I have to disagree with this "Microsoft Is Master Of All" view in the above posts. If it went to Dell and told them that they needed to quash (or support!) Linux, Michael Dell would certainly be within his rights not only to tell Microsoft to go to hell, but he'd probably also offer to testify against Microsoft at the trial.
Microsoft really has to watch its step when it comes to its OEM partnerships. It's already put revamped OEM contracts on the table in its DOJ settlement talks, and the company is already trying to play nice in order to convince the DOJ to lay off.
In other words, Microsoft has to act like every other software vendor out there, at least until the appeals are exhausted -- some time in 2001. By then, Linux (or BeOS, FreeBSD, MacOS, or whatever your poison) should have a good shot at ending the monopoly.
I would certainly run a 50,000 user database server on Linux... I just wouldn't use the standard login apps. Depending on what you are doing, my Dell PowerEdge 2300 running v2.2.3 and MySQL could handle a db of that size easily. I wish I could say the same of my Dell PowerEdge 2300 running NT4...
Here's one of their URL's about it: http://www.dell.com/products/workstat/isv/linux.ht m
"My Opinions Are My Own"
Gov't will want to set an example. Be afraid.
on
The Melissa Syndrome
·
· Score: 1
Posted by PasswdIs ScoreOne:
Since this is the first time anyone is being prosecuted for writing a virus, I fully expect the gov't to prosecute this case with a unique zeal and determination seldom seen. And if the rights of the accused and due process are not adhered to, so what? We've got to send a message to all these 'hackers' out there lest we end up with a nation of potential cyber-terrorists.
Kevin Mitnick: Four years in jail. And still not even a trial. Who's next?
Let's here it for NT (Chirp, chirp) No, really...
on
WSJ Says Linux Lags
·
· Score: 1
Posted by NJViking:
According to Netcraft:
www.msnbc.com is running Microsoft-IIS/4.0 on NT3 or Windows 95
Well there you have it. The silly website is running IIS v4.0!
"This article is automatically bad just because it's posted on MSNBC."
C'mon folks. We have to do better than that. I don't know the details on what Linux is and is not capable of, so I need some assistance sorting out the FUD from the valid criticism. What is Linux capable of as far as SMP and logging? What are Linus, AC, et al working on in those areas?
I think this is exactly the kind of thing we need to see. Closed source compiler/libs and all. I feel it is crucial for the success of Linux that corporations see that they can still keep some secrets and make some money while still fostering and supporting the Open Source Movement. I mean look at it like this;
"Yes, sir, Mr. PHB, this 'Linux Thing' is a little new, but DEC, I mean Compaq has released this new line of servers that are Linux Certified, and they'll warranty it. And they'll ship it with a Proprietary (he'll think you said supported) compiler that will allow us to get the most out of that CPU, which has just dropped signifigantly in price. And oh yeah, an unlimited User Lic Pac is free."
That will start to have a serious effect at top levels of corporate descion making. That blue DEC case still carries a lot of weight in some places.
Remember, in large chunks of the IT world Intel==Micro. EOF. A 4x Xeon with redundant everything is still a PC. A DEC Server is a Server.
Until now an IT Manager who wanted to move a mission critical web application to a Linux server from say a Sun, would have really had an uphill battle. Now the playing field is a little more level.
I am almost positive it will. The specs seem to indicate nothing unsupported, and they are billing it as Linux Ready. I am very happy that Compaq is perhaps going to get more out the Alpha than DEC was. Although I must say I miss DEC. At least they kept the case designs for the servers and Storage Works systems. There's nothing that looks quite so cool as a stack of those mean blue boxes staring at you. As far as the closed source libs/compiler go, I'll take what I can get. One step at a time is how we've come this far, and it's how we'll get the rest of the way.
Yes boys and girls the star-trek future comes closer and closer:), I'm happy. This is exiting, only hope Intel doesn't run of with it or, heaven forbid, kills the technology, just like the car-industry is doing with hydro-propulsed (is that right?) cars.
Whoops... that's what you get for not telling anybody until the last minute!
File not found (Error 404)
The page you have requested is: /hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_309000/309522.stm
Sorry, the requested Web page no longer exists, or has been moved to another server with another address. This error message may occur for a number of reasons:
Well I was sucked in... but strangely it worked.
on
The Myth of QWERTY
·
· Score: 1
Posted by lu-darp:
I was sold on all the stories of how good Dvorak was compared to QWERTY, so I gave it a go.
But it did seem far more logical. You can't deny the fact that you can spell "TYPEWRITER" on the top row of keys on a QWERTY - it was designed as an amusing marketing gimic!
You also can't deny the difference in learning-rate between the two.
