I much agree! My PowerBook G4@866MHz with 1GB RAM makes a perfect home server. Apple did not support it in a very long time. Right now I am typing on a MacBook2,1 from 2007 with Core 2 Duo CPU. It officially only supports Mac OS X 10.7, also not supported since long. I have managed to install OS X 10.9 Mavericks on it (using SFOTT, not really turning it into a Hackintosh, but half way). Very close to putting Xubuntu or Debian on it instead.
Those of you with a G4 MacMini - give it a try with Debian as a server.
About energy/electricity... producing new hardware use very much energy. And a RaspberryRi requires other stuff, and a hard disk. All of it requires energy to produce and run. I think my MacBook is at least twice as fast on most relevant tasks as a RaspberryPi (yes, I have those ones too, and I have made tests).
Microsoft is putting pride in one-size-fits-all... that is, the same system on Smartphones, Tablets, Cheap Netbooks, Desktops, Workstations, Webservers and Datacenter servers. The different editions are not that different.
A Windows server does not get much lighter than 30-40 GB of disk drive and 1GB of RAM. For companies with virtual machines, 10s, 100s or 1000s of them, significant amount of resources are wasted here. There are of course SAN-technologies to de-duplicate blocks, but this is both advanced and expensive. Many Windows servers dont do more job (create more value) as a web-server, light database-server, printer server, or an AD/directory server than a RaspberryPi with Raspbian can easily do. Storage requirements for Raspian is 1-2% of Windows Server!
Tablet buyers who buy an iOS/Android tablet with 64GB of storage more or less gets 64GB for their media. While an owner of a 64GB Windows tablet finds that not much more than 32GB is actually available to be used.
Even if Microsoft manage to keep their requirements at the same level for the years to come, they will still be much heavier than the competition, and in many cases it matters.
But why not just write that: "We are no developers left on the project. If anyone seriously wants to take over we may hand over the source code under another license." Instead of making lots of effort creating a crippled version and lots of confusion?
I agree about the separate download... I develop QT/C++ stuff sometimes. I develop in Linux, but I want to build executables for Mac and Win that I can distribute easily. There are different ways to do it, but last time I tried it, I got best result when I compiled QT myself, and then my Application against that QT build. (Perhaps at that time, it was the way to build pure 64-bit executable on Windows). So, yes, I just need the compiler, not the GUI.
But nevertheless it is good news that 64-bit tools come with Express.
I basically just want C/C++ libraries, compilers and build tools. But not the GUI of Visual Studio.
It used to be possible to Download the Windows SDK/Platform SDK for no charge, and it contained all the command line tools and libraries need to build applications. Now: directly from the download page: "The Windows SDK no longer ships with a complete command-line build environment. You must install a compiler and build environment separately. If you require a complete development environment that includes compilers and a build environment, you can download Visual Studio 2012 Express, which includes the appropriate components of the Windows SDK."
Years ago, Visual Studio C++ Express was 32-bit only, and the Window SDK made more sense for me.
Anyone knows if Visual Studio Express 2013 for Windows Desktop now comes with the 64-bit compiler too? In that case I can forget about the Windows SDK for now. Otherwise I will need to rely on old Windows SDK that came with the compiler. Or install professional version of Visual Studio of course.
Problem is, it is NOT informative. Follow the links from picture searches above. Most of the pictures are just bad, pointless and vulgar. As people are quick to point out, it is arguably not even porn. I think anyone who really cares about the quality of Wikipedia and the creative commons stuff, should worry about these pictures as much as those people who are overly sensitive to nudity do.
My employers standard internet filtering proxy used to block slashdot for being pornography. I told my boss it was silly, and they removed slashdot from the list.
It often does not make sense to talk/think about USA as one country... Ask this in Seattle or Minneapolis. And then try again in the countryside of Texas.
For how many states in USA is the figure 40-50% ? What is the percentage of americans living in states where the figure is 40-50% ?
And, when it comes to databases... think about having a (few) large physical database server(s), and run your own "database hotel" that way. My experience (mostly MS SQL) is that databases do not behave well in virtual environments. Better to consolidate by putting many databases on the same physical server, than putting many virtual database servers on the same physical server.
Basic compiler? I had the feeling it was the complete thing (but without the IDE of Visual Studio). I opted for the Platform SDK a while ago, because it contained complete x64 stuff, which VS Express did not.
If Windows 8 SDK will not include C++-stuff, then... will Visual Studio contain new updated versions of C++ compilers? Or will there be no new version C++ tools at all? Will they ship the new version of Visual Studio with Windows 7 SDK (7.1 I believe) as well as the new Windows 8 SDK.
Either they are making the C++ stuff truly proprietary. Or they are just not planning on updating them at all (for paying or for free) for Windows 8.
I prefer to have space for my applications, not for my dock. So on widescreen I always put it left or right. On 4:3 I always put it top or bottom. I have a problem filling my dock anyways... I mean: shutdown-button, firefox, terminal, and the "menu" for all the stuff I only use occationally.
