Maddog on the State of Linux

Amy Kucharik writes "Long-time Linux user and pioneer Jon "maddog" Hall spoke recently with SearchEnterpriseLinux.com about what he knows best: Linux. Hall discusses where the penguin is going and where it's been in this exclusive interview."

Comments

in time for 2008?

[BortQ]

I can see it now: The US passes an amendment to allow foreign citizens to be president and we get a Linus vs. Arnold campaign.

And be careful, because if 'Linus' isn't a girlieman name then I don't know what is.

Huh?

[Anonymous Coward]

Many people have had problems in fitting Firefox into their Microsoft suite because of Microsoft's "integration."

Say what? Who is having problems fitting Firefox into their Microsoft "suite" (whatever that is)? What the hell is he talking about?

Re:Huh?

[Foggerty]

i.e. People wanting to use something like WebEx, or a custom built application that requires ActiveX. Not justifing it (by a long shot), but you might be suprised at how many "web" apps have been written that only work on IE.

Re:Good stuff

[TykeClone]

I'd disagree there - they do a good enough job to achieve lock-in. Look at Outlook/Exchange Server - you need to use the Outlook client to really leverage Exchange; to get a good deal on the Outlook client, you get it bundled with the rest of Office; to make good use of your Office investment, use Windows Server...

It mostly works good enough to make it difficult to break out of it - which is where the problem with moving to Linux lies.

Re:Good stuff

[Anonymous Coward]

On the contrary -- as in that quote, he frequently gave the impression that he doesn't have the slightest idea what Microsoft software can and can't do. He's been a Unix guy for so long it's not surprising but he sounds like his understanding of Microsoft comes from listening to Linux zealots.

I dunno, I was pretty disappointed in this interview. I'd expected better.

Shower Knobs

[MindDelay]

Recently, I was in a shower in Korea, and the shower knobs were smooth and covered with soapy water. I could not turn on the cold water, and I was almost scalded. I suggested that the management go to the hardware store and buy new handles for the faucets, ones with rougher knobs. This would be possible due to the standards in the plumbing industry that set the size of pipes, screw pitch, etc., and allow you to put several different styles of knobs on the end of the pipes. If Microsoft had built the hotel, they would have to rip out the entire piping system, all the way back to the water supply on the street and replace the entire thing, just to allow me to use a different manufacturer's knobs.

HAHAHA, that's one of the funniest things i've ever seen said about microsoft.

Re:Shower Knobs

[gl4ss]

yeah but..

nerd.. shower?

what was he doing there, installing linux? /almost 5:30 am bad joke

Anyone can complain

[Anonymous Coward]

it takes an entity with vision to do something.

I would have liked to hear more details in this interview on how the LSB project is going and the other activities going on at the Free Standards organization since Jon is on their Board of Directors.

No wonder

[FullMetalAlchemist]

It's no wonder that people think of Linux users as totally clueless, because if one of the pioneers have no clue at all, then what about the rest?

If there is anything like bad press then Bruce Perens, maddog, ESR and RMS are the pioneers of it.

You fellows should be glad that Linus is such a lovely chap, he can sometimes make up for it.

Seriously, if Linux was a company and had all the same incompetent spokespersons it would be in the gutter.

Maybe Linus can gag them for attampt on ruining his reputation. ;)

Seriously, couldn't Linus assign official spokespersons so that us non Linux users can hear something other than uninformed opinions?
That would be great, because; even though I will never use Linux; I'm still interested in what is _really_ going on.

No mention of Evolution/SUSE/Open Exchange

[scupper]

When Maddog was asked about communications and e-mail applications running on Linux making a dent into Outlook/Exchange, I was kinda dissapointed to not hear mention of Evolution and Evolution Connector, or SUSE Linux Open Exchange Server (SLOX) migrations going on with companies like RICIS and IDL .

I understand his point about Sendmail and developing countries adopting F/OSS, but the question was pretty pointed;
"any communications and e-mail F/OSS apps running on Linux that might make a dent in Outlook/Exchange?"

He could have shared the fact that......

IDL Technology Group in CA-US claims :

" Together, Ricis and I.D.L. Technology Group have installed over 1,000 Openexchange servers in 2003 and have performed more than 340 Microsoft Exchange to SUSE LINUX Openexchange migrations, as well as over 150 migrations from other Email server platforms using various SUSE LINUX (Now Novell) approved migration tools.

Those are the kind of facts Senor Maddog needs to be dropping. Also, here's a online demo for SLOX 4.1
(BTW: I don't work for SUSE/Novell, RICIS, IDL)

Hot soapy, smooth knobs... erm

[tod_miller]

from the interview

Recently, I was in a shower in Korea, and the shower knobs were smooth and covered with soapy water. I could not turn on the cold water, and I was almost scalded. I suggested that the management go to the hardware store and buy new handles for the faucets, ones with rougher knobs. This would be possible due to the standards in the plumbing industry that set the size of pipes, screw pitch, etc., and allow you to put several different styles of knobs on the end of the pipes. If Microsoft had built the hotel, they would have to rip out the entire piping system, all the way back to the water supply on the street and replace the entire thing, just to allow me to use a different manufacturer's knobs.

Freud would have a field day on this chappy!

OK it was immature. and fun! (it worked if you saw the subtext)