"CERT and other vulnerability watchdogs have noticed an continuous increase in new exploits which are released, almost synchronously, on the second Wednesday of each month." -- Phrak News
Ok, here's the back of my envelope:
1) Everywhere I've worked, the Windows admins outnumber the Unix admins, at least 2:1, per managed machine.
2) The Windows admins seem to work in a half-frenzied state, much of the time, while the Unix admins try to look busy, much of the time.
3) Windows admins are hard-working, loyal, dutiful, do-as-you-say-Sir types, whereas Unix admins are chronically lazy -- and lazy like a fox.
4) Windows admins are excellent at solving "hit the box with open hand, right here, and it will go" problems, or "magical" solutions, but are narrowly focused on the Windows world (there are so many incantations to learn, I guess), whereas Unix admins can typically solve most problems on Windows PCs and can also manage Cisco, Macintosh, Sun, IBM, DEC, BSD PC or Linux PC, etc. (i.e. platforms that usually "just work" and are designed well, not just marketed well)
Seeing that salaries, in most organizations, grossly outweigh hardware and software costs, per year, I think I can safely toss out nearly all TCO studies and just "hire smart". I'll let my people decide what works, not a TCO study, thank you.
Too bad someone doesn't pick this up. Imagine the PC ads, "Now with the latest Firefox [echo, echo, echo] Internet explorer!" "Surf the web at incredible speeds, with Firefox [echo, echo, echo]"
But then again, you are making money by SELLING A SERVICE not by making a program.
As you may not have read my entire post: I am a programmer, of 20+ years. That is what I do for a living. My CPA, Attorney and Doctor make a fine living from me and other clients, who rely on their knowledge. I make a fine, honest living, helping my clients benefit from my knowledge.
What kind of living are you looking to make? A killing, maybe? An Adobe-sized killing? A Symantec-sized killing? Or a Microsoft-sized killing? Well, then I guess CSS is for you. Just remember that along with great rewards come great risks. You never know when the competition (such as a FOSS project) will yank the rug out from under you. CSS fosters a relationship of hostility (see EULA); FOSS, for me and my clients, has fostered a relationship of trust.
So, to site an appropriate movie scene: "Well, good luck with that!" -- SpongeBob
Once upon a time, musicians gathered in groups and performed on street corners -- just for fun. Often they'd drop a hat, so passers by could show their appreciation. Sometimes they could put on whole performances, rent space and charge admission. Once in a while, they could play for their king and make real money.
Then the record industry was born. Now a song could make a musician a steady stream of money, for many years. However, after decades of "success" the public saw through this sham and invented ways of putting the right perspective on the value of music and performance. And the musicians returned to being performers because the former era was over.
Actually, that's not how the story ends because the rich benefactors of the record industry used their money to create laws to enforce their way.
Once upon a time, computer programmers gathered in groups to share ideas and collaborate on projects -- just for fun. Often they would solve some incredible problem and get recognition for it. Sometimes they'd get paid hourly to solve a specific problem. Once in a while they'd get real funding.
Then the software industry was born. Now an application could make a programmer a steady stream of money. However, after decades of "success" the public saw through this sham and invented ways of putting the right perspective on the value of software and applications.
Actually, that's not how the story ends. It'll be a while before we get to the end.
I sell lots of open source software. Very little of this software have I written. It's easy for a software-savvy person to download and install OSS applications. It's difficult for the majority of the people on the planet to understand how to download and install any application. That's what I charge for.
You probably wouldn't believe how many times a week I'm asked to install CSS applications. These are packaged products that should be easy for anyone to install. Yet your average business owner and their entire staff are intimidated by the prospect of having to install any application (OSS or CSS) -- they'd rather visit the dentist.
Think about it: For CSS applications, the end user often pays twice.
Can a programmer with 20+ years of experience make good money with OSS? I do.
It's closed source; Closed architecture; Closed development processes. They could be throwing code together like monkeys and making all this stuff up for the PR value. Who knows?
I'm not trying to flame-bait here, either. These are the simple facts. Flame-baiting would be saying something like: Haven't they always boosted their value via PR and under-delivered? Or: Doesn't Microsoft lie like sacks enough for you to notice?