You seriously think that "less is more" is a worrysome, generic contradiction? I think it is very often a very good principle, in very different aspects of life.
Oh, and Windows native C++ development is horrible.
I have a stupid question... What is actually C++ about Windows Native Libraries. All I ever saw was just completely twisted C - twisted as in just weird datatypes, weird includes, and a Macro hell. I admit, you can declare variables anywhere (just not on top, as in C), but otherwise I cant understand how Microsoft can call it C++.
Real C++ is so different from Microsoft C++.
And QT is very nice. It combines the best of C, C++ and Java. QT Creator is the only IDE I ever appreciated. I really like the.pro file that contains everything about the project, and is still a very small simple text file; nothing like a configure-script or even worse a Microsoft Solution file. qmake uses the pro-file to make a Makefile.
This is just a problem for Microsoft. I mean, the way they tightly integrate everything they have into a mess that is unmanageable, mostly for themselves, is provokingly stupid.
To those of you who have not tried Windows 8, this is how it works... When you click the start menu, you get Windows Phone 7 (Metro) interface in full screen. And it starts with the Metro stuff in full screen, so you have to "start" explorer, to get to your desktop.
Apart from that, it is the same... but the old start menu is gone. Perhaps the real version will work differently.
I really like using old hardware as long as it works. But if you have 18 computers of the same model - do you really need to have the latest version of Ubuntu on those? Cant you just stay with 10.10 for quite long? Or switch to Xubuntu?
Use Xubuntu. It is about using the GPU to make a nicer GUI. Mac OS X did that since 12 years. Time for Linux to do it too. I have a 5 year old HP laptop (nc6220) that runs Unity with no problems.
There is a CompizConfig Settings Manager, where you can find Ubuntu Unity Plugin. There you can find things like changing Icon Size and toolbar location.
Writing a portable C/C++ program from scratch, and maintain it on different architectures: not so hard. Porting an old C/C++ program already written with just one architecture in mind: seriously hard.
Just get it right from the beginning and you are fine.
Slashdot Mirror
I much agree!
My PowerBook G4@866MHz with 1GB RAM makes a perfect home server.
Apple did not support it in a very long time.
Right now I am typing on a MacBook2,1 from 2007 with Core 2 Duo CPU. It officially only supports Mac OS X 10.7, also not supported since long. I have managed to install OS X 10.9 Mavericks on it (using SFOTT, not really turning it into a Hackintosh, but half way). Very close to putting Xubuntu or Debian on it instead.
Those of you with a G4 MacMini - give it a try with Debian as a server.
About energy/electricity... producing new hardware use very much energy. And a RaspberryRi requires other stuff, and a hard disk. All of it requires energy to produce and run. I think my MacBook is at least twice as fast on most relevant tasks as a RaspberryPi (yes, I have those ones too, and I have made tests).
Microsoft is putting pride in one-size-fits-all... that is, the same system on Smartphones, Tablets, Cheap Netbooks, Desktops, Workstations, Webservers and Datacenter servers. The different editions are not that different.
A Windows server does not get much lighter than 30-40 GB of disk drive and 1GB of RAM. For companies with virtual machines, 10s, 100s or 1000s of them, significant amount of resources are wasted here. There are of course SAN-technologies to de-duplicate blocks, but this is both advanced and expensive. Many Windows servers dont do more job (create more value) as a web-server, light database-server, printer server, or an AD/directory server than a RaspberryPi with Raspbian can easily do. Storage requirements for Raspian is 1-2% of Windows Server!
Tablet buyers who buy an iOS/Android tablet with 64GB of storage more or less gets 64GB for their media. While an owner of a 64GB Windows tablet finds that not much more than 32GB is actually available to be used.
Even if Microsoft manage to keep their requirements at the same level for the years to come, they will still be much heavier than the competition, and in many cases it matters.
But why not just write that: "We are no developers left on the project. If anyone seriously wants to take over we may hand over the source code under another license." Instead of making lots of effort creating a crippled version and lots of confusion?
I agree about the separate download... I develop QT/C++ stuff sometimes. I develop in Linux, but I want to build executables for Mac and Win that I can distribute easily. There are different ways to do it, but last time I tried it, I got best result when I compiled QT myself, and then my Application against that QT build. (Perhaps at that time, it was the way to build pure 64-bit executable on Windows). So, yes, I just need the compiler, not the GUI.
But nevertheless it is good news that 64-bit tools come with Express.
I basically just want C/C++ libraries, compilers and build tools. But not the GUI of Visual Studio.
It used to be possible to Download the Windows SDK/Platform SDK for no charge, and it contained all the command line tools and libraries need to build applications. Now: directly from the download page: "The Windows SDK no longer ships with a complete command-line build environment. You must install a compiler and build environment separately. If you require a complete development environment that includes compilers and a build environment, you can download Visual Studio 2012 Express, which includes the appropriate components of the Windows SDK."
Years ago, Visual Studio C++ Express was 32-bit only, and the Window SDK made more sense for me.
