AFAIK Cambridge Display Technology won the most prestigious Engineering prize in the UK this year, so I doubt thay are too strapped for cash.
Re:Suit and Tie do not make the programmer.
on
Suit Up Or Ship Out?
·
· Score: 2, Insightful
But I feel a distinction needs to be drawn here between "every day" and "in an interview". I am far more productive in a slightly relaxed environment, but I would never dream of going to a formal interview in anything less than a suit. It is at interview that it is important to impress visually after that the quality of your work should be more important.
Having said that, you get a kinda kick out of suiting up if you have to travel on public transport (I've worked in London - Nuff Said)
Given that they want to keep costs down I would have thought that choosing ogg vorbis as the sound format rather that mp3 would have been a wise idea, but there goes!
Sorry if I'm assuming to much,
But you may be a little better off with something like Mandrake first. I started off with that and am building my knowledge up from there.
Although if you feel you are ready for Gentoo go for it. I have the feeling it requires a little more knowledge than I had/have. I may be wrong...
In my experience, and I've reinstalled a few systems for other people, most of them expect to loose everything when windows cocks up. Most non-techs don't store much "important" information on their computers. A lot of them still save stuff on floppies to keep it safe!
It's amazing how greatful people are when their system is reinstalled by some one who can ensure most of the numerous occasions to keep the Outlook Express stuff - even when the system won't boot!:)
But you must agree to Joe Sixpack reinstalling from that OEM CD is far easier than reinstalling Linux. If they feel they can't, they are more likely to know a friendly 10 year old or Computer Store Service Department who/that is confident enough/capable of reinstalling windows. Few people know someone who can reinstall Linux, if not only because they assume that those that run Linux do "because that is what came with their PC" (And their is an increasing chance that they may be right).
I would say that for the majority of home users compatibility is becomming less of an issue every day. I have been running Mandrake on my main PC for over a year. I can now open most Word (being probably the biggest comparibility issue) documents sent to me in OpenOffice, the other's being sent to me are usually Uni related documents with embeded Excel spreadsheets and alike which the average user would never get.
The biggest issue is actually administrating the system, which is daunting for the average non-technical user - this is slowly improving, but will probably still require more thought than windows because that in my honest opinion is to dumbed down.
In light of that may I suggest the solution may lie in getting companies and home users away from the Word tie. If they can't handle/don't feel the can handle GNU/Linux yet (on the desktop) then push them towards software like OpenOffice.org or StarOffice which are cross-platform.This will make compatibility even less of a problem and improve the chance of them some day feeling confident enough to give GNU/Linux a try.
I don't mind if someone doesn't feel they can manage Linux, but I will try my best to at least ensure that documents they may write are easily readable on Linux!
I'm sure I heard years ago about Stephen Hawkins using something similar...
I do see that there are some differences, but I can't see anything to suggest this is revolutionary.
Personnally I would prefer to be able to input text using my apaulling hand writing (spelling included), maybe a A5 sized tablet with a full active screen, powerful enough to display all marks made immediately on the screen, thus aiding input.
Just a small point, where would a beast like the Windows registry fit into the neat atomic model, I think that is far worse than the/etc directory!
Infact its one of the main reasons I stopped using Microsoft products.
As a 21 student who upto 2 years ago almost worshipped Microsoft in my ignorance, I am all for people having to learn a fair amount before being able to use a computer. I am now fighting to learn to have the patience to read HOWTO's and not to be afraid to edit very well documented config files rather than blindly click on buttons and I am far more appriecative and proud of the results.
When I wanted to use a car I had to learn to drive (admittedly more for other peoples safety). When I got to Uni I had to learn how to use a washing machine to get clean clothes, when I wanted to have something more than microwaved curries I had to learn to cook, when I wanted to record a TV show I had to learn how to program the VCR (obviously before I got to uni). Why should it not be the same for using a computer?
Just for reference Windows XP does have a utility to show you thumbnails (as part of the power pack) of running apps that can pop-up on tabbing AFAIK. I was told this only a few days ago and since I refuse to load that rubbish I will never find out myself.
I myself find KDE far nicer looking that the glimpses I have seen of Windows XP (I think XP looks like it was designed for 5 year-olds) but thats my preference.
Slashdot Mirror
As long as you don't want to use an OpenGL card and a non-openGL card + Have GLX enabled for gaming on the OpenGL card.
Can't seem to get that sorted - not using both monitors as one X-session anyway.
