>"The GNU operating system is turning 25 this year"
Hate to break it to you, but "GNU" is not an operating system. You can make one with lots of GNU tools and after many years with no kernel, you could even use HURD. But the 25 years is a celebration of a PROJECT, not an OS. If they had a compelling kernel all those years ago, then it is likely Linux would never have existed.
In any case, I am very glad GNU exists! Happy birthday!
You said married "again". So what did you want and have for your FIRST marriage?
MOST couples have a simple ceremony on second or third marriages, that is not a revelation. Of course, I think people spend entirely too much money on ALL weddings. It is the love that is supposed to matter.
It looks like they are either blocking Gmail, somehow think your message content is SPAM, or they are overwhelmed with feedback now and shut everything off!
My message to them did not bounce (but I sent it before my directive on Slashdot), and I sent from a different domain. Sorry, but I don't know of any other Email address.
Exactly. Rather than complaining on Slashdot, send the Democratic Convention people an Email at tell THEM you are not happy. I did. Took about 2 minutes to compose a polite and informative message.
Linux/*ix users might be in the minority, but they do tend to be more vocal.... and often it works (to my utter surprise)
Of course anything done by NBC will support their overlords (Microsoft) to the exclusion of others. That should not be a surprise to anyone. But a political party best think twice before immediately shutting out at least 10% of the possible viewers (Linux) and making it slightly to extremely difficult for at least 33% of everyone else.
Rather than everyone speculating WHY they chose to use such an annoying setup and complaining here, let's just all Email them and let them know we are not happy and why. I did (not that I even WANT to watch the video). Doesn't take long.
Long-term care healthcare facility, 95% Linux, thin clients, 296 beds, 400 total employees, 160 users, 4 total in IT. That is 1:100 per total employees or 1:40 per total users. IT includes computers, network, phones, voicemail, printers, faxes, copiers, company newsletter, signs, training, sys admin, backup, network, hardware troubleshooting/setup/repair, but IT worker count does not include 3 phone operators. No consultants, no outsourcing.
If you (or the Admin) has unchecked "Automatically check for updates", then FIREFOX SHOULD *NEVER* check or "inform" the user about updates. PERIOD. We (the users and the Admins) do not need some arrogant software designer to second guess our intentional directives.
So I certainly hope that they have not somehow coded Firefox to ignore the "Preference settings". If they did, then What, exactly, is the purpose of having options to turn off "check for updates" if it is going to do so anyway and annoy users. And on some systems, like ours, users CAN'T upgrade software, because they are on thin clients and don't have permissions that would allow it. It just creates a nightmare for support. Perhaps the Admins really do know what they are doing and can't upgrade the browser until it has been tested in-house for compatibility and configuration?
Wrong. On our thin-client system, the users absolutely have no ability to upgrade ANY software, including Firefox.
If you (or the Admin) has unchecked "Automatically check for updates", then FIREFOX SHOULD *NEVER* "inform" the user about updates. PERIOD. We (the users and the Admins) do not need some arrogant software designer to second guess our intentional directives.
IEtab is not = "IE 'emulator' for FF. It embeds the IE rendering engine. And no, it does NOT work in Linux:
"IE Tab 1.5.20080803 by PCMan (Hong Jen Yee), yuoo2k Categories * Web Development IE Tab - an extension from Taiwan, features: Embedding Internet Explorer in tabs of Mozilla/Firefox... Updated August 2, 2008 IE Tab is not available for Linux. "
One MIGHT be able to get IES4Linux working then point IEtab at it, but that is not the solution I would propose. One would still not using the browser of his/her choice, the thing is not reliable, it eats of lots of CPU and RAM. What I proposed was a cross-platform plugin that would modify and extend the rendering engine of FF to enable it to properly display IE-only sites.
If it doesn't work the same in every browser, nobody's going to implement it. For the most part, the days of making new IE-only sites are gone; any web developer worth his (or her?) salt will not be tying things down to a specific rendering environment.
If only your statement were relevant. Yes, most GOOD sites are cross-browser and cross-platform. But there are TONS of sites that are IE only and/or MS-Windows only. It is killing us all the time trying to be a Linux-only environment. It is not so much big players like Google, Ebay, Facebook, etc. It is the tons of smaller business sites- coding sites, inventory suppliers, lab companies, medical records, printer control, etc. There are far too many ways to make a site locked down to one browser and/or one OS (java type, scripting, plugins, OS calls, file formats, etc), and until you try and run an interconnected business using something other than IE on MS-Windows, you might not see just how big the problem still is.
