The biggest shortcoming in the usual HTML-form tags are the lack of combo-boxes (which are a combination of a text-input field and a select drop down list - The "location" widget in most browsers is a typical example of a combobox, you can drop down and choose a URL from a list, or you can type in your own), does XForms support it?
BTW, if anybody knows Javascript workarounds for Combobox functionality, I'd be very happy if you could post them.
The x86-PC has real stability and consitency problems when it comes to competing vendors and running different CPUs on different motherboards.
Add to that proprietary modifications and vastly inflated prices of the dominant CPU-vendor and you have a confused customer base that is more comfortable with the consistent Apple product lines.
What many people don't seem to realize is that Microsoft can't give 90% discounts to everybody.
Well, they could if they didn't have such moneypits as MSN, WinCE, Stinger and XBox, but they do and somebody has to pay for all that.
Remember that this is all just the beginning. So Thailand gets huge discounts, not just for the government, but for everybody. And all this because they started a very successful Linux programme. Munich got the chance for huge discounts but they declined. (What message is that? "Even at only 10% of the normal price, Windows isn't worth it")
How long until other countries start Linux programmes? It's a win-win situation, either you run Linux or you get huge discounts from Redmond, you can't lose.
I doubt that Microsoft's tactics can work. Currently they are encouraging everybody to start Linux programs and evaluations by offering hefty discounts to them while ripping off their loyal customers.
It will take years and probably longer than a decade, but in the end Windows and MS Office (not Microsoft, they have enough money to survive virtually forever) is doomed.
First of all, yes of course they are pressured because most OEMs only get nice discounts if they don't preinstall anything from the competition.
Then, the only reason to use Windows and the only thing Windows can do better than Linux is: Run Win32 software. That's it.
When the needed software is available on both Linux and Windows, there is no reason to use Windows anymore. Just look at the 3d-modelling sector, as soon as Maya and the other tools were available for Linux, almost all studios switched to Linux.
Does anyone else think MS's future position seems less certain than ever?
Let's look the reasons not to switch to Linux:
Hasn't been done before (at that scale, by such a company, int that niche etc.)
Some needed software isn't available for Linux
Retraining costs, support problems, etc.
If you look at all these problems, you can sum them all up into a single problem:
Linux isn't very well established on the desktop yet
But with every migration, this problems becomes smaller. With every migration more software is ported. With every migration, more people gain Linux knowledge and mindshare. With every migration others can just "copy" them with much less risks.
One niche after another, Windows will go and Linux will come. The 3d-modelling world already has switched to Linux on the desktop. Now it seems that government desktops are next.
And as I already said: With every migration, reasons not to switch to Linux diminish, so the whole thing snowballs until Linux dominates the niche (and in the long run all computing).
So I expect that a few pioneers like Munich and maybe one or 2 other big cities go from WinNT4 to Linux. When Windows 2000 is discontinued (IIRC about 2006 or 2007) a lot more will migrate to Linux and will be able to do so much faster because you can easier avoid mistakes when it has been done before and of course because lots of software is already ported. Then after Windows XP is killed (2010?), I'd expect the majority of government desktops to run Linux.
Re:Word to Yahoo! (and Google, too)
on
Yahoo to Dump Google
·
· Score: 2, Insightful
Keep the "open this search result in a new window" link when you do; it's the major reason I search (nearly) exclusively with Yahoo! and almost rarely use plain Google.
With Mozilla, you can open links in new windows (or tabs, whatever you like more) with a single click on the middle mouse button. Anytime on any webpage.
If the same things that happened in Florida happen again, nobody will ever know because there is no paper trail anymore, so there won't even be any need to stop the recount.
I personally think that Bush will lose the polls but win the elections...
That would be illegal and we all know that a) a Microsoft executive would never do that and b) MSFT-shareholders are such a dependent, spineless bunch they would never complain about it.
Sorry, but the only area where I found Windows to be better than KDE/Linux is gaming. And that's only because there are too few games, not because of any technical limitations.
Also, the roots of this decision lie long before the Iraq war.
Linux is more efficient in administration, vendor-neutral (= competition) and KDE offers more features than the outdated Windows GUI.
Once you are used to multiple desktops (no, that measly 4 add-on powertoys desktops don't count.), Unix-style copy-paste and much greater flexibility and configurability, you will never go back to Windows.
I am surprised that this was offered. Microsoft is not out of the legal woods in Europe and a discount of this magnitude can almost only be construed as an attempt to leverage a monopoly situation. There can be no other rational business reason for this discount.
The reason was that under no circumstances Microsoft wants any publicly visible large migration to happen. They would have paid Munich to run Windows if it wouldn't look too stupid!
