We are a 95% Linux site- servers and clients, and it is nearly impossible to find industry specific Linux applications. The kicker is- we would be happy with even CLOSED source, commercial applications.
For industry specific and niche applications it is doubtful whether you will ever get a set of open source applications for a lot of set purposes. What is required are reasonably straightforward development frameworks for application developers to pick up, create a wide variety of software and be able distribute those applications easily to you. Linux and open source software has various parts of this in place, but the main problems aren't being solved. If we get that then maybe open source developers from the Windows world will chime in as well and create a snowball effect.
What is needed is a COMPELLING, modern, cross-platform, open-source, GUI, business application development environment. It is 2008.
It has one. It's called Qt (yes, it works everywhere well on Linux, Unix, OS X and Windows), it really works and it even has a modern desktop environment developed with it called KDE with frameworks being developed that are trying to solve some of the more pressing problems we've had for years - easy desktop scripting and development, easy installation, integration of the OS with the desktop etc.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of the Linux companies seem to be fannying about with stuff that isn't going to work or move forwards this side of the next ice age.
Running KDE 4.1 on my Debian Sid box makes it quite clear that "IT'S NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME." The whole Plasma environment that is the in-your-face Widget evironment for the new Kicker, desktop and more crashes daily and this LIFO approach to widgets on the new dock because certain functionality [move object to parentRect from (x(0),y(0) to x(1),y(0))] ala click/grab and drag left or right, release and write changes to file] not to mention the random launched multiple copies of Kate if a system crash occurs or you reboot, or even logout and relogin are just a few more tidbits of making this NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME Desktop Environment built on top of Qt.
Seeing as the KDE Devs keep moving the goal post for what is or is not the first stable release only worsen's the argument. With Qt4.5 and the introduction of Qt Cocoa it will be even more interesting to see how many "cobwebs" have to be flushed out before it's considered a solid release. Trolltech states a Beta of Qt4.5 will be released Summer of 2008, yet I'm not seeing it.
I'm looking forward to KDE 4.x being stable enough to be in the Debian Stable branch and I will continue to use it, file bugs and much more, right along-side GNOME and GNUstep but let's face it, IBM is venting because they have invested a hefty fortune in this because their own OS, AIX, doesn't compete against the likes of OS X and Windows, nor will it ever.
When OS X 10.6 is released there will be even more pressure for the Linux Community to address this gap. Being an OS X and Linux user I am done with Windows, even in a professional level sense. Be thankful we have both OS X and Linux to extend your skills on.
KDE will do itself a service if it moves to WebKit for both the Documentation Help System and Konqueror.
What's really needed is for those businesses stuck on proprietary windows software, spending thousands or tens of thousands of dollars every year for their niche software to get together and hire some coders to put together a free solution for the benefit of the whole industry. It's boring stuff, no one is going to write this stuff for free. But since they're paying someone already, they might as well get source code they can modify to their own needs. And yes, the competition would get to use it free too, but for an essential piece of business software everyone in the industry will be using it, so there's no competitive advantage there, everyone comes out ahead.
Everyone comes out on ahead, side-by-side and therefore no one perceptually has a competitive advantage; and thus the reason no one is interested in doing it. People aren't in business to make sure the competition is on equal footing with them.
wouldn't it be more efficient to build upon the existing solution and submit the improvements, thus getting a cheaper and better solution ?
have you tried to inform your employer that such an approach would require less resources to implement and maintain - and that in the end it would result in a better quality software (with all respect to your coding skills, but there's always that one bug other coder will see instantly, and there's always a ton of bugs each additional tester will find;) )
I suppose this part of his thought was overlooked?
More of a NDA / confidentiality / trade secret realm issue perhaps.
I worked at NeXT and Apple. I'd love to see what their pay ranges are for if they are above $25/hr they can f**k right off as anyone getting that kind of wage field support calls is money ahead.
Hell, when I started as an QA engineer for NeXT it was $19.50/hr for a 6 week trial run. It was later regular-full-time salaried employee but the wage sure as hell didn't jump up like you'd expect--I just had a starting point to expand into engineering.
