I've noticed the advantage of open source is that your users can be programmers at the same time. Users who are programmers can be massively more helpful for certain types of bugs.
Wish I knew. My guess is that they aren't telling.:)
Someone said kuro5shin, which is probably true for some people. I'm not too interested in the focus over there, however. Too much discussion of politics, religion, and sex.:)
Really, though, Slashdot was neat because for a time because more often than you would expect, the people doing the neat things you read about in the articles would be posting in the comments as well. That's not so common anymore.
Re:I learned everything I know from slashdot!
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"Linux users are stupid kids."
"Apple is the real innovator in the computer industry."
"NASA is a waste of money."
"NASA does cool stuff."
"Everyone is dumber than me."
I think Slashdot has experienced the polarization effect, but not the homogeneity effect. We thrash about wildly to espouse our opinions, and there is no shortage of diversity.
If you read further down the article, you'll see that Stephen Tweedie, a well-established kernel hacker, read his laundry list of changes, many of which mirrored the Oracle suggestions. Oracle is just pointing out what limits the performance of their file-intensive applications, limitations that other kernel hackers who care about file performance also observed.
Screw all the yammering about "Linux becoming a real OS", "Windows still Rulz!" and "Linux will lose market share". Does anyone else here think it is neat that we get to watch the software development process?
I think it is great that I can read about Linux kernel hackers debating how to best implement hotpluggable devices and optimize block writes in the file system. I can get raw technical detail if I want it. And I get to see the arguments that go on over controversial design decisions.
Hah! I think you've pointed out the most common fallacy that people make when people talk about Slashdot.
There are lots of us. And we're all different.
We're not all the same moderator; we're not all rabid Linux-zealots; we're not all Windows trolls. Some Linux users don't use Napster. Some Windows users don't like software patents. Some of us are probably Buddhist Libertarians who aren't vegetarians and like to program GTK+ apps when they're not using IE to browse the web on their Windows 2000 box.
If any of you ever think that we're all the same, you need to pay more attention to the flame-fest that goes on whenever any topic with two sides is muttered. (And realize that you are still. only seeing the the vocal minority of Slashdot users.)
Well, perhaps most of the responses here are of your usual knee-jerk type. Some of them, however are driven by the fear of being interogated at Microsoft's whim for license compliance. If you read about the Business Software Alliance (my father recent received one of their spam-faxes), their tactics sound nearly Gestapo-like. For your average small business, being able to produce licenses on demand isn't hard. But imagine trying to do it for 10,000 machines bought from several vendors spread all over a dozen buildings. You would have to pay a guy full-time just to figure out if you were in compliance. Read the article on the State of Virginia to get an idea of the costs and annoyance involved.
Moreover, the BSA (not the Boy Scouts) encourage employees to report their employers for non-compliance. Sounds innocent enough, until you have to deal with BSA representatives at your door because your ex-employee was ticked and told them you have pirated Windows installations. You could be completely legit, but you'll waste time and money proving it whenever some software company decides to ask.
Wow, I think I've slipped into rant mode, so I'll wrap up. I think illegal copying of software is wrong, but I have issues with companies that want to own me because I use their software.
lashdot ran a story just like this one 2 years ago (when Wichert won for the 1st time), and I didn't see anyone complain at that time.
This comment says a lot about the shift in Slashdot demographics. (We're much more enlightened now that we have people who can tell us that Open Source is for wankers and 14-year-olds.)
You're watching an idiom evolve right before your eyes! You can impress your grandkids (or bore them to death) when you can explain that you were *there* when they first set up us the bomb.:)
You don't teach this stuff at the high school level. You have to first try and get across ideas like force, energy, work, power, acceleration, etc. often without the benefit of calculus. (Your school may vary.)
I think this is the first time I've seen this phrase in post that wasn't using it in the context of criticizing the people who espouse it. I was almost starting to think it was made up by the critics. I guess people really do say it.
provided that they release their modifications under GPL
For those in the audience, this quote is a little misleading. The GPL requires that if you distribute the modified software, you must distribute the source code for your changes. This is one of the more common misconceptions about the GPL. You can take the Linux kernel and modify it to run better on your tweaked-out custom server hardware and never show anyone your changes. Try and send it outside your organization (sales, etc.), and you'll have to give your changes only to the entity which receives the program. They, in turn, can use the code you have provided in accordance with the GPL.
I'm not implying that the parent author didn't already know this. The sentence, however, was a bit misleading, and I wanted to clarify it.
Yes, to be truly secure, you should copy your RPM database to CD or Zip, and boot the removable media (with rpm on it) to check your installation.
