This is so true! It's true because MS Office is primarily how MS has gained control of the desktop and kept control of it. Everyone made such a big deal about the integration of Internet Explorer with the OS. True, this was a big deal and brought about the downfall of Netscape. The real win for MS was creating Office. It became the standard office suite. It didn't run on any other platform. You had to run MS Windows to run Office. Ingenious!
IMHO, the best punishment for MS would have been to make the make the source for Office available.
Personally, I like KOffice, I love Konqueror. I just wish you could import documents from KOffice and StarOffice into MS Office. Can you imagine? You are using Linux in you workplace, because you to choose to, and you could send a co-worker a KOffice document and they could import it with no problem. That would be cool!
I dual-boot Linux and Win 98 on my work laptop precisely so I can exchange documents with my co-workers, otherwise, I think I could stay in Linux all of the time. I'm away from the office right now doing contract work, but when I get back, one of the first things I'm going to look into is a Windows emulator like VM Ware or Wine so maybe I won't have to get out of Linux at all. Then MS Windows will merely be an application I run in Linux:) (Not really of course, but it will seem like it.)
Also, I think Linux should forget about the desktop market and focus on the server market like the author of the article says. Linux is great for me. Most average users probably won't use it because they are not concerned about which OS the use or about the issues with Free Software. Who cares?!? I think Linux could be much more secure and rock solid if Linus and the other kernel hackers didn't have to worry about all of the desktop issues pulling them in so many directions. I say go for making Linux the most secure, stable, powerful, and fast SERVER OS available and forget about the desktop. Besides, I think it works great as it is.
Does a table in a zero G environment really make sense? It says "kitchen" table, so I assume they want to eat off of it. I don't know, I've never been in space, but it just doesn't seem to make sense to me.
I have always had (and still do have) dreams of building...gasp!!...Yes, that's right... a Beowulf cluster. I know it's a running joke and kind of cliche on Slashdot to say so, but I still think the concept is waaaay cool! Just for the pure, geekish enjoyment of it!
By the way, I'd just like to add that I've long waited for these dual capable motherboards to actually be available, but I must say that they are starting to seem like the Loch Ness Monster, Big Foot and UFOs all rolled into one. Drat! Perhaps someday...someday...
I think there is a definite difference. For me personally, anyway. It contributes to the overall culture at work and makes for a much more enjoyable work environment. This environment means a lot to me. I've worked in environments where the people weren't passionate about their work and it wasn't nearly as much fun.
I think most of us like to be around people that have similar interests. At work where we spend 8+ hours a day with the same people, it better be somewhat enjoyable (for me at least) if not, I'd go nuts!
Microsoft representatives are often talking about innovation and it is well known in the developer communities that Microsoft often seeks to "embrace and extend" certain technologies. Examples include Kerberos and Java (although I'm sure there are others.)
Many readers/posters on Slashdot like to joke about this philosophy calling it instead "embrace and extinguish" because it seems that Microsoft, in their "extending" a particular technology, also make it incompatible with the originating technology. This "extending", coupled with Microsofts huge (some would say monopolistic) presence in the marketplace, places the original technology in jeopardy.
In another interoperability area, the SAMBA software suite has encountered more than a bit of difficulty in making it easier for Unix and Unix-like OS's to interoperate with Windows.
My question:
Since your focus at Microsoft seems to be the interoperability of your products with others, could you explain Microsoft's reluctance to "play fair" and adhere to existing standards?
Amazing! Someone says some good things about a Microsoft OS AND gets modded up to 5?!? Holy schnikees!!
Who says we free software lovers are a bunch of communistic, software sharin', long hairs?
I've been coming to/. for sometime now and I never thought I'd see the day. As for me, Linux is all I use at home (yeah, I have to use Windows at work) but I've been getting a bit tired of all the anti-Microsoft rhetoric. Not that all of the same anti-competitive bullshit isn't still going on, I'm just tired of hearing about it.
Perhaps it doesn't fulfill all of Emily's requirements for a desktop OS. It doesn't fulfill mine either (at work at least.) This is due in large part, as we all know, to Microsofts obvious monopoly of the desktop market. They have it sewn up. Period.
So many advocates of Linux (of which I am definitely one) want so badly for Linux to squash the Microsoft monopoly. I used to want this as well. Now, I could care less. I use Linux along with a lot of other people and thank goodness there are so many brilliant people out there developing for it on a daily basis. As long as people continue to use it and people continue to develop for it, Linux will be there.
What is Linux? Why was it created?
Certainly I don't have to educate most of you in regard to questions like these. Maybe just a little reminder however. Linus began working on the Linux kernel as a way to have a UNIX-like OS on his PC (also, of course because he loves to hack and wanted to learn more about OS's/kernels) Windows, quite simply, did not fulfill his needs. UNIX was and is a server OS. It was never really intended for "casual" desktop use by average, everyday users. It was created with multiple threads, multiple users, stability, and power in mind. Not how pretty the GUI looks (although I like a nice one myself) or how "intuitive" the interface is for new users. UNIX was designed around hardcore work. Crunching lots and lots of numbers, over and over without crashing. Many people and companies are trying to "bend" Linux to do a lot of things. From embedded and palmtop devices up to large (very large in some cases) servers and huge clusters. This scalability is fantastic and a nice by-product of incredible forethought that went into the design of Linux. However, it was not initially intended for all of these purposes.
