You are right, I will be left behind... Tough, I at least have full control on what happens on my machine. Upgrade junkies lose control very very fast. I refuse to buy a computer every 2 years just in order to be able to *read* webpages. That is insane.
I do not see why I need to upgrade to the latest and greatest if the current works. It is that simple. I hope you do see my point. People that upgrade just for the sake of it make me sick. There used to be a time (even in computing) that upgrading was considered optional.
Who on earth is running a browser earlier than 4.x?
I am, and I'm probably hated by webdesigners all over the world. However my e-banking works over it and I do not have to use Internet Explorer. The reason is that the main family desktop is a PPro 200 with 256Meg RAM (running W2K). Now this baby runs nice, but Mozilla *is* sluggish on it. No, I refuse to use Internet Explorer... I just do not trust it in any way. I should migrate to Opera, I know. Oh, and don't start that I could buy a new machine for 400$... I know that, but why *should* I? It works as it is, thank you very much.
Do you expect stuff to be rendered right if you use an older version of IE/Netscape/Opera?
No, and nobody should expect that. But I expect nevertheless to be able to read the content that I want. It doesn't need to look good, it just must be readable. I'm still a strong believer of the original philosophy of the www: let the browser render, as long as it renders okay and brings over the content correctly. Design is not important.
Do advertisers want to sell to people that refuse to use the latest and greatest thing?
Yes, they do... I bought many things from CDNow, ThinkGeek, Amazon, and many many others. So advertising has to be seen: seen by a potential customer, even if he uses an older browser. Besides, think of it: if I watch TV with an old black and white TV instead of a 16:9 colour TV am I not a target person anymore? It is not because I rely on certain technology that I want to change to new one. Or do you change your car every year? Thought not. And even then, it's not because I have a brand new browser that I'll be more likely to buy Pet Food Online.... There is just not relation between these two factors.
Don't you have to try real hard to even find an older version of any of these browsers?
Nope, it's not hard at all. Besides, that is what "personal software collections" are for? Or did you really think I download the software I use everytime I reinstall a machine? For example I install Acrobat Reader 4 on all the machines I install. Yes, I know version 5 is out? Do I care? No, because version 4 is functional and will do the job just fine...and I have it on CD. It is just one of the many examples. This is by the way the reason why I hate stub-installers (Internet Explorer = 500K download, install, download another 50Meg...on 56K modem, yay!)
So... My philosophy was always "stick with what works". Netscape 4.76 has served me well and still serves me well. I'm not going to drop is.
Wow, I think I will have to take a map to look that up. No worries, I will...but not right now because I actually have to go to work (and I'm late)
Be lucky that your 256kbps line still works as 400kbps+, because here they sure don't and upstream is not really laughing either. I clog my mailserver as soon as I sends some jokes (movies and that kind of crap).
Before DSL I was on ISDN, which I can only recommend when you don't have a broadband option. Much more reliable than modem and if you really need the speed you take dual-lines.
The little phrase I used was actually "Luxembourgisch" and the pronunciation is had to explain. I myself am not a native Luxembourgian, so my pronunciantion is not good either. For the record, I am flemish (Belgian) but do talk Dutch, French, German, English and Luxembourgish (it's officially a language..no kidding)
Finally the day started here with a blow for Linux. I heard on the radio that the Luxembourgisch government has signed a contract with Microsoft in order to get the latest and greatest software from them (at, granted, only 23Euro each licence). This contract is for educational institutions, but you know how Microsoft Software tends to spread. The monopoly was mentioned on the radio, but downplayed (by an MS spokesman?) for the sake of interoberability and the positive effects of a monocluture in platforms! No mention of Linux or other OSes, only that "kids are technology avid and will find other software if they are interested enough". Yes, we all know what that means: "geeks only"
I'd submit it to the frontpage, but I have no links..and all my stories get rejected anyway. Here there is at least some chance that someone will read it.
Today I am not proud to be a Luxembourgian.
I identified the fact that you lived in Luxembourg by your pathetic DSL speeds. I'm in the same case, for I live there too.
