Like it or not, Linux isn't what it used to be. Times have changed and will continue to do so, and the Linux interface will have to adapt to accomodate all of the new users that will come to the platform. To just stand around and suggest that everyone needs to get used to typing commands in a terminal window because "that's the way things are and have always been" is short sighted and unrealistic.
I couldn't disagree more. Linux is not windows. We don't have to cater to the masses. Linux was never intended to replace Windows on the PC. If it does great! God bless companies like Ximian, Nautilus, etc who ARE trying to make Linux the next desktop, but they are in the minority and have a long, long way to go. Example: a friend of mine (who's a big UI person) tried out Gnome 1.4 and Nautilus the other day for the first time (windows user, but familiar with Unix). He was not impressed. The window redraws were slow, the resizes worked but weren't smooth, basically lacking polish. This is on a 1.2 Ghz Athlon with half a gig of RAM. My point: I don't care, he does. Linux was designed to be functional first, pretty second.
So, shortsighted? Possibly, but Linux doesn't HAVE to change. No matter what the economy, no matter what companies use it, Linux will continue to evolve because the people that use it are the ones that maintain it. If we don't get a slew of new users, who really cares? If those people who do become new users complain, they'll get the same answer we all did when we started..get out your compiler and fix it, shut up, or go and work for microsoft....
Isn't that the point? You didn't pay jack for this, nor have you probably ever paid for a browser in your life. Everyone seems to assume that a quality browser is an inalienable right.
Suck it up dude, or use Microsoft (although IE has it's own problems). I mean, they are working as best they can. If you want to pay the money for Opera and then start reaming the devleopers, that's one thing. But to ream a bunch of people who, from all accounts, are working really hard to build a top quality browser is just wrong.
I respect that the fact that opinions are like assholes, everyone has one, but guess what, sometimes they stink too...
Despite the tone, I'm not trying to start a war, but as long as I'm not paying anything for 99% of the software I use on a daily basis, I'm either going to criticize constructively or write something better...
I use Linux on x86 because of the lack of another robust (free) Unix-y OS on that platform. I became aware of Linux before FreeBSD. Solaris x86 (assuming it could recognize my hardware) just rots.
Most of the Suns I'm used to dealing with start at the E420R and head up to the Starfire range. At this level, I'm not convinced that Linux can hold a candle to Solaris. If someone can prove otherwise, please enlighten me.
I truly believe that Sun can make a better OS for their hardware than the Open Source world can using Linux. I think Linux rocks on the x86 chips because we all have them and know them intimately. If we were all running Ultra5/10's, I'm sure Linux would rock on that too. Also, I have the willingness and the background to tune a Solaris box, so I'm not so concerned with performance. If I was, I wouldn't be using an Ultra5/10 anyway. I think my Palm Pilot Vx has more computing power...
It's all about providing alternatives. In my previous life/job, I was a java developer. So I introduced the Windows Heads to Forte, now NetBeans. Voila, a few people made the switch. They just wanted a graphical IDE. They could care less what's running it (although they do enjoy increased uptime now). A few more complained about email. I showed them prototypes of Evolution. Once that's up and running, perhaps they will make the switch as well.
My current job is wireless broadband. All the embedded developers use an Windows IDE because the compiler is only available under NT. I introduced several people to a new idea in programming: it's called a cross compiler people. Developer under what OS makes you most productive. For me, that's Unix, or more precisely Linux. So, I'll just sit here under Gnome and use gcc to generate cross compiled objects for the PowerPC embedded processor.
So, get of your butts people, and show your windows-hooked friends the altnerative apps that Linux/BSD, Open Source, Free Software can provide.
IMHO, the enemy isn't Microsoft (some of their products actually rock -- Age of Empires for example), the enemy (if we have to have one) are people who take what's given to them and think there is only one way to do things -- the Microsoft way!
The only thing that comes to mind are the "self-repairing" tires that close after puncture. From waht I've read they actually work pretty well, sealing immediately around any puncture. It can't do this ad infinitum (despite the commerical), but it's a great application of self-repair.
Networking companies have been using these for a long time.
