"QuickTime for streaming media, which is really an operating system service"
Wow. Now I know what I've been missing all of these years. What planet is this guy from?
You can take two views:
1: An OS and user applications are somehow seperate and distinct, and there is a dividing line, where, say, fsck is an OS feature, while rm -rf / is a user application. This sort of distinction makes a lot of sense for Server-centric computers (ie: Unix, VMS, MVS, etc. etc.)
2: The entire system (Dos, Windows, MS-Word, Excel) are the 'user experience' and thus are essentially indistinguishable from the OS. In this case the only people who care about what is OS vs. what is in userland is the developer. This seems to be what Microsoft and Apple are moving towards. In a broader sense, this is where open-source/Free software seems to be at; "Linux" is technically 'just' the Kernel, but virtually all Linux distributions include the equivalent of a fully-loaded Windows PC with office suite and all other user programs.
Personally, I think the moron who thought up enormous square office buildings where the only economical way to get employees seated is in a 'open plan' or 'cube farm', should be keel-hauled and then left to die in the glare of a florescent lamp. Perhaps he would enjoy the buzz of a hundred old florescent ballasts as he ponders his crime against humanity.
The funny thing is, you most likely wouldn't even consider staying at a hotel without windows, or live in a home or dorm without windows. But somehow we take it for granted that offices don't have windows, or that you only get a window if you're a VP or something. I've read studies that tall, narrow, buildings (with a window in every office) are about the same cost as big fat squat buildings (with the bumper-crop of cubicle ghouls).
I'm starting to wonder if my eyesite will ever recover from the too-dim florescent lighting, just barely not quite enough to read comfortably.
My workspace demands (my next employer _will_ comply or I won't bother...):
1. Window (prefer one that _opens_ now there's a unique idea!
2. A door
3. Walls. Real walls -- you know, the kind that aren't cloth-covered metal frames...
4. A Celing
5. Desk facing _door_ (but w/out window shining on the monitor causing glare)
6. Big-ass whiteboard
7. Conference table (seats 4).
8. Two-three paintings (none of that motivational crap)
9. Lots of bookshelves
10. No _freakin_ intercom. If they want me they can send a page to my beeper.
11. Comfortable lighting. Florescent can be OK, but you need task lights too.
My company did the same thing last year. We ended up going with AIX, DB2, and Websphere. _BAD_ choice. We've since switched a lot of what we'd hoped to use the RS/6000 for to a different platform.
The AIX has been OK, but IBM doesn't seem to know their own hardware/software very well. We've tried to order some performance monitoring software and were sent the wrong CD (three times and counting). When we discussed our performance problems (definitely not IBM-related) the senior technical person had 'never heard' of a configuration like ours (internal SSA disks). When trying to buy an extra hard drive we were promised Monday delivery. On Thursday we get a call asking for more detailed information so they can ship the right drive (even though there is only one possible drive to ship for that model/capacity).
DB2 is not a bad database, but good luck finding A: any software that _really_ supports it, and B: any DBA that can support it -- there are lots of Mainframe guys out there, but mainframe DB2 is a bit different than DB2 'UDB'. Enjoy the 1-2 books out there.
For my part I would heartily recommend looking _really_hard_ at Oracle, MS SQL server, Sybase, DB2, et. al. and verify you can: get a DBA, can find developers familiar with the database (DB2 is different enought you don't just develop and pretend it's 'any' database), and that any future software you might use supports the database.
As far as 'no finger pointing' -- getting everything from IBM does nothing to prevent finger pointing. Instead of Oracle blaming Sun who blames BEA, you'll have the websphere group blaming the DB2 group who blames the AIX group within IBM. Unless you're a really big IBM customer (read: have a mainframe or two) forget about getting it resolved instantly.
I hope they do something 'cool' -- maybe the blue screen of death could be red or green or something. That is assuming they will have blue screens of death (to stay fully microsoft compatible of course...)
I for one can think of _nothing_ better to do with my time than to try to reverse engineer an inferior OS, only to 'finish' it just as windows dominance starts to fade.
Interesting viewpoint but based on too many bad assumptions. #1 is that 'everyone' hates the command line, and that's why NT got popular.
