Why is this question posted to Slashdot about once a month? The answer is never different, just always a flamefest between wxWindows and Java, with some random suggestions from other people thrown in:-) --
I don't know, and chances are very few people know, but does the backdoor "phone home" to say it's ready and waiting?
Apparently it puts the IP address of the machine it's running on in an IRC channel somewhere, where i'm sure there's a bot gathering the info. Pretty smart way of avoiding being traced:-) --
Does Rob or anyone at Slashdot even read what Katz submits before posting it? It appears that Katz can submit whatever he wants to Slashdot and they publish it without question.
I don't know, but not necessarily. See how it says "Posted by JonKatz" and not "Posted by CmdrTaco"? JonKatz is one of the authors on Slashdot, so he has the ability to post whatever he wants on the main page (he can also go through the submissions and post things people submit, but it doesn't look like he ever does.) --
The GPL includes an exemption for code that is considered to be "system libraries", but adds a clause that the "system libraries" and the executable itself cannot be distributed together.
Ahhh, ok. Would Qt count as a system library? It should, if the Win32 UI libs do, because they play the same role. --
Now I'm *really* confused. I just started thinking... the GPL doesn't allow linking to closed libraries? That kinda weakens it a bit, in my mind. Doesn't that mean you can't write GPL'ed Windows programs? I understand that you can't link closed programs to GPL'ed libraries, but I didn't think there were any restrictions going the other way.
And if this isn't the case, what's the fuss about? KDE is GPL'ed, Qt isn't, but that's ok, right? The only problem would be if it were the other way around. Or am i just braindead at this ungodly hour of the morning? --
First of all, it's QPL, not QTL. Sorry, just nitpicking:-)
Because the QTL is so bad (Aparently), how much work would it be to move the whole of KDE over to something like GTK+? I've never coded for either Qt or GTK, but i'm assuming they are similiar enough that it wouldn't require a whole rewrite of KDE to do it? How about writing a Qt wrapper for GTK+?
It would be impossible (or very, very difficult) to do this without a complete rewrite. The whole design of Qt and GTK+ are completely different - GTK+ is C-based, and Qt is C++ based. Programming the two is completely different, as well as designing programs which use them. There are C++ wrappers for GTK+ (with Gtk-- being the most prominent, and supposedly the best) but even so, it's a completely different world.
KDE/Qt is nicer to program for, but Gnome/GTK+ looks better. That's why I'm rooting for Gnome:-) --
That means they wouldn't be able to include it in non-free (despite what CmdrTaco says), simply because the act of compiling KDE and distributing the resulting binaries, in and of itself, would be a breach of the GPL.
Not true - didn't you read the letter? There's a specific addition to the GPL in KDE's license which says that the code may be linked with Qt. --
Don't get me wrong, Loki are doing a great job and their developers kick ass, but until their tech support actually goes out of their way to help with something other than just giving dumb answers which rank up with "are you sure the computer is switched on?", Linux gaming is going to be mired in the quicksand of the same kind of hardware problems that used to occur years ago in DOS.
Are you sure you called the right number for Loki's tech support?:-) I've always found their tech support to be excellent. I'm not familiar with 3dfx cards at all, but when I was trying to set up Myth 2 on my roommate's computer (which has a Voodoo2), Loki's tech support helped tremendously - no hold times, they spent an hour on the phone with me, walking me through building new Glide drivers, troubleshooting stuff, etc. And when I called them asking about an OpenGL driver for Myth 2 (I have a TNT2), the guy said that he knew of a Glide wrapper for TNT2 cards and said he'd let me know. I gave him my email address, not really expecting a reply, and 2 days later he emailed me the URL for the Glide wrapper. They also helped me with a few other issues (relating to running the Quake 3 Arena tools under Linux.)
They have very good tech support, in my experience. Maybe you got a chump when you called, but that doesn't mean they're all like that. --
A lot of programs require gnome libs because they provide a lot of functionality which would be a pain in the ass to code yourself. For example, I'm the author of PowerShell, and writing it without Gnome-libs would require me to write the terminal emulation code myself. Why bother, when it's already there? Now, I try to support diversity and try to provide RPMs, DEBs, tarballs, CVS access, etc., so that people can run it on non-RedHat systems. It's also in FreeBSD ports and as soon as I get off my ass I'm going to fix stuff so that it works on Solaris and IRIX as well.