My personal preference is Smart Bits. Handles ATM, Frame Relay, Ethernet, etc. Communicates over TCP/IP. We use it to measure, degrade, tweak, our networking equipment.
When I first moved to San Franicsco, about 14 months ago, I wanted DSL ASAP. I called many different providers. After confirming that I was, in fact, close enough to get it, I settled on Pac Bell. After six weeks, the guy on the other end said "Look buddy, we can get it to you, we just don't know when. I'd advise you to try someone else." I definetly appreciated the honesty. I finally went on the "I'll pay whomever gets it in first" routine. At least I felt that three or four companies were competing for my business. Finally Telocity got me up and running at 1.5Mbps in about three months.
About two weeks ago I moved into Silicon Valley proper (San Jose). I once again called Pac Bell (gotta love combined phone&DSL billing). Pac Bell told me that times had changed and it would be installed in two weeks. I just laughed.
It was up and running 13 days after I ordered it. It's fast. Not sure how fast, but seems a lot quicker than Telocity. Possibly less congestion on the backbone?
At any rate, with all the 'gotchas' out there and horror stories with ISP's, I'd just thought I'd share two pretty good experiences I've had in the last 15 months. I've never tried cable modems, but why should I (assuming I'm always DSL capable)? The shared bandwidth aspect is a joke, we're ALL sharing bandwidth at some point. So, assuming availability, what's the reason to choose cable? Stability? Price? I find it hard to believe it's performance. Anyone want to comment?
My background is from the government side. The versant people were much more willing to deal than Oracle. Oracle has the attitude that we needed them, not the other way around.
Commercially, it's probably a much different story, as Oracle gets free publicity for providing discounted databases to as many companies as it can. If one of them hits it huge (Yahoo anyone), Oracle gets to use that in PR releases. Doesn't happen that way in the government.
Of course this is all just my two cents, your money may vary...
True, but many companies have gone broke paying exorbitant licensing fees to Oracle.
Versant is fairly well used in the government sector (where due to budgeting constraints, they are often forced to use other than industry standard solutions). There have been numerous succesful implementations of OODBMS (Versant specfically), you just don't hear about them because they're not high profile commercial applications. Chicken and the egg right? Until a big name (Yahoo, IBM, MS) creates a highly publicized project incorporating OODBMS, you're going to have to do your own searching to find the "proven" successful projects who have done this. The ones I'm most familiar with are all classified applications, so Joe Programmer isn't going to ever hear of those...
I'm not disagreeing with you (you have some interesting points actually). However, there is more to life than system uptime. Perhaps performance? Price? Support?
I took a stroll through the latest TPC benchmarks and was shocked to see Unix systems getting pushed farther and farther down the list in favor of 2000/NT systems. I was actually hoping to find a Linux/BSD system lurking around (especially with the 2.4 kernel out), now I'd be happy to find anything Unix in large numbers.
You're missing the point about the Microsoft advantage in my opinion. It doesn't always have to be about technology.
Microsoft is a household name. Other than the geek community, who the hell has heard of LynxOS?
Microsoft has thousands of developers to throw behind whatever they want.
Microsoft is cash rich. Then can throw hundreds of millions of dollars at something and not have it financially affect the company in any way if it fails. I'm not sure about their cash reserves now (anti trust trial and stock markets collapse), but at one point they had many billions in cash just lying around.
One thing I've noticed is that the Samsung/Panasonic stuff we get over here (in the US) is basically low end crap. Wallmart and Sears electronics type of stuff. The Samsung/Panasonic products in the far east (I've only been to Korea and Japan) are of a much higher quality. We tend to get the best lines of Mitsubishi, Sony, etc.
Anyone from Panasonic or Samsung marketing care to elaborate??
I should have clarified (although that seems like unusally low latency for 802.11b -- anyone care to comment). I'm more concerned with broadband, say implementations of 802.16, etc. When I'm in the park or at the beach, etc.
What exactly does this have to do with the Matrix? How is buying Hard Boiled going to give me any insight whatsoever into the history/making of/whatever of the Matrix? You're advocating one over the other, so what's the tie in?