Later on when the merger happened most reviews and salaries were frozen until solvency was returned. I worked 60 hours a week and that actually wasn't a problem for me as the work was enjoyable. The problem occurred when I got sick of my reviews being delayed so I left.
I'll say this, the jobs since then have been far less enjoyable, mindnumbingly boring and even the pay increases weren't much so in hindsight it was a stupid move.
As a multiple degree engineer [mechanical and computer science] I sure as hell am not going to feel pity for call center support personnel whining if that hourly rate is above $25/hr.
My team of 5 supported hundreds of Enterprise NeXT customers daily and we had tens of thousands of logs to maintain, edit, open, cross-reference, include changes and close, while walking joe blow developer through a redeployment, Netinfo redesign of master/slave relationships, to EOF database models, to checking over Openstep code, system installs of 4 architectures, et.al BEFORE we escalated it to Engineering proper [AppKit, FoundationKit, WOF, etc]
I have a suggestion: find a competitive environment that is comparable to Apple Call Centers and leave if you think it's better, or improve your technology skills and network at Apple's main campus to see if there are job openings you'd be a fit. Opportunity exists if you can see beyond the Call Center job.
I am usually keeping an eye on Linux projects that have a certain size, but this is honestly the first time I hear about this.
Really? I suppose you're not an Amazon customer or just a peruser? The damn thing is on every page of their site. It's marketing all over the stripmall.
How did the architect respond to your suggestions for improvements?
In his analogy, he's the Architect and the software developer is the Carpenter. The Carpenters and Architects in the real world work and challenge one another to come to a compromise and get the building done, even when the Architect's "ideals" aren't practical.
It's very easy to make the case for May being "unsung"
-First and foremost, Queen is arguably the most successful and ignored band in the United States. Yes, they own the Rock Anthem chart and "we are the champions" is played to death at every major sporting event (C'mon, can't they try "February stars" by the Foo Fighters at the super bowl? just once? ), but in terms of album sales? Queen is so far down the list it's pathetic. Their worldwide sales were disproportionate to their US sales from 1975-ish on. Once glam rock died out, Queen all but disappeared from US charts. From about 84 on they still ruled the rock charts in Europe, but they never toured the US after 1982. As the "Home of rock and roll", i'd say that says something.
-Solo success. I own Brian May's first post-queen solo album and I'm probably one of the 15 people in the US that does. He's a helluva guitar player (especially considering he and his father *built* his trademark guitar from a discarded fireplace mantle) but if you ask people to name the ten greatest guitar players of all time, I'd bet huge....tracts of land that you probably wouldn't get close to hearing his name. There are plenty of other "name" guitarists out there. He just doesn't have the cult of personality that Clapton, Page, Vaughn or Hendrix have. Heck, He doesn't have the following of Satriani or even Yngwie.
He's one of the greats, but he's definitely not one of the best known. You've really got to know your guitar Gods to throw May's name out there.
I know what you're saying, but if over 300 Million world-wide sales doesn't get you noticed in the States as pivotal in music then nothing will.
One of rock's most successful, influential and popular acts, the band has released a total of eighteen number one albums, eighteen number one singles, and ten number one DVDs worldwide making them one of the world's best-selling music artists. Their total album sales have been estimated at over 300 million worldwide[76] including 32.5 million in the United States[77] alone as of 2004. The band is also the only group in which every member has composed more than one chart-topping single.[78]
Not a musician, but Mayim Bialik ("Blossom") got her PhD in Neuroscience from UCLA last year. She's still working as an actress, too - mostly voice work in cartoons and guest appearances. As a theater major getting a science PhD, I keep an eye out for these types, they're definitely inspirational.:)
Hmm. I wonder why the parts for visual acting aren't ringing off-the-hook?
I moved from Ireland to California to work at a company called myplay.com and later moved to Napster. Now I'm at imeem.com
I still entertain some deep down belief that one day I might return to astrophysics and submit my thesis, maybe if one of these internet music companies finally make me some money.
(of course, even if I stopped work tomorrow I now have young kids to take care of...)
You may know Astrophysics, Quarks, Blackholes and more, but you'd think it's very simple to figure out which companies make money off of music via the Internet. Give me an A! Give me a P! Give me another P! Give me a L! Give me an E! What's that spell? MONEY.