However you tend to forget that Luxembourg is in a very particular situation: we have not enough critical mass to make DSL and/or cable profitable. Above that we have no competition (P&T only), okay I go for the service over Visual Online but I have to pay the P&T share anyway. Yes, it is expensive, but that is because we *actually* pay more for the bandwidth than our neighbouring countries do. In neighbouring countries they can spread the bandwith over many more suers. The fact that we did get DSL is mainly because there was demand, but with that demand people were willing to pay it. Don't forget we are a damn richt country (look at the rents for christ sake!) Honestly, to get even the 256kbps/64kbps option (considering price of course) you have to be quite a hefty internet user (which I am, 7 computer network at home doing NAT on OpenBSD)
We only have this disadvantage because of our size, but our size has often proven to be a strength as wel. I suspect that when DSL providers in neighbouring countries will start to put caps on the downloads and/or block ports...we will be able to keep unlimited non-port-blocked. Because we pay a premium. Of course, I'm quite optimistic.
Broadband has been around for a very long time in Germany, France, Belgium and The Netherlands. I can tell you, I studied in Antwerp when "Telenet Vlaandren" (Belgian Cable Company for broadband) was building up and that's nearly 8 years ago (when I started studying, not when Telenet vlaandren was started).
Besides, I'm quite glad I could get DSL. It would be pretty sucky only to get Cable which is a shared medium after all;-)
Besides, don't you remember the times Internet over the P&T was 5LUF/minute? Oh, I do... I had to finish a project on the University server (from home in Lux) and I coded the whole night over a 28.8kbps modem to the HP/UX machine in Antwerp. Those were the days. (And that bill was huge!)
Ma, dann nach ee scheinen daag!
after all we count Luxembourg as a sepparate country here, it barely has the population or area of your average US suburb
Yup, and don't try to mention it outside of Europe because people have no clue what you are talking about. Last spring I was in California and when people asked where I came from, I proudly said "Luxembourg"... After that a puzzled look, and the question "Germany?". I explained the first 3 times, then I just gave up and said "Yeah, whatever".
It's a lovely country by the way... (Population about 450000 and about 1/10 of the size of Belgium.) It's the only Grand Duchy left in the World, if I recall correctly. Independance in 1831, so it has been a real country for a really long time;-)
The reasons my girlfriend doesn't use Linux is basically because she can't go and buy "You don't know Jack - the video game" from best buy and then pop the CD in the drive and play it without wondering if it will work or not
The problem with this statement is, that you cannot expect that with Windows either. Not because the installer will not work, but because that "normal user" we just talk about will have the drivers of the hardware that came with his machine. Those are probably the first versions that came out when the hardware was still new and the drivers are poorly optimized (ever ran the first-gen NVidia drivers?)
Thar's not the only problem: he will put the CD into the drive and be baffled it actually doesn't perform as advertised because you "normal computer" users thinks that his 4 year old machine will run Return to Castle Wolfenstein or Neverwinter Nights without any problems. System specifications on the box do not say a damn thing to him. Don't laugh, I have been there... I was waiting in the queue at the local computersuperstore to pay a replacement modem for a family I support in computing matters, and the lady and her son before me were complaining to the salesman that the computer game he bought two days ago didn't work "as advertised". Well, the salesman could only calm them by trying to explain that their 2 year old computer couldn't play that game, and no that the shops policies didn't allow to take the game back.
You have a cool sister, man! I also installed Linux on the PC my sister uses (the PC is mine, but I'm a nice brother)... I saw her boot into it a few times, but most of the time she runs Windows 2000.
Except if she's in a gaming mood...then she boots into DOS 6.22 and plays Transportation Tycoon far into the morning. Actually yesterday I struggled to finally get Sound support on the SB AudioPCI 128 under DOS (Yup, works...I'm so happy...)
About Linux: easy way Linux install is Lycoris (aka Redmond Linux). I tried that on a friends machine (he is a marketing major but is semi-computer literate), and it worked out of the box. Much less hassle than Windows 2000 and 98 (The machine tri-boots), because for those I had to download at least 4 drivers (per OS). On Lycoris, however I didn't manage to get the WinModem running, but that was a pain under Win2000 (which autodetected it and marked it as "working" which it was clearly not) and in 98 it still works crappy.
