As the biggest supplier of arms to despots (the UK being the second) as well as being the chief supporter of starving Iraqis to death for what Saddam Hussein did, I'd say you are the bad guys.
Because Microsoft won't be able to steal IBMs hard work without getting sued. The BSD license doesn't prevent the great imitator from using whatever they like with no consequences.
I have had Windows2000 for several months now and have yet to be able to install it on either my laptop or my desktop. It always tries to load loads of drivers for hardware I don't have and then stops, requiring a reboot. On my dad's PC it installed first time without any hassles and my PCs are newer than his. Contrast that with Linux where I have never had a problem installing RH5.2, 6.0, 6.1, Mandrake 7.0, 7.1 and SuSE 6.4. I've been told it's Compaq's fault that I can't install 2000, but then that's the MS way; blame everyone but themselves for the problem.
But most of the users of Windows have their machine set up and maintained by a sysadmin in their company, therefore the 'it's too hard for users' doesn't wash. Home users are another matter, but it takes time to penetrate that market. Windows 2000 is Linux's competition at the moment and is just as difficult as Mandrake 7.2 because it is just as complex, and I wouldn't recommend either to any member of my family when they have a nice compatible consumer OS. Also to be remembered is that the Linux GUI has only really started to be worked on in the last 2 years, whereas Microsoft have a 15 year head-start. I reckon it will take another 18 months before it's ready for home users, but it's already ready for corporate users who don't have to worry when they have PC problems because that's what tech support are paid for.
According to the times displayed (in European time) only 2 of the posts were posted from my home PC, both times when I was on-call and couldn't really go and get wasted. The majority are posted from work when I'm waiting for stuff to finish, like now.
I wouldn't know pal. I don't care what I do, I'm in it for the money. After a 7.5 hour shift I go home and watch TV or go to the pub and see my friends. Computers are not the be-all and end-all of my life. Maybe you should get a life too.
Contrary to Microsoft-sponsored opinion, most coders work in in-house departments working on bespoke systems or enhancing bought in packages. Anyway, the GPL doesn't say anything about not being able to sell software, it says that the source code should be freely available. GPL software allows people and companies to fix bugs as and when they need to, not having to wait on the whim of a large software company.
How many corp end users havr to set up anything. None I would say. It's the sysadmin's job. If I have a problem with access to the internet, say, I phone up the IT helpdesk and they sort it out for me. Linux would be just the same.
Rio Tinto Zinc, British Aerospace & McDonnell-Douglas for aiding and abetting the mass-murder in East Timor; Total/Unocal for (allegedly) taking advantage of forced labour provided by the Myanmar government; various international clothing companies for using companies that employ children in appalling conditions in sweatshop factories. The international corporates have a pretty disgraceful record when it comes to human rights abuses.
But the current laws of physics only apply until they are disproved or superseded. There are so many things we don't know (matter as a wave and a particle is something that hasn't been figured out yet) that to say that the physical laws currently held to be true are the be all and end all of science.
Microsoft have been in existence since 1979, and DirectX 1.0 came out in 1995, so therefore it was sixteen years before they had any kind of framework for gaming on any of their operating systems.
Utter b*****ks. The strikes in the 70s were due to the UK government of the time trying to impose a maximum wage as a method of controlling skyrocketing inflation. Wouldn't you be a tad annoyed about that. Thatcher used this 'unions are bad' bull to trash the trade unions, many of which were not militant but merely trying to protect their members. It was the Lib/Lab pact government of the time that started all the problems, a fact that is always conveniently forgotten by union-bashers. Thatcher ripped the heart out of the unions and the exploitation of workers was the inevitable result. The restoration of the minimum wage was a step forward, but I doubt it will go any further.
(and people say American's (sic) know no history or international affairs).
OK, thanks, I didn't know that, because I couldn't find it in the man page. vi is a very good editor, but has a far steeper learning curve. That's what I was objecting to, the original poster saying that mainframes are hard to use, when Unix is just as difficult in different ways. The white space is just to separate the command 'change foo to bar' is what it translates as.
