR which is the ANSI SQL standard) into a modular section that can be replaced.

    With the Postgres Slashcode module, it should be possible to move Slashdot onto other databases. But for the most part, there's little need to move Slashdot to another database - MySQL is sufficient for it's needs.

    A complete code rewrite, on the other hand... :)

    (I think they should reimplement it in a Java servlet environment. Because Java is my hammer. Ow, my thumb!)

    --
    You are in a maze of twisty little relative jumps, all alike.
  63. Peaceful coexistance by Raleel · · Score: 2

    Peaceful coexistence appears to be Microsoft's new mantra.

    Does this remind anyone else of that really bad ST:TNG episode with the parasites that looked like trilobytes? You know, the "Vitamins do wonders for the body" one where the trilobytes try to take over starfleet? "We seek peaceful coexistance"

    --
    -- Who is the bigger fool? The fool or the fool who follows him? --
  64. or 2pm EDT by tube013 · · Score: 1

    or 2pm EDT

  65. Re:Yay! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Well, thats because they don't have any venture capital left so they must actually earn money now.

  66. Sun LX50 by Jennifer+Ever · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Okay, what's the big deal? It's a RaQ. They've been running x86 hardware and some variation of a Linux-based OS for years. The option to run Solaris is sort of novel, but then, that hasn't as much to do with the hardware platform as it does Sun's decision to resume development of Solaris for x86. Yeah it's cool and all, but really, Sun running Linux on x86 hardware isn't all that revolutionary.

  67. Microsoft would get a much better reception if... by ElGuapoGolf · · Score: 2, Insightful


    I'll get flamed for this, but...

    Microsoft would get a much better reception if they went to the expo with actual Linux products.

    Think about it. They have (or have had) a copy of IE for linux kicking around internally. IE exists for other unixes (too lazy to go check which at the moment tho). They have a media player for unixes (or they did). Wouldn't it be nice if they went to the show and released those, or annouced something about them, rather than hawking Visual Studio .NET and XP Embedded.

    Just my .02

  68. hmm maybe? by Ilgaz · · Score: 1

    http://www.mslinux.org/ was not a joke? ;)

  69. Microsoft Spinning Like Crazy by jazman_777 · · Score: 1
    From the Wired article:

    "This isn't about trying to get people to move from Unix to Microsoft products, it's about offering ways for both systems to peacefully coexist," Houston stressed.

    Of course, if it was a conference full of novices and managers, MS'd be saying:

    "This is about trying to get people to move from Unix to Microsoft products, seeing the total value proposition of using the full suite of solutions from MS."

    --
    Slashdot: Failed Car Analogies. Amateur Lawyering. Anecdote Battles.
  70. what metadata? by DJK · · Score: 1

    Pardon my ignorance, but what metadata are you
    talking about?

    I'd like to know what exactly the problem is so I can
    consider implications for psdoom.

  71. Houston by RDW · · Score: 1

    "I can't honestly say that I believe everyone at the show will be happy to see us," Houston said. "But I think most people will take our presence at LinuxWorld in the spirit in which it's intended -- a sincere attempt to open a positive dialog between Microsoft and the open-source development community."

    Houston, we have a problem...

  72. I love this quote by Frag-A-Muffin · · Score: 3, Insightful

    from the article:

    "This isn't about trying to get people to move from Unix to Microsoft products, it's about offering ways for both systems to peacefully coexist," Houston stressed.

    Then why aren't the office formats open?

    --

    AirSpeak - http://itunes.com/apps/AirSpeak
  73. Someone did. by A+nonymous+Coward · · Score: 2

    And thank you!

  74. You're a complete and utter fag by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Who gives a shit?

  75. Sun and 64 bit computing as Marketing Buzzword by iggymanz · · Score: 1

    Had to laugh at linked article's sentence: "But McNealy admitted yesterday that Sun's dismissal of 32-bit processing was a mistake."