Oh, actually what I wanted to tell: I install computers for a case of beer. Because I like helping people out and I also like beer. I must have cost CompUSA, thousands of dollars in lost revenue.
Even if Bill Gates died in an accident, I don't think anyone should be disrespectfull about that loss off life. Hell, I would flame people that made fun of his death. (And happily lose Modpoints if nessecary) One can laugh with death, but most of the time it's just to cope better with the sorrow. So if you did not care about the deceased, don't say anything.
Remember: speaking is silver, silence is golden. Especially on these kind of topics.
prevents bugs, write once run anywhere, cures baldness, etc
Hey, but Java cured my baldness! Since I started programming in Java hair has been thriving on my head again!
However, I must admit that Java is a bit low on the "prevent bugs" and "write once run anywhere" things...but to avoid baldness it's clearly there!
Of course I realise that he made a joke. I didn't mean to sound harsch at all. Actually I "overread" spelling errors and typo's all the time. Typing errors happen, it's just life:-)
I just picked the first reply making the joke, and it was him.
I realise you made a joke (I smiled, so it worked). I just picked you because you were the first one to make the (obvious) joke. Nothing against you... I just had to pick one of the many people joking and well..first come first served;-)
Don't laugh... but just as you, I checked Open Source RPG implementation because my dad wanted the "feel" back on his PC. Didn't find a thing, but I did mention it in the hope someone would know perhaps somewhere to look.
Yeah, an OS/400 emulator would be way cool. Perfect for low-cost training/testing/development.
Give the guy a break. He is obviously German because the german abbreviation for DNA is DNS (Desoxyribo Nuklein Säuren). The french have a different abbreviation too: it is ADN (Acide Désoxyribo Nucléique)
I don't think I gave "the most cryptic" example, it was just the first that came to mind. Now 'grep' comes to mind. I still don't know what 'grep' means but I know it is a regular expression searcher. For 'ps' I at least know it means processes
If you're problem is *learning* a new Operating System then you are just lazy. Honestly, I never ever touched a AS/400, but if you gave me a manual and an account on an AS/400 I'd be learning fast. Honestly, if you are scared of the command line, you are not on your place as System Administrator. Heck, you know...I'd love to be an AS/400 admin. Stable platform, not too much trouble (well, mayhem if something goes wrong) and you are a rare bird so you have a very good salary. How does that sound?
Finally look at the AC comment. I didn't know it had that many languages but I knew that RPG, COBOL and Java are supported. I think a great many people want to work with the AS/400...and my dad is one of them.
This always comes back when we start to talk about servers here on slashdot. I'll state it bluntly: you cannot use a x86 as a real server. A x86 server is just a glorified desktop used to run sevices. To get a halfway decent x86 server you have to go for at least a quad-CPU, lotsa high-bandwidth RAM, preferably SCSI-RAID disks. For 1/10 of $20,000 you won't get what I call "decent". Do some searches, such a setup will cost a lot after a while.
But it doesn't stop here. Imagine that nice little x86 machine...one disks of the RAID blows. Good luck on finding exactly the same model again! You will not find it. Buy a disk today, in one year that exact model of disk will not exist anymore. This is why you pay IBM so much for a AS/400 and it's support: to get you back working as fast as possible. These machines are not used to run a webserver where a day downtime is accetable or can be replaced with an identical box transparently. Besides: don't say "Compaq" servers...they suck at hardware support. They even didn't have the caddie for the above mentioned SCSI-RAID for a 2 year old server! I talk out of experience.
You mention upgrades. Upgrades are quite frequent in the x86 world. I now specifically mean Windows which has the typical cost, but honestly, how many servers are there still running 2.0.x kernels for Linux. Upgrade cylces for AS/400 are slower, and you do not need to. They usually support server versions "below" the "current" version and they will not force you to buy new machinery. These machines, are bought for 10 years, your x86 box won't even last 1/5th of it.
Granted for the licenses. But we talk about bussinesses with the money. Companies usually do not complain about Oracle licenses either. This is exactly the same.
And the big winner for the AS/400 are of course the thousands and thousands of legacy application. And as for big bussiness-critical machines, the old adage of "if it isn't broken, don't fix it" counts double!