The bottom line? On QWERTY I got to the speed of 65 words/minute corrected (according to Mavis Beacon) I had used QWERTY for 16 years (since my ZX81, if that counts) After less than 2 years since my switch to Dvorak, I am finally back up to 65 words/minute. Yes it was painful at first, but luckily I was a student and had time to fritter.
As an added bonus, I can now touch-type perfectly! I don't have a choice, my keyboard is still QWERTY, so I physically can't peek at the keys. Thankfully Windows 95 comes with the facility to switch between keyboard layouts with a quick keypress. It eases the pain while learning.
I'm sold on Dvorak, and I'm glad I've changed; but as the article says - It's probably not worth the effort to switch unless you: (a) are learning to touch-type anyway (b) have time to kill & lots of patience, or (c) have a general desire for the world to be an easier, more logical place. [Lets not start on the question why Americans can't get out of the dark ages & into the metric system]
From what I've seen, the Economist is generally biased toward defending free market capitalism, and this article was no exception. First it offered some anecdotal evidence that Dvorak's failure to replace QWERTY as the market standard isn't really a market failure. Then it gloatingly proceeded to generalize from this that all examples of market failure are also mere myths, which some economists seem to like quoting anyhow for some reason. All in all, a pretty shallow, transparently biased article.
Even the maturest of open source projects like gcc lag way behind top quality commercial software. The reason, of course is money.
This is more true with regard to user-friendly features than with robustness or technical merit. For example egcs is more complete with regard to C++ compliance than a lot of commercial compilers, and Linux is more stable, certainly than Windows. Also I think a lot of commercial programmer editors are very affected by Emacs when it comes to offering user configurability. There are a number of other examples of free software setting the standard for commercial software, such as sendmail, perl, and named. So I think your statement isn't true in general.
I hope you don't get tired lugging that
on
The Myth of QWERTY
·
· Score: 1
Posted by Army Ant:
Buh? what on earth are you talking about? Let's see.. I don't carry anything with me. Most of the machines I use (NeXT, HP's, and Sun's) switch the kbd automatically when I log in. The Macs at work switch with a simple keystroke. The PC's require some futzing with the control panel, but will (reluctantly) switch for me.
And I always keep a spare copy of the keymaps on the fileserver, just in case.
He was the first director to popularize those slow-mo gunfight scenes which John Woo later turned into a high art form. Which is not to say that John Woo isn't an original, because he most certainly is. I'm just saying that we all stand atop the shoulders of others, so try not to knock "The Matrix" too much for co-opting his style; a lot of other HK action films are much more blatant ripoffs and are not nearly as fun as "The Matrix." Plus, the press for "The Matrix" has given plenty of credit to the HK school, including prominently listing the names of the action specialists who choreographed the fight scenes.
Just my $0.02...
"What are you saying -- that I can dodge bullets?" -- Neo
I see that you have the same problem i did when i installed RedHat (after using win x.xx for years).
I asked my friend (is-a-linux-guru): Why the cd-rom drive and floppy drives are hidden to some/usr/blah/./ -directory? Shouldn't they be in some place handy?
The answer was: "..You MUST know that.." and "..it IS better that it is so..."
That was neither fair discussion about pros & cons of Linux. It's rarely that. sad.
As someone who has written about hackers and lived to tell the tale (i.e: the site has remained unhacked), I have to tell ya that this definition debate is secondary at best. If I start tossing around hacker vs. cracker debates, I lose readers who might otherwise stay and get educated.
Look at it this way -- if I can get it across to my readers that not all hackers are evil -- that there are people who call themselves hackers and do productive, good, brilliant things -- then I've won. They'll know that not all hackers are bad. And they won't have to care about the damn labels unless they really want to learn more.
In other words, before you can introduce the label of "cracker," you have to remove the stigma from the word "hacker." One step at a time.
The vast majority of people think that this is the last year in the millennium, that doesn't make it so.
The vast majority of people that the the "motor car" was a passing fad.
...That the titanic was unsinkable.
...That the US would be "in and out" of Vietnam quickly.
IT'S NOT THEIR FUCKING PLACE TO LABEL US! We are what we are, we do what we do, "Hacker" is our word, it's for us, by us and about us. They can go to hell if they don't get it. You can go along for the ride as well.
Linux needs a good ombudsman -- somebody who can give constructive criticism without laying on the FUD. I hope those involved in developing and promoting Linux give this guy some attention, without flaming him to a lifeless cinder or spamming him back to the stone ages.
Slashdot Mirror
Posted by Mike@ABC:
I have to disagree with this "Microsoft Is Master Of All" view in the above posts. If it went to Dell and told them that they needed to quash (or support!) Linux, Michael Dell would certainly be within his rights not only to tell Microsoft to go to hell, but he'd probably also offer to testify against Microsoft at the trial.