That would be flame-baiting. But I'm not flame-baiting.
Not so good an idea
on
A Decade of PHP
·
· Score: 3, Insightful
Database abstraction is a frustration of mine.
Say, for example a "real" DBA writes a shopping cart schema / application, using a "genuine" (ACID-compliant) DB, the scalability will be phenomenal; The speed will be incredible because much of the code will be handed TO the database -- not parsed and parsed and parsed away at the PHP/Java/whatever-script level.
Now, let's say a "wannabe" DBA writes a shopping cart schema / application using MySQL. Then to "help" the Postgres folks out, the DBA adds an abstration layer. Woo hoo!!! Useless... Essentially, I'm offered a way to drive a Ferari (Postgres) down the sidewalk, negotiating with pedestrians all day, as if I were traveling by skateboard (MySQL).
Unfortunately, the number of examples of the later are a dime a dozen. The number of examples of the former are near zero. Think about why you'd even WANT abstraction. In most real-world cases it's rather useless and undesireable.
You're using a made-for-Windows game as an illustration? Ok.
How do I get regular, made-for-Linux apps to install on Linux? Simple: I fire up Synaptic (a GUI based installer). It prompts me for my root password (same as "Administrator" on a well-managed Windows box). It loads the hundreds and hundreds of packages available to me (which are free). I search for and select a package (or several at once) and click the "Proceed" button.
Is that so tough? Well, perhaps is is if you've NEVER done it before.
And no more difficult than what my clients do, every day: Click Start->Run...->Browse... -- look for setup.exe (but only see 'Setup' and wonder). Then they call me to stop by and install the application for them. No kidding.
No, this is probably new. You may be forgetting one minor subtlety of previous announcements, look closer: "Genuine Microsoft Patch Triggers Virus Attack"
I got a lot of half-machined, half-baked, partially-burnt circuit board ideas-gone-too-far in my basement, too! Maybe someone would want to start a business that revolves around my junk.
And, yes, e-mail as a pseudo-database is wonderful -- well, with the conveniences gmail offers, at least. But with.pst files?! Pulllllease. That's SO 1990's.;)
Was having a conversation with an "I only do Windows" manager who was trying to be agreeable with me (knowing I'm an "I don't do Windows" contractor). He said he thought Microsoft would be helping to boost Linux growth by their recent push to enforce licensing.
As much as I appreciated his sentiments, I had to respectfully disagree. I illustrated my perspective by pointing out how we had both spent the last six hours cleaning off spyware from the reception desk PC of one of his client's. (He needed my knowledge of Knoppix to pull important documents off the workstation, just in case.)
To summarize, I said, "People will put up with incredible amounts of discomfort and expense, rather than learn something new." I think Microsoft has figured this out, long ago. I'll add that it doesn't help that most business software (e.g. Quicken, QuickBooks, Point, etc.) is built for Windows and that that fact will probably never change.
Linux in the embedded world will grow. Linux in the server world will grow. Linux for the business desktops won't. Not for a long while -- if ever. After watching my friend scrape spyware dung off the Windows' registry, for hours, oh, how I wish it were not true.
Slashdot Mirror
"CERT and other vulnerability watchdogs have noticed an continuous increase in new exploits which are released, almost synchronously, on the second Wednesday of each month." -- Phrak News
To add *some* weight to it...
1) GNU tools can be found in the following installations:
* FreeBSD, et al
* OS X
* SCO
* Solaris (GNU added by my IT department?)
2) However, I've not heard RMS insist these be called GNU/BSD, etc. -- only GNU/Linux.
Ok, here's the back of my envelope:
1) Everywhere I've worked, the Windows admins outnumber the Unix admins, at least 2:1, per managed machine.
2) The Windows admins seem to work in a half-frenzied state, much of the time, while the Unix admins try to look busy, much of the time.
3) Windows admins are hard-working, loyal, dutiful, do-as-you-say-Sir types, whereas Unix admins are chronically lazy -- and lazy like a fox.