Note: RPG existed for DOS, so I can assue it exists for Windows. Probably some looney even wrote an Open Source version;-)
Look, I never used a AS/400 either. My dad did and still is full of it. He still acclaims the elegance, the ease of use (relatively speaking) and the power of the filesystem. Actually the filesystem, which looks more than a database, is what did it to him. He feels seriously restricted on Windows (he didn't touch Unix, and the only thing he knows is that this network shares on our home-network are on OpenBSD) with it's puny filesystem.
It's just what you are used to, what matters. I'd probably select a *BSD solution for any problem I get to solve because I'm a *BSD guy. You prefer Windows or Linux? Great...you'll probably choose that.
Beside, one large point people tend to forget is that AS/400 are used in enterprises, often with custom-made applications. The worth of the machine is mostly in those custom-made applications that matured over years and years. Porting those is either expensive or a titanesque task.
And honestly? Do you think "ps -auxw" is anything less cryptic than the example you gave. If you answer me "yes", you are just biased because you have issued that command a million times. Try to think back to the day you first issued it and thought how neat it was....
I bought the accu...You just stuck it in the DC-power plug and you could clip the accu to your belt. It held ages, granted it was heavy and a bit unusual. But you could play for hours in a row.
But you are right: it sucked batteries like nothing else I've seen. Except for the battery life, the GameGear was in every aspect superior to the GameBoy. Ever played Sonic II on that thing. Very impressive what they could suck out of that puny Z80 it was based on. (GB is Z80 to, if I recall correctly)
My question is: why?
AS/400 are decent machines with a good operating system. It has the virtue to "just work". I'm not really sure you would want to replace an AS/400 with a Linux box. The AS/400 is -after all- a proven and stable platform.
I'm all for Linux, but not in this category of hardware.
Yes, and as consoles go...he also forgot the Sega Game Gear. It came out about the same time as the Nintendo GameBoy. I still have my Game Gear, still in working condition. We had to wait for the Gameboy Advance before getting something remotely similar (note: the Game Gear had backlit color LCD and the GBA doesn't have that. Not that I know for sure, I don't have one).
I loved that console... it drained batteries however;-) Playing Lemmings until 3 am in bed...Oh, sweet childhood memories.
Completely agree. I never saw how a technological inferior product like the Palm became so widely accepted.
I owned, in order, an Atari Portfolio (I still have it, but screen is broke), then a Psion Siena and finally a Psion Revo+. For me Psion's are the best PDA's around. Too bad they stopped making hardware, because the quality of the machines is awesome. You can virtually do *anything* on a Psion: email, surf, appointments, spreadsheets (for me a PDA should come with a spreadsheet integrated), heck, I even found a PDF reader for the Psion (which is Opensource).
I've never had a Newton, but someone demoed it to me. Looks kinda neat, but the recognising of the handwriting was kinda slow.
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I do not see why I need to upgrade to the latest and greatest if the current works. It is that simple. I hope you do see my point. People that upgrade just for the sake of it make me sick. There used to be a time (even in computing) that upgrading was considered optional.
I am, and I'm probably hated by webdesigners all over the world. However my e-banking works over it and I do not have to use Internet Explorer. The reason is that the main family desktop is a PPro 200 with 256Meg RAM (running W2K). Now this baby runs nice, but Mozilla *is* sluggish on it. No, I refuse to use Internet Explorer... I just do not trust it in any way. I should migrate to Opera, I know. Oh, and don't start that I could buy a new machine for 400$... I know that, but why *should* I? It works as it is, thank you very much.
Do you expect stuff to be rendered right if you use an older version of IE/Netscape/Opera?
No, and nobody should expect that. But I expect nevertheless to be able to read the content that I want. It doesn't need to look good, it just must be readable. I'm still a strong believer of the original philosophy of the www: let the browser render, as long as it renders okay and brings over the content correctly. Design is not important.
Do advertisers want to sell to people that refuse to use the latest and greatest thing?