AFAIK Cambridge Display Technology won the most prestigious Engineering prize in the UK this year, so I doubt thay are too strapped for cash.
But I feel a distinction needs to be drawn here between "every day" and "in an interview". I am far more productive in a slightly relaxed environment, but I would never dream of going to a formal interview in anything less than a suit. It is at interview that it is important to impress visually after that the quality of your work should be more important. Having said that, you get a kinda kick out of suiting up if you have to travel on public transport (I've worked in London - Nuff Said)
They obviously read slashdot.
Wait for the headline in a few days.
Given that they want to keep costs down I would have thought that choosing ogg vorbis as the sound format rather that mp3 would have been a wise idea, but there goes!
Amen to that.
Sorry if I'm assuming to much, But you may be a little better off with something like Mandrake first. I started off with that and am building my knowledge up from there. Although if you feel you are ready for Gentoo go for it. I have the feeling it requires a little more knowledge than I had/have. I may be wrong...
In my experience, and I've reinstalled a few systems for other people, most of them expect to loose everything when windows cocks up. Most non-techs don't store much "important" information on their computers. A lot of them still save stuff on floppies to keep it safe!
:)
It's amazing how greatful people are when their system is reinstalled by some one who can ensure most of the numerous occasions to keep the Outlook Express stuff - even when the system won't boot!
But you must agree to Joe Sixpack reinstalling from that OEM CD is far easier than reinstalling Linux. If they feel they can't, they are more likely to know a friendly 10 year old or Computer Store Service Department who/that is confident enough/capable of reinstalling windows. Few people know someone who can reinstall Linux, if not only because they assume that those that run Linux do "because that is what came with their PC" (And their is an increasing chance that they may be right).
Windows is easier - alot of people just "try" different settings by clicking on buttons and reinstall when they completely foobar it
Yup, Chartered Status in the UK - Need Masters to do this now!
Actually Technically you should have a degree in Engineering to call yourself an Engineer, otherwise your a Technician.
I would say that for the majority of home users compatibility is becomming less of an issue every day. I have been running Mandrake on my main PC for over a year. I can now open most Word (being probably the biggest comparibility issue) documents sent to me in OpenOffice, the other's being sent to me are usually Uni related documents with embeded Excel spreadsheets and alike which the average user would never get.
The biggest issue is actually administrating the system, which is daunting for the average non-technical user - this is slowly improving, but will probably still require more thought than windows because that in my honest opinion is to dumbed down.
In light of that may I suggest the solution may lie in getting companies and home users away from the Word tie. If they can't handle/don't feel the can handle GNU/Linux yet (on the desktop) then push them towards software like OpenOffice.org or StarOffice which are cross-platform.This will make compatibility even less of a problem and improve the chance of them some day feeling confident enough to give GNU/Linux a try.
I don't mind if someone doesn't feel they can manage Linux, but I will try my best to at least ensure that documents they may write are easily readable on Linux!
I'm sure I heard years ago about Stephen Hawkins using something similar...
I do see that there are some differences, but I can't see anything to suggest this is revolutionary.
Personnally I would prefer to be able to input text using my apaulling hand writing (spelling included), maybe a A5 sized tablet with a full active screen, powerful enough to display all marks made immediately on the screen, thus aiding input.
Just a small point, where would a beast like the Windows registry fit into the neat atomic model, I think that is far worse than the /etc directory!
Infact its one of the main reasons I stopped using Microsoft products.
As a 21 student who upto 2 years ago almost worshipped Microsoft in my ignorance, I am all for people having to learn a fair amount before being able to use a computer. I am now fighting to learn to have the patience to read HOWTO's and not to be afraid to edit very well documented config files rather than blindly click on buttons and I am far more appriecative and proud of the results.
When I wanted to use a car I had to learn to drive (admittedly more for other peoples safety). When I got to Uni I had to learn how to use a washing machine to get clean clothes, when I wanted to have something more than microwaved curries I had to learn to cook, when I wanted to record a TV show I had to learn how to program the VCR (obviously before I got to uni). Why should it not be the same for using a computer?
Just for reference Windows XP does have a utility to show you thumbnails (as part of the power pack) of running apps that can pop-up on tabbing AFAIK. I was told this only a few days ago and since I refuse to load that rubbish I will never find out myself. I myself find KDE far nicer looking that the glimpses I have seen of Windows XP (I think XP looks like it was designed for 5 year-olds) but thats my preference.