    Most enterprises run their 64 bit capable Sun boxes in 32 bit mode (Solaris 2.5, 2.6 and the 32 bit kernel of 8.0). 64 bit mode breaks too many things for most businesses.

  76. Ignore Microsoft by itsjpr · · Score: 1

    According to the Wired article:

    And he added that if he could be granted one LinuxWorld wish, it would simply be that people attending the show would talk to him and his colleagues.

    "Please come to the booth, converse, vent, tell us what you love about Linux and tell us what Microsoft is doing right and doing wrong," Houston said.

    "Just please don't ignore us."


    So remember, do everybody a big favor and ignore them.

    I know that's hard for the /. crowd, since they love to hate the MPAA, RIAA and yet have a voracious appetite for their products. Corporations don't get power that they are not given.

    See any parallels!?!

  77. Sun's come around, I suppose by alcohollins · · Score: 2

    Good to see that Sun believes in Linux enough to put some hardware effort behind it. I wasn't so sure, when I read this Sun article a ways back.

    Linux on the Mainframe--Not a Good Idea

    1. Re:Sun's come around, I suppose by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The LX50 is hardly a mainframe.

    2. Re:Sun's come around, I suppose by bilbobuggins · · Score: 1

      umm... did you even RTFA?
      first of all it's an article trashing IBM and it's by Sun's 'chief competitive officer'!
      hardly a business plan or mission statement, in fact it's barely a statement, just plain old propoganda and FUD hoping to help move a few more units

  78. Sun + Linux == Desktop ? by jonadab · · Score: 2, Informative

    > "What you will see from Sun is a lot more attention paid to
    > Linux on the desktop, because there is a lot more growth there
    > than anyone is willing to suggest," said Jonathan Schwartz,
    > executive vice president for Sun's software group.

    This is in direct contrast to IBM's approach, and IMO it makes
    sense for Sun, because it hurts a certain competitor with a very
    large market share more than it hurts Sun. Think about it: Sun
    doesn't want to commoditise the server market if they have any
    brains, because that's where they make their money. But they
    *do* want to commoditise the desktop market, because that will
    prevent anyone from leveraging control of the desktop market
    (since no one entity can control a commoditised market) to push
    Sun (along with other competitors) out of the server market.

    This is Sun being smart. *And* it's something the Linux
    community really needs badly: a major desktop OEM.

    Now, granted, this is highly speculative, since the product
    they're unveiling right now is a low-end server. But I would
    very much like to see Sun (or any major OEM -- sorry, WallMart
    doesn't count as a major OEM) unveil an affordable Linux-based
    desktop system.

    It's different for IBM, because they make a lot of money on
    the consulting and support end of the business, so that if
    the server becomes a commodity, it doesn't hurt them really.
    Sun has a bottom line in the server market to worry about,
    but they can better afford to commoditise the desktop, since
    that's a natural complement of the server.

    Am I making any sense?

    --
    Cut that out, or I will ship you to Norilsk in a box.
    1. Re:Sun + Linux == Desktop ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You make sense...

      But I see it as an even simpler issue.

      Sun has taken the time to promote "alternatives" to MS office and PC's with StarOffice and thier thin clients.

      So this is just an extension. - And it can only erode the MS Office format monoply.

      Right now, Sun is best positioned to distribute a corporate PC (/ solution) - even more so than Apple with OSX (Which *has* MS Office support).

      Sun *could* sell a PC - STOCKED with OS and software for less than a MS desktop / office license *alone*.

      Then they back it with the Sun name - which means trust of larger IT departments... Before I start the flame war let me say I understand the loathing that Sun PS generates... I just feel that corporate IT would feel safer moving to a desktop from one vendor like Sun (hardware / OS (Thier Linux) / Office Suite) than a mixed bag.

      Does sun grab the brass ring? Or do they maintain the arrogance that I know so well?

    2. Re:Sun + Linux == Desktop ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This is Sun being smart. *And* it's something the Linux community really needs badly: a major desktop OEM.

