Have any of you visited a NPO lately? Most of the ones I've helped out with don't have newer PC, and if they do they're limited in number.
So who wants to bet dollars for doughnuts that a lot of that donated software will be Windows XP and other resource hungry applications? And what will these excited NPO's do when they try loading XP on a Pentium II with 64MB of RAM?
Hmm...funny, but I've checked the mlist.linux.kernel list, and I don't see any Novell staffers contributing to the kernel.
How are they going to mature Linux? Make lots of outlandish marketing promises to the general public? Oh wait, no, it's Novell we're talking about here.
Isn't the Christian Copyright Licensing International something like this already? Churches pay an annual fee so that they can freely print and perform worship songs. Rather than reinvent the wheel, why not look to something that's already in place?
I for one am never pursuaded by words like "decimating" the competition, but most non-techies love simple, sound-bite type language that makes then sound cool around the water cooler and in the board room.
Maybe the Linux community needs to move away from pure slam speech like "Windows sux" and use more words and phrases like "decimating the competition".
When I first became interested in computers, I quickly learned of the deliberate inefficiencies of the QWERTY layout. Since I didn't want to waste my time learning an inefficient layout, I decided to not learn to type on a QWERTY layout. I set my sights on someday learning to type on a Maltron or Dvorak keyboard. But being a teenager with no money and a computer with an integrated QWERTY keyboard, I never attained my goal. Besides, as many programmers will tell you, keyboards with a bend towards the english language make typing code more difficult
Earlier this year, I bought a Happy Hacking keyboard off of ebay, and I simply love it. The compact layout with all the functions available and the "proper" positioning of the CONTROL key has made typing a lot easier and faster with less strain on my hands and wrists.
So now, after 20 years of using computers, I'm going to finally break down and learn to type, because although it may be nice to talk about better layouts for the future, the fact is the vast majority of people just don't want to change.
if you ever want a corporate job, you'll find that your business doesn't mean anything to that mindset. they'll just gloss over that section of your resume, then ask for what they consider 'real' experience.
We're talking here about Information Technology. I've been at it professionally for over 7 years, and worked for both large and small (the largest being an international company who flew me up to their diamond mine).
Yes, past experience was always part of due diligence, but the certifications meant nothing.
I found that registering a business name and a business license is the _best_ form of certification.
Certification means "To confirm as genuine". People are more apt to believe someone with a business card can fix their computer woes than a stack full of resumes littered with acronyms (CNE, MCSE, CCNA, A+, WYSIWYG, ad infinitum ad nauseum)
If you know your stuff and can fix a clients problem, it doesn't matter what your certification is. All people want are results.
I checked our family history, and my great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather invented the english alphabet. That means you all owe me a royalty for every word you've ever typed, written or read.
Oh, and his wife invented the alphabet song, so either stop your kids from singing our song, or start wringing cheques.
Origin of the term: (taken from http://www.houghi.org/jargon/guru-meditation.html) This term is (no surprise) an in-joke from the earliest days of the Amiga. An earlier product of the Amiga corporation was a device called a `Joyboard' which was basically a plastic board built onto a joystick-like device; it was sold with a skiing game cartridge for the Atari game machine. It is said that whenever the prototype OS crashed, the system programmer responsible would calm down by concentrating on a solution while sitting cross-legged on a Joyboard trying to keep the board in balance. This position resembled that of a meditating guru. Sadly, the joke was removed fairly early on (but there's a well-known patch to restore it in more recent versions).
My brother works as an electrician for the movie industry up here in BC, Canada. He's in the queue to work on the movie "Jason versus Freddie Krueger", which will probably be shot later this year.
The small to medium enterpirses are build and maintained by hackers such as myself. By alienting not only the developer community, but the integrators as well, UnitedLinux cannot succeed.
I make a fine living selling Linux solutions, more than my Windows counterparts. The SME's I sell and service don't care if the servers are Linux, Windows or NetWare as long as their desktop is Windows and they can see the network from their vantage point.
I think "us" telling them how to sell their product is a good thing since the customer is _not_ the actualy SME's but guys like me who are putting their products in. For now, I'll keep having my clients buy a full distro of Mandrake.