Besides there are quite a few Astrophysicists, including former SETI folks that work at Apple so you won't be the only one orbiting the campus.
Andrea Corr & Brian May performing "Is This The World We Created?" at the Nelson Mandela 90th Birthday Concert at Hyde Park on June 27th 2008.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amG-3BiiEu8
You expected him to pack it in? The guitar is his Girlfriend. You'll have to pry his axe out of his cold, dead hands.
Someone else mentioned Milo.
Brian Cox is probably the most hard-core. He used to be the keyboard player in Dare and D:ream and once got into a bar fight with Jimmy Page. He is now a full-on professor of physics.
But you're kinda right. It's actually more common for scientists to be classical or jazz musicians.
How he managed to have that long actor career and be Captain O'Hagan of Super Troopers is still a mystery.
He was bloody lucky. I got my PhD from York University (England), and they got so pissed off with people taking ages to write up and submit that they issued a decree that you must submit within 4 years of starting.
You must have been the rejected 5th Beatle I take it? What credible University would turn down Brian May and call him lame for leaving his post-graduate work to persue and help supplant QUEEN as rock legends?
If you hum a few bars I'm sure a few of us around here can fake it.
Slashdot Mirror
Nothing like being a megacorporation that could expand operations outside of Redmond, but inside the US and moves to go to the Phillipines.
Their GDP PPP is $3,400.
For industry specific and niche applications it is doubtful whether you will ever get a set of open source applications for a lot of set purposes. What is required are reasonably straightforward development frameworks for application developers to pick up, create a wide variety of software and be able distribute those applications easily to you. Linux and open source software has various parts of this in place, but the main problems aren't being solved. If we get that then maybe open source developers from the Windows world will chime in as well and create a snowball effect.
It has one. It's called Qt (yes, it works everywhere well on Linux, Unix, OS X and Windows), it really works and it even has a modern desktop environment developed with it called KDE with frameworks being developed that are trying to solve some of the more pressing problems we've had for years - easy desktop scripting and development, easy installation, integration of the OS with the desktop etc. Unfortunately, the vast majority of the Linux companies seem to be fannying about with stuff that isn't going to work or move forwards this side of the next ice age.
Running KDE 4.1 on my Debian Sid box makes it quite clear that "IT'S NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME." The whole Plasma environment that is the in-your-face Widget evironment for the new Kicker, desktop and more crashes daily and this LIFO approach to widgets on the new dock because certain functionality [move object to parentRect from (x(0),y(0) to x(1),y(0))] ala click/grab and drag left or right, release and write changes to file] not to mention the random launched multiple copies of Kate if a system crash occurs or you reboot, or even logout and relogin are just a few more tidbits of making this NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME Desktop Environment built on top of Qt.
Seeing as the KDE Devs keep moving the goal post for what is or is not the first stable release only worsen's the argument. With Qt4.5 and the introduction of Qt Cocoa it will be even more interesting to see how many "cobwebs" have to be flushed out before it's considered a solid release. Trolltech states a Beta of Qt4.5 will be released Summer of 2008, yet I'm not seeing it.
I'm looking forward to KDE 4.x being stable enough to be in the Debian Stable branch and I will continue to use it, file bugs and much more, right along-side GNOME and GNUstep but let's face it, IBM is venting because they have invested a hefty fortune in this because their own OS, AIX, doesn't compete against the likes of OS X and Windows, nor will it ever.
When OS X 10.6 is released there will be even more pressure for the Linux Community to address this gap. Being an OS X and Linux user I am done with Windows, even in a professional level sense. Be thankful we have both OS X and Linux to extend your skills on.
KDE will do itself a service if it moves to WebKit for both the Documentation Help System and Konqueror.
More to the point, the GPL would get zero traction amongst companies if that clause were not explicitly declared in the license.
They already throw a lot of money at Linux.