Anyone knows if Visual Studio Express 2013 for Windows Desktop now comes with the 64-bit compiler too? In that case I can forget about the Windows SDK for now. Otherwise I will need to rely on old Windows SDK that came with the compiler. Or install professional version of Visual Studio of course.
Isn't the ironic thing here, that ARM is also not very good at branching? No branch prediction - that at least used to be the case.
Problem is, it is NOT informative. Follow the links from picture searches above. Most of the pictures are just bad, pointless and vulgar. As people are quick to point out, it is arguably not even porn. I think anyone who really cares about the quality of Wikipedia and the creative commons stuff, should worry about these pictures as much as those people who are overly sensitive to nudity do.
My employers standard internet filtering proxy used to block slashdot for being pornography. I told my boss it was silly, and they removed slashdot from the list.
It often does not make sense to talk/think about USA as one country...
Ask this in Seattle or Minneapolis. And then try again in the countryside of Texas.
For how many states in USA is the figure 40-50% ?
What is the percentage of americans living in states where the figure is 40-50% ?
I agree! Mod up.
And, when it comes to databases... think about having a (few) large physical database server(s), and run your own "database hotel" that way.
My experience (mostly MS SQL) is that databases do not behave well in virtual environments. Better to consolidate by putting many databases on the same physical server, than putting many virtual database servers on the same physical server.
Basic compiler? I had the feeling it was the complete thing (but without the IDE of Visual Studio). I opted for the Platform SDK a while ago, because it contained complete x64 stuff, which VS Express did not.
If Windows 8 SDK will not include C++-stuff, then... will Visual Studio contain new updated versions of C++ compilers? Or will there be no new version C++ tools at all? Will they ship the new version of Visual Studio with Windows 7 SDK (7.1 I believe) as well as the new Windows 8 SDK.
Either they are making the C++ stuff truly proprietary. Or they are just not planning on updating them at all (for paying or for free) for Windows 8.
Anyone who can comment on this?
Exactly, Intel made the crappy P4, and at that time AMD invented AMD64, which, for a while gave them a double advantage.
I prefer to have space for my applications, not for my dock. So on widescreen I always put it left or right. On 4:3 I always put it top or bottom. I have a problem filling my dock anyways... I mean: shutdown-button, firefox, terminal, and the "menu" for all the stuff I only use occationally.
You seriously think that "less is more" is a worrysome, generic contradiction?
I think it is very often a very good principle, in very different aspects of life.
Oh, and Windows native C++ development is horrible.
I have a stupid question... What is actually C++ about Windows Native Libraries. All I ever saw was just completely twisted C - twisted as in just weird datatypes, weird includes, and a Macro hell. I admit, you can declare variables anywhere (just not on top, as in C), but otherwise I cant understand how Microsoft can call it C++.
Real C++ is so different from Microsoft C++.
And QT is very nice. It combines the best of C, C++ and Java. QT Creator is the only IDE I ever appreciated. I really like the .pro file that contains everything about the project, and is still a very small simple text file; nothing like a configure-script or even worse a Microsoft Solution file. qmake uses the pro-file to make a Makefile.
This is just a problem for Microsoft. I mean, the way they tightly integrate everything they have into a mess that is unmanageable, mostly for themselves, is provokingly stupid.
To those of you who have not tried Windows 8, this is how it works... When you click the start menu, you get Windows Phone 7 (Metro) interface in full screen. And it starts with the Metro stuff in full screen, so you have to "start" explorer, to get to your desktop.
Apart from that, it is the same... but the old start menu is gone. Perhaps the real version will work differently.
According to my experience you are quite right. Now it might not be completely fair to compare that old 500Mhz ARM to the 1.33GHz Atom.
And yes, the Atom is very crappy compared to all the other CPUs.
The Microsoft App-store will be for Metro-apps. So, developers who want to sell on the App-store will write for Metro, and it will run on ARM.
I think that is quite fine. And I really like the idea of WinRT being next to the old and buggy Win32, if they get WinRT right.
But, I tried the Windows 8 Developer Preview, and I seriously don't know if I think Metro makes much sense at all... time will tell.
At this point it does not work (I just tried), unfortunately. But, I guess the answer to your question is; not happy at all.
I really like using old hardware as long as it works. But if you have 18 computers of the same model - do you really need to have the latest version of Ubuntu on those? Cant you just stay with 10.10 for quite long? Or switch to Xubuntu?
Use Xubuntu. It is about using the GPU to make a nicer GUI. Mac OS X did that since 12 years. Time for Linux to do it too. I have a 5 year old HP laptop (nc6220) that runs Unity with no problems.
There is a CompizConfig Settings Manager, where you can find Ubuntu Unity Plugin. There you can find things like changing Icon Size and toolbar location.
Writing a portable C/C++ program from scratch, and maintain it on different architectures: not so hard.
Porting an old C/C++ program already written with just one architecture in mind: seriously hard.
Just get it right from the beginning and you are fine.