NT became popular because getting a file/print server to work on a LAN with any other NOS was a pain. Novell and Microsoft were not exactly compatible, and as everyone switched from DOS to Windows, NT servers became popular.
Things have changed. The LAN has in many respects become irrelavent. NT hangs on because of all of the developers out there -- developers that don't develop on Mac.
I like Macs. I like Linux. I _Love_ the command line. If more people dislike the command line 'including computer experts', then it's because the 'experts' are really just warmed-over users who don't have the competence to use the command line.
I wish I could do business with them. I was all set to order a couple $3000 servers, but they don't take purchase orders unless you're a fortune 500 company.
That's great -- until you realize that it cuts out a lot of multi-billion dollar companies (like mine). Gee-whiz. Wish I could send them a credit app (Penguins accounting department doesn't take them "Fortune 500 only please.").
The answer? I got a couple of Compaq's rack-mount servers for about the same money, from a company that wants to deal with me.
I have been using Dreamweaver 2 for months. I love it's site management piece and the 'gui' editor is the best I've seen.
Some strengths I like: * Does the least amount of html code changing of any editor I've seen.
* Great browser compatibility checker
* Great site-management: Able to scan your 'site' and update links when you change the name of a file. You can 'lock' files when multiple users are working on a site. Works equally well with local drives as ftp for the site.
* Awesome support for tables
* Allows you to launch a preferred text editor of your choice (I like to use vim) wherever you want.
My only complaints about Dreamweaver are: * Doesn't handle.asp pages too well, particularly if you #INCLUDE multiple asp pages
* Aside from nbsp, doesn't seem to handle any extended characters like tm or an em-dash. I end up launching vim and putting in the ™ or — manually.
It ain't cheap, but Dreamweaver is great for getting results quickly. For the hardcore text-editor only webmasters out there: Check out dreamweaver. It lets you keep your html & edit it in text mode, but it also gives you a nice visual way to do it too.
Slashdot Mirror
"QuickTime for streaming media, which is really an operating system service"
Wow. Now I know what I've been missing all of these years. What planet is this guy from?
You can take two views:
1: An OS and user applications are somehow seperate and distinct, and there is a dividing line, where, say, fsck is an OS feature, while rm -rf / is a user application. This sort of distinction makes a lot of sense for Server-centric computers (ie: Unix, VMS, MVS, etc. etc.)
2: The entire system (Dos, Windows, MS-Word, Excel) are the 'user experience' and thus are essentially indistinguishable from the OS. In this case the only people who care about what is OS vs. what is in userland is the developer. This seems to be what Microsoft and Apple are moving towards. In a broader sense, this is where open-source/Free software seems to be at; "Linux" is technically 'just' the Kernel, but virtually all Linux distributions include the equivalent of a fully-loaded Windows PC with office suite and all other user programs.
Personally, I think the moron who thought up enormous square office buildings where the only economical way to get employees seated is in a 'open plan' or 'cube farm', should be keel-hauled and then left to die in the glare of a florescent lamp. Perhaps he would enjoy the buzz of a hundred old florescent ballasts as he ponders his crime against humanity.
The funny thing is, you most likely wouldn't even consider staying at a hotel without windows, or live in a home or dorm without windows. But somehow we take it for granted that offices don't have windows, or that you only get a window if you're a VP or something. I've read studies that tall, narrow, buildings (with a window in every office) are about the same cost as big fat squat buildings (with the bumper-crop of cubicle ghouls).
I'm starting to wonder if my eyesite will ever recover from the too-dim florescent lighting, just barely not quite enough to read comfortably.
My workspace demands (my next employer _will_ comply or I won't bother...):
1. Window (prefer one that _opens_ now there's a unique idea!
2. A door
3. Walls. Real walls -- you know, the kind that aren't cloth-covered metal frames...
4. A Celing
5. Desk facing _door_ (but w/out window shining on the monitor causing glare)
6. Big-ass whiteboard
7. Conference table (seats 4).
8. Two-three paintings (none of that motivational crap)
9. Lots of bookshelves
10. No _freakin_ intercom. If they want me they can send a page to my beeper.
11. Comfortable lighting. Florescent can be OK, but you need task lights too.
Guess I'd better work on beng a VP...
