WindowsXP: Before I get on the net, SP1 and MS RPC Patch 824146. AVG Get on the net and update AVG antivirus definition file. Scan the whole machine. Then I begin patch reboot, patch reboot, patch reboot... cycle. When I'm finished patching: Netscape 7.1 Kohan Immortal Sovereigns Halo Uh... that's about it. I don't use windows that much.
Linux: After installing Gentoo and getting booted to shell: emerge sync emerge svgalib emerge links emerge mc emerge bitchx emerge kde emerge java (whichever one is current) emerge sdl emerge mplayer emerge k3b emerge kdevelop emerge acroread emerge postgresql emerge webmin emerge gkrellm emerge xmms emerge pgaccess filerunner, openoffice, netscape7.1, etc... etc... etc...
> We should have a simple, nice looking word > processor that does the basics that most people > use and does not let you do more.
When I read this excerpt, I immediately thought about Claris on Apple. I used to use it in college English class. It was a nice little wordprocessor with only what you needed to use - not alot of cruft.
I do agree with you... we really need world class and simple tools... like the original UNIX philosophy regarding simple powerful tools.
I wish to thank Daniel Robbins for all his hard work and creativeness. Gentoo Linux is really a gem and I'm glad I tried it. I'm totally sold on this fine piece of work that makes my everyday maintenance tasks on my Linux box a breeze.
I hope your next opportunity or idea is as well received. Thank you again!
> And don't tell me to install binary package > either. I may as well use yum, up2date, Red > Carpet, YaST, urpmi, apt-get or any other binary > package management system in the first place and > be done with it.
So um... do it. If you don't like Gentoo then you are certainly free to do what you want. After all, doing what you want is what Gentoo is all about.
I don't know about you but... most of the time when I need a program for Linux (no matter which distribution), I usually end up downloading the source, untarring, reading the README and INSTALL files,./configure, make, make install anyway. Gentoo does all that with the: emerge packagename command AND it resolves ALL the dependancies for you; it also will UNINSTALL the package for you a well as keeping your system up to date.
Globally setting compile parameters makes package configuration automatic with maximum compatability and optimisation for your processor class.
With a broadband connection, Gentoo is a breeze; it may be a bit slow to install on dialup but then again... what isn't? Anyway, you could always opt for a Stage3 install and shorten your install time.
> I may notfeel like twiddling my thumbs an hour > or two waiting for them and all their > dependancies to compile.
Ok. I can understand that. So, instead, you would wish to download all the source, compile manually and figure out all the dependancies by hand? Or maybe you want to try a precompiled binary that is statically linked?
Talk about looking a gifthorse in the mouth. Sheesh.
> The only thing that will make the problem going > away is if the manufacturer writes a driver. If > they choose not to then that's that.
Yep. Take for instance, Nvidia's support of their cards on Linux. It just keeps getting better and easier; it's not perfect but it's damn good. That's why I have an Nvidia card in my machine.
I remember when Nvidia cards had no OpenGL in Linux and Voodoo cards were the way to go - things change.
As for what I'M doing, I'm buying hardware from vendors that support Linux.:)
Linux not autodetecting and configuring an onboard sound system is a "Big Gaping Hole"? I wouldn't consider it such. Maybe a mild disapointment but not a BGH. I guess it depends on who you talk to though.
Now, Windows leaving an unprotected Remote Procedure Call interface open... THAT'S A BIG GAPING HOLE! But then again, I guess it depends on who you talk to.:)
>> Uhhh... What version of acroread are you smoking? >> My acroread just uses the X-windows toolkit and >> doesnt look at all like KDevelop or Netscape or >> Konqueror
Well, can't check that atm... as I'm in WindowsXP looking for inconsistencies. The interfaces are pretty much consistent as long as you are using a WindowsXP/Microsoft program instead of a third party program.