      Sun selling workstations with Linux pre-installed. That would rock...

      http://www.sun.com/desktop/sunblade2000/annivers ar y.html
      http://www.sun.com/desktop/sunblade100/

    3. Re:Sun + Linux == Desktop ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Remember, too, that Sun has put some muscle behind Gnome 2. They've provided both programming support and run some GUI test labs to see where Gnome needed improvement. They could well be just exactly what Linux needs to jumpstart a well designed desktop.

  79. The Big Microsoft Secret... by thasmudyan · · Score: 1

    So the BMSS really boils down to an attempt at making money off of developers (according to the article). As an interesting side effect they wills show you the superiority of Windows but they're REALLY here to make peaceful contact and get you to buy Visual Studio .NET or whatever. (Because who says you can't sell stuff to your enemies, I mean even Slashdot does it by posting MS software ads.)

  80. booth babe photos? by bernz · · Score: 1, Funny
    ...Will be posted where? and when?


    and no closeups. They all have bad skin :)

    1. Re:booth babe photos? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      reminds me of a famous saying "Good from a far, but Far from a good" enjoy, Stavvy

  81. Microsoft need a stand...? I know why by mageben · · Score: 1

    In all reality they have a stand to prompte their 1 degree of seperation sthick. In my issue of eWeek they have a advertisment:

    How do you get your Windows Die hards to work with your Unix Zelots... 1 degree of seperation

    (oddly the picture has 6 people on the windows side and 5 on the unix side just a little subliminal hint at which they think is better)

    M$ seems to be trying to make a point that they do work with linux. I guess they're afraid of us.

    -Ben

    --

    ---PRESS ANY KEY TO CONTINUE---
    "Now, where's the damn 'any' key?"

    1. Re:Microsoft need a stand...? I know why by __aaklbk2114 · · Score: 1

      (oddly the picture has 6 people on the windows side and 5 on the unix side just a little subliminal hint at which they think is better)

      Or just that it takes more Windows admins than Unix admins to do the same job...

  82. Wonderful news! by irvmx · · Score: 1

    >"Microsoft has a booth at the Expo in the section >intended for "new, up-and-coming companies"

    This is great news, because, as we all know,
    90% of those exhibiting in that "up-and-coming"
    section will be out of business in a year or two.

    Irv

    1. Re:Wonderful news! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      why don't you oss fans get it? open source is bad for business. thats why they all fail.

  83. Maybe they want the freedom to change apps... by croftj · · Score: 2, Insightful
    I know for myself I don't like MY data locked into YOUR app. When I tire of using an app or it doesn't do what I want, I should be able to get to MY data and use another app to do what I want. With alot of apps, once I use them, I am locked in because there is know way to get access to MY data except through THEIR app.

    --
    -- Many men would appreciate a woman's mind more if they could fondle it
  84. what MS is doing by kappax · · Score: 1

    Ms is going to try someting like what they did with GL, they are going to get there foot in to linux code some stuff copyright it have ppl use it, then wate till some major part of linux windws up with some MS code in it and then go around saying they owne linux and that we all have to pay for it. yes some ppl say they might be but i dont think so.

    but on the other hand they might try and boost linux so the DOJ dont get them.

    o well i think they want to take linux away

    1. Re:what MS is doing by viperblades · · Score: 1

      if they we own linux becuase you have 10 lines of our copyrighted code in the kernel it will be as if a million geeks recompiled in one day........
      (and anyway how are they gonna go after the end users?)

  85. Hah, VA Bows To Big Blue... by President+A.+Lincoln · · Score: 1



    "Every time IBM says Linux, our phone rings." - Former CEO of VA, Larry Augustin.




    Yes, I'm the real Abraham Lincoln.

  86. Posting from the Exhibit Floor by creep · · Score: 1

    I thought this was funny...two guys in red hats arguing with one of the Microsoft representatives about releasing the Windows source. One of them asked Mr. Microsoft if he'd ever looked at the Linux kernel source, to which he replied, "We're not allowed." ...