Yes, they do... I bought many things from CDNow, ThinkGeek, Amazon, and many many others. So advertising has to be seen: seen by a potential customer, even if he uses an older browser. Besides, think of it: if I watch TV with an old black and white TV instead of a 16:9 colour TV am I not a target person anymore? It is not because I rely on certain technology that I want to change to new one. Or do you change your car every year? Thought not. And even then, it's not because I have a brand new browser that I'll be more likely to buy Pet Food Online.... There is just not relation between these two factors.
Don't you have to try real hard to even find an older version of any of these browsers?
Nope, it's not hard at all. Besides, that is what "personal software collections" are for? Or did you really think I download the software I use everytime I reinstall a machine? For example I install Acrobat Reader 4 on all the machines I install. Yes, I know version 5 is out? Do I care? No, because version 4 is functional and will do the job just fine...and I have it on CD. It is just one of the many examples. This is by the way the reason why I hate stub-installers (Internet Explorer = 500K download, install, download another 50Meg...on 56K modem, yay!)
So... My philosophy was always "stick with what works". Netscape 4.76 has served me well and still serves me well. I'm not going to drop is.
You know, I'd be deaf too by making that kind of music.
Be lucky that your 256kbps line still works as 400kbps+, because here they sure don't and upstream is not really laughing either. I clog my mailserver as soon as I sends some jokes (movies and that kind of crap).
Before DSL I was on ISDN, which I can only recommend when you don't have a broadband option. Much more reliable than modem and if you really need the speed you take dual-lines.
The little phrase I used was actually "Luxembourgisch" and the pronunciation is had to explain. I myself am not a native Luxembourgian, so my pronunciantion is not good either. For the record, I am flemish (Belgian) but do talk Dutch, French, German, English and Luxembourgish (it's officially a language..no kidding)
Finally the day started here with a blow for Linux. I heard on the radio that the Luxembourgisch government has signed a contract with Microsoft in order to get the latest and greatest software from them (at, granted, only 23Euro each licence). This contract is for educational institutions, but you know how Microsoft Software tends to spread. The monopoly was mentioned on the radio, but downplayed (by an MS spokesman?) for the sake of interoberability and the positive effects of a monocluture in platforms! No mention of Linux or other OSes, only that "kids are technology avid and will find other software if they are interested enough". Yes, we all know what that means: "geeks only"
I'd submit it to the frontpage, but I have no links..and all my stories get rejected anyway. Here there is at least some chance that someone will read it.
Today I am not proud to be a Luxembourgian.
However you tend to forget that Luxembourg is in a very particular situation: we have not enough critical mass to make DSL and/or cable profitable. Above that we have no competition (P&T only), okay I go for the service over Visual Online but I have to pay the P&T share anyway. Yes, it is expensive, but that is because we *actually* pay more for the bandwidth than our neighbouring countries do. In neighbouring countries they can spread the bandwith over many more suers. The fact that we did get DSL is mainly because there was demand, but with that demand people were willing to pay it. Don't forget we are a damn richt country (look at the rents for christ sake!) Honestly, to get even the 256kbps/64kbps option (considering price of course) you have to be quite a hefty internet user (which I am, 7 computer network at home doing NAT on OpenBSD)
We only have this disadvantage because of our size, but our size has often proven to be a strength as wel. I suspect that when DSL providers in neighbouring countries will start to put caps on the downloads and/or block ports...we will be able to keep unlimited non-port-blocked. Because we pay a premium. Of course, I'm quite optimistic.
Broadband has been around for a very long time in Germany, France, Belgium and The Netherlands. I can tell you, I studied in Antwerp when "Telenet Vlaandren" (Belgian Cable Company for broadband) was building up and that's nearly 8 years ago (when I started studying, not when Telenet vlaandren was started). ;-)
Besides, I'm quite glad I could get DSL. It would be pretty sucky only to get Cable which is a shared medium after all
Besides, don't you remember the times Internet over the P&T was 5LUF/minute? Oh, I do... I had to finish a project on the University server (from home in Lux) and I coded the whole night over a 28.8kbps modem to the HP/UX machine in Antwerp. Those were the days. (And that bill was huge!)
Ma, dann nach ee scheinen daag!