The main reason wasn't solely turnaround time though, it was inclement weather. Satellites today still can't pentrate cloud cover very well, resulting in a low NIIR's rating. One of the factors in bringing the SR-71 back into service for the gulf war was the fact that we got crappy imagery from our sat's with all the oil field smoke obscuring things. Planes can often fly low enough to help alleviate this. This was considered fairly low risk as we (the coalition) pretty much owned the skies (even in the daytime) over the middle east.
Turn radius approx 90 miles. Not several states. Obviously depends on speed. This is a good average mission distance. They don't turn much at high speeds.
Leaking fuel on the ground. Correct.
Made of titanium for heat and flexibility.
Color indigo blue, not black.
Airspeed as advertised, nothing secretive going on. They are 30+ year old Pratt & Whitney engines.Other than missions, there isn't a whole lot classified about the SR-71. Until brought back in service for the Gulf War, they were all owned by NASA for high altitude experiments.
Sources:
Several trips to Habu hill, Okinawa. Former home of the SR71 fleet.
DoD and NSA clearances (yes they are different) on the Imagery side
Older brother cadet at USAF Academy in Colorado Springs during the 80's.
I have a lot of personal interest in the U2/SR71 (they look cool)
Several years on US imagery dissemination project...much imagery from SR71's used.
I'm not really arguing with you, mainly your phrasing.
Suicidal? Not likely. Short of every DNS server running the exact same setup with the same flaws, is there enough of an installed base of any one type of system (or software) that a failure would bring the the entire nation down? So that a single backdoor could bring about the type of nationwide blizzard effect you described. A scary thought, but probably not overly likely. Anyone who has studied these disaster type scenarios care to comment? DNS? Sendmail? MSN going down for a day or two due to DNS was certainly a pain, but tragic? Maybe...you've got me pondering now.....
I would change the phrase to NSA would be foolish to install any type of backdoors in and open source product and leave it at that.
This is not meant to be flame-bait, so consider it an honest question from someone who is under-informed.
Why the heck should I choose KDE? Both Sun and HP have announced the replacement of CDE with Gnome. RedHat (the largest distributor, at least in the US??) favors Gnome as well, though they do ship KDE.
Personally, I don't see Gnome as all that unstable. It's not like it ever crashes (and I usually run semi-bleeding edge). So anti-aliased fonts aside, what's the justification for KDE when it seems like major players in the Unix world are going to Gnome? Has anyone announced a similar migration to KDE that I just missed?
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I couldn't disagree more. Linux is not windows. We don't have to cater to the masses. Linux was never intended to replace Windows on the PC. If it does great! God bless companies like Ximian, Nautilus, etc who ARE trying to make Linux the next desktop, but they are in the minority and have a long, long way to go. Example: a friend of mine (who's a big UI person) tried out Gnome 1.4 and Nautilus the other day for the first time (windows user, but familiar with Unix). He was not impressed. The window redraws were slow, the resizes worked but weren't smooth, basically lacking polish. This is on a 1.2 Ghz Athlon with half a gig of RAM. My point: I don't care, he does. Linux was designed to be functional first, pretty second.
So, shortsighted? Possibly, but Linux doesn't HAVE to change. No matter what the economy, no matter what companies use it, Linux will continue to evolve because the people that use it are the ones that maintain it. If we don't get a slew of new users, who really cares? If those people who do become new users complain, they'll get the same answer we all did when we started..get out your compiler and fix it, shut up, or go and work for microsoft....
Isn't that the point? You didn't pay jack for this, nor have you probably ever paid for a browser in your life. Everyone seems to assume that a quality browser is an inalienable right.
Suck it up dude, or use Microsoft (although IE has it's own problems). I mean, they are working as best they can. If you want to pay the money for Opera and then start reaming the devleopers, that's one thing. But to ream a bunch of people who, from all accounts, are working really hard to build a top quality browser is just wrong.
I respect that the fact that opinions are like assholes, everyone has one, but guess what, sometimes they stink too...
Despite the tone, I'm not trying to start a war, but as long as I'm not paying anything for 99% of the software I use on a daily basis, I'm either going to criticize constructively or write something better...
Kinda offtopic, but that was one of those comments that you read when you are having a boring, mediocre day, and you just start laughing....