Need a quick example off the top of my head? Count how many "share my PC" (for presentations, demos) sites actually work under Linux/Firefox. Of the dozen or so we have been forced to use, only one did.
This is exactly backwards to what most of us need. We need a [multiplatform] plugin for Firefox that will allow broken IE-only sites to work under Firefox so we can continue to use the browser of our choice. Not that I want to promote the use of IE-only coding, but the reality is that if the site doesn't work, the average users always blame Firefox, not the site designer.
As a business who is willing to spend many tens of thousands of dollars on new accounting software, I thought you might like some feedback about my experience using "findaccountingsoftware.com".
First, let me say that I do like the idea of your site and think it can provide a very useful service to people like me. My main problem with the site is the lack of better categories in your "Desktop Platform" selection.
1) We are looking for software that runs on Linux desktops, and you have no such category. This immediately makes your site extremely hostile to our searches.
2) Although you don't list Linux (one the the three primary, modern operating systems), you do list OS/2, which is hopelessly obsolete. OS/2 is essentially unsupported and unobtainable. MS-DOS isn't much better.
3) You list "Web Based Interface" as a platform. That means very little. The majority of the vendors that check that category only support Internet Explorer under MS-Windows on their so-called "web interface". You really need to split it into two categories: "Multiplatform/OS Independent Web Interface" and "MS-Windows Web Interface"
You should also provide a page that gives instructions on how to contact you with feedback. I finally had to use Google to locate any Email addresses, and the only ones I could find were not really ideal. Hopefully these suggestions will make it to the right people and help you make your site better! If you have any questions, just let me know. Thanks
Without payroll, the whole exercise is futile. But yes, we looked at Tuple and many other "solutions". And yes, you are almost right- software companies (or projects) run scared away from Payroll. If we just wanted the non-payroll options, there would be many to choose from for Linux. Of course, not as many as MS-Windows, and fewer that are "pretty", but enough to have made us happy.
But, payroll is NOT COMPLICATED! It is far less complex than many existing open source applications. I understand payroll very well and it is not rocket science. More projects or companies should take the challenge and include payroll/HR with their GL, AP, AR offerings. Many sites, mine included, want an integrated business suite, not just a 70 or 80% solution.
As for "subbing out" payroll- it is often just as expensive as doing it yourself. For any company of any real size (we are 400 employees), they still have to have a payroll manager, still have to collect and massage timekeeping (the most labor intensive aspect of payroll), still have to do all the data entry, maintain local systems, manage the benefits, hire, train, etc.
So what does outsourcing "payroll" give them? A nice way to print checks remotely??? A warm fuzzy fake feeling that there is someone to point a finger at if something goes wrong? For us, it just doesn't fly. We have performed our own payroll, in-house, for 20 years and have never had a major problem. We are on our second system- the first vendor dropped all non-billing modules 7 years ago (Monette). The second has abandoned all platforms except MS-Windows (SOS), and thus our ability to run it on our systems.
We are seriously pursuing Southware at this point.
There is a market out there for commercial AND open-source Linux compatible payroll and real, strong accounting software. And it doesn't take an insurmountable effort to port well written, existing software such that it can be platform independent.
This is extremely true. We are a 95% Linux site- servers and clients, and it is nearly impossible to find industry specific Linux applications. The kicker is- we would be happy with even CLOSED source, commercial applications. There are needs for specific types of software for just about every industry: medical, dental, car repair, musician, distribution, auditing, education, scientific, etc, you name it.
But what is worse is the lack of applications for NON industry-specific business applications. EVERY business needs payroll, GL, AP, and AR. At least there are some choices with those, but surprisingly few. When you are trying to use Linux on the server AND client side, it is quite a challenge. I know. We are trying to get payroll, GL, AP, and AR *right now*. Fortunately, we found Southware- impressive stuff, although it is expensive, and text-based only.
And no, WINE doesn't cut it- we need real support. And no, we are not able to develop such apps ourselves. And no, we don't have the time or resources to start such development projects. But we have money and want to spend it on something that allows us to use the platform of our choice.