Linux is (and will most certainly continue) making huge inroads into a very tough market. It is marshaling a lot of the efforts and monies of some very big players like IBM and HP (who are putting more emphasis on Linux than their own, already well-established, very dependable server OS's.) It is in a sense unifying the once forked UNIX community. This is the most important part! Microsoft has been trying to break into the very staunch server OS market for some time now, but they just don't have what it takes. This is what scares them the most. This is why we get all of the differing and varied comments out of Redmond. Microsoft doesn't know what to do about Linux. They don't know how to fight it. The FUD that they have used so many times before to destroy other OS's (OS/2) and companies (Netscape) isn't working against Linux.
..."quoted Allchin as saying, "I worry if the government encourages open source, and I don't think we've done enough education of policy makers to understand the threat.""
Should actually be read:
"I don't think we've "donated" enough funds to the U.S. government so that they see our way as being the only alternative in this matter."
I was just about to post something very similar. I would also add that although Gore may not have intended that his statement be taken literally (as though he himself created it from scratch) it is just one of many "embellishments" "exaggerations" whatever you choose to call them, that he has made.
I did some work in Africa this Summer for 2 months and went to a few banks for work related stuff and one bank in particular was using Red Hat. The used it instead of the costlier UNIX variants that companies like IBM, HP, etc. sell.
I wonder about English being the language spoken by the most people including those that speak it not as their primary, but second language, third and so forth. How many people the world-over "know" English, although it is not their primary language?
Also, one would think that English is spoken over a broader area geographically than other languages (not sure about this, anyone know for certain.)
Slashdot Mirror
This is so true! It's true because MS Office is primarily how MS has gained control of the desktop and kept control of it. Everyone made such a big deal about the integration of Internet Explorer with the OS. True, this was a big deal and brought about the downfall of Netscape. The real win for MS was creating Office. It became the standard office suite. It didn't run on any other platform. You had to run MS Windows to run Office. Ingenious!
IMHO, the best punishment for MS would have been to make the make the source for Office available.
Personally, I like KOffice, I love Konqueror. I just wish you could import documents from KOffice and StarOffice into MS Office. Can you imagine? You are using Linux in you workplace, because you to choose to, and you could send a co-worker a KOffice document and they could import it with no problem. That would be cool!
I dual-boot Linux and Win 98 on my work laptop precisely so I can exchange documents with my co-workers, otherwise, I think I could stay in Linux all of the time. I'm away from the office right now doing contract work, but when I get back, one of the first things I'm going to look into is a Windows emulator like VM Ware or Wine so maybe I won't have to get out of Linux at all. Then MS Windows will merely be an application I run in Linux
Also, I think Linux should forget about the desktop market and focus on the server market like the author of the article says. Linux is great for me. Most average users probably won't use it because they are not concerned about which OS the use or about the issues with Free Software. Who cares?!? I think Linux could be much more secure and rock solid if Linus and the other kernel hackers didn't have to worry about all of the desktop issues pulling them in so many directions. I say go for making Linux the most secure, stable, powerful, and fast SERVER OS available and forget about the desktop. Besides, I think it works great as it is.
Just my
Eerily, it's like The Justice League of America vs. The Legion of Doom
Does a table in a zero G environment really make sense? It says "kitchen" table, so I assume they want to eat off of it. I don't know, I've never been in space, but it just doesn't seem to make sense to me.
I have always had (and still do have) dreams of building...gasp!!...Yes, that's right... a Beowulf cluster. I know it's a running joke and kind of cliche on Slashdot to say so, but I still think the concept is waaaay cool! Just for the pure, geekish enjoyment of it!
By the way, I'd just like to add that I've long waited for these dual capable motherboards to actually be available, but I must say that they are starting to seem like the Loch Ness Monster, Big Foot and UFOs all rolled into one. Drat! Perhaps someday...someday...
KDE (and thereby Konqueror) is included with Red Hat. I just installed v. 7.1 and Knoqueror works great.
Mozilla works very well too.
It's great to have a choice isn't it?
For me, it depends on the project and what the customer wants.
Currently, 8-5, M-F, Network Engineer. I do systems integration/consulting.
If you're using Red Hat 7.1, the param.h file is located here:
/usr/include/asm/param.h
I think there is a definite difference. For me personally, anyway. It contributes to the overall culture at work and makes for a much more enjoyable work environment. This environment means a lot to me. I've worked in environments where the people weren't passionate about their work and it wasn't nearly as much fun.
I think most of us like to be around people that have similar interests. At work where we spend 8+ hours a day with the same people, it better be somewhat enjoyable (for me at least) if not, I'd go nuts!
...we really had to work for our Karma points. There wasn't any of this "whoring" crap going on.
Damn you little bastards!!
We also had to walk to school. Five miles uphill in the snow. Both ways even.