4) Windows admins are excellent at solving "hit the box with open hand, right here, and it will go" problems, or "magical" solutions, but are narrowly focused on the Windows world (there are so many incantations to learn, I guess), whereas Unix admins can typically solve most problems on Windows PCs and can also manage Cisco, Macintosh, Sun, IBM, DEC, BSD PC or Linux PC, etc. (i.e. platforms that usually "just work" and are designed well, not just marketed well)
Seeing that salaries, in most organizations, grossly outweigh hardware and software costs, per year, I think I can safely toss out nearly all TCO studies and just "hire smart". I'll let my people decide what works, not a TCO study, thank you.
Too bad someone doesn't pick this up. Imagine the PC ads, "Now with the latest Firefox [echo, echo, echo] Internet explorer!" "Surf the web at incredible speeds, with Firefox [echo, echo, echo]"
I'm sorry that your employee called you an asshole in his code. Must have been rather embare... uh... [too much irony!] [head asplode!]
Sadly, when the cotton gin was invented and widely distributed, many lost their job.
Cleanning up malware can make an IS/IT department look busy and valuable.
Make your infrastructure robust and reliable and where would you put the redundant IS/IT people?
But then again, you are making money by SELLING A SERVICE not by making a program.
As you may not have read my entire post: I am a programmer, of 20+ years. That is what I do for a living. My CPA, Attorney and Doctor make a fine living from me and other clients, who rely on their knowledge. I make a fine, honest living, helping my clients benefit from my knowledge.
What kind of living are you looking to make? A killing, maybe? An Adobe-sized killing? A Symantec-sized killing? Or a Microsoft-sized killing? Well, then I guess CSS is for you. Just remember that along with great rewards come great risks. You never know when the competition (such as a FOSS project) will yank the rug out from under you. CSS fosters a relationship of hostility (see EULA); FOSS, for me and my clients, has fostered a relationship of trust.
So, to site an appropriate movie scene: "Well, good luck with that!" -- SpongeBob
Once upon a time, musicians gathered in groups and performed on street corners -- just for fun. Often they'd drop a hat, so passers by could show their appreciation. Sometimes they could put on whole performances, rent space and charge admission. Once in a while, they could play for their king and make real money.
Then the record industry was born. Now a song could make a musician a steady stream of money, for many years. However, after decades of "success" the public saw through this sham and invented ways of putting the right perspective on the value of music and performance. And the musicians returned to being performers because the former era was over.
Actually, that's not how the story ends because the rich benefactors of the record industry used their money to create laws to enforce their way.
Once upon a time, computer programmers gathered in groups to share ideas and collaborate on projects -- just for fun. Often they would solve some incredible problem and get recognition for it. Sometimes they'd get paid hourly to solve a specific problem. Once in a while they'd get real funding.
Then the software industry was born. Now an application could make a programmer a steady stream of money. However, after decades of "success" the public saw through this sham and invented ways of putting the right perspective on the value of software and applications.
Actually, that's not how the story ends. It'll be a while before we get to the end.
I sell lots of open source software. Very little of this software have I written. It's easy for a software-savvy person to download and install OSS applications. It's difficult for the majority of the people on the planet to understand how to download and install any application. That's what I charge for.
You probably wouldn't believe how many times a week I'm asked to install CSS applications. These are packaged products that should be easy for anyone to install. Yet your average business owner and their entire staff are intimidated by the prospect of having to install any application (OSS or CSS) -- they'd rather visit the dentist.
Think about it: For CSS applications, the end user often pays twice.
Can a programmer with 20+ years of experience make good money with OSS? I do.
It's closed source; Closed architecture; Closed development processes. They could be throwing code together like monkeys and making all this stuff up for the PR value. Who knows?
I'm not trying to flame-bait here, either. These are the simple facts. Flame-baiting would be saying something like: Haven't they always boosted their value via PR and under-delivered? Or: Doesn't Microsoft lie like sacks enough for you to notice?
That would be flame-baiting. But I'm not flame-baiting.
Database abstraction is a frustration of mine.
Say, for example a "real" DBA writes a shopping cart schema / application, using a "genuine" (ACID-compliant) DB, the scalability will be phenomenal; The speed will be incredible because much of the code will be handed TO the database -- not parsed and parsed and parsed away at the PHP/Java/whatever-script level.