  87. ZDNet: MS Leads Anti-Open Source Lobby by phrostie · · Score: 1

    "The Initiative for Software Choice, which launched quietly in early May, is chaired by an industry body called the Computer Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), but its biggest software industry backer is Microsoft."

    1. Re:ZDNet: MS Leads Anti-Open Source Lobby by symbolic · · Score: 2

      Consider this quote:
      "When governments base their choice on a preference that takes merit out of the situation, that's a concern to us," said Mike Wendy, public relations and policy counsel for CompTIA. "More options are always better."

      What a load of worm-infested road apples. If more options are better, why isn't M$ doing what's necessary make more options available? Put up or shut up - publish the MS document specs (ALL of them).

      It's clear that what he meant to say was "More options are always better...as long as they're in our favor."

    2. Re:ZDNet: MS Leads Anti-Open Source Lobby by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Haven't see you on MSDN lately. Did your computer go down or something?

  88. Yes, GPL is anti-commercial. yes yes yes by A+nonymous+Coward · · Score: 2

    Tell that to RedHat, IBM, but no need to tell M$ or even yourself, since you and M$ already know so much.

    1. Re:Yes, GPL is anti-commercial. yes yes yes by ScubaS · · Score: 1

      Redhat stock is about as hot as realnetworks. you can't say that companies like VA would be able to survive on their own without the fat piggy bank of IBM. whats the excuse for that? "uh, poor management" haha. theres no monetary value in providing services to geeks who have no money to begin with and who will never profit off of their work. this is what we call reality, folks.

  89. Flexibility by einhverfr · · Score: 2

    You are right-- users don't want flexibility (they don't want to read docs either), but administrators, developers, OEM's etc. do. That way, they can taylor the product to their customers. The end users then just end up with a moron-friendly interface, and that is what matters to them. The OEM's then have the incentive to reduce support costs trying all sorts of things. Read the Findings of Fact from the current Antitrust case against Microsoft for more in this.

    So flexibility is always a virtue-- it is just that some people don't have to see it.

    --

    LedgerSMB: Open source Accounting/ERP
  90. MS leads lobby against open source by dis102 · · Score: 1

    http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1104-949527.html

    This just in guess it is good to play both sides of fence

  91. lol... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    HAHA whats ur point? u can save a document and read it on a httpd, wow thats a revolutionary idea.. kinda like sharing the htdocs dir with samba or nfs, gee wizz windows owned us now. and whats all this office suite crap, open office is great, and its free.

  92. It seems like only yesterday.. by AftanGustur · · Score: 2


    Don't people still remember This ?

    --
    echo '[q]sa[ln0=aln80~Psnlbx]16isb572CCB9AE9DB03273snlbxq' |dc
  93. Warning by kasperd · · Score: 1

    There is a big fat warning on that page. But if you follow the link and read it, it might be too late. Trust me, it is for your own sake I post a copy of the warning here:

    The goatse.cx lawyer has informed us that we need a warning! So.. if you are under the age of 18 or find this photograph offensive, please don't look at it. Thank you!

    --

    Do you care about the security of your wireless mouse?
    1. Re:Warning by Geekboy(Wizard) · · Score: 1

      Wow, I can't believe someone who reads Slashdot didn't know about goatse.cx.

    2. Re:Warning by kasperd · · Score: 1

      I didn't know, at least until now. I guess I'll never forget.

      --

      Do you care about the security of your wireless mouse?
    3. Re:Warning by ctimes2 · · Score: 1

      The support groups meet on Thursday, we ask that you bring a dollar to help with coffee. ;)

      --
      My cube. My friend. My solace. My prison.
  94. mod parent up by phoxix · · Score: 1
    this brings an interesting point ...

    on one hand you have all this cool sun stuff for linux, and on the other you have this article

    hrrmmm ... makes you wonder

  95. Re:Slashdot to change? Not likely by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Malda, McCarthy, Hemos, and the other Slashdot faggots don't know fucking shit about coding. They are hardly better than high school kids. Slashcode is pure crap. I'm sure there are quite a few high school kids who are better coders than the Slashqueers.

