There are 50 million computers in the US and somebody needs to fix them.
Outlook is not so bright, then. Most of those are still running Windows. Soon, when we take over the world (GNU/Linux I mean), there won't be too much left to fix. Computers will just work;o)
At the moment, since I am still employed, I can't share those feelings. Quite contrary - I think biggest mistake I ever made was wrong education choice. I opted for ElEng and after graduating worked in a field for almost 15 years. Granted, CS was not the flashiest degree back then (late seventies, early eighties), at least not in a small Balkan country.
Few of my first computing experiences were not too exciting - pretty primitive SCADA system at work (boring) and ZX Spectrum at home (felt more like a toy). However, everything changed when PC became affordable - I was totally hooked from the first contact with it. I have never stopped learning since then and nowadays I'm helping to run large company's network. I shall always regret that most of that learning I've done on my own, appart from few short technical courses and never really had proper IS/IT education. With that I could have done so much more, perhaps releasing kernel patches, rather than applying them.
Hell, even my/. account would be shorter for at least 2 digits!
Well, I guess this post is one of the many ways NASA and US as a whole, can be paid back for all the great things they are doing for mankind. I am sure they would take it over any $ amount you can send.
I can't fucking believe that someone else has named his box as I did mine! The goal was to find unique name and I was sure gobbler is the most stupid available.
First of all, it's hardly appropriate to suggest not starting a flamewar here if you make a call to Linux zealots and Windows users. Now, I don't really mind, since I'm proud to be one (zealot, of course) but such a call does not appear as unbiased, no matter what else you say that follows the call.
Second, similar 'studies' by IDC, Meta Corp and Giga Research have been done in the past. I question Microsoft's marketing strategy in this case, since we all know that despite all previous FUD attempts, Microsoft have just posted first flat quarter in years. And no, they haven't lost revenue to UNIX or other expensive platforms - they lost it to Linux. In addition, it seems that even they don't quite believe in it (FUD) anymore, thus pretty obscure location of those 'reports'.
Third, 'facts' presented in IDC study (I haven't read the other two) are utter crap and are based on twisted logic, incosistencies and lies. Let me elaborate:
Over 5 years period, they figure hardware cost presents just over 4% of the TCO. Although you and I and every PHB and their dog by now know that Linux is significantly less hungry on the server end, we'll assume identical HW configuration to simplify things and call it a tie here.
Software is calculated at (also) ~ 4%. This one is at least odd. Granted, we're talking enterprise systems, so I'm not going to assume free (beer) Linux and will go with RHE, which has a cost. However, one only needs to buy 1 license per server and no client access licenses. In addition, unlike Windows 2000, RHE will include enterprise grade email and database software for which you have to shell out additional bucks if you run Windows. Arguments that MSSQL and Exchange are far superior than PostgreSQL and LDAP/IMAP implementation and that their superiority outweighs the cost difference are wrong. If there is something that you simply can't reliably process with pgsql and you need Oracle for the job, you'd need Oracle on Windows as well. Calendaring feature in Exchange is not really a showstopper anymore - one just needs to check Red Hat's offer. That's if Exchange is used for something else and not email only. We won't discuss AntiVirus software, assuming desktops are all Windows based. 1:0 for Linux.
Training - 5% roughly. Bullshit. RHCE week training + exam cost just below $3000. It is valuable, hands on, performance based cert - people who complete it CAN DO some stuff with that server. MCSE takes 7 papers to complete. Exams only will cost just a fraction less than RHCE cert. Plus about $1000 per week worth of clasroom training. This category is directly related to staffing costs, estimated by IDC at 62% of TCO. Knowing that common server/sysadmin ratio in Linux world is significantly larger than that in Windows one (I haven't pulled this out of my ass - in my company 11 NT admins manage less servers than 2 of us do on the Linux end - 59 Linux servers and of course, we have to help with NT/2000 boxes as well, while NT admins do not have a slightest clue as to what to do with Red Hat machines), staffing + training in Windows environment has to be fewfold of that on the Linux system. That's easy 3:0.