Now, let's say a "wannabe" DBA writes a shopping cart schema / application using MySQL. Then to "help" the Postgres folks out, the DBA adds an abstration layer. Woo hoo!!! Useless... Essentially, I'm offered a way to drive a Ferari (Postgres) down the sidewalk, negotiating with pedestrians all day, as if I were traveling by skateboard (MySQL).
Unfortunately, the number of examples of the later are a dime a dozen. The number of examples of the former are near zero. Think about why you'd even WANT abstraction. In most real-world cases it's rather useless and undesireable.
22.8 teraflops of processing power should be enough for anybody.
Arch Linux is a breath of fresh air.
You're using a made-for-Windows game as an illustration? Ok.
How do I get regular, made-for-Linux apps to install on Linux? Simple: I fire up Synaptic (a GUI based installer). It prompts me for my root password (same as "Administrator" on a well-managed Windows box). It loads the hundreds and hundreds of packages available to me (which are free). I search for and select a package (or several at once) and click the "Proceed" button.
Is that so tough? Well, perhaps is is if you've NEVER done it before.
And no more difficult than what my clients do, every day: Click Start->Run...->Browse... -- look for setup.exe (but only see 'Setup' and wonder). Then they call me to stop by and install the application for them. No kidding.
but you'll have to profess a passion for Windows
Isn't hatred one of the seven passions?
*redirects sarcasm at self*
...head aspode.
3. 2. 1.
the couple were married from 1969-83
Note the release dates: Star Wars (1977), The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and The Return of the Jedi (1983)
I surmize that the real reason for the hideousness of the later episodes is simple: George can't write worth a damn.
Factoid: Lucas's wife Marcia edited American Graffiti and Star Wars; the couple were married from 1969-83.
Remember how the original Star Wars was so different? Mixed with humor and other elements in the dialogue -- seemed to consist of real entertainment.
Too bad Marcia wasn't there to influence all the episodes...
No, this is probably new. You may be forgetting one minor subtlety of previous announcements, look closer: "Genuine Microsoft Patch Triggers Virus Attack"
The new marketing strategy: Put "Linux" in the tag line to attract more attention.
Examples:
* "Now with more Linux!"
* "Ten percent real Linux!"
* "With multiple Linux kernels!"
* "With ten essential Linux distros!"
Or add "Linux" to the name:
* Instead of "Turbo", use "BMW Linux"
* Instead of "Luxury", use simply "Lexus LX" (ok, not much change, but it should work)
* Instead of "Professional", use "Linux Grade Drill Bits".
See?
Big cigars
:D
Hummers
19" laptops
Nothing says "compensating" so loud and clear
I got a lot of half-machined, half-baked, partially-burnt circuit board ideas-gone-too-far in my basement, too! Maybe someone would want to start a business that revolves around my junk.
In other news...
Ford stock crashes on fears of new Microsoft car models.
Am I the only one with 2,000 MB?
.pst files?! Pulllllease. That's SO 1990's. ;)
And, yes, e-mail as a pseudo-database is wonderful -- well, with the conveniences gmail offers, at least. But with
No, it's "It's Just Works"!
Remember? MS Works? Nothing new, here. Move along...
Was having a conversation with an "I only do Windows" manager who was trying to be agreeable with me (knowing I'm an "I don't do Windows" contractor). He said he thought Microsoft would be helping to boost Linux growth by their recent push to enforce licensing.
As much as I appreciated his sentiments, I had to respectfully disagree. I illustrated my perspective by pointing out how we had both spent the last six hours cleaning off spyware from the reception desk PC of one of his client's. (He needed my knowledge of Knoppix to pull important documents off the workstation, just in case.)
To summarize, I said, "People will put up with incredible amounts of discomfort and expense, rather than learn something new." I think Microsoft has figured this out, long ago. I'll add that it doesn't help that most business software (e.g. Quicken, QuickBooks, Point, etc.) is built for Windows and that that fact will probably never change.
Linux in the embedded world will grow. Linux in the server world will grow. Linux for the business desktops won't. Not for a long while -- if ever. After watching my friend scrape spyware dung off the Windows' registry, for hours, oh, how I wish it were not true.