Every OS has problems getting software onto it at first, so any panic is rather premature. Windows has a huge stranglehold at the moment, but as people move and as Linux improves, the apps will come. The corporate market is the one to aim at, as that's how DOS/Windows got acceptance, using the same thing at home as at work. Give it time. It took Microsoft 16 years to create a decent framework for games and Linux isn't even 10 years old yet. I doubt, though, that it will take more than a year to get this sorted. The Linux movement has gained serious momentum in the last 18 months - expect even more excellent things for the next 18.
1) JCL is not equivalent to a batch/shell script, more like a control file that tells a program what files to use, so is more like, say, smb.conf. Try telling me that that is easy to use. The closest thing to (g)awk on the mainframe would be Rexx, which, although not perfect is a no-brainer to get things done and has almost no learning curve (unlike anything Unix-related). And things like the ISPF Edit facility is several times easier to use than vi or Emacs e.g. want to change one string to another: 'c foo bar'. What's the vi equivalent? Dunno, and I can't find it in the extremely confusing man page, although it will be some 733t gibberish no doubt. ISPF help is a lot easier to navigate. ISPF does a have a GUI facility, but few companies are prepared to fork out for it.
2) Generalisations like that are exactly the same as saying that Unix coders all have huge bushy beards and wash once a month whether they need it or not.
OS/390 is several orders of magnitude better than Linux, but it costs a great deal.
1) Got to agree. mainframe hardware management is superb.
2) You've contradicted yourself here. Mainframes can very easily be clustered together.
In conclusion, you obviously last worked on a mainframe when IBM was still getting used to not being a monopoly, the improvements in software and general attitude to customers from when I first started 11 years ago is great.
Last thing, don't think I'm anti-Unix (I'm posting this from Linux), I just get annoyed when people forget all the irritating things about Unix when they criticise mainframes.
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As the biggest supplier of arms to despots (the UK being the second) as well as being the chief supporter of starving Iraqis to death for what Saddam Hussein did, I'd say you are the bad guys.
Because Microsoft won't be able to steal IBMs hard work without getting sued. The BSD license doesn't prevent the great imitator from using whatever they like with no consequences.
I have had Windows2000 for several months now and have yet to be able to install it on either my laptop or my desktop. It always tries to load loads of drivers for hardware I don't have and then stops, requiring a reboot. On my dad's PC it installed first time without any hassles and my PCs are newer than his. Contrast that with Linux where I have never had a problem installing RH5.2, 6.0, 6.1, Mandrake 7.0, 7.1 and SuSE 6.4. I've been told it's Compaq's fault that I can't install 2000, but then that's the MS way; blame everyone but themselves for the problem.
the Americans government is still playing dumb
Not just playing anymore now that Dubya is the boss.
But most of the users of Windows have their machine set up and maintained by a sysadmin in their company, therefore the 'it's too hard for users' doesn't wash. Home users are another matter, but it takes time to penetrate that market. Windows 2000 is Linux's competition at the moment and is just as difficult as Mandrake 7.2 because it is just as complex, and I wouldn't recommend either to any member of my family when they have a nice compatible consumer OS. Also to be remembered is that the Linux GUI has only really started to be worked on in the last 2 years, whereas Microsoft have a 15 year head-start. I reckon it will take another 18 months before it's ready for home users, but it's already ready for corporate users who don't have to worry when they have PC problems because that's what tech support are paid for.
According to the times displayed (in European time) only 2 of the posts were posted from my home PC, both times when I was on-call and couldn't really go and get wasted. The majority are posted from work when I'm waiting for stuff to finish, like now.
I wouldn't know pal. I don't care what I do, I'm in it for the money. After a 7.5 hour shift I go home and watch TV or go to the pub and see my friends. Computers are not the be-all and end-all of my life. Maybe you should get a life too.
Whatever. Like the Windows GUI has changed much in the past 5 years.
Contrary to Microsoft-sponsored opinion, most coders work in in-house departments working on bespoke systems or enhancing bought in packages. Anyway, the GPL doesn't say anything about not being able to sell software, it says that the source code should be freely available. GPL software allows people and companies to fix bugs as and when they need to, not having to wait on the whim of a large software company.
unlike linux which was based on 70' technology that was based on using text based dumb terminals.
And I suppose you drive an electric car because petrol engines are 100 year-old technology.