Downtime - 23%. This category is so funny that I won't even try to explain cost advantages of Linux.
Conclusion:
Running Windows is too expensive and it sucks. Having to read through latest installment of Microsoft FUD on regular basis REALLY sucks.
The thing is... he should nave been marked as moron, which he is and not as troll which he clearly is not.
He is expressing lame and biased opinion (over-and-over again), which isn't based on facts but on half-assed bullshit and FUD. Being troll takes some creativity, plenty of humour and plenty of knowledge. He does not have any of it.
To prediction now: 2004 will be the most successful year for Linux and Free software so far. Platform has greatly improved and is mature, robust and dependable upon. Few available desktop offers are awesome (Fedora, Xandros, latest Mandrake and SuSE) and Linux will gain more share on this market as well. It seems that big corporate / government IS decision makers are finally willing to give Linux/OSS a real try, rather than to only listen. And you know what - that one try is all Linux needs - once you saw it going, you'll never go back to whatever you used before.
Does it mean that software created by those same developers, now licensed, in the past is now cleared? Are they going to hold developers and engineers accountable even if they're forced to produce code based on inherently flawed design, driven solely by profit and questionable business practices?
Why did I think that someone so proud wouldn't post this kind of statement as an AC? Makes you appear rather ashamed to be Brit. Plus, appart from kicking your ass, Americans did so much more during few hundreds of years than you ever will.
You know what? You're full of shit. There are plenty of absolutely valid reasons why different versions of Windows suck in corporate environment. Any person able to professionaly identify these and recommend sensible alternatives (providing he/she knows how to implement them) would be more than welcome in my company.
Appart from certain specialised Windows applications, I personally don't see any need for Windows over Linux and some commonly associated Open Source solutions.
Totem works as well - fedora users can get it easily through apt repositories. I'm in a bit of hurry right now but will post url_s later if anybody is interested.
Actually, working all my life in rather large companies, I've seen my share of pretty dumb stuff so I appreciate your comment. However, this is one of the pretty visible open source projects. Those tend to be maintained by some clever and knowledgable people, thus my remark.
Fuckwit, you got it all wrong. We (zealots) read at -1. We don't post AC. We use our computers for productive stuff, rather than having to go through patch/reboot/BSOD/reinstall/patch/reboot... cycle every fucking few days. We're disgusted with crooks like MS.
This is the beginning of The End. Comprende, shithead?
Slashdot Mirror
R2D2, actually
Shut the fuck up and have a nice day.
Outlook is not so bright, then. Most of those are still running Windows. Soon, when we take over the world (GNU/Linux I mean), there won't be too much left to fix. Computers will just work ;o)
Few of my first computing experiences were not too exciting - pretty primitive SCADA system at work (boring) and ZX Spectrum at home (felt more like a toy). However, everything changed when PC became affordable - I was totally hooked from the first contact with it. I have never stopped learning since then and nowadays I'm helping to run large company's network. I shall always regret that most of that learning I've done on my own, appart from few short technical courses and never really had proper IS/IT education. With that I could have done so much more, perhaps releasing kernel patches, rather than applying them.
Hell, even my /. account would be shorter for at least 2 digits!
Well, I guess this post is one of the many ways NASA and US as a whole, can be paid back for all the great things they are doing for mankind. I am sure they would take it over any $ amount you can send.
I FAILED IT!
Second, similar 'studies' by IDC, Meta Corp and Giga Research have been done in the past. I question Microsoft's marketing strategy in this case, since we all know that despite all previous FUD attempts, Microsoft have just posted first flat quarter in years. And no, they haven't lost revenue to UNIX or other expensive platforms - they lost it to Linux. In addition, it seems that even they don't quite believe in it (FUD) anymore, thus pretty obscure location of those 'reports'.
Third, 'facts' presented in IDC study (I haven't read the other two) are utter crap and are based on twisted logic, incosistencies and lies. Let me elaborate:
Over 5 years period, they figure hardware cost presents just over 4% of the TCO. Although you and I and every PHB and their dog by now know that Linux is significantly less hungry on the server end, we'll assume identical HW configuration to simplify things and call it a tie here.