I use Linux on x86 because of the lack of another robust (free) Unix-y OS on that platform. I became aware of Linux before FreeBSD. Solaris x86 (assuming it could recognize my hardware) just rots.
Most of the Suns I'm used to dealing with start at the E420R and head up to the Starfire range. At this level, I'm not convinced that Linux can hold a candle to Solaris. If someone can prove otherwise, please enlighten me.
I truly believe that Sun can make a better OS for their hardware than the Open Source world can using Linux. I think Linux rocks on the x86 chips because we all have them and know them intimately. If we were all running Ultra5/10's, I'm sure Linux would rock on that too. Also, I have the willingness and the background to tune a Solaris box, so I'm not so concerned with performance. If I was, I wouldn't be using an Ultra5/10 anyway. I think my Palm Pilot Vx has more computing power...
It's all about providing alternatives. In my previous life/job, I was a java developer. So I introduced the Windows Heads to Forte, now NetBeans. Voila, a few people made the switch. They just wanted a graphical IDE. They could care less what's running it (although they do enjoy increased uptime now). A few more complained about email. I showed them prototypes of Evolution. Once that's up and running, perhaps they will make the switch as well.
My current job is wireless broadband. All the embedded developers use an Windows IDE because the compiler is only available under NT. I introduced several people to a new idea in programming: it's called a cross compiler people. Developer under what OS makes you most productive. For me, that's Unix, or more precisely Linux. So, I'll just sit here under Gnome and use gcc to generate cross compiled objects for the PowerPC embedded processor.
So, get of your butts people, and show your windows-hooked friends the altnerative apps that Linux/BSD, Open Source, Free Software can provide. IMHO, the enemy isn't Microsoft (some of their products actually rock -- Age of Empires for example), the enemy (if we have to have one) are people who take what's given to them and think there is only one way to do things -- the Microsoft way!
The only thing that comes to mind are the "self-repairing" tires that close after puncture. From waht I've read they actually work pretty well, sealing immediately around any puncture. It can't do this ad infinitum (despite the commerical), but it's a great application of self-repair.
My personal preference is Smart Bits. Handles ATM, Frame Relay, Ethernet, etc. Communicates over TCP/IP. We use it to measure, degrade, tweak, our networking equipment.
When I first moved to San Franicsco, about 14 months ago, I wanted DSL ASAP. I called many different providers. After confirming that I was, in fact, close enough to get it, I settled on Pac Bell. After six weeks, the guy on the other end said "Look buddy, we can get it to you, we just don't know when. I'd advise you to try someone else." I definetly appreciated the honesty. I finally went on the "I'll pay whomever gets it in first" routine. At least I felt that three or four companies were competing for my business. Finally Telocity got me up and running at 1.5Mbps in about three months.
About two weeks ago I moved into Silicon Valley proper (San Jose). I once again called Pac Bell (gotta love combined phone&DSL billing). Pac Bell told me that times had changed and it would be installed in two weeks. I just laughed.
It was up and running 13 days after I ordered it. It's fast. Not sure how fast, but seems a lot quicker than Telocity. Possibly less congestion on the backbone?
At any rate, with all the 'gotchas' out there and horror stories with ISP's, I'd just thought I'd share two pretty good experiences I've had in the last 15 months. I've never tried cable modems, but why should I (assuming I'm always DSL capable)? The shared bandwidth aspect is a joke, we're ALL sharing bandwidth at some point. So, assuming availability, what's the reason to choose cable? Stability? Price? I find it hard to believe it's performance. Anyone want to comment?
You made it sound an awful lot like midi-chlorian's. If I quiet my mind, will the prokaryotes speak to me?
Commercially, it's probably a much different story, as Oracle gets free publicity for providing discounted databases to as many companies as it can. If one of them hits it huge (Yahoo anyone), Oracle gets to use that in PR releases. Doesn't happen that way in the government.
Of course this is all just my two cents, your money may vary...
Versant is fairly well used in the government sector (where due to budgeting constraints, they are often forced to use other than industry standard solutions). There have been numerous succesful implementations of OODBMS (Versant specfically), you just don't hear about them because they're not high profile commercial applications. Chicken and the egg right? Until a big name (Yahoo, IBM, MS) creates a highly publicized project incorporating OODBMS, you're going to have to do your own searching to find the "proven" successful projects who have done this. The ones I'm most familiar with are all classified applications, so Joe Programmer isn't going to ever hear of those...