It's on over here as well, if you're talking about LA 7
How many corp end users havr to set up anything. None I would say. It's the sysadmin's job. If I have a problem with access to the internet, say, I phone up the IT helpdesk and they sort it out for me. Linux would be just the same.
Only if they abuse it like certain organisations.
Rio Tinto Zinc, British Aerospace & McDonnell-Douglas for aiding and abetting the mass-murder in East Timor; Total/Unocal for (allegedly) taking advantage of forced labour provided by the Myanmar government; various international clothing companies for using companies that employ children in appalling conditions in sweatshop factories. The international corporates have a pretty disgraceful record when it comes to human rights abuses.
But the current laws of physics only apply until they are disproved or superseded. There are so many things we don't know (matter as a wave and a particle is something that hasn't been figured out yet) that to say that the physical laws currently held to be true are the be all and end all of science.
A lot of magazines provide game demo CDs on the front cover, although this would be a bit harder for Nintendo games obviously.
I think a certain large blue company might step in at that point. IBM - defender of the innocent, protector of the weak. What a picture.
ZicoKnows (nothing about irony). Kinda metal ain't it boy?
Microsoft have been in existence since 1979, and DirectX 1.0 came out in 1995, so therefore it was sixteen years before they had any kind of framework for gaming on any of their operating systems.
Utter b*****ks. The strikes in the 70s were due to the UK government of the time trying to impose a maximum wage as a method of controlling skyrocketing inflation. Wouldn't you be a tad annoyed about that. Thatcher used this 'unions are bad' bull to trash the trade unions, many of which were not militant but merely trying to protect their members. It was the Lib/Lab pact government of the time that started all the problems, a fact that is always conveniently forgotten by union-bashers. Thatcher ripped the heart out of the unions and the exploitation of workers was the inevitable result. The restoration of the minimum wage was a step forward, but I doubt it will go any further.
(and people say American's (sic) know no history or international affairs).
Just like you then.
Forgot one thing. c 'confusing syntax' 'simple syntax' would be the way to avoid white space problems on ISPF.
OK, thanks, I didn't know that, because I couldn't find it in the man page. vi is a very good editor, but has a far steeper learning curve. That's what I was objecting to, the original poster saying that mainframes are hard to use, when Unix is just as difficult in different ways. The white space is just to separate the command 'change foo to bar' is what it translates as.
Every OS has problems getting software onto it at first, so any panic is rather premature. Windows has a huge stranglehold at the moment, but as people move and as Linux improves, the apps will come. The corporate market is the one to aim at, as that's how DOS/Windows got acceptance, using the same thing at home as at work. Give it time. It took Microsoft 16 years to create a decent framework for games and Linux isn't even 10 years old yet. I doubt, though, that it will take more than a year to get this sorted. The Linux movement has gained serious momentum in the last 18 months - expect even more excellent things for the next 18.
As a mainframer I would just like to point out:
1) JCL is not equivalent to a batch/shell script, more like a control file that tells a program what files to use, so is more like, say, smb.conf. Try telling me that that is easy to use. The closest thing to (g)awk on the mainframe would be Rexx, which, although not perfect is a no-brainer to get things done and has almost no learning curve (unlike anything Unix-related). And things like the ISPF Edit facility is several times easier to use than vi or Emacs e.g. want to change one string to another: 'c foo bar'. What's the vi equivalent? Dunno, and I can't find it in the extremely confusing man page, although it will be some 733t gibberish no doubt. ISPF help is a lot easier to navigate. ISPF does a have a GUI facility, but few companies are prepared to fork out for it.
2) Generalisations like that are exactly the same as saying that Unix coders all have huge bushy beards and wash once a month whether they need it or not.
OS/390 is several orders of magnitude better than Linux, but it costs a great deal.
1) Got to agree. mainframe hardware management is superb.
2) You've contradicted yourself here. Mainframes can very easily be clustered together.
In conclusion, you obviously last worked on a mainframe when IBM was still getting used to not being a monopoly, the improvements in software and general attitude to customers from when I first started 11 years ago is great.
Last thing, don't think I'm anti-Unix (I'm posting this from Linux), I just get annoyed when people forget all the irritating things about Unix when they criticise mainframes.
Depends on what OS you have. Try here for Linux and here for Windows. Both are tiny browsers based around the Gecko rendering engine.