  96. Apart from their desktops... by Nailer · · Score: 2

    Where most are happily running Internet Explorer on Windows. Check the user agents that appear in the logs of anyone who's been Slashdotted.

  97. Stupid. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Everytime I hear argumets like this, I get a little frightened and paranoid.

    People say they can't tolerate ads, cannot tolerate a service being paid, a company going for profit... I start to fear Microsoft will be with us for longer than I thought.

    Heck, even RMS once said ( in his Manifest.o ) that the problem is charging too high prices (the "eating sushi" thing) and not charging itself.

    How many times should dumb people be remembered that freesoftware is mainly software with freedom and not unpaid software?

    Of course, in some poor places, it also must be inexpensive, but that's not the underlying idea.

    I then become paranoid: whose interests are served by requiring linux companies to be charities?

    I hope VA succeeds and gets wealthy and healthy, if not out of gratitude just for my personal interests that /. stay with us for a long, long time.

    I think _there are_ free lunches.

    Nonetheless, people who serves us must be paid. Because we owe them and because we wanted the service in the first place.

    This is a fact of life. It's not just MHO.

  98. blatant move to sell out by r00tarded · · Score: 2

    well i guess if IBM doesnt pick up on this blatant move to get them to buy VA rea^H^H^H lin^H^H^H soft^H^H^H^H BM, they can always reimplement SourceForge in .asp and SQLServer and try the only other company with cash...

  99. where is Savannah by oliverthered · · Score: 2

    I want to move off of sourceforge because it's in the US, because my project involves reverse engineering and Im just about to do some decription code(just an XOR) but there's potential problems with DMCA FBI and all that.

    So i would like to know where are the Savannah servers based.

    --
    thank God the internet isn't a human right.
  100. from the show floor... by CoughDropAddict · · Score: 2

    They just dimmed the lights, telling people to leave as the first day of the exhibition floor draws to a close.

    McNealy's keynote focused on establishing the image of Sun as a significant supporter of the open-source community through efforts like OpenOffice.org. He also said they are committed to LSB support for their Linux distro, and they have no intention of establishing incompatibility. I thought the most surprising announcement he made is that Sun is introducing the LX50, an **X86** server! He said they will ship with both Linux (Sun Linux I assume) and Solaris, leaving the user to choose. He didn't say much of anything about Sun ONE.

    He said one of Sun's strategies will be to make their products "Integratable," as opposed to "Integrated." The idea being that you have the ability to swap out any part of their software and use a different product -- free or proprietary -- in its place. He contrasted this with Microsoft (whom he mocked throughout) who "swore under oath that if you remove this one little program (the web browser) the whole thing will break and they'll have to take it off the market."

    I saw the Google guy's (can't remember his name) keynote also. Can't think of anything to say about it, a lot of it was just "we have tons of computers, here are the problems we face."

    The Microsoft booth is plugging a new product of theirs called Services for Unix. Win32 works as a subsystem of the NT kernel through an undocumented interface. Services for Unix is an implentation of POSIX (with SysV IPC, shm, pipes, mmap, signals, etc) that works at the same level as Win32, as opposed to Cygwin that runs on top of Win32. Pricing is $99, $39 academic. The current version doesn't support pthreads, but the next one will.

    The Microsoft booth reads "Community. Interoperabilty. Flexibility."

  101. Linux World in New York City and M$ by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    How many went to Linux World in New York last February? My brother and I went. When we came across M$'s booth, we laughed. There was an invisible line around M$'s entire booth! Kind of like a de-militarized zone. When people got to M$'s area, they kinda veered to the other side of the aisle. *ALL* the other booths had fair crowds around them. All but M$'s. This was the first day of the show, too. I did see a person wander in occasionally.