Microsoft really has to watch its step when it comes to its OEM partnerships. It's already put revamped OEM contracts on the table in its DOJ settlement talks, and the company is already trying to play nice in order to convince the DOJ to lay off.
In other words, Microsoft has to act like every other software vendor out there, at least until the appeals are exhausted -- some time in 2001. By then, Linux (or BeOS, FreeBSD, MacOS, or whatever your poison) should have a good shot at ending the monopoly.
Posted by LordPraetor:
I would certainly run a 50,000 user database server on Linux... I just wouldn't use the standard login apps. Depending on what you are doing, my Dell PowerEdge 2300 running v2.2.3 and MySQL could handle a db of that size easily. I wish I could say the same of my Dell PowerEdge 2300 running NT4...
Posted by tirebiter:
t m
Well, yeah you can, actually.
Here's one of their URL's about it:
http://www.dell.com/products/workstat/isv/linux.h
"My Opinions Are My Own"
Posted by PasswdIs ScoreOne:
Since this is the first time anyone is being prosecuted for writing a virus, I fully expect the gov't to prosecute this case with a unique zeal and determination seldom seen. And if the rights of the accused and due process are not adhered to, so what? We've got to send a message to all these 'hackers' out there lest we end up with a nation of potential cyber-terrorists.
Kevin Mitnick: Four years in jail. And still not even a trial. Who's next?
According to Netcraft:
www.msnbc.com is running Microsoft-IIS/4.0 on NT3 or Windows 95
Well there you have it. The silly website is running IIS v4.0!
NJV
Posted by F.A.N.G.:
I see nothing describing DNA chains as semiconductors, only as poor conductors.
For the love of mike, please tell me you know the difference.
Posted by jpepin:
Or am I looking in the wrong place?
Joe
Posted by Nino the Mind Boggler:
"This article is automatically bad just because it's posted on MSNBC."
C'mon folks. We have to do better than that. I don't know the details on what Linux is and is not capable of, so I need some assistance sorting out the FUD from the valid criticism. What is Linux capable of as far as SMP and logging? What are Linus, AC, et al working on in those areas?
Posted by jpepin:
I think this is exactly the kind of thing we need to see. Closed source compiler/libs and all. I feel it is crucial for the success of Linux that corporations see that they can still keep some secrets and make some money while still fostering and supporting the Open Source Movement. I mean look at it like this;
"Yes, sir, Mr. PHB, this 'Linux Thing' is a little new, but DEC, I mean Compaq has released this new line of servers that are Linux Certified, and they'll warranty it. And they'll ship it with a Proprietary (he'll think you said supported) compiler that will allow us to get the most out of that CPU, which has just dropped signifigantly in price. And oh yeah, an unlimited User Lic Pac is free."
That will start to have a serious effect at top levels of corporate descion making. That blue DEC case still carries a lot of weight in some places.
Remember, in large chunks of the IT world Intel==Micro. EOF. A 4x Xeon with redundant everything is still a PC. A DEC Server is a Server.
Until now an IT Manager who wanted to move a mission critical web application to a Linux server from say a Sun, would have really had an uphill battle. Now the playing field is a little more level.
That's all.
Joe
Posted by patg:
Has anyone refuted them? Is there any way to publicly show them to be in error?
This falls into the disinformation category. This is about the most uninformed article yet.
Posted by jpepin:
I am almost positive it will. The specs seem to indicate nothing unsupported, and they are billing it as Linux Ready. I am very happy that Compaq is perhaps going to get more out the Alpha than DEC was. Although I must say I miss DEC. At least they kept the case designs for the servers and Storage Works systems. There's nothing that looks quite so cool as a stack of those mean blue boxes staring at you. As far as the closed source libs/compiler go, I'll take what I can get. One step at a time is how we've come this far, and it's how we'll get the rest of the way.
Joe
Posted by JoeyRamone:
:), I'm happy. This is exiting, only hope Intel doesn't run of with it or, heaven forbid, kills the technology, just like the car-industry is doing with hydro-propulsed (is that right?) cars.
Yes boys and girls the star-trek future comes closer and closer
Posted by LordPraetor:
Whoops... that's what you get for not telling anybody until the last minute!
File not found (Error 404)
The page you have requested is:
/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_309000/309522.stm
Sorry, the requested Web page no longer exists, or has been moved to another server with another address. This error message may occur for a number of reasons:
Posted by lu-darp:
I was sold on all the stories of how good Dvorak was compared to QWERTY, so I gave it a go.
But it did seem far more logical. You can't deny the fact that you can spell "TYPEWRITER" on the top row of keys on a QWERTY - it was designed as an amusing marketing gimic!
You also can't deny the difference in learning-rate between the two.
The bottom line? On QWERTY I got to the speed of 65 words/minute corrected (according to Mavis Beacon) I had used QWERTY for 16 years (since my ZX81, if that counts) After less than 2 years since my switch to Dvorak, I am finally back up to 65 words/minute. Yes it was painful at first, but luckily I was a student and had time to fritter.