Of course! Two in fact. Unfortunately, they (MS Tech support) don't know what the problem is, and their concern is that the server is working now. Even though the likelihood of recurring failure is probable, there's nothing more they are able to do.
Contrast this with Open Source support. I go into the code, find the author of the offending process, contact them via email and work to resolve the issue. If I need immediate support, I can call Red Hat or any other reputable house for support. The issue is time/cost, but when hitting the wall with difficult issues, at least I have more options with the Open Source community.
Being a transitioning tech from Windows to Linux, I do rely on Microsoft's tech support from time to time. I have noticed a steady decline in quality of service over the last couple of years.
For example, I have an ongoing issue with a client that is bordering on insane. They're running Windows 2000 Small Business Server, and twice they've had a blue screen of death while rebooting the server.
Having talked over the issue with 7 different technicians, not only do we not have a solution, but there's conflicting advice. Also there are patches that are not available to the public because they're still not "prime time" (took 7 months for a hot fix to be made available for another problem with licensing. Seems that if Windows 2000 Pro workstations connect to SBS 2000 server, the licenses get gobbled up until no one else can connect, even though there's only 7 computers connecting to a 10-licensed server. The patch still doesn't work properly).
It's a scary thing when a client is afraid to reboot the server in fear that they will be down an entire day. Thankfully in North America Microsoft will fix business servers that are down for free (MS Business Critical Support 10888-455-7422), so at least their weakening support is on their dime.
Maybe we'll solve the problem next time the server BSOD's (8th tech's a charm!?!?) Or maybe the customer will let me move them to Linux.
IMHO, games drive the computer industry. If a common code could run on all platforms, it would do more to break Microsoft's stranglehold on the desktop than anything.
Time and time again, I see people spend money they don't have to buy a new computer so they can play the latest game. Hardware vendors provide the top game producers early access to their newest hardware so that tomorrow's hottest games will run oh-so-much-better with a new video card, new processor and more RAM. People justify their spending by saying they need the speed to be more productive.
I hope the trend to "pay once, play anywhere" becomes a reality. Then my neighbour won't be so reluctant to spin up Mandrake, since he will be able to play Quake IV without paying his tithe to Redmond.
It's only once and awhile that such a book comes out that can be ranted about. This book truly is the "camel" of System Administration. I work with both Linux and NT, and the book is applicable to both.
The "Evard's Life Cycle" diagram is essential. I'm surprised I never saw it sooner. Also the first three points are absolute truth.
1) Use a trouble-ticket system
2) Manage quick requests right
3) Start every new host in a known state
I worked at a computer service company for years, and they did none of these three things. They're losing employees left and right because they can't manage the work effectively.
Won't happen. I live just north of the US in Canada, and US laws don't apply here. As Linux continues to develop here and abroad, it will force the cost down on IT.
Should the SSSCA pass in the US, it will be business as usual for all other nations. Which means the US will slide into a third world technologically.
$500 may seem steep to some, but my paragliding and hang gliding friends will all buy them when they are more readily available. In fact gloves, pants and socks would be great too.
I fly a paraglider, and launch off a mountain at 2000 feet, and am able to ride rising hot air current (called thermals) to well over 7000 feet. There's a lot of variation in climate and temperature when flying, and it gets _very_ cold when you're up at the base of the clouds. Many times I've landed because I was too cold.
Batteries wouldn't be such a big deal since I could carry a larger cell on my harness and just plug in.
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Have any of you visited a NPO lately? Most of the ones I've helped out with don't have newer PC, and if they do they're limited in number.
So who wants to bet dollars for doughnuts that a lot of that donated software will be Windows XP and other resource hungry applications? And what will these excited NPO's do when they try loading XP on a Pentium II with 64MB of RAM?
Yeah, nice gift Bill. You're a real saint.
Uh, maybe I'm missing something here, but isn't the device they're describing the same as Research in Motion's Blackberry ?
The most promising I've seen is the Linux Video Disk Recorder
I especially like the idea of installing multiple MPEG cards to record multiple channels at the same time.