I believe that acroread uses a motif style toolkit - pretty standard in UNIXEN (I don't really care as long as it works). Netscape uses it's own XUL? Limewire uses Java Swing or something. While KDevelop and Konq use Qt. The point is, though, that they all pretty much have File, Edit, Window, Help in their file menu and most of them support drag and drop as well as hot keys (many are customizable).
The bottom line is, interface inconsistency is pretty much a non-issue these days as long as you are using a windowmanager you like. KDE works for me right now.
> Since the dawn of time, ctrl+C has been copy in > each and every app. ctrl+x has been cut. ctrl+v > has been paste. Windows have three icons in the > upper right hand corner for minimizing, > restoring/maximizing, and closing. There's a > "File", "Edit", "Tools", and "Help" menu in almost > every app. I don't know how you get more > consistent than that.
I'm in KDE and I have about 7 applications open: Acroread, Kdevelop, Netscape 7.1, Limewire, Konqueror, K3b, and OpenOffice - all their interfaces are pretty much consistent. I can drag and drop, click the file menu, hit the min/max/close buttons, drag the menubar as well as windowshade it, resize my windows, etc...
I'd say that's pretty consistent.
As for windows, the three buttons in the upper right were not there until Win95. Not every app in DOS/Win uses or understands the ctrl+c/x/v hotkeys either.
Most people don't know how to use Windows. And what they do know can be directly applied to most windowmanagers for Linux today. They doubleclick an icon, use a start menu, click on the file menu or click toolbars, they enter data into text fields or use drop down boxes, click the X to close the window, resize windows. It's all the same really.
It's not what people want really though; it's what they *think* they want. They go into a computer store and say, "I need a computer to run MSWord or MSExcel." Instead, they should say, "I need to do wordprocessing or spreadsheets." Linux can accomplish these tasks quite admirably.
> For most purposes, anything that comes from solar > power (directly or indirectly) might as well be > considered renewable.
Yep, I agree. Solar power is the nearest thing to renewable we have. The energy is gonna go somewhere; may as well be captured by us. Now, if we begin capturing too much of it, we may cool the earth; I just don't see us affecting temp that much though. I could be wrong.
There is no such thing as renewable energy; it would take more energy to renew the energy than the energy you first got out of it. i.e. there is no such thing as a perpetual motion device.
> I'm not sure I agree with the government's attack > on Microsoft. I like MS products these days, and > I'm not blind to anything MS has done, but I > cannot make the connection between anti-trust > suits against Microsoft and a better playing field > for MS' competitiors.
Anti-trust is designed to level the playing field - that is it's very core purpose - it's definition.
> The reason is, is that in > between the two is the government which benefits > both from suing Microsoft and from helping > Microsoft stay on top.
Microsoft's actions are based on profit motive. They weigh profit potential and then take action without regard to the letter of the law or the overall health of the computing industry. As long as it's profitable it's gonna be done. The government is not trying to put Microsoft out of business; they want a healthy market (or at least I hope they do) which everyone benefits from.
Well, I was contracted to update and repair an existing application written in MSWord. It took Word documents and changed them into HTML. Problem was, the default html created by MSWord was incredibly broken - probably in an attempt to thwart Netscape. Also, the formatting was horrible.
I ended up writing an HTML parser/repair module implemented as an VB OLE object (my idea) and called from an embedded script in Word (a requirement). It had error trapping, logging, and reporting features as well as automatic or manual execution depending on menu selection.
The project was doomed from the start by apathy and outright opposition from the regular employees.
I pulled a rabbit out of my hat though. My code worked! It read in the html, parsed it, and wrote lovely correct html ready to be published.
>> The lesson to be used there is that a Mac >> is a better computer for people who don't >> know shit about computers because it gives >> you less chances to shoot yourself in the >> foot.
Word. Most people don't know shit about computers.
>> OTOH the worms running around now primarily >> infect computers through user error.
If you call buying a WinXP machine prior to SP1 and MS RPC Patch publication OR not knowing enought to check if the patches are installed, then yes it is user error. (see my reply above)
>> Once again, MacOS is only invulnerable >> because there's not enough of it out there >> to make it worth writing this kind of >> software for.