Hell, they DID pay a lot for the Bundestag to stay on Windows at least on clients. They invested over 5 million $ for a PR-campaign, which translates to 1000$ for each of the Bundestag's computers.
Money is not the issue here.
The issue is a big organization showing the world that Linux is viable on the client.
The issue is that now a lot of applications are going to get ported to Linux and Linux will be an even better deal for other cities.
The issue is that now millions of people are going to communicate with OpenOffice file formats with their government.
Sure is. After all, most cities are quite similar - when all applications the Munich government uses have been ported to Linux, migrations of other German and European cities will become a lot easier and faster.
Also, millions of people will communicate with their government using OpenOffice formats, which essentially means that OpenOffice will become the "must have" office suite while MS Office will be the redundant "why should I use that when I already have.." Office suite in these regions.
This of course will make it easier for companies to migrate to OpenOffice and possibly Linux themselves.
Ballmer interrupted his skiing trip for a reason. He knows how important such a migration is and that just one large-scale migration is needed to start the landslide.
Short facts are: The actual vote will occur on wednesday, but the SPD and Green party hold 43 out of 80 seats and have both committed to vote in favour of Linux to be used in the government of Munich, a city of about 2 million inhabitants.
The main reason for the migration was "strategic-quality reasons" and to support competition in software, not cost, which was said to be about the same for Linux and Windows.
About 14000 client computers are involved.
The used distribution will be SuSE, but IBM is also involved. OpenOffice will be used as office suite.
The earlier happenings are also quite exciting:
Study suggests that Linux is cheaper than Windows for Munich: - story, Babelfish
Microsoft CEO Ballmer interrupts his skiing trip to talk to Munich politians: story, Babelfish
Suddently a new study says that because Microsoft gave huge discounts, Windows is now better than Linux for Munich: story, Yoda
IBM also modifies their offer (see main story above)
1. You could have saved you a lot of trouble by installing any non-RedHat Linux. SuSE and Mandrake integrate their config stuff nicely in KDE (On SuSE you can set everything from IP-adress to screen resolution in kcontrol) and all others at least don't cripple it.
2. There is an automatic script available "konstruct" which downloads, configures, compiles and installs KDE in your home directory (doesn't mess up your installation).
Without wishing to be overly critical 12 users does not constitute Enterprise level.
What is "enterprise level" anyway?
This is a moot point. The FUD around KDE and Linux is that it's "too complicated" for mere mortals. Obviously, it doesn't matter if Jane Secretary works with KDE in a 20-people company or in a huge worldwide corporation. Obviously, KDE is a viable alternative for non-geeks, too.
Slashdot Mirror
BTW, if anybody knows Javascript workarounds for Combobox functionality, I'd be very happy if you could post them.
The x86-PC has real stability and consitency problems when it comes to competing vendors and running different CPUs on different motherboards.
Add to that proprietary modifications and vastly inflated prices of the dominant CPU-vendor and you have a confused customer base that is more comfortable with the consistent Apple product lines.
Or do you mean by "plan" paing for more studies?
Microsoft tried a lot against Linux already (calling it a cancer, letting SCO claim it's IP is illegal, making TCO-studies and even lowering prices)
So far nothing (including lowering the prices) has stopped Linux. Linux is growing in all branches of IT.
All it should do is just work and detect as much hardware as possible automagically.
The really scary part is that this wasn't said by some marketing guy like Gates or Ballmer, it was said by the Microsoft Security Chief.
Well, they could if they didn't have such moneypits as MSN, WinCE, Stinger and XBox, but they do and somebody has to pay for all that.
Remember that this is all just the beginning. So Thailand gets huge discounts, not just for the government, but for everybody. And all this because they started a very successful Linux programme. Munich got the chance for huge discounts but they declined. (What message is that? "Even at only 10% of the normal price, Windows isn't worth it")
How long until other countries start Linux programmes? It's a win-win situation, either you run Linux or you get huge discounts from Redmond, you can't lose.
I doubt that Microsoft's tactics can work. Currently they are encouraging everybody to start Linux programs and evaluations by offering hefty discounts to them while ripping off their loyal customers.
It will take years and probably longer than a decade, but in the end Windows and MS Office (not Microsoft, they have enough money to survive virtually forever) is doomed.
Then, the only reason to use Windows and the only thing Windows can do better than Linux is: Run Win32 software. That's it.
When the needed software is available on both Linux and Windows, there is no reason to use Windows anymore. Just look at the 3d-modelling sector, as soon as Maya and the other tools were available for Linux, almost all studios switched to Linux.
Let's look the reasons not to switch to Linux:
If you look at all these problems, you can sum them all up into a single problem:
Linux isn't very well established on the desktop yet
But with every migration, this problems becomes smaller. With every migration more software is ported. With every migration, more people gain Linux knowledge and mindshare. With every migration others can just "copy" them with much less risks.
