I have installed JDS on at least 5 machines at work, mostly low end 2 year old pc's, but also 1 v60x (dual booting suse). JDS seems pretty on target for Sun's stated market, i.e. limited functionality/requirements people. Call centers, hospitals, etc.... Basically, people who need word processing, spreadsheets, email, and and a browser. Sun is not targeting Slashdot readers for JDS users, although a some number us will probably end up administrating them. Sun is not trying to create a sexy, leading distribution, but instead is trying to replace (in their eyes) buggy, insecure, virus ridden, expensive windows machines. Of course, all slashdot readers know this, but still insist on judging the distribution on whether it meets their personal needs, including any wingnut hardware combination they may have. Of course its not a perfect distribution, but that's not Sun's pitch. They are going in to companies saying "Look, we have a product that is more secure, less expensive, and provides all the fuctionality your people need. Plus, we will support it, including phone support."
I think the "Java" in JDS is a hint that the linux base is not important to Sun. My guess is that they are trying to get to a Common Desktop Environment;-) across all their platforms, sparc, x86, and thin client (sun ray). Using the Java name is just a marketing thing now, but it could be more meaningfull (project looking glass, anyone?) in the future.
Klipper is a pretty handy tool from the fine people at KDE. Like most open source products, the configuration options are fairly extensive, but you can access a history of clipboard items (ctrl-alt-v) , do regex matching, set up actions, etc....
I installed JDS version 2 on Friday on a generic pc at work without any problems. Don't have the exact specs, but nothing should be older than a year. From what I could tell, the only difference between JDS Release1 and Release 2 is the addition of the client piece for the Sun Control Station. I will be installing that on Monday. BTW, the requirements for SCS are a little goofy, as least to me.
Software
Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS/ES 2.1
J2SE Version 1.4.1_03 or higher.
Tomcat 4.0.3 or higher
Desktops running Sun Java Desktop System, Release 2
Hardware
600 Mhz Intel Compatible processor or better
512 MB of RAM
160 GB hard drive, at least 400 MB of free disk space in the directory/var
10/100 Base-T Ethernet network interface
Kinda steep on the HD size. Plus, what the deal with requiring Red Hat? Doesn't Sun have its own linux or Solaris for x86? For what's it worth, Sun has a great opportunity in the corporate desktop market. I hope the can get some traction with this effeort.
You can also by a 'Java Desktop Sytem' (Sun's new Desktop Linux -- based on Suse) from Walmart. Prices range from $298 to $698 depending on the hardware (all Microtel machines, as are most of Walmart's linux computers).
Reading the article, I got this error. Assuming the web server is running on BSD, I guess that is one difference between Linux and BSD. Seems a little severe to me, but I guess that is the vaunted BSD security for you.
Forbidden You don't have permission to access/~fullermd/rants/bsd4linux/bsd4linux8.php on this server.
Apache/1.3.27 Server at www.over-yonder.net Port 80
Yeah, I know. I was using linux as in the linux based os's and their associated open source components and not linux as in the kernel. The second is more correct, but the first is what most people mean when they talk about business not adopting "linux".
SCO won't affect linux because linux development exists outside of the american business climate. So what if Some Company chooses to stay with MS Windows? Do the Gnome people care? The KDE folks? Posgres peeps? Linus? Alan Cox? RMS? Larry Wall? No, of course not. They will continue developing and what we know as "Linux" will continue evolving. Some businesses will make good business decisions regarding software and some will continue to overpay for poor quality software. I don't have any faith in the intelligence of the masses of pointy haired bosses. But those that manage to steer clear of the FUD will give their businesses a competitive advantage over those that do not. Either way, Linux will just keep moving forward.
Mostly true about the hardware/software connection. However, lots of 3rd party hardware pieces also work smashing well on OS X (and some doesn't too). (Of course, for printers, most of that credit should go to CUPS - Apple was just being sensible when they used it.) My digital camera, camcorder, and cell phone all just work, just like the ads say. The move to standard ram and disks also helps.