    Overall, the M$ salesdroids looked like they'd rather be elsewhere. Like a place where M$ had control. After all you can't spout M$ FUD while surrounded by penguins. :-)

    It is it any better for them at this show? :-)

  102. Cool... by Chexsum · · Score: 0

    This year, one of the booths in the LinuxWorld "Rookery," section, ... belongs to Microsoft

    Its about time they seen the light and joined us. =)

    --
    Pixels keep you awake!
  103. d00d M$ suxorz by t0ny · · Score: 0

    As has been said countless times before, WinNT/XP should never crash unless you have crappy hardware or memory. Just because you can get Linuts to run stable on your Packard Bell with the $5 Best Buy memory chips doesnt mean MS makes a bad os. It just means you made bad purchasing decisions with your hardware.

    --

    Manipulate the moderator system! Mod someone as "overrated" today.

  104. Corporate Ethics - ha! by Max+the+Merciless · · Score: 1

    "Employing linux is harzardous, because advocates and those that you would need to employ to maintain it are childish and ignorant of corporate ethics"

    "Corporate Ethics" - now there's a concept, or is it a oxymoron?

    --
    * * Always question "the National Interest" - 9 times out of 10 it is a cover for evil
    1. Re:Corporate Ethics - ha! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      that doesn't sound like a press statement.

  105. Re:Yay! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Well, when you grow up to be a real company sometimes Open Source DBs just can't cut it - i.e. maintain the growth

  106. Even Funnier - You can't register with Konq by joeflies · · Score: 2

    I tried to register for the show using Konq. The site has some browser checking to allow Netscape & IE only. Is the site being run by the GNOME fans :>) (just kidding) http://www.linuxworldexpo.com/linuxworldexpo/v31/i ndex.cvn?ID=10002&p_navid=1

    1. Re:Even Funnier - You can't register with Konq by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ok, here goes.. I was reading the Q&A section and came across this:

      Q: How do I make sure I have cookies turned on?
      A: If you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer TM , click on the Tools menu, and select Internet Options. Next, click the Security tab. Click the Custom Level button, and scroll down until you see the Cookies header. Click the radio button that says Enable.

      If you are using Netscape Navigator TM click on the Edit menu, and select Preferences. The Preferences window will pop up; click Advanced, and under Cookies, select Accept all Cookies.


      So hmm... Either LinuxWorld Expo is directed towards Windows users, or the guys who are responsible for the pages do not even know what Linux is. No matter how I look at it I find it strange. Do the corporates own us already?

      - Voice of Ambience -

  107. Re:Slashdot to change? Not likely by chromatic · · Score: 1
    Not to flamebait here...

    If you were truly concerned about the potential interpretations of your post, perhaps you should have checked Slash 1 against the current CVS tree. (I'd also like to see your version of the SQL commands which would be faster with subselects.) A good benchmark is much more difficult than a frantic hand-waving.

  108. DB2? No MySQL? Ohhhh Nooooooooo!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    No MySQL? Where will all the slashdotties go crowing about the superiority of MySQL over PostgreSQL, Oracle, and other databases now that big blue is controlling the data?

    On a related note, lets hope that big blue is not storing the database on IBM GXP drives.

  109. Report from the floor. by Allnighterking · · Score: 2

    First M$ is really invading... I pull up a page covering LW and get an add for .net. Ok on with what I saw.

    1. One this is missing... Distros. Red hat and SuSe are there with full (but smaller) booths and that's pretty much it. Debian has a table in .org land. Caldera has a corner of one of the majors displays. I couldn't find Mandrake although they are supposed to be in a corner somewhere as well. Although Ximain isn't a distro it's worth noting that they too are lacking in presence.

    2. The most sought out booth is the Zaurus Booth with Sharp. They are selling like mad. Expecially since the price is heavily discounted from retail. Neat new toys as well, Like a roll up keyboard being demo'd in Beta form.