Yup, and don't try to mention it outside of Europe because people have no clue what you are talking about. Last spring I was in California and when people asked where I came from, I proudly said "Luxembourg"... After that a puzzled look, and the question "Germany?". I explained the first 3 times, then I just gave up and said "Yeah, whatever". ;-)
It's a lovely country by the way... (Population about 450000 and about 1/10 of the size of Belgium.) It's the only Grand Duchy left in the World, if I recall correctly. Independance in 1831, so it has been a real country for a really long time
The problem with this statement is, that you cannot expect that with Windows either. Not because the installer will not work, but because that "normal user" we just talk about will have the drivers of the hardware that came with his machine. Those are probably the first versions that came out when the hardware was still new and the drivers are poorly optimized (ever ran the first-gen NVidia drivers?)
Thar's not the only problem: he will put the CD into the drive and be baffled it actually doesn't perform as advertised because you "normal computer" users thinks that his 4 year old machine will run Return to Castle Wolfenstein or Neverwinter Nights without any problems. System specifications on the box do not say a damn thing to him.
Don't laugh, I have been there... I was waiting in the queue at the local computersuperstore to pay a replacement modem for a family I support in computing matters, and the lady and her son before me were complaining to the salesman that the computer game he bought two days ago didn't work "as advertised". Well, the salesman could only calm them by trying to explain that their 2 year old computer couldn't play that game, and no that the shops policies didn't allow to take the game back.
That, my friend, is what normal users are like.
Except if she's in a gaming mood...then she boots into DOS 6.22 and plays Transportation Tycoon far into the morning. Actually yesterday I struggled to finally get Sound support on the SB AudioPCI 128 under DOS (Yup, works...I'm so happy...)
About Linux: easy way Linux install is Lycoris (aka Redmond Linux). I tried that on a friends machine (he is a marketing major but is semi-computer literate), and it worked out of the box. Much less hassle than Windows 2000 and 98 (The machine tri-boots), because for those I had to download at least 4 drivers (per OS). On Lycoris, however I didn't manage to get the WinModem running, but that was a pain under Win2000 (which autodetected it and marked it as "working" which it was clearly not) and in 98 it still works crappy.
Oh, actually what I wanted to tell: I install computers for a case of beer. Because I like helping people out and I also like beer. I must have cost CompUSA, thousands of dollars in lost revenue.
In theory they could make th perfect OS, and that is most definatly not Windows ;-)
This weird thing you describe has a name: it's called "Apple".
Even if Bill Gates died in an accident, I don't think anyone should be disrespectfull about that loss off life. Hell, I would flame people that made fun of his death. (And happily lose Modpoints if nessecary)
One can laugh with death, but most of the time it's just to cope better with the sorrow. So if you did not care about the deceased, don't say anything.
Remember: speaking is silver, silence is golden. Especially on these kind of topics.
Hey, but Java cured my baldness! Since I started programming in Java hair has been thriving on my head again!
However, I must admit that Java is a bit low on the "prevent bugs" and "write once run anywhere" things...but to avoid baldness it's clearly there!
Why?
Of course I realise that he made a joke. I didn't mean to sound harsch at all. Actually I "overread" spelling errors and typo's all the time. Typing errors happen, it's just life :-)
I just picked the first reply making the joke, and it was him.
I realise you made a joke (I smiled, so it worked). I just picked you because you were the first one to make the (obvious) joke. Nothing against you... I just had to pick one of the many people joking and well..first come first served ;-)
Don't laugh... but just as you, I checked Open Source RPG implementation because my dad wanted the "feel" back on his PC. Didn't find a thing, but I did mention it in the hope someone would know perhaps somewhere to look.
Yeah, an OS/400 emulator would be way cool. Perfect for low-cost training/testing/development.
Give the guy a break. He is obviously German because the german abbreviation for DNA is DNS (Desoxyribo Nuklein Säuren). The french have a different abbreviation too: it is ADN (Acide Désoxyribo Nucléique)
If you're problem is *learning* a new Operating System then you are just lazy. Honestly, I never ever touched a AS/400, but if you gave me a manual and an account on an AS/400 I'd be learning fast. Honestly, if you are scared of the command line, you are not on your place as System Administrator. Heck, you know...I'd love to be an AS/400 admin. Stable platform, not too much trouble (well, mayhem if something goes wrong) and you are a rare bird so you have a very good salary. How does that sound?