I would argue that the command line is required, but my wife would disagree. The fact that we can have a single machine that suits each of us is what makes the OS X so cool.
Still, it will probably never happen for linux. But for call centers and such, I really think the linux desktop is ready.
Mac OS X certainly refutes your claim that "*nix is for servers and hackers, not Joe Sixpack...."
I do agree with your analysis of the state of the Linux UI, but Apple has demostrated that you can put an effective and attractive GUI on a unix machine.
The current printing system (10.2.x aka Jaguar) is indeed CUPS; however, the Save As PDF has been around since at least 10.1 and CUPS was not used at that time. OSX specific stuff regarding PDF's that I think is really cool are the workflow options. Basically, you can save it directly to any predetermined folder (without having to navigate there first) or run script you choose just through the Print Preview dialog box.
This depends on how frequently the locate database is updated. Obviously, any file created after the last update will not be found. I don't remember how often the updatedb command is run (I think is is weekly) but this would not serve as a replacement for the Finder. Of course, you can edit the crontab and have updatedb run more frequently, but that does not solve the problem of files created after that point (it just shortens the window).
I have a friend who was taking a Red Hat Certification class this week and he said one of the people in the class was a Sun engineer who was also working to become Red Hat certified.
Works great the other way too, i.e. when someone can't figure out the unix way and just does it the mac way.
Example: spouse has os x server at work, needs to archive a directory (Stuffit not there for some reason). I tried to explain tar, but she got lost with the final parameter "path to the folder she wants to archive."
Solution: type tar cvf myfile.tar in the terminal and then drop the folder to be archived on the terminal app. Presto! It instantly fills in the full path. She presses the enter key and it just works. Throw in some gzip and she looks like magic to the rest of the office.
Slashdot Mirror
I have installed JDS on at least 5 machines at work, mostly low end 2 year old pc's, but also 1 v60x (dual booting suse). JDS seems pretty on target for Sun's stated market, i.e. limited functionality/requirements people. Call centers, hospitals, etc.... Basically, people who need word processing, spreadsheets, email, and and a browser. Sun is not targeting Slashdot readers for JDS users, although a some number us will probably end up administrating them. Sun is not trying to create a sexy, leading distribution, but instead is trying to replace (in their eyes) buggy, insecure, virus ridden, expensive windows machines. Of course, all slashdot readers know this, but still insist on judging the distribution on whether it meets their personal needs, including any wingnut hardware combination they may have. Of course its not a perfect distribution, but that's not Sun's pitch. They are going in to companies saying "Look, we have a product that is more secure, less expensive, and provides all the fuctionality your people need. Plus, we will support it, including phone support."
;-) across all their platforms, sparc, x86, and thin client (sun ray). Using the Java name is just a marketing thing now, but it could be more meaningfull (project looking glass, anyone?) in the future.
I think the "Java" in JDS is a hint that the linux base is not important to Sun. My guess is that they are trying to get to a Common Desktop Environment
Regarding open source Java and with characteristic bite, Scooter says 'I don't know what problem that would solve apart from IBM's childhood envy,' (Stupid free reg required.)
Klipper is a pretty handy tool from the fine people at KDE. Like most open source products, the configuration options are fairly extensive, but you can access a history of clipboard items (ctrl-alt-v) , do regex matching, set up actions, etc....
Software
Hardware
- 600 Mhz Intel Compatible processor or better
- 512 MB of RAM
- 160 GB hard drive, at least 400 MB of free disk space in the directory
/var
- 10/100 Base-T Ethernet network interface
Kinda steep on the HD size. Plus, what the deal with requiring Red Hat? Doesn't Sun have its own linux or Solaris for x86? For what's it worth, Sun has a great opportunity in the corporate desktop market. I hope the can get some traction with this effeort.Be sure to watch out for this one. It has already caught some folks here unaware. http://bugzilla.redhat.com/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?i d=115980
Using assertions in 1.4 will allow this the addition of switchable runtime debugging without the need for testing with an if statement.