Software is calculated at (also) ~ 4%. This one is at least odd. Granted, we're talking enterprise systems, so I'm not going to assume free (beer) Linux and will go with RHE, which has a cost. However, one only needs to buy 1 license per server and no client access licenses. In addition, unlike Windows 2000, RHE will include enterprise grade email and database software for which you have to shell out additional bucks if you run Windows. Arguments that MSSQL and Exchange are far superior than PostgreSQL and LDAP/IMAP implementation and that their superiority outweighs the cost difference are wrong. If there is something that you simply can't reliably process with pgsql and you need Oracle for the job, you'd need Oracle on Windows as well. Calendaring feature in Exchange is not really a showstopper anymore - one just needs to check Red Hat's offer. That's if Exchange is used for something else and not email only. We won't discuss AntiVirus software, assuming desktops are all Windows based. 1:0 for Linux.
Training - 5% roughly. Bullshit. RHCE week training + exam cost just below $3000. It is valuable, hands on, performance based cert - people who complete it CAN DO some stuff with that server. MCSE takes 7 papers to complete. Exams only will cost just a fraction less than RHCE cert. Plus about $1000 per week worth of clasroom training. This category is directly related to staffing costs, estimated by IDC at 62% of TCO. Knowing that common server/sysadmin ratio in Linux world is significantly larger than that in Windows one (I haven't pulled this out of my ass - in my company 11 NT admins manage less servers than 2 of us do on the Linux end - 59 Linux servers and of course, we have to help with NT/2000 boxes as well, while NT admins do not have a slightest clue as to what to do with Red Hat machines), staffing + training in Windows environment has to be fewfold of that on the Linux system. That's easy 3:0.
Downtime - 23%. This category is so funny that I won't even try to explain cost advantages of Linux.
Conclusion:
Running Windows is too expensive and it sucks. Having to read through latest installment of Microsoft FUD on regular basis REALLY sucks.
Shit. I thought we sorted that one already:
1. Whatever
2. ???
3. Profit
Didn't we?
Some headaches sounds more appropriate here. Lot of headaches would be saved if switch is made to Linux.
He is expressing lame and biased opinion (over-and-over again), which isn't based on facts but on half-assed bullshit and FUD. Being troll takes some creativity, plenty of humour and plenty of knowledge. He does not have any of it.
To prediction now: 2004 will be the most successful year for Linux and Free software so far. Platform has greatly improved and is mature, robust and dependable upon. Few available desktop offers are awesome (Fedora, Xandros, latest Mandrake and SuSE) and Linux will gain more share on this market as well. It seems that big corporate / government IS decision makers are finally willing to give Linux/OSS a real try, rather than to only listen. And you know what - that one try is all Linux needs - once you saw it going, you'll never go back to whatever you used before.
It's not blinking fuck anymore. It's bling-bling.
Does it mean that software created by those same developers, now licensed, in the past is now cleared? Are they going to hold developers and engineers accountable even if they're forced to produce code based on inherently flawed design, driven solely by profit and questionable business practices?
To all geeks - Happy New Year from New Zealand!
Just my humble thought as a non-American.
Appart from certain specialised Windows applications, I personally don't see any need for Windows over Linux and some commonly associated Open Source solutions.
WTF?
Totem works as well - fedora users can get it easily through apt repositories. I'm in a bit of hurry right now but will post url_s later if anybody is interested.
New Apple's processor?
Actually, working all my life in rather large companies, I've seen my share of pretty dumb stuff so I appreciate your comment. However, this is one of the pretty visible open source projects. Those tend to be maintained by some clever and knowledgable people, thus my remark.
Is that so, shithead? Did he become famous troll with his first or second /. post? Or perhaps this one?
I sure do. Thought it was obvious but you grammar-nazies don't have sense of humo(u)r.
Yeah but they still have case catagories to show. Loosers.
Perhaps you'd want to tell this to my parent.
Do you really think people who run such a database don't know how to configure it?
This is the beginning of The End. Comprende, shithead?