However, you'll be able to catch the vast majority of rootkits even with RPM on a comprimised system. So far I haven't seen one smart enough to cover its tracks that extensively. (Not to say that it doesn't exist, it just isn't very common. Patching the RPM database is not needed because the average Linux workstation user doesn't even know about rpm -V)
Okay, everyone! It time to rehash (for the 20th time) just how bad you thought Phantom Menance was and how much you think the new movie will suck. Don't forget to insult Lucas while you're at it.
Slashdot Mirror
I've noticed the advantage of open source is that your users can be programmers at the same time. Users who are programmers can be massively more helpful for certain types of bugs.
Someone said kuro5shin, which is probably true for some people. I'm not too interested in the focus over there, however. Too much discussion of politics, religion, and sex. :)
Really, though, Slashdot was neat because for a time because more often than you would expect, the people doing the neat things you read about in the articles would be posting in the comments as well. That's not so common anymore.
"Apple is the real innovator in the computer industry."
"NASA is a waste of money."
"NASA does cool stuff."
"Everyone is dumber than me."
I think Slashdot has experienced the polarization effect, but not the homogeneity effect. We thrash about wildly to espouse our opinions, and there is no shortage of diversity.
An OS on an OS sounds like a virtual machine.
Idiot? Perhaps. Careless? Certainly. You could even go so far as to use the word "Noodle-head". Bigot? Hardly.
Jeez, man. THINK!
Unless this is some sort of reverse psychology trick . . .
If you read further down the article, you'll see that Stephen Tweedie, a well-established kernel hacker, read his laundry list of changes, many of which mirrored the Oracle suggestions. Oracle is just pointing out what limits the performance of their file-intensive applications, limitations that other kernel hackers who care about file performance also observed.
I think it is great that I can read about Linux kernel hackers debating how to best implement hotpluggable devices and optimize block writes in the file system. I can get raw technical detail if I want it. And I get to see the arguments that go on over controversial design decisions.
I just get a kick out of it. :)
There are lots of us. And we're all different.
We're not all the same moderator; we're not all rabid Linux-zealots; we're not all Windows trolls. Some Linux users don't use Napster. Some Windows users don't like software patents. Some of us are probably Buddhist Libertarians who aren't vegetarians and like to program GTK+ apps when they're not using IE to browse the web on their Windows 2000 box.
If any of you ever think that we're all the same, you need to pay more attention to the flame-fest that goes on whenever any topic with two sides is muttered. (And realize that you are still. only seeing the the vocal minority of Slashdot users.)
Moreover, the BSA (not the Boy Scouts) encourage employees to report their employers for non-compliance. Sounds innocent enough, until you have to deal with BSA representatives at your door because your ex-employee was ticked and told them you have pirated Windows installations. You could be completely legit, but you'll waste time and money proving it whenever some software company decides to ask.
Wow, I think I've slipped into rant mode, so I'll wrap up. I think illegal copying of software is wrong, but I have issues with companies that want to own me because I use their software.
Your attempt at sarcastically bashing the Slashbot-mindset is both trite and overdone.
Isn't that a Chinese curse?
This comment says a lot about the shift in Slashdot demographics. (We're much more enlightened now that we have people who can tell us that Open Source is for wankers and 14-year-olds.)
You're watching an idiom evolve right before your eyes! You can impress your grandkids (or bore them to death) when you can explain that you were *there* when they first set up us the bomb. :)
You don't teach this stuff at the high school level. You have to first try and get across ideas like force, energy, work, power, acceleration, etc. often without the benefit of calculus. (Your school may vary.)
Oops, I missed the number comment. Never mind. I stil have only seen "information wants to be free" in a sarcastic context.
No, I think he was thinking about LinuxOne.
I think this is the first time I've seen this phrase in post that wasn't using it in the context of criticizing the people who espouse it. I was almost starting to think it was made up by the critics. I guess people really do say it.
For those in the audience, this quote is a little misleading. The GPL requires that if you distribute the modified software, you must distribute the source code for your changes. This is one of the more common misconceptions about the GPL. You can take the Linux kernel and modify it to run better on your tweaked-out custom server hardware and never show anyone your changes. Try and send it outside your organization (sales, etc.), and you'll have to give your changes only to the entity which receives the program. They, in turn, can use the code you have provided in accordance with the GPL.
I'm not implying that the parent author didn't already know this. The sentence, however, was a bit misleading, and I wanted to clarify it.
However, you'll be able to catch the vast majority of rootkits even with RPM on a comprimised system. So far I haven't seen one smart enough to cover its tracks that extensively. (Not to say that it doesn't exist, it just isn't very common. Patching the RPM database is not needed because the average Linux workstation user doesn't even know about rpm -V)
Linuxgruven's business failure means:
Okay, everyone! It time to rehash (for the 20th time) just how bad you thought Phantom Menance was and how much you think the new movie will suck. Don't forget to insult Lucas while you're at it.