What's really needed is for those businesses stuck on proprietary windows software, spending thousands or tens of thousands of dollars every year for their niche software to get together and hire some coders to put together a free solution for the benefit of the whole industry. It's boring stuff, no one is going to write this stuff for free. But since they're paying someone already, they might as well get source code they can modify to their own needs. And yes, the competition would get to use it free too, but for an essential piece of business software everyone in the industry will be using it, so there's no competitive advantage there, everyone comes out ahead.
Everyone comes out on ahead, side-by-side and therefore no one perceptually has a competitive advantage; and thus the reason no one is interested in doing it. People aren't in business to make sure the competition is on equal footing with them.
wouldn't it be more efficient to build upon the existing solution and submit the improvements, thus getting a cheaper and better solution ? have you tried to inform your employer that such an approach would require less resources to implement and maintain - and that in the end it would result in a better quality software (with all respect to your coding skills, but there's always that one bug other coder will see instantly, and there's always a ton of bugs each additional tester will find ;) )
I suppose this part of his thought was overlooked?
More of a NDA / confidentiality / trade secret realm issue perhaps.
Because the Billions invested by IBM into Linux and the extended community is clearly chump change.
Why didn't we think of this application to fund our projects?
Oh yea! We were ripping Apple for charging for applications.
I worked at NeXT and Apple. I'd love to see what their pay ranges are for if they are above $25/hr they can f**k right off as anyone getting that kind of wage field support calls is money ahead.
Hell, when I started as an QA engineer for NeXT it was $19.50/hr for a 6 week trial run. It was later regular-full-time salaried employee but the wage sure as hell didn't jump up like you'd expect--I just had a starting point to expand into engineering.
Later on when the merger happened most reviews and salaries were frozen until solvency was returned. I worked 60 hours a week and that actually wasn't a problem for me as the work was enjoyable. The problem occurred when I got sick of my reviews being delayed so I left.
I'll say this, the jobs since then have been far less enjoyable, mindnumbingly boring and even the pay increases weren't much so in hindsight it was a stupid move.
As a multiple degree engineer [mechanical and computer science] I sure as hell am not going to feel pity for call center support personnel whining if that hourly rate is above $25/hr.
My team of 5 supported hundreds of Enterprise NeXT customers daily and we had tens of thousands of logs to maintain, edit, open, cross-reference, include changes and close, while walking joe blow developer through a redeployment, Netinfo redesign of master/slave relationships, to EOF database models, to checking over Openstep code, system installs of 4 architectures, et.al BEFORE we escalated it to Engineering proper [AppKit, FoundationKit, WOF, etc]
I have a suggestion: find a competitive environment that is comparable to Apple Call Centers and leave if you think it's better, or improve your technology skills and network at Apple's main campus to see if there are job openings you'd be a fit. Opportunity exists if you can see beyond the Call Center job.
including the discs and demo the systems on 1080p only displays and resample the survey with customers to see how much more their interest perks up.
My bet is that if a Blu-Ray player suddenly goes from $400 -> $133 the interest will skyrocket seeing as the Blu-Ray drives also run their DVD discs.
Keep thinking that when Apple surpasses 10 Million Intel packaged systems or greater by mid 2009, year over year.
This audience uses K for thousand
No, we use K for 2**10, which is 1024, not 1000.
A pow(2,10) would suffice.
Then why would they use MM for million? Wouldn't that be 2 thousand, not 1 million?
Yes, but no one wants to acknowledge your correct useage of Roman numerals, so I'll step up and do so.
I am usually keeping an eye on Linux projects that have a certain size, but this is honestly the first time I hear about this.
Really? I suppose you're not an Amazon customer or just a peruser? The damn thing is on every page of their site. It's marketing all over the stripmall.
How did the architect respond to your suggestions for improvements?
In his analogy, he's the Architect and the software developer is the Carpenter. The Carpenters and Architects in the real world work and challenge one another to come to a compromise and get the building done, even when the Architect's "ideals" aren't practical.
Apple announced today that it {...} will only sell hype, in pretty packages of course.
I fail to see how this is any different from the current situation. :-P
BeOS lost. Get over it.