My company did the same thing last year. We ended up going with AIX, DB2, and Websphere. _BAD_ choice. We've since switched a lot of what we'd hoped to use the RS/6000 for to a different platform.
The AIX has been OK, but IBM doesn't seem to know their own hardware/software very well. We've tried to order some performance monitoring software and were sent the wrong CD (three times and counting). When we discussed our performance problems (definitely not IBM-related) the senior technical person had 'never heard' of a configuration like ours (internal SSA disks). When trying to buy an extra hard drive we were promised Monday delivery. On Thursday we get a call asking for more detailed information so they can ship the right drive (even though there is only one possible drive to ship for that model/capacity).
DB2 is not a bad database, but good luck finding A: any software that _really_ supports it, and B: any DBA that can support it -- there are lots of Mainframe guys out there, but mainframe DB2 is a bit different than DB2 'UDB'. Enjoy the 1-2 books out there.
For my part I would heartily recommend looking _really_hard_ at Oracle, MS SQL server, Sybase, DB2, et. al. and verify you can: get a DBA, can find developers familiar with the database (DB2 is different enought you don't just develop and pretend it's 'any' database), and that any future software you might use supports the database.
As far as 'no finger pointing' -- getting everything from IBM does nothing to prevent finger pointing. Instead of Oracle blaming Sun who blames BEA, you'll have the websphere group blaming the DB2 group who blames the AIX group within IBM. Unless you're a really big IBM customer (read: have a mainframe or two) forget about getting it resolved instantly.
I hope they do something 'cool' -- maybe the blue screen of death could be red or green or something. That is assuming they will have blue screens of death (to stay fully microsoft compatible of course...)
:)
I for one can think of _nothing_ better to do with my time than to try to reverse engineer an inferior OS, only to 'finish' it just as windows dominance starts to fade.
Not that I'm negative by nature, but cm'on!
BTW the correct link is her e.
Interesting viewpoint but based on too many bad assumptions. #1 is that 'everyone' hates the command line, and that's why NT got popular.
NT became popular because getting a file/print server to work on a LAN with any other NOS was a pain. Novell and Microsoft were not exactly compatible, and as everyone switched from DOS to Windows, NT servers became popular.
Things have changed. The LAN has in many respects become irrelavent. NT hangs on because of all of the developers out there -- developers that don't develop on Mac.
I like Macs. I like Linux. I _Love_ the command line. If more people dislike the command line 'including computer experts', then it's because the 'experts' are really just warmed-over users who don't have the competence to use the command line.
I wish I could do business with them. I was all set to order a couple $3000 servers, but they don't take purchase orders unless you're a fortune 500 company.
That's great -- until you realize that it cuts out a lot of multi-billion dollar companies (like mine). Gee-whiz. Wish I could send them a credit app (Penguins accounting department doesn't take them "Fortune 500 only please.").
The answer? I got a couple of Compaq's rack-mount servers for about the same money, from a company that wants to deal with me.
Steve-
I have been using Dreamweaver 2 for months. I love it's site management piece and the 'gui' editor is the best I've seen.
.asp pages too well, particularly if you #INCLUDE multiple asp pages
Some strengths I like:
* Does the least amount of html code changing of any editor I've seen.
* Great browser compatibility checker
* Great site-management: Able to scan your 'site' and update links when you change the name of a file. You can 'lock' files when multiple users are working on a site. Works equally well with local drives as ftp for the site.
* Awesome support for tables
* Allows you to launch a preferred text editor of your choice (I like to use vim) wherever you want.
My only complaints about Dreamweaver are:
* Doesn't handle
* Aside from nbsp, doesn't seem to handle any extended characters like tm or an em-dash. I end up launching vim and putting in the ™ or — manually.
It ain't cheap, but Dreamweaver is great for getting results quickly. For the hardcore text-editor only webmasters out there: Check out dreamweaver. It lets you keep your html & edit it in text mode, but it also gives you a nice visual way to do it too.