You youngsters nowadays don't know how good you've got it!
Microsoft representatives are often talking about innovation and it is well known in the developer communities that Microsoft often seeks to "embrace and extend" certain technologies. Examples include Kerberos and Java (although I'm sure there are others.)
Many readers/posters on Slashdot like to joke about this philosophy calling it instead "embrace and extinguish" because it seems that Microsoft, in their "extending" a particular technology, also make it incompatible with the originating technology. This "extending", coupled with Microsofts huge (some would say monopolistic) presence in the marketplace, places the original technology in jeopardy.
In another interoperability area, the SAMBA software suite has encountered more than a bit of difficulty in making it easier for Unix and Unix-like OS's to interoperate with Windows.
My question:
Since your focus at Microsoft seems to be the interoperability of your products with others, could you explain Microsoft's reluctance to "play fair" and adhere to existing standards?
Amazing! Someone says some good things about a Microsoft OS AND gets modded up to 5?!? Holy schnikees!!
Who says we free software lovers are a bunch of communistic, software sharin', long hairs?
I've been coming to
Just a little refreshing that's all.
"In between all the bad news about Linux..."
What BAD news?
Absolutely right.
Perhaps it doesn't fulfill all of Emily's requirements for a desktop OS. It doesn't fulfill mine either (at work at least.) This is due in large part, as we all know, to Microsofts obvious monopoly of the desktop market. They have it sewn up. Period.
So many advocates of Linux (of which I am definitely one) want so badly for Linux to squash the Microsoft monopoly. I used to want this as well. Now, I could care less. I use Linux along with a lot of other people and thank goodness there are so many brilliant people out there developing for it on a daily basis. As long as people continue to use it and people continue to develop for it, Linux will be there.
What is Linux? Why was it created?
Certainly I don't have to educate most of you in regard to questions like these. Maybe just a little reminder however. Linus began working on the Linux kernel as a way to have a UNIX-like OS on his PC (also, of course because he loves to hack and wanted to learn more about OS's/kernels) Windows, quite simply, did not fulfill his needs. UNIX was and is a server OS. It was never really intended for "casual" desktop use by average, everyday users. It was created with multiple threads, multiple users, stability, and power in mind. Not how pretty the GUI looks (although I like a nice one myself) or how "intuitive" the interface is for new users. UNIX was designed around hardcore work. Crunching lots and lots of numbers, over and over without crashing. Many people and companies are trying to "bend" Linux to do a lot of things. From embedded and palmtop devices up to large (very large in some cases) servers and huge clusters. This scalability is fantastic and a nice by-product of incredible forethought that went into the design of Linux. However, it was not initially intended for all of these purposes.
Linux is (and will most certainly continue) making huge inroads into a very tough market. It is marshaling a lot of the efforts and monies of some very big players like IBM and HP (who are putting more emphasis on Linux than their own, already well-established, very dependable server OS's.) It is in a sense unifying the once forked UNIX community. This is the most important part! Microsoft has been trying to break into the very staunch server OS market for some time now, but they just don't have what it takes. This is what scares them the most. This is why we get all of the differing and varied comments out of Redmond. Microsoft doesn't know what to do about Linux. They don't know how to fight it. The FUD that they have used so many times before to destroy other OS's (OS/2) and companies (Netscape) isn't working against Linux.
This is what gives Linux it's strength.
I'm not worried in the least.
Too funny! I often laugh about the great disregard for proper grammar and correct spelling on Slashdot.
133t h4x0r5 will now rule Napster because most average users will be unable to decrypt their h4x0r 5p34k.
My favorite quote:
..."quoted Allchin as saying, "I worry if the government encourages open source, and I don't think we've done enough education of policy makers to understand the threat
Should actually be read:
"I don't think we've "donated" enough funds to the U.S. government so that they see our way as being the only alternative in this matter."
How about trying to get an interview with this guy? Could be very interesting.
Go see this movie. The humor was fantastic! I laughed soooo very hard! The film making was first rate as well. All around great film!
The beginnings of "Skynet".
Again, when will it become self-aware?
What about Betamax? I heard (never saw it, too young at the time) it was better than VHS and had smaller tapes as well.
Is it just me, or is that a bad link to the site?
I was just about to post something very similar. I would also add that although Gore may not have intended that his statement be taken literally (as though he himself created it from scratch) it is just one of many "embellishments" "exaggerations" whatever you choose to call them, that he has made.
I "see" bad things ahead for the blind. The mother of all cruel practical jokes. :-P
I did some work in Africa this Summer for 2 months and went to a few banks for work related stuff and one bank in particular was using Red Hat. The used it instead of the costlier UNIX variants that companies like IBM, HP, etc. sell.
Models influence my thinking quite a bit.
Models like:
Cindy Crawford
Naomi Campbell
Tyra Banks
Linda Evangelista
Patricia Ford
Just to name a few....
I wonder about English being the language spoken by the most people including those that speak it not as their primary, but second language, third and so forth. How many people the world-over "know" English, although it is not their primary language?
Also, one would think that English is spoken over a broader area geographically than other languages (not sure about this, anyone know for certain.)