It's a neat idea, but no thanks, I'll keep everything in separate components....
I took a stroll through the latest TPC benchmarks and was shocked to see Unix systems getting pushed farther and farther down the list in favor of 2000/NT systems. I was actually hoping to find a Linux/BSD system lurking around (especially with the 2.4 kernel out), now I'd be happy to find anything Unix in large numbers.
sigh...
We now return you to more on-topic posts...
Microsoft is a household name. Other than the geek community, who the hell has heard of LynxOS?
Microsoft has thousands of developers to throw behind whatever they want.
Microsoft is cash rich. Then can throw hundreds of millions of dollars at something and not have it financially affect the company in any way if it fails. I'm not sure about their cash reserves now (anti trust trial and stock markets collapse), but at one point they had many billions in cash just lying around.
Anyone from Panasonic or Samsung marketing care to elaborate??
I should have clarified (although that seems like unusally low latency for 802.11b -- anyone care to comment). I'm more concerned with broadband, say implementations of 802.16, etc. When I'm in the park or at the beach, etc.
Figure out a way to improve the inherent latency in wireless....
What exactly does this have to do with the Matrix? How is buying Hard Boiled going to give me any insight whatsoever into the history/making of/whatever of the Matrix? You're advocating one over the other, so what's the tie in?
And they thought Hoof-and-Mouth diesase was bad for Brittish tourism...
I had no idea Yahoo has been selling porn for two years! Why the hell wasn't this publicized sooner...
While I applaud the fact that you exploring the playability of your games to the extreme, HOW MUCH FREE TIME DO YOU REALLY HAVE???
The main reason wasn't solely turnaround time though, it was inclement weather. Satellites today still can't pentrate cloud cover very well, resulting in a low NIIR's rating. One of the factors in bringing the SR-71 back into service for the gulf war was the fact that we got crappy imagery from our sat's with all the oil field smoke obscuring things. Planes can often fly low enough to help alleviate this. This was considered fairly low risk as we (the coalition) pretty much owned the skies (even in the daytime) over the middle east.
Turn radius approx 90 miles. Not several states. Obviously depends on speed. This is a good average mission distance. They don't turn much at high speeds.
Leaking fuel on the ground. Correct.
Made of titanium for heat and flexibility.
Color indigo blue, not black.
Airspeed as advertised, nothing secretive going on. They are 30+ year old Pratt & Whitney engines.Other than missions, there isn't a whole lot classified about the SR-71. Until brought back in service for the Gulf War, they were all owned by NASA for high altitude experiments.
Sources:
Several trips to Habu hill, Okinawa. Former home of the SR71 fleet.
DoD and NSA clearances (yes they are different) on the Imagery side
Older brother cadet at USAF Academy in Colorado Springs during the 80's.
I have a lot of personal interest in the U2/SR71 (they look cool)
Several years on US imagery dissemination project...much imagery from SR71's used.
Enjoy...
Suicidal? Not likely. Short of every DNS server running the exact same setup with the same flaws, is there enough of an installed base of any one type of system (or software) that a failure would bring the the entire nation down? So that a single backdoor could bring about the type of nationwide blizzard effect you described. A scary thought, but probably not overly likely. Anyone who has studied these disaster type scenarios care to comment? DNS? Sendmail? MSN going down for a day or two due to DNS was certainly a pain, but tragic? Maybe...you've got me pondering now.....
I would change the phrase to NSA would be foolish to install any type of backdoors in and open source product and leave it at that.
Why the heck should I choose KDE? Both Sun and HP have announced the replacement of CDE with Gnome. RedHat (the largest distributor, at least in the US??) favors Gnome as well, though they do ship KDE.
Personally, I don't see Gnome as all that unstable. It's not like it ever crashes (and I usually run semi-bleeding edge). So anti-aliased fonts aside, what's the justification for KDE when it seems like major players in the Unix world are going to Gnome? Has anyone announced a similar migration to KDE that I just missed?