What is needed is a COMPELLING, modern, cross-platform, open-source, GUI, business application development environment. It is 2008. It shouldn't be difficult anymore for existing vendors to port their software to all major platforms and support them. Eventually this will happen, at least with a few major vendors. But in the meanwhile, Linux is suffering horribly in business outside of being web/file/print/compute servers.
Slashdot Mirror
>"The GNU operating system is turning 25 this year" Hate to break it to you, but "GNU" is not an operating system. You can make one with lots of GNU tools and after many years with no kernel, you could even use HURD. But the 25 years is a celebration of a PROJECT, not an OS. If they had a compelling kernel all those years ago, then it is likely Linux would never have existed. In any case, I am very glad GNU exists! Happy birthday!
You said married "again". So what did you want and have for your FIRST marriage?
MOST couples have a simple ceremony on second or third marriages, that is not a revelation. Of course, I think people spend entirely too much money on ALL weddings. It is the love that is supposed to matter.
You do have a very valid point. I read it too quickly.
Sorry, I have become incensed by the "Linux = Ubuntu" people out there on Slashdot.
True.
Although it is not faster if the distro you choose uses KDE by default.
>4. Configure the Vista product with the ultimate version. That is roughly feature equivalent to Ubuntu.
I think you meant to say it is roughly feature equivalent to ANY full, modern Linux distro.... Mandriva, Fedora, SuSe, etc.
Think "Linux", not "Ubuntu"
Switch them to KDE and the so-called "Start" button is right where they are used to... along with the taskbar, tray, and clock too.
fi is the fraction of XP users who dont have the brains to use Ubuntu^H^H^H^H^H^H Linux
There, fixed it for you.
You are trying to ask the DEMOCRATIC party to reduce taxes and regulation???? I think you need to look at the Libertarian party.
It looks like they are either blocking Gmail, somehow think your message content is SPAM, or they are overwhelmed with feedback now and shut everything off!
My message to them did not bounce (but I sent it before my directive on Slashdot), and I sent from a different domain. Sorry, but I don't know of any other Email address.
Exactly. Rather than complaining on Slashdot, send the Democratic Convention people an Email at tell THEM you are not happy. I did. Took about 2 minutes to compose a polite and informative message.
Linux/*ix users might be in the minority, but they do tend to be more vocal.... and often it works (to my utter surprise)
Of course anything done by NBC will support their overlords (Microsoft) to the exclusion of others. That should not be a surprise to anyone. But a political party best think twice before immediately shutting out at least 10% of the possible viewers (Linux) and making it slightly to extremely difficult for at least 33% of everyone else.
Rather than everyone speculating WHY they chose to use such an annoying setup and complaining here, let's just all Email them and let them know we are not happy and why. I did (not that I even WANT to watch the video). Doesn't take long.
Here is the Email address: info@demconvention.com
Long-term care healthcare facility, 95% Linux, thin clients, 296 beds, 400 total employees, 160 users, 4 total in IT. That is 1:100 per total employees or 1:40 per total users. IT includes computers, network, phones, voicemail, printers, faxes, copiers, company newsletter, signs, training, sys admin, backup, network, hardware troubleshooting/setup/repair, but IT worker count does not include 3 phone operators. No consultants, no outsourcing.
I am sure we are far from "typical".
If you (or the Admin) has unchecked "Automatically check for updates", then FIREFOX SHOULD *NEVER* check or "inform" the user about updates. PERIOD. We (the users and the Admins) do not need some arrogant software designer to second guess our intentional directives.
So I certainly hope that they have not somehow coded Firefox to ignore the "Preference settings". If they did, then What, exactly, is the purpose of having options to turn off "check for updates" if it is going to do so anyway and annoy users. And on some systems, like ours, users CAN'T upgrade software, because they are on thin clients and don't have permissions that would allow it. It just creates a nightmare for support. Perhaps the Admins really do know what they are doing and can't upgrade the browser until it has been tested in-house for compatibility and configuration?
Wrong. On our thin-client system, the users absolutely have no ability to upgrade ANY software, including Firefox.
If you (or the Admin) has unchecked "Automatically check for updates", then FIREFOX SHOULD *NEVER* "inform" the user about updates. PERIOD. We (the users and the Admins) do not need