I don't care what any of you think, I think this guy's legit. Hey Taco, could /. interview this guy?
My first question is "Mr. Carlssin, what Linux distro will be the one to finally achieve world domination?"
"Oh, and another question. When will Microsoft go bankrupt?"
"Oh wait! Just one more...
There won't be any doors in the building, only Windows (TM)
Hmm...funny, but I've checked the mlist.linux.kernel list, and I don't see any Novell staffers contributing to the kernel.
How are they going to mature Linux? Make lots of outlandish marketing promises to the general public? Oh wait, no, it's Novell we're talking about here.
Isn't the Christian Copyright Licensing International something like this already? Churches pay an annual fee so that they can freely print and perform worship songs. Rather than reinvent the wheel, why not look to something that's already in place?
I for one am never pursuaded by words like "decimating" the competition, but most non-techies love simple, sound-bite type language that makes then sound cool around the water cooler and in the board room.
Maybe the Linux community needs to move away from pure slam speech like "Windows sux" and use more words and phrases like "decimating the competition".
Microsoft does: "knife the baby", "cut off their air supply", and other verbage that relay emotions, not facts.
The reason 64-bit would be good for mainstream PC's would be to finally provide good, reliable voice recognition.
Yeah, it's called "Shut Down"
When I first became interested in computers, I quickly learned of the deliberate inefficiencies of the QWERTY layout. Since I didn't want to waste my time learning an inefficient layout, I decided to not learn to type on a QWERTY layout. I set my sights on someday learning to type on a Maltron or Dvorak keyboard. But being a teenager with no money and a computer with an integrated QWERTY keyboard, I never attained my goal. Besides, as many programmers will tell you, keyboards with a bend towards the english language make typing code more difficult
Earlier this year, I bought a Happy Hacking keyboard off of ebay, and I simply love it. The compact layout with all the functions available and the "proper" positioning of the CONTROL key has made typing a lot easier and faster with less strain on my hands and wrists.
So now, after 20 years of using computers, I'm going to finally break down and learn to type, because although it may be nice to talk about better layouts for the future, the fact is the vast majority of people just don't want to change.
if you ever want a corporate job, you'll find that your business doesn't mean anything to that mindset. they'll just gloss over that section of your resume, then ask for what they consider 'real' experience.
We're talking here about Information Technology. I've been at it professionally for over 7 years, and worked for both large and small (the largest being an international company who flew me up to their diamond mine).
Yes, past experience was always part of due diligence, but the certifications meant nothing.
I found that registering a business name and a business license is the _best_ form of certification.
Certification means "To confirm as genuine". People are more apt to believe someone with a business card can fix their computer woes than a stack full of resumes littered with acronyms (CNE, MCSE, CCNA, A+, WYSIWYG, ad infinitum ad nauseum)
If you know your stuff and can fix a clients problem, it doesn't matter what your certification is. All people want are results.
I checked our family history, and my great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather invented the english alphabet. That means you all owe me a royalty for every word you've ever typed, written or read.
Oh, and his wife invented the alphabet song, so either stop your kids from singing our song, or start wringing cheques.
The number of illicit, dishonest and monopolistic tactics employed by Microsoft doubles every 18 weeks :-| Have a Day
Yeah...uh huh...right. Immobile Robots.
Show me some code. Surely there's some sort of software model and code to illustrate this idea?
Origin of the term: (taken from http://www.houghi.org/jargon/guru-meditation.html) This term is (no surprise) an in-joke from the earliest days of the Amiga. An earlier product of the Amiga corporation was a device called a `Joyboard' which was basically a plastic board built onto a joystick-like device; it was sold with a skiing game cartridge for the Atari game machine. It is said that whenever the prototype OS crashed, the system programmer responsible would calm down by concentrating on a solution while sitting cross-legged on a Joyboard trying to keep the board in balance. This position resembled that of a meditating guru. Sadly, the joke was removed fairly early on (but there's a well-known patch to restore it in more recent versions).
My brother works as an electrician for the movie industry up here in BC, Canada. He's in the queue to work on the movie "Jason versus Freddie Krueger", which will probably be shot later this year.
The small to medium enterpirses are build and maintained by hackers such as myself. By alienting not only the developer community, but the integrators as well, UnitedLinux cannot succeed.
I make a fine living selling Linux solutions, more than my Windows counterparts. The SME's I sell and service don't care if the servers are Linux, Windows or NetWare as long as their desktop is Windows and they can see the network from their vantage point.
I think "us" telling them how to sell their product is a good thing since the customer is _not_ the actualy SME's but guys like me who are putting their products in. For now, I'll keep having my clients buy a full distro of Mandrake.
Of course! Two in fact. Unfortunately, they (MS Tech support) don't know what the problem is, and their concern is that the server is working now. Even though the likelihood of recurring failure is probable, there's nothing more they are able to do.
Contrast this with Open Source support. I go into the code, find the author of the offending process, contact them via email and work to resolve the issue. If I need immediate support, I can call Red Hat or any other reputable house for support. The issue is time/cost, but when hitting the wall with difficult issues, at least I have more options with the Open Source community.
Being a transitioning tech from Windows to Linux, I do rely on Microsoft's tech support from time to time. I have noticed a steady decline in quality of service over the last couple of years.
For example, I have an ongoing issue with a client that is bordering on insane. They're running Windows 2000 Small Business Server, and twice they've had a blue screen of death while rebooting the server.
Having talked over the issue with 7 different technicians, not only do we not have a solution, but there's conflicting advice. Also there are patches that are not available to the public because they're still not "prime time" (took 7 months for a hot fix to be made available for another problem with licensing. Seems that if Windows 2000 Pro workstations connect to SBS 2000 server, the licenses get gobbled up until no one else can connect, even though there's only 7 computers connecting to a 10-licensed server. The patch still doesn't work properly).
It's a scary thing when a client is afraid to reboot the server in fear that they will be down an entire day. Thankfully in North America Microsoft will fix business servers that are down for free (MS Business Critical Support 10888-455-7422), so at least their weakening support is on their dime.
Maybe we'll solve the problem next time the server BSOD's (8th tech's a charm!?!?) Or maybe the customer will let me move them to Linux.
IMHO, games drive the computer industry. If a common code could run on all platforms, it would do more to break Microsoft's stranglehold on the desktop than anything.
Time and time again, I see people spend money they don't have to buy a new computer so they can play the latest game. Hardware vendors provide the top game producers early access to their newest hardware so that tomorrow's hottest games will run oh-so-much-better with a new video card, new processor and more RAM. People justify their spending by saying they need the speed to be more productive.
I hope the trend to "pay once, play anywhere" becomes a reality. Then my neighbour won't be so reluctant to spin up Mandrake, since he will be able to play Quake IV without paying his tithe to Redmond.
It's only once and awhile that such a book comes out that can be ranted about. This book truly is the "camel" of System Administration. I work with both Linux and NT, and the book is applicable to both.
The "Evard's Life Cycle" diagram is essential. I'm surprised I never saw it sooner. Also the first three points are absolute truth.
1) Use a trouble-ticket system
2) Manage quick requests right
3) Start every new host in a known state
I worked at a computer service company for years, and they did none of these three things. They're losing employees left and right because they can't manage the work effectively.
Bottom line - buy the book.
Won't happen. I live just north of the US in Canada, and US laws don't apply here. As Linux continues to develop here and abroad, it will force the cost down on IT.
Should the SSSCA pass in the US, it will be business as usual for all other nations. Which means the US will slide into a third world technologically.
$500 may seem steep to some, but my paragliding and hang gliding friends will all buy them when they are more readily available. In fact gloves, pants and socks would be great too.
I fly a paraglider, and launch off a mountain at 2000 feet, and am able to ride rising hot air current (called thermals) to well over 7000 feet. There's a lot of variation in climate and temperature when flying, and it gets _very_ cold when you're up at the base of the clouds. Many times I've landed because I was too cold.
Batteries wouldn't be such a big deal since I could carry a larger cell on my harness and just plug in.