One niche after another, Windows will go and Linux will come. The 3d-modelling world already has switched to Linux on the desktop. Now it seems that government desktops are next.
And as I already said: With every migration, reasons not to switch to Linux diminish, so the whole thing snowballs until Linux dominates the niche (and in the long run all computing).
So I expect that a few pioneers like Munich and maybe one or 2 other big cities go from WinNT4 to Linux. When Windows 2000 is discontinued (IIRC about 2006 or 2007) a lot more will migrate to Linux and will be able to do so much faster because you can easier avoid mistakes when it has been done before and of course because lots of software is already ported. Then after Windows XP is killed (2010?), I'd expect the majority of government desktops to run Linux.
With Mozilla, you can open links in new windows (or tabs, whatever you like more) with a single click on the middle mouse button. Anytime on any webpage.
I think that sounds easier than it is.
http://diebold.com/
If the same things that happened in Florida happen again, nobody will ever know because there is no paper trail anymore, so there won't even be any need to stop the recount.
I personally think that Bush will lose the polls but win the elections...
Because the danger of journalists even if only by photographing things from outside is much higher than the prisoners braking out.
That would be illegal and we all know that a) a Microsoft executive would never do that and b) MSFT-shareholders are such a dependent, spineless bunch they would never complain about it.
First Ballmer interrupts his skiing trip to talk to Munich officials.
Then a Microsoft memo gets leaked in which it is stated that "no matter what, don't lose against Linux"
Then Ballmer offers a 90% discount
Then Ballmer sells 10% of his MSFT-stock.
And finally Munich uses Linux anyway.
Sorry, but the only area where I found Windows to be better than KDE/Linux is gaming. And that's only because there are too few games, not because of any technical limitations.
Also, the roots of this decision lie long before the Iraq war.
Once you are used to multiple desktops (no, that measly 4 add-on powertoys desktops don't count.), Unix-style copy-paste and much greater flexibility and configurability, you will never go back to Windows.
The reason was that under no circumstances Microsoft wants any publicly visible large migration to happen. They would have paid Munich to run Windows if it wouldn't look too stupid!
Hell, they DID pay a lot for the Bundestag to stay on Windows at least on clients. They invested over 5 million $ for a PR-campaign, which translates to 1000$ for each of the Bundestag's computers.
Money is not the issue here.
The issue is a big organization showing the world that Linux is viable on the client.
The issue is that now a lot of applications are going to get ported to Linux and Linux will be an even better deal for other cities.
The issue is that now millions of people are going to communicate with OpenOffice file formats with their government.
Also, millions of people will communicate with their government using OpenOffice formats, which essentially means that OpenOffice will become the "must have" office suite while MS Office will be the redundant "why should I use that when I already have.." Office suite in these regions.
This of course will make it easier for companies to migrate to OpenOffice and possibly Linux themselves.
Ballmer interrupted his skiing trip for a reason. He knows how important such a migration is and that just one large-scale migration is needed to start the landslide.
Munich will be the first city with over 1 Million inhabitants that is run by Linux
Heise has the story (Babelfish may help you)
Short facts are: The actual vote will occur on wednesday, but the SPD and Green party hold 43 out of 80 seats and have both committed to vote in favour of Linux to be used in the government of Munich, a city of about 2 million inhabitants.
The main reason for the migration was "strategic-quality reasons" and to support competition in software, not cost, which was said to be about the same for Linux and Windows.
About 14000 client computers are involved.
The used distribution will be SuSE, but IBM is also involved. OpenOffice will be used as office suite.
The earlier happenings are also quite exciting:
look here
Click on "zap colors"
1. You could have saved you a lot of trouble by installing any non-RedHat Linux. SuSE and Mandrake integrate their config stuff nicely in KDE (On SuSE you can set everything from IP-adress to screen resolution in kcontrol) and all others at least don't cripple it.
2. There is an automatic script available "konstruct" which downloads, configures, compiles and installs KDE in your home directory (doesn't mess up your installation).
Wrong. That would be before you release your app to some 3rd party.
Why should anybody spend hours installing Windows add-ons when you can get it out of the box with KDE?
What is "enterprise level" anyway?
This is a moot point. The FUD around KDE and Linux is that it's "too complicated" for mere mortals. Obviously, it doesn't matter if Jane Secretary works with KDE in a 20-people company or in a huge worldwide corporation. Obviously, KDE is a viable alternative for non-geeks, too.
That alone is worth the price, IMO.
Congratulations. That was my point.
Microsoft's projects are not immune to failure just like everybody elses.