It's very easy to make the case for May being "unsung"
-First and foremost, Queen is arguably the most successful and ignored band in the United States. Yes, they own the Rock Anthem chart and "we are the champions" is played to death at every major sporting event (C'mon, can't they try "February stars" by the Foo Fighters at the super bowl? just once? ), but in terms of album sales? Queen is so far down the list it's pathetic. Their worldwide sales were disproportionate to their US sales from 1975-ish on. Once glam rock died out, Queen all but disappeared from US charts. From about 84 on they still ruled the rock charts in Europe, but they never toured the US after 1982. As the "Home of rock and roll", i'd say that says something.
-Solo success. I own Brian May's first post-queen solo album and I'm probably one of the 15 people in the US that does. He's a helluva guitar player (especially considering he and his father *built* his trademark guitar from a discarded fireplace mantle) but if you ask people to name the ten greatest guitar players of all time, I'd bet huge....tracts of land that you probably wouldn't get close to hearing his name. There are plenty of other "name" guitarists out there. He just doesn't have the cult of personality that Clapton, Page, Vaughn or Hendrix have. Heck, He doesn't have the following of Satriani or even Yngwie.
He's one of the greats, but he's definitely not one of the best known. You've really got to know your guitar Gods to throw May's name out there.
I know what you're saying, but if over 300 Million world-wide sales doesn't get you noticed in the States as pivotal in music then nothing will.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_(band)
One of rock's most successful, influential and popular acts, the band has released a total of eighteen number one albums, eighteen number one singles, and ten number one DVDs worldwide making them one of the world's best-selling music artists. Their total album sales have been estimated at over 300 million worldwide[76] including 32.5 million in the United States[77] alone as of 2004. The band is also the only group in which every member has composed more than one chart-topping single.[78]
Not a musician, but Mayim Bialik ("Blossom") got her PhD in Neuroscience from UCLA last year. She's still working as an actress, too - mostly voice work in cartoons and guest appearances. As a theater major getting a science PhD, I keep an eye out for these types, they're definitely inspirational. :)
Hmm. I wonder why the parts for visual acting aren't ringing off-the-hook?
I moved from Ireland to California to work at a company called myplay.com and later moved to Napster. Now I'm at imeem.com
I still entertain some deep down belief that one day I might return to astrophysics and submit my thesis, maybe if one of these internet music companies finally make me some money.
(of course, even if I stopped work tomorrow I now have young kids to take care of...)
You may know Astrophysics, Quarks, Blackholes and more, but you'd think it's very simple to figure out which companies make money off of music via the Internet. Give me an A! Give me a P! Give me another P! Give me a L! Give me an E! What's that spell? MONEY.
Besides there are quite a few Astrophysicists, including former SETI folks that work at Apple so you won't be the only one orbiting the campus.
Andrea Corr & Brian May performing "Is This The World We Created?" at the Nelson Mandela 90th Birthday Concert at Hyde Park on June 27th 2008. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amG-3BiiEu8
You expected him to pack it in? The guitar is his Girlfriend. You'll have to pry his axe out of his cold, dead hands.
As someone going for their PhD, I have to wonder if it actually does.
Depends on if your field of study includes access to Level I drugs. If so, then you've got a legal reason to verify your theories.
The rotation of oscillating rotational planets, as influenced by female homo sapiens with large gluteal regions.
Fat-bottomed Girls to the less verbose-minded.
Someone else mentioned Milo. Brian Cox is probably the most hard-core. He used to be the keyboard player in Dare and D:ream and once got into a bar fight with Jimmy Page. He is now a full-on professor of physics. But you're kinda right. It's actually more common for scientists to be classical or jazz musicians.
How he managed to have that long actor career and be Captain O'Hagan of Super Troopers is still a mystery.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milo_Goes_To_College
Milo from the Descendents got his doctorate in Biochemistry.
Who? The Descendents who?
what does Freddie Mercury have to do with Uranus?
Perhaps it's been a dream of his to have Mercury orbit it?
He was bloody lucky. I got my PhD from York University (England), and they got so pissed off with people taking ages to write up and submit that they issued a decree that you must submit within 4 years of starting.
You must have been the rejected 5th Beatle I take it? What credible University would turn down Brian May and call him lame for leaving his post-graduate work to persue and help supplant QUEEN as rock legends?
If you hum a few bars I'm sure a few of us around here can fake it.