Finally look at the AC comment. I didn't know it had that many languages but I knew that RPG, COBOL and Java are supported. I think a great many people want to work with the AS/400...and my dad is one of them.
Haha... :-))
Yes, I remeber drooling over the Atari Lynx (it was Atari, wasn't it?) when a kid. Oh, boy, memories. Esteem yourself lucky you had one!
But it doesn't stop here. Imagine that nice little x86 machine...one disks of the RAID blows. Good luck on finding exactly the same model again! You will not find it. Buy a disk today, in one year that exact model of disk will not exist anymore. This is why you pay IBM so much for a AS/400 and it's support: to get you back working as fast as possible. These machines are not used to run a webserver where a day downtime is accetable or can be replaced with an identical box transparently. Besides: don't say "Compaq" servers...they suck at hardware support. They even didn't have the caddie for the above mentioned SCSI-RAID for a 2 year old server! I talk out of experience.
You mention upgrades. Upgrades are quite frequent in the x86 world. I now specifically mean Windows which has the typical cost, but honestly, how many servers are there still running 2.0.x kernels for Linux. Upgrade cylces for AS/400 are slower, and you do not need to. They usually support server versions "below" the "current" version and they will not force you to buy new machinery. These machines, are bought for 10 years, your x86 box won't even last 1/5th of it.
Granted for the licenses. But we talk about bussinesses with the money. Companies usually do not complain about Oracle licenses either. This is exactly the same. ;-)
And the big winner for the AS/400 are of course the thousands and thousands of legacy application. And as for big bussiness-critical machines, the old adage of "if it isn't broken, don't fix it" counts double!
Note: RPG existed for DOS, so I can assue it exists for Windows. Probably some looney even wrote an Open Source version
It's just what you are used to, what matters. I'd probably select a *BSD solution for any problem I get to solve because I'm a *BSD guy. You prefer Windows or Linux? Great...you'll probably choose that.
Beside, one large point people tend to forget is that AS/400 are used in enterprises, often with custom-made applications. The worth of the machine is mostly in those custom-made applications that matured over years and years. Porting those is either expensive or a titanesque task.
And honestly? Do you think "ps -auxw" is anything less cryptic than the example you gave. If you answer me "yes", you are just biased because you have issued that command a million times. Try to think back to the day you first issued it and thought how neat it was....
I bought the accu...You just stuck it in the DC-power plug and you could clip the accu to your belt. It held ages, granted it was heavy and a bit unusual. But you could play for hours in a row.
But you are right: it sucked batteries like nothing else I've seen. Except for the battery life, the GameGear was in every aspect superior to the GameBoy. Ever played Sonic II on that thing. Very impressive what they could suck out of that puny Z80 it was based on. (GB is Z80 to, if I recall correctly)
My question is: why?
AS/400 are decent machines with a good operating system. It has the virtue to "just work". I'm not really sure you would want to replace an AS/400 with a Linux box. The AS/400 is -after all- a proven and stable platform.
I'm all for Linux, but not in this category of hardware.
Yes, and as consoles go...he also forgot the Sega Game Gear. It came out about the same time as the Nintendo GameBoy. I still have my Game Gear, still in working condition. We had to wait for the Gameboy Advance before getting something remotely similar (note: the Game Gear had backlit color LCD and the GBA doesn't have that. Not that I know for sure, I don't have one). ;-) Playing Lemmings until 3 am in bed...Oh, sweet childhood memories.
I loved that console... it drained batteries however
Completely agree. I never saw how a technological inferior product like the Palm became so widely accepted.
I owned, in order, an Atari Portfolio (I still have it, but screen is broke), then a Psion Siena and finally a Psion Revo+. For me Psion's are the best PDA's around. Too bad they stopped making hardware, because the quality of the machines is awesome. You can virtually do *anything* on a Psion: email, surf, appointments, spreadsheets (for me a PDA should come with a spreadsheet integrated), heck, I even found a PDF reader for the Psion (which is Opensource).
I've never had a Newton, but someone demoed it to me. Looks kinda neat, but the recognising of the handwriting was kinda slow.