Personally, I think Linux is genuinely fun. I enjoy learning things and pushing technology to its limits. Linux is fun in the same way most sports are: you have to invest some time and effort in it, but it pays back really well. (Even though Linux and sports are basically free of charge.)
Since learning is a part of the Linux fun, it's not the best OS to install if you need to get something done immediately. However, if you want things to work smoothly in a long term, then it might be worth investing the time and effort into Linux. In fact much of the learning is generally applicable to any other Unix variant you might encounter later.
Incidentally, I've found excellent ways to organize my digital pictures in Linux. The abilities for scripting are great. After deciding carefully what to do with the pictures, I can automate the process as far as I want. In Windows the same things are easier to do once, but they get very frustrating when you do it again and again by clicking and dragging around.
I know there are plenty of possibilities for scripting in Windows. But it's separated from the user interfaces and the rest of the OS. In unix, scripting is the natural way of doing repeated things. It's not so much about the stability of the kernel (NT/XP kernel is not bad, AFAIK) but having more flexible and powerful interfaces.
Remember the reason why GNOME was ever started: KDE was based on QT which at the time was not Free software. Since QT became available under the GPL, the only reason for GNOME's existence has been moot. IMHO one strength of opensource is that there's less incentive for reinvention and pissing contests, and more room for collaboration where resources are used more efficiently. It's silly to have a KDE/GNOME competition within the opensource movement, while we still have to fight against Microsoft et al.
I'm not saying all competition is bad, for instance Emacs and VI are different tools for different jobs, so are Perl and Python. But come on, KDE and GNOME are both designed to replace a Windows/Mac GUI, and there are plenty of graphical interfaces with different ideas available. I personally use Sawfish, the pure window manager. Just give the newbies KNOME, the Kool Network Object Modeling Environment.
I agree very much. My two PCs are running Linux, though they are still x86. The arrogant assertion that PC == Windows on x86 is no surprise, considering for example that M$ wants us to equate their OS with a graphical windowing UI in general. It's just depressing to see that even the Slashdot folk has been fooled into this M$ marketing ploy.
> For AM transmissions, theoretically a single, exact frequency can suffice. Assuming the transmitter is truly on the expected frequency, all you need is a very narrow bandpass filter.
No. Mr. Fourier tells us that an AM signal consists of a range of frequencies. A single, exact frequency is just a pure sine wave, it carries no information. The bandwidth required for AM is just the bandwidth of the signal to be carried.
For a simple example, try adding together two slightly different frequencies. You'll get an AM-like signal whose "carrier frequency" is the average of those frequencies, "modulated by" the difference of the frequencies.
> I hate to sound 'l33t' but I wish there were more books for people who has used linux for a long time. It's hard to aquire any new knowledge when most books are targeted at people with little experience.
But one good thing about being an advanced/power user is knowing how to get more knowledge. It's a positive feedback loop. Besides, advanced usually means specialized, and making lots of different books with small market for each one is not very good business-wise.
Your example cannot be measured in raw figures, it's a matter of other things like social factors. It's a coincidence that your grandmother knows more Windows users than Mac users, it doesn't mean Windows is better than Mac.
The article pointed out a situation where a certain server application requires more hardware if you choose Windows instead of Linux. It's something you can measure in numbers, not just a preference.
I agree that Linux is not the absolute best OS in many cases, but it's often one of the better ones when it comes to server performance, scientific calculations etc. If you can't get raw performance data, then you can't rank the systems in any objective order.
Re:Communism
on
RMS Turns 50
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· Score: 0, Flamebait
I would imagine that technically, in this case, the software is not really released (like applications only used within the company) so there is no obligation to give out the source.
OT: somehow I'm reminded of a day last June when I was returning from a chemically induced pattern-recognition exercise *cough*acid*cough*trip*cough* and checked Slashdot, where the latest headline was on Periodicity, Patterns and Chemistry.
IMHO it should have been Octeron, since it's the 8th generation CPU, aka K8. Though I admit that Opteron sounds cooler in an anime/mech sense.
Also, Athlon is a nice name for multiprocessor systems, even if you'd have to settle for a Biathlon instead of Triathlon.