I have to agree, mostly, with this statement. However, I'd have to add that BSD isn't intrinsically vulnerable and doesn't rely on Security by Obscurity.
>> But, since it depends on a user downloading, >> extracting, and running something, >>
The Worms don't require the user to download ANYTHING! They attack the computer via the RPC mechanism. i.e. Connect to the net without the SP1 and RPC Patch installed and WHAMMO - worm infestation.
>> if you swapped Windows' and MacOSX's market >> shares tomorrow, the same sorts of software >> would appear on the Mac tomorrow.
Probably - if you equate "same sorts of software" with viruses and worms. But, it would probably take longer than tomorrow. Windows is like Swiss Cheese; BSD might have a hole or two - YOMV.
What Apple really needs to do (as well as Linux) is provide users with alot of great software at competitive prices; work with the software vendors to provide Apple versions of Windows software at no extra cost over the Windows version.
Re:Yes, yes, yes, Apple's dying, blah blah blah
on
Why iPod Can't Save Apple
·
· Score: 2, Interesting
If there wasn't any money in portable music players then Microsoft wouldn't be getting into the game. It's probably just MS funded fud so people will buy MS new machine.
Slashdot Mirror
they'll (MPAA) get us a licensed DVD player software for LINUX.
As for the encryption, it appears that the cat is out of the bag already; there is no allowing or disallowing to be done.
WindowsXP:
Before I get on the net, SP1 and MS RPC Patch 824146.
AVG
Get on the net and update AVG antivirus definition file. Scan the whole machine.
Then I begin patch reboot, patch reboot, patch reboot... cycle.
When I'm finished patching:
Netscape 7.1
Kohan Immortal Sovereigns
Halo
Uh... that's about it. I don't use windows that much.
Linux:
After installing Gentoo and getting booted to shell:
emerge sync
emerge svgalib
emerge links
emerge mc
emerge bitchx
emerge kde
emerge java (whichever one is current)
emerge sdl
emerge mplayer
emerge k3b
emerge kdevelop
emerge acroread
emerge postgresql
emerge webmin
emerge gkrellm
emerge xmms
emerge pgaccess
filerunner, openoffice, netscape7.1, etc... etc... etc...
YMMV
> We should have a simple, nice looking word
> processor that does the basics that most people
> use and does not let you do more.
When I read this excerpt, I immediately thought about Claris on Apple. I used to use it in college English class. It was a nice little wordprocessor with only what you needed to use - not alot of cruft.
I do agree with you... we really need world class and simple tools... like the original UNIX philosophy regarding simple powerful tools.
I wish to thank Daniel Robbins for all his hard work and creativeness. Gentoo Linux is really a gem and I'm glad I tried it. I'm totally sold on this fine piece of work that makes my everyday maintenance tasks on my Linux box a breeze.
I hope your next opportunity or idea is as well received.
Thank you again!
> And don't tell me to install binary package
./configure, make, make install anyway. Gentoo does all that with the: emerge packagename command AND it resolves ALL the dependancies for you; it also will UNINSTALL the package for you a well as keeping your system up to date.
> either. I may as well use yum, up2date, Red
> Carpet, YaST, urpmi, apt-get or any other binary
> package management system in the first place and
> be done with it.
So um... do it. If you don't like Gentoo then you are certainly free to do what you want. After all, doing what you want is what Gentoo is all about.
I don't know about you but... most of the time when I need a program for Linux (no matter which distribution), I usually end up downloading the source, untarring, reading the README and INSTALL files,
Globally setting compile parameters makes package configuration automatic with maximum compatability and optimisation for your processor class.
With a broadband connection, Gentoo is a breeze; it may be a bit slow to install on dialup but then again... what isn't? Anyway, you could always opt for a Stage3 install and shorten your install time.
> I may notfeel like twiddling my thumbs an hour
> or two waiting for them and all their
> dependancies to compile.