    3. The jugglers and magicians of old are gone. This year it's about business. The number of visibly Geek individuals has dropped. Although ties aren't being worn except by the security team,the dresscode is definitly turning yuppy in it's look and feel. Whereas in 99 in San Jose it was somewhat of a party atmosphere this year it's much more business like. As a result the feel is that Linux is operating from strength not from the hip. Over all, the feeling is much richer and Linux feels solid and real. Gone is M$ bashing to get attention. (Although M$ is heavy into Linux bashing.) Linux is playing from strength not from attitude. In fact the fact that M$ is in the rookery really does add to the impression that they are a minor player and Linux is the dominate life form.

    5. They had in the past rest areas where you could plug in your laptop and geek out. This year the rest area is designed for getting together with companies and talking business. The floor is crowded with people unlike the graveyard feel it had last year.

    6. The show is smaller than last year. Less hype. One major player is now combined with another. (HP and Compaq) Companies are less intrested in being the biggest and more intrested in delivering hard numbers, and proven technology. If you are looking to get your geek on by checking out cool new hardware and software of the never to come future. This is not the show for you. IF however you are intrested in how to deploy Linux to best serve the needs of your company or organization. Come and bring lot's of room to take notes.

    7. Swag --- We don't need no stinkin' Swag In the past my kid loved it when Daddy came back from LW because he got all kinds of neat things to play with. This year, the swag is limited as heck . Mostly product brochures and data sheets. A geek coming to LW with one T-Shirt will most likely leave with just one, unless he buys it. No dancing penguins, no daemon girls, no booth fluff. The people in the booths actually know the product and are willing to discuss it. This definitly isn't a Comdex clone.

    8. OSDN is to be commended on one thing. They have brought the speeches and discussions out of the back halls and into the main halls. An exciting and informative list of people from all over the Linux map are deliverying seminars on the Main floor. Every one of them is well attended and very informative. Kudos to OSDN on this move.

    9. No Dust Puppy *sniff*

    10. All in all I must say this IBM + Linux has created a culture in Linux that is less Silicon Valley hype than normal and Less stuffed shirt than the IBM of old, Picked up and carried forward by HP Sun and others to the point that DESPITE Washington DC and the Bush league players a solid well organized movement has really just begun.

    --

    I'm sorry, I'm to tired to be witty at the moment so this message will have to do.

  110. Re:Yay! by ScubaS · · Score: 1

    I think IBM just wanted to win the hearts of linux fans for when they all realize theres no money to be made in OSS they choose IBM. (btw, IBM will prove to wallstreet that oss isn't good for long term investments)

    Certain death status has been attained.

  111. Bull by laptop006 · · Score: 1

    I'd expect that if people didn't fake their refferrers then the numbers would be much different, I'm using Opera ATM but am emulating IE5.5.

    --
    /* FUCK - The F-word is here so that you can grep for it */
    1. Re:Bull by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Of course by bull, you mean `I disagree, and am retarded'...

  112. deface the M$ booth by R55 · · Score: 1

    it would be better to nuke the windoze machine first ;)
    then go and watch the fun !!

  113. I think this means we won.... by rc.loco · · Score: 1
    The Gandhi quote comes to mind: "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." I think the cycle is complete after yesterday. The Redmond gang has realized it cannot eat/destroy Linux/Free & Open Source Software, so what do they do: switch from predator mode to capitalist mode. "Can't beat them, might as well try to sell our stuff to them."

    To top it off, the CEO of Sun is giving the keynote about how great Linux is and how committed Sun is to it. I'm sure the folks at IBM and HP snickered during McNealy's speech.

    I think that August 13th, 2002 is an important date for all of us who have been "fighting the good fight", trying to raise awareness and make in-roads into conventional high-tech markets.

    In a sense, I think we just won.

    --
    --rc
  114. umm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    the quote referred to the Microsoft booth, not the IBM deal. Duh.