As for Athlon64 (the consumer/desktop version of Opteron), it'll be fun it people will call them simply 64s because that's how the C=64 was generally known (at least here in Finland).
Slashdot Mirror
And the light at the end of the carpal tunnel is just your optical mouse.
Besides that, I should mention Cube and Brotherhood of the Wolf. The latter manages to go under several genres from costume drama to steampunk.
And for more Finnish specialties, every geek should check out the Star Wreck parodies.
Since learning is a part of the Linux fun, it's not the best OS to install if you need to get something done immediately. However, if you want things to work smoothly in a long term, then it might be worth investing the time and effort into Linux. In fact much of the learning is generally applicable to any other Unix variant you might encounter later.
Incidentally, I've found excellent ways to organize my digital pictures in Linux. The abilities for scripting are great. After deciding carefully what to do with the pictures, I can automate the process as far as I want. In Windows the same things are easier to do once, but they get very frustrating when you do it again and again by clicking and dragging around.
I know there are plenty of possibilities for scripting in Windows. But it's separated from the user interfaces and the rest of the OS. In unix, scripting is the natural way of doing repeated things. It's not so much about the stability of the kernel (NT/XP kernel is not bad, AFAIK) but having more flexible and powerful interfaces.
D'oh, you missed my favourite titles:
How I want a drink, alcoholic of course, after the heavy lectures involving quantum mechanics!
I'm not saying all competition is bad, for instance Emacs and VI are different tools for different jobs, so are Perl and Python. But come on, KDE and GNOME are both designed to replace a Windows/Mac GUI, and there are plenty of graphical interfaces with different ideas available. I personally use Sawfish, the pure window manager. Just give the newbies KNOME, the Kool Network Object Modeling Environment.
Hey, even the Mac is a Personal Computer.
I agree very much. My two PCs are running Linux, though they are still x86. The arrogant assertion that PC == Windows on x86 is no surprise, considering for example that M$ wants us to equate their OS with a graphical windowing UI in general. It's just depressing to see that even the Slashdot folk has been fooled into this M$ marketing ploy.
Except that on Slashdot, 'Linux vulnerability' is an oxymoron.
I guess it would be the same place you get these.
Yeah, if Bush and Saddam had decided to kick each others' asses in an FPS game, instead of letting all hell loose, it might really save humanity.
You probably mean 10Gbps Ethernet which AFAIK works already, using fiber.
On slashdot, history is written by the whiners. ;-)
No. Mr. Fourier tells us that an AM signal consists of a range of frequencies. A single, exact frequency is just a pure sine wave, it carries no information. The bandwidth required for AM is just the bandwidth of the signal to be carried.
For a simple example, try adding together two slightly different frequencies. You'll get an AM-like signal whose "carrier frequency" is the average of those frequencies, "modulated by" the difference of the frequencies.
It's dubya morale, I'm telling ya.
its amazing the popularity Mr. Bush maintains despite his simplicity. ;-)
But one good thing about being an advanced/power user is knowing how to get more knowledge. It's a positive feedback loop. Besides, advanced usually means specialized, and making lots of different books with small market for each one is not very good business-wise.
*ducks*
The article pointed out a situation where a certain server application requires more hardware if you choose Windows instead of Linux. It's something you can measure in numbers, not just a preference.
I agree that Linux is not the absolute best OS in many cases, but it's often one of the better ones when it comes to server performance, scientific calculations etc. If you can't get raw performance data, then you can't rank the systems in any objective order.
Tell me about it. Linux is communism. ;-)
I would imagine that technically, in this case, the software is not really released (like applications only used within the company) so there is no obligation to give out the source.
Memorizing a list like the periodic table or so-and-so digits of Pi is nerdy. Learning and understanding the principles behind them is geeky.
OT: somehow I'm reminded of a day last June when I was returning from a chemically induced pattern-recognition exercise *cough*acid*cough*trip*cough* and checked Slashdot, where the latest headline was on Periodicity, Patterns and Chemistry.
Linux is also communism!
Also, Athlon is a nice name for multiprocessor systems, even if you'd have to settle for a Biathlon instead of Triathlon.
As for Athlon64 (the consumer/desktop version of Opteron), it'll be fun it people will call them simply 64s because that's how the C=64 was generally known (at least here in Finland).