Ok. I can understand that. So, instead, you would wish to download all the source, compile manually and figure out all the dependancies by hand? Or maybe you want to try a precompiled binary that is statically linked?
Talk about looking a gifthorse in the mouth. Sheesh.
> The only thing that will make the problem going
:)
> away is if the manufacturer writes a driver. If
> they choose not to then that's that.
Yep. Take for instance, Nvidia's support of their cards on Linux. It just keeps getting better and easier; it's not perfect but it's damn good. That's why I have an Nvidia card in my machine.
I remember when Nvidia cards had no OpenGL in Linux and Voodoo cards were the way to go - things change.
As for what I'M doing, I'm buying hardware from vendors that support Linux.
Linux not autodetecting and configuring an onboard sound system is a "Big Gaping Hole"? I wouldn't consider it such. Maybe a mild disapointment but not a BGH. I guess it depends on who you talk to though.
:)
Now, Windows leaving an unprotected Remote Procedure Call interface open... THAT'S A BIG GAPING HOLE! But then again, I guess it depends on who you talk to.
>> Uhhh... What version of acroread are you smoking?
>> My acroread just uses the X-windows toolkit and
>> doesnt look at all like KDevelop or Netscape or
>> Konqueror
Well, can't check that atm... as I'm in WindowsXP looking for inconsistencies. The interfaces are pretty much consistent as long as you are using a WindowsXP/Microsoft program instead of a third party program.
I believe that acroread uses a motif style toolkit - pretty standard in UNIXEN (I don't really care as long as it works). Netscape uses it's own XUL? Limewire uses Java Swing or something. While KDevelop and Konq use Qt. The point is, though, that they all pretty much have File, Edit, Window, Help in their file menu and most of them support drag and drop as well as hot keys (many are customizable).
The bottom line is, interface inconsistency is pretty much a non-issue these days as long as you are using a windowmanager you like. KDE works for me right now.
> Since the dawn of time, ctrl+C has been copy in
> each and every app. ctrl+x has been cut. ctrl+v
> has been paste. Windows have three icons in the
> upper right hand corner for minimizing,
> restoring/maximizing, and closing. There's a
> "File", "Edit", "Tools", and "Help" menu in almost
> every app. I don't know how you get more
> consistent than that.
I'm in KDE and I have about 7 applications open: Acroread, Kdevelop, Netscape 7.1, Limewire, Konqueror, K3b, and OpenOffice - all their interfaces are pretty much consistent. I can drag and drop, click the file menu, hit the min/max/close buttons, drag the menubar as well as windowshade it, resize my windows, etc...
I'd say that's pretty consistent.
As for windows, the three buttons in the upper right were not there until Win95. Not every app in DOS/Win uses or understands the ctrl+c/x/v hotkeys either.
> People are trained to use Windows
Most people don't know how to use Windows. And what they do know can be directly applied to most windowmanagers for Linux today. They doubleclick an icon, use a start menu, click on the file menu or click toolbars, they enter data into text fields or use drop down boxes, click the X to close the window, resize windows. It's all the same really.
It's not what people want really though; it's what they *think* they want. They go into a computer store and say, "I need a computer to run MSWord or MSExcel." Instead, they should say, "I need to do wordprocessing or spreadsheets." Linux can accomplish these tasks quite admirably.
> For most purposes, anything that comes from solar
> power (directly or indirectly) might as well be
> considered renewable.
Yep, I agree. Solar power is the nearest thing to renewable we have. The energy is gonna go somewhere; may as well be captured by us. Now, if we begin capturing too much of it, we may cool the earth; I just don't see us affecting temp that much though. I could be wrong.
There is no such thing as renewable energy; it would take more energy to renew the energy than the energy you first got out of it. i.e. there is no such thing as a perpetual motion device.
Yeah, I had a nice Dual P-II 350 back in 1999. It was hella fast for it's time. I really hated to see it go.