You can also by a 'Java Desktop Sytem' (Sun's new Desktop Linux -- based on Suse) from Walmart. Prices range from $298 to $698 depending on the hardware (all Microtel machines, as are most of Walmart's linux computers).
XEmacs with viper mode for vi key bindings.
Sun fires back over Open Source Java accusations
Reading the article, I got this error. Assuming the web server is running on BSD, I guess that is one difference between Linux and BSD. Seems a little severe to me, but I guess that is the vaunted BSD security for you.
/~fullermd/rants/bsd4linux/bsd4linux8.php on this server.
Forbidden
You don't have permission to access
Apache/1.3.27 Server at www.over-yonder.net Port 80
From our local radio station comes Crack O Lantern.Also see this to vote for your fav.
Yeah, I know. I was using linux as in the linux based os's and their associated open source components and not linux as in the kernel. The second is more correct, but the first is what most people mean when they talk about business not adopting "linux".
SCO won't affect linux because linux development exists outside of the american business climate. So what if Some Company chooses to stay with MS Windows? Do the Gnome people care? The KDE folks? Posgres peeps? Linus? Alan Cox? RMS? Larry Wall? No, of course not. They will continue developing and what we know as "Linux" will continue evolving. Some businesses will make good business decisions regarding software and some will continue to overpay for poor quality software. I don't have any faith in the intelligence of the masses of pointy haired bosses. But those that manage to steer clear of the FUD will give their businesses a competitive advantage over those that do not. Either way, Linux will just keep moving forward.
Following the directions, my password is scotttigerscotttiger.
Mostly true about the hardware/software connection. However, lots of 3rd party hardware pieces also work smashing well on OS X (and some doesn't too). (Of course, for printers, most of that credit should go to CUPS - Apple was just being sensible when they used it.) My digital camera, camcorder, and cell phone all just work, just like the ads say. The move to standard ram and disks also helps.
I would argue that the command line is required, but my wife would disagree. The fact that we can have a single machine that suits each of us is what makes the OS X so cool.
Still, it will probably never happen for linux. But for call centers and such, I really think the linux desktop is ready.
Mac OS X certainly refutes your claim that "*nix is for servers and hackers, not Joe Sixpack...."
I do agree with your analysis of the state of the Linux UI, but Apple has demostrated that you can put an effective and attractive GUI on a unix machine.
The current printing system (10.2.x aka Jaguar) is indeed CUPS; however, the Save As PDF has been around since at least 10.1 and CUPS was not used at that time. OSX specific stuff regarding PDF's that I think is really cool are the workflow options. Basically, you can save it directly to any predetermined folder (without having to navigate there first) or run script you choose just through the Print Preview dialog box.
The locatedb database is not a relational database, so it cannot be "normalized."
This depends on how frequently the locate database is updated. Obviously, any file created after the last update will not be found. I don't remember how often the updatedb command is run (I think is is weekly) but this would not serve as a replacement for the Finder. Of course, you can edit the crontab and have updatedb run more frequently, but that does not solve the problem of files created after that point (it just shortens the window).
I have a friend who was taking a Red Hat Certification class this week and he said one of the people in the class was a Sun engineer who was also working to become Red Hat certified.
Perhaps I am misunderstanding what you need, but the FOP project might do the trick. No need to reinvent the wheel, nor pay for it either.
Make it so, Number One.
Washington University
Example: spouse has os x server at work, needs to archive a directory (Stuffit not there for some reason). I tried to explain tar, but she got lost with the final parameter "path to the folder she wants to archive."
Solution: type tar cvf myfile.tar in the terminal and then drop the folder to be archived on the terminal app. Presto! It instantly fills in the full path. She presses the enter key and it just works. Throw in some gzip and she looks like magic to the rest of the office.
Assertions too (if you have 1.4).