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Microsoft Plans News Aggregator
wyldeone writes "ZDNet says Microsoft is planning on creating a news aggregation service similar to Google's Google News. It will draw headlines from over 4,800 sites. It will also provide customized feeds, similar to Googles News alerts. Here is the beta version of the site."
Linux is better for many reasons, and you apparently don't know how how to use Linux:
#1 -- The lack of drivers in Linux assures males that they will never face the awkwardness of a first date, because most of the time they will spend their free time pursuing the elusive 'driver fix' instead of having a social life.
#2 -- Everyone loves a cheapskate, even if the product is overloaded with unncessary features and complexities that lower IT effectiveness and productivity.
#3 -- It's not Microsoft, so automatically it is better. It doesn't matter how user friendly or how much improved any Microsoft product becomes, since it has a price tag it cannot bypass Linux as a superiour product.
#4 -- Linux is just oozing software and features that daily desktop users need -- like 10 different GUI environments, lack of standardization in design, and an open sauce community that rips off commercial products then wonders why more companies don't devote time and effort to linux.
#5 -- Lets not forget that Open Sauce (err, source) is being used by IBM, Dell, etc. to increase their bottom line WIHOUT them having to pay developers for their hard work. That's right folks -- this only helps the corporations. Dell, IBM, Compaq -- any Linux vendor benefits from the advances the OSS community makes w/o paying one damn penny. Now that is pathetic.
FreeBSD vs Linux - The Definitive Comparison
Flamewars between FreeBSD and Linux advocates occur all the time, so it's often hard to make a judgement. Our 500-employee company recently decided to convert fully to Open Source software and OSes; I was put in charge of making the decisions. It boiled down to FreeBSD and Linux, and without letting any bias or emotions get in the way, I established the following criteria.
Performance
This is a complicated issue, so let's consider these three types of machine (in use at our company):
Single CPU server: FreeBSD just edged ahead of Linux on this one. The differences weren't drastic, but large enough - consequently, score 1 for FreeBSD here.
Multi CPU server: With kernel 2.6, Linux performed considerably better than both FreeBSD 4.9 and 5.2.1. The updated SMP code and revised scheduler have worked wonders here, so 1 for Linux.
Desktop: Linux 2.6 is much faster than either FreeBSD, particularly when the system is heavily loaded. Application start times are slightly better, while responsiveness is remarkably superior to FreeBSD. Another 1 for Linux.
Result: FreeBSD 1, Linux 2
Stability
Linux distributions vary greatly in terms of stability, with Mandrake Linux and Fedora Core aiming for bleeding-edge desktop features, while Slackware and Debian put great emphasis on stability. FreeBSD is indeed a reliable OS, but the smaller development and testing community puts it behind Linux - additionally, there are more full-time Linux developers working with commercial companies on hardware support and core component testing.
Our Debian and Slackware systems have never crashed or suffered any other major glitches in five years of use, and we know of other individuals and companies that can say the same. With the correct distribution selection, Linux systems are extremely reliable. The far greater amount of testing by the community and companies gives Linux a boost here.
Result: FreeBSD 0, Linux 1
Support
Ease of updating: Although a third-party binary updaing system exists, it's not yet part of the official FreeBSD system (and consequently, problems with trust occur). Current FreeBSD releases rely on manual CVS updating, patch applying, compilation and installation. Debian GNU/Linux, conversely, only needs a single command to update; this is a major win for Linux, as it saves a huge amount of time on a large number of machines. 1 to Linux.
Length of support: Each FreeBSD point release is only supported for 12 months. The Debian Project supports each of its releases for over two years, and other distros such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux are supported for five years. Although upgrading FreeBSD is fairly simple, the changes in userland tools and Ports means that extensive re-testing of home-grown apps needs to be made. A major win for Linux here.
Commercial support: FreeBSD is significantly weaker on this front, with Linux vendors offering a much greater range and variety of support contracts than are available for FreeBSD. 1 to Linux.
Result: FreeBSD 0, Linux 3
Hardware
Server: FreeBSD's driver range for server-class machines is very good, and the drivers themselves are robust and well-tested. Linux is strong on this front too, but FreeBSD just pips it to the post. 1 to FreeBSD.
Desktop: Linux far surpasses FreeBSD in terms of desktop hardware support, with a gigantic range of drivers and subsystems from both kernel developers and third parties. 1 to Linux.
Other platforms: Debian supports more architectures than FreeBSD, although the gap is narrowing. NetBSD supports even more, but that involves throwing another BSD variant into the mix - this causes problems. 1 to Linux.
Result: FreeBSD 1, Linux 2
Software
The commercial software range for Linux is growing at an astounding rate, and Debian's package repository contain
1. Armed by tradition because of some colonial problems, care to enlighten us?
2. Saying all Americans are overweight is like saying all Britains have serious dental problems, ok.
3. One word, shag, really, no slang in the UK.
4. Yet another statement based on something other then fact,
seems like you've been getting facts from your television?
5. I agree with you on this, our Constitution has been turned into a relatively useless document by a bunch of asswipes, while are forced to study it in secondary school its not until much later that we are studying the past, shortly after figuring out who has done this to us we go out and do #1
6. Two words; rabbit, die-back.
7. If that were true I doubt Bush Jr. would have made it as far as he has.
8. umm, I watch the BBC for news, but what is that crap thats on in between the news? you have how many channels of that? You pay a use tax for it? nice.
Unix, an obscure operating system developed by bored researchers in an attempt to get a better game playing experience.
For the record (and not that I like the guy): There is no Bush Jr. W is not a Jr. because he doesn't have the same name as his father -- George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush. Different names.