I've been using Google for about 4 or 5 years now; I think it's amazing how fast everyone has come to know and use it. I never had any doubt.
> I'm not sure I agree with the government's attack
> on Microsoft. I like MS products these days, and
> I'm not blind to anything MS has done, but I
> cannot make the connection between anti-trust
> suits against Microsoft and a better playing field
> for MS' competitiors.
Anti-trust is designed to level the playing field - that is it's very core purpose - it's definition.
> The reason is, is that in
> between the two is the government which benefits
> both from suing Microsoft and from helping
> Microsoft stay on top.
Microsoft's actions are based on profit motive. They weigh profit potential and then take action without regard to the letter of the law or the overall health of the computing industry. As long as it's profitable it's gonna be done. The government is not trying to put Microsoft out of business; they want a healthy market (or at least I hope they do) which everyone benefits from.
Jump into bed with Microsoft and you get the shaft. Happens every time.
Sun had a good run I guess.
Well, I was contracted to update and repair an existing application written in MSWord. It took Word documents and changed them into HTML. Problem was, the default html created by MSWord was incredibly broken - probably in an attempt to thwart Netscape. Also, the formatting was horrible.
I ended up writing an HTML parser/repair module implemented as an VB OLE object (my idea) and called from an embedded script in Word (a requirement). It had error trapping, logging, and reporting features as well as automatic or manual execution depending on menu selection.
The project was doomed from the start by apathy and outright opposition from the regular employees.
I pulled a rabbit out of my hat though. My code worked! It read in the html, parsed it, and wrote lovely correct html ready to be published.
I think that's what got me fired.
> Yeah, even with client prediction, Quake is going to be a bit of a bitch!
Nah. Ya just get more pigeons. UDP would be perfect via pigeon-net.
I figure a Denial of Service for pigeon-net would be alot of other pigeons and birds flying into the destination birdcage.
Squawk!
Song of Soloman. Suleimon? Saloman? Suleman? Shalom... Salam. Whatever.
>> The lesson to be used there is that a Mac
>> is a better computer for people who don't
>> know shit about computers because it gives
>> you less chances to shoot yourself in the
>> foot.
Word. Most people don't know shit about computers.
>> OTOH the worms running around now primarily
>> infect computers through user error.
If you call buying a WinXP machine prior to SP1 and MS RPC Patch publication OR not knowing enought to check if the patches are installed, then yes it is user error. (see my reply above)
>> Once again, MacOS is only invulnerable
>> because there's not enough of it out there
>> to make it worth writing this kind of
>> software for.
I have to agree, mostly, with this statement. However, I'd have to add that BSD isn't intrinsically vulnerable and doesn't rely on Security by Obscurity.
>> But, since it depends on a user downloading,
>> extracting, and running something,
>>
The Worms don't require the user to download ANYTHING! They attack the computer via the RPC mechanism. i.e. Connect to the net without the SP1 and RPC Patch installed and WHAMMO - worm infestation.
>> if you swapped Windows' and MacOSX's market
>> shares tomorrow, the same sorts of software
>> would appear on the Mac tomorrow.
Probably - if you equate "same sorts of software" with viruses and worms. But, it would probably take longer than tomorrow. Windows is like Swiss Cheese; BSD might have a hole or two - YOMV.
What Apple really needs to do (as well as Linux) is provide users with alot of great software at competitive prices; work with the software vendors to provide Apple versions of Windows software at no extra cost over the Windows version.
If there wasn't any money in portable music players then Microsoft wouldn't be getting into the game. It's probably just MS funded fud so people will buy MS new machine.
Well... there's my conspiracy theory for the day.
G4? That's so last year. Go for a dual G5 Aluminum Cased Tower.
:/
I wouldn't mind having one of them... now if I could just get past the one button mouse thing...
Heh... yeah. Don't ya hate how that Blakes 7 show died? Kinda ironic isn't it?
Codifex
This one needs modding up for sure. The IPO as a business plan has backfired!