About apps spawning Gnome panels when run, I agree with you that that's just ridiculous (unless, of course, you're running a panel applet.) --
Raytracing isn't the big RAM eater - the modelling is. I have 320MB in my P2 (and 512 in my Alpha, but that's purely "because I can", I never use anywhere near all of it:-) Anyway, the 320MB in my P2 gets used up routinely when I'm doing 3D work (take a look at this picture for an example of one that used the full 320 and then some virtual memory as well.) This is using 3D Studio and Bryce 4, not Povray, which needs far less RAM.
On a related note, whose fucking bright idea was it to put only 3 RAM slots in my damn motherboard instead of 4 like it should? I would *love* to put some of the RAM from my ALpha into my P2 and actually put it to use. --
Please tell me just what additional freedom the average Joe "I canna program, nor can any of my friends" gets out of having the source available.
Ok, how's this scenario? Joe's been hearing a lot about this new "Linux" thing and decides, since he can create HTML in FrontPage he's definately smart enough for Linux. So he goes and installs a copy on his shiny new iMac. Then he downloads StarOffice, but it doesn't work. "Unsupported architecture? What in the hell?" he mumbles to himself as he reboots into MacOS to use IE.
Open Source Scenario: Joe downloads a src.rpm of some cool new package, installs it (in the process compiling it for his computer) and runs it. "Hey, this Linux thing is sorta neat," he mumbles to himself as he reboots into MacOS to use IE. --
Something I've been wanting to try is my Palm III with a Ricochet (sp?) wireless modem. I know they work together (with a little serial adaptor). Something to stay away from, though is the Palm VII - they don't give you real IP access, just their imitation brand, so you're at their mercy. You see basically what people pay them to let you see, which, IMHO, is never a good position to be in. Just think AOL. --
Do you really need 1 Gig of ram on the web servers? Wouldn't the extra memory be better used on the DB server? You're probably not using more than 150MB for the httpd's.
Not true at all. I'm running a slash server which doesn't get very many hits (~3000 in the last two days, chump change compared to Slashdot) and right now httpd is using 270MB of RAM. --
Well, a 386 can't fill a 10meg pipe - a 486 could, but not a 386. Also, a 486 could only do it if it was only static content (i.e. pre-written HTML and images.) Slashdot isn't static content by any stretch of the imagination. The pages are dynamically generated for each user using data from MySQL. MySQL is very CPU/IO intensive, as is mod_perl, which generates the HTML. --
Actually the point of the articles and press releases is that Linux will now run natively on an S/390 and not just inside a virtual machine on OS/390. That is pretty damn cool:)
Yeah, that is pretty damn cool, but not terribly useful. I think it would be much more useful running under a virtual machine. Linux just can't possibly take full advantage of that hardware, what with all the billions of CPUs (err... maybe not billions:-) and crazy I/O channels.
I'd love to see some performance specs on Linux vs OS/390!
I'm sure it would get creamed. Except for Intel chips (maybe others too, but I know not Alpha or PPC), Linux is generally not as fast on the hardware as operating systems which were designed specifically for that hardware.
On a related off-topic topic (?), does anybody know if Compaq is still doing that free Tru64 for personal use thing? I'd love to give that a test drive on my Alpha (or, if nothing else, just steal the math libs and compiler to run under Linux with the Tru64 emulation libs:-) --
Slashdot Mirror
Why is this question posted to Slashdot about once a month? The answer is never different, just always a flamefest between wxWindows and Java, with some random suggestions from other people thrown in :-)
--
I don't know, and chances are very few people know, but does the backdoor "phone home" to say it's ready and waiting?
:-)
Apparently it puts the IP address of the machine it's running on in an IRC channel somewhere, where i'm sure there's a bot gathering the info. Pretty smart way of avoiding being traced
--
Uh oh... why do I smell a really obnoxious troll coming out of this in a few days?
--
Does Rob or anyone at Slashdot even read what Katz submits before posting it? It appears that Katz can submit whatever he wants to Slashdot and they publish it without question.