As an added bonus, I can now touch-type perfectly! I don't have a choice, my keyboard is still QWERTY, so I physically can't peek at the keys. Thankfully Windows 95 comes with the facility to switch between keyboard layouts with a quick keypress. It eases the pain while learning.
I'm sold on Dvorak, and I'm glad I've changed; but as the article says - It's probably not worth the effort to switch unless you: (a) are learning to touch-type anyway (b) have time to kill & lots of patience, or (c) have a general desire for the world to be an easier, more logical place. [Lets not start on the question why Americans can't get out of the dark ages & into the metric system]
Posted by Paul-K:
:)
...and the fact that dumping them in LN makes them REAL COLD was somehow surprising, ay?
Posted by dwarin:
From what I've seen, the Economist is generally biased toward defending free market capitalism, and this article was no exception. First it offered some anecdotal evidence that Dvorak's failure to replace QWERTY as the market standard isn't really a market failure. Then it gloatingly proceeded to generalize from this that all examples of market failure are also mere myths, which some economists seem to like quoting anyhow for some reason. All in all, a pretty shallow, transparently biased article.
This is more true with regard to user-friendly features than with robustness or technical merit. For example egcs is more complete with regard to C++ compliance than a lot of commercial compilers, and Linux is more stable, certainly than Windows. Also I think a lot of commercial programmer editors are very affected by Emacs when it comes to offering user configurability. There are a number of other examples of free software setting the standard for commercial software, such as sendmail, perl, and named. So I think your statement isn't true in general.
Posted by Army Ant:
Buh? what on earth are you talking about? Let's see.. I don't carry anything with me. Most of the machines I use (NeXT, HP's, and Sun's) switch the kbd automatically when I log in.
The Macs at work switch with a simple keystroke.
The PC's require some futzing with the control panel, but will (reluctantly) switch for me.
And I always keep a spare copy of the keymaps on the fileserver, just in case.
Posted by The Famous Brett Watson:
Who needs QWERTY/Dvorak as an example of bad technological choice when we have Beta/VHS?
Posted by Nick Carraway:
He was the first director to popularize those slow-mo gunfight scenes which John Woo later turned into a high art form. Which is not to say that John Woo isn't an original, because he most certainly is. I'm just saying that we all stand atop the shoulders of others, so try not to knock "The Matrix" too much for co-opting his style; a lot of other HK action films are much more blatant ripoffs and are not nearly as fun as "The Matrix." Plus, the press for "The Matrix" has given plenty of credit to the HK school, including prominently listing the names of the action specialists who choreographed the fight scenes.
Just my $0.02...
"What are you saying -- that I can dodge bullets?"
-- Neo
Posted by cyttorak:
/usr/blah/./ -directory? Shouldn't they be in some place handy?
.." and "..it IS better that it is so..."
I see that you have the same problem i did when i installed RedHat (after using win x.xx for years).
I asked my friend (is-a-linux-guru): Why the cd-rom drive and floppy drives are hidden to some
The answer was: "..You MUST know that
That was neither fair discussion about pros & cons of Linux. It's rarely that. sad.
Posted by Mike@ABC:
As someone who has written about hackers and lived to tell the tale (i.e: the site has remained unhacked), I have to tell ya that this definition debate is secondary at best. If I start tossing around hacker vs. cracker debates, I lose readers who might otherwise stay and get educated.
Look at it this way -- if I can get it across to my readers that not all hackers are evil -- that there are people who call themselves hackers and do productive, good, brilliant things -- then I've won. They'll know that not all hackers are bad. And they won't have to care about the damn labels unless they really want to learn more.
In other words, before you can introduce the label of "cracker," you have to remove the stigma from the word "hacker." One step at a time.
Posted by Lord Kano-The Gangster Of Love:
The vast majority of people think that this is the last year in the millennium, that doesn't make it so.
The vast majority of people that the the "motor car" was a passing fad.
...That the titanic was unsinkable.
...That the US would be "in and out" of Vietnam quickly.
IT'S NOT THEIR FUCKING PLACE TO LABEL US! We are what we are, we do what we do, "Hacker" is our word, it's for us, by us and about us. They can go to hell if they don't get it. You can go along for the ride as well.
LK
Posted by Mike@ABC:
Linux needs a good ombudsman -- somebody who can give constructive criticism without laying on the FUD. I hope those involved in developing and promoting Linux give this guy some attention, without flaming him to a lifeless cinder or spamming him back to the stone ages.
Posted by Nino the Mind Boggler:
Oh, for dumb. They don't HAVE any of the Gnome stuff actually AT download.com. They're linking to gnome.org.
Well, at least they're mentioning it.