I don't know, but not necessarily. See how it says "Posted by JonKatz" and not "Posted by CmdrTaco"? JonKatz is one of the authors on Slashdot, so he has the ability to post whatever he wants on the main page (he can also go through the submissions and post things people submit, but it doesn't look like he ever does.)
--
QTL...damn, i don't even know where i got that from :) I'm tired, now i've made myself look very stupid;
:-)
;)
Heh heh... s'okay, I've already done that a few times this discussion
i need a cigerete and some coffee. I'll come back when i'm more coherent
Just finished my coffee, now I'm going to have a cigarette. Mmmmm....
--
The GPL includes an exemption for code that is considered to be "system libraries", but adds a clause that the "system libraries" and the executable itself cannot be distributed together.
Ahhh, ok. Would Qt count as a system library? It should, if the Win32 UI libs do, because they play the same role.
--
Now I'm *really* confused. I just started thinking... the GPL doesn't allow linking to closed libraries? That kinda weakens it a bit, in my mind. Doesn't that mean you can't write GPL'ed Windows programs? I understand that you can't link closed programs to GPL'ed libraries, but I didn't think there were any restrictions going the other way.
And if this isn't the case, what's the fuss about? KDE is GPL'ed, Qt isn't, but that's ok, right? The only problem would be if it were the other way around. Or am i just braindead at this ungodly hour of the morning?
--
ARGH! I suck, sorry 'bout that. It's too early in the morning for me to have coherent thoughts.
--
First of all, it's QPL, not QTL. Sorry, just nitpicking :-)
:-)
Because the QTL is so bad (Aparently), how much work would it be to move the whole of KDE over to something like GTK+? I've never coded for either Qt or GTK, but i'm assuming they are similiar enough that it wouldn't require a whole rewrite of KDE to do it? How about writing a Qt wrapper for GTK+?
It would be impossible (or very, very difficult) to do this without a complete rewrite. The whole design of Qt and GTK+ are completely different - GTK+ is C-based, and Qt is C++ based. Programming the two is completely different, as well as designing programs which use them. There are C++ wrappers for GTK+ (with Gtk-- being the most prominent, and supposedly the best) but even so, it's a completely different world.
KDE/Qt is nicer to program for, but Gnome/GTK+ looks better. That's why I'm rooting for Gnome
--
That means they wouldn't be able to include it in non-free (despite what CmdrTaco says), simply because the act of compiling KDE and distributing the resulting binaries, in and of itself, would be a breach of the GPL.
Not true - didn't you read the letter? There's a specific addition to the GPL in KDE's license which says that the code may be linked with Qt.
--
Don't get me wrong, Loki are doing a great job and their developers kick ass, but until their tech support actually goes out of their way to help with something other than just giving dumb answers which rank up with "are you sure the computer is switched on?", Linux gaming is going to be mired in the quicksand of the same kind of hardware problems that used to occur years ago in DOS.
:-) I've always found their tech support to be excellent. I'm not familiar with 3dfx cards at all, but when I was trying to set up Myth 2 on my roommate's computer (which has a Voodoo2), Loki's tech support helped tremendously - no hold times, they spent an hour on the phone with me, walking me through building new Glide drivers, troubleshooting stuff, etc. And when I called them asking about an OpenGL driver for Myth 2 (I have a TNT2), the guy said that he knew of a Glide wrapper for TNT2 cards and said he'd let me know. I gave him my email address, not really expecting a reply, and 2 days later he emailed me the URL for the Glide wrapper. They also helped me with a few other issues (relating to running the Quake 3 Arena tools under Linux.)
Are you sure you called the right number for Loki's tech support?
They have very good tech support, in my experience. Maybe you got a chump when you called, but that doesn't mean they're all like that.
--
Why the hell would Napster sue for that? That's just free advertising for them.
--
LOL. I know I program better when stoned...
--
You must also go cut down the mightiest tree in the forest with a trout.
D00D! 1t's 4 h3rr1ng, n0t 4 tr0ut!
Fuck this. Using no vowels sucks. Plus I couldn't think of a replacement for the "u" in trout.
--
A lot of programs require gnome libs because they provide a lot of functionality which would be a pain in the ass to code yourself. For example, I'm the author of PowerShell, and writing it without Gnome-libs would require me to write the terminal emulation code myself. Why bother, when it's already there? Now, I try to support diversity and try to provide RPMs, DEBs, tarballs, CVS access, etc., so that people can run it on non-RedHat systems. It's also in FreeBSD ports and as soon as I get off my ass I'm going to fix stuff so that it works on Solaris and IRIX as well.
About apps spawning Gnome panels when run, I agree with you that that's just ridiculous (unless, of course, you're running a panel applet.)
--
Raytracing isn't the big RAM eater - the modelling is. I have 320MB in my P2 (and 512 in my Alpha, but that's purely "because I can", I never use anywhere near all of it :-) Anyway, the 320MB in my P2 gets used up routinely when I'm doing 3D work (take a look at this picture for an example of one that used the full 320 and then some virtual memory as well.) This is using 3D Studio and Bryce 4, not Povray, which needs far less RAM.
On a related note, whose fucking bright idea was it to put only 3 RAM slots in my damn motherboard instead of 4 like it should? I would *love* to put some of the RAM from my ALpha into my P2 and actually put it to use.
--
how long does it take for you to build a CVS check out?
:-) A little bit less than 30 minutes.
took two and a half hours this morning for me
Heh. I love my Alpha
--
Please tell me just what additional freedom the average Joe "I canna program, nor can any of my friends" gets out of having the source available.
Ok, how's this scenario? Joe's been hearing a lot about this new "Linux" thing and decides, since he can create HTML in FrontPage he's definately smart enough for Linux. So he goes and installs a copy on his shiny new iMac. Then he downloads StarOffice, but it doesn't work. "Unsupported architecture? What in the hell?" he mumbles to himself as he reboots into MacOS to use IE.
Open Source Scenario: Joe downloads a src.rpm of some cool new package, installs it (in the process compiling it for his computer) and runs it. "Hey, this Linux thing is sorta neat," he mumbles to himself as he reboots into MacOS to use IE.
--
LOL. Good troll :-)
--
Something I've been wanting to try is my Palm III with a Ricochet (sp?) wireless modem. I know they work together (with a little serial adaptor). Something to stay away from, though is the Palm VII - they don't give you real IP access, just their imitation brand, so you're at their mercy. You see basically what people pay them to let you see, which, IMHO, is never a good position to be in. Just think AOL.
--
Do you really need 1 Gig of ram on the web servers? Wouldn't the extra memory be better used on the DB server? You're probably not using more than 150MB for the httpd's.
Not true at all. I'm running a slash server which doesn't get very many hits (~3000 in the last two days, chump change compared to Slashdot) and right now httpd is using 270MB of RAM.
--
Well, a 386 can't fill a 10meg pipe - a 486 could, but not a 386. Also, a 486 could only do it if it was only static content (i.e. pre-written HTML and images.) Slashdot isn't static content by any stretch of the imagination. The pages are dynamically generated for each user using data from MySQL. MySQL is very CPU/IO intensive, as is mod_perl, which generates the HTML.
--
Why not just download the compilers and math libs that have been ported from Tru64 to Linux?
Hmmm.... well, that's an idea. Although I'd still like to try Tru64.
--
Actually the point of the articles and press releases is that Linux will now run natively on an S/390 and not just inside a virtual machine on OS/390. That is pretty damn cool :)
:-) and crazy I/O channels.
:-)
Yeah, that is pretty damn cool, but not terribly useful. I think it would be much more useful running under a virtual machine. Linux just can't possibly take full advantage of that hardware, what with all the billions of CPUs (err... maybe not billions
I'd love to see some performance specs on Linux vs OS/390!
I'm sure it would get creamed. Except for Intel chips (maybe others too, but I know not Alpha or PPC), Linux is generally not as fast on the hardware as operating systems which were designed specifically for that hardware.
On a related off-topic topic (?), does anybody know if Compaq is still doing that free Tru64 for personal use thing? I'd love to give that a test drive on my Alpha (or, if nothing else, just steal the math libs and compiler to run under Linux with the Tru64 emulation libs
--
Drool.... I want one :-)
Good article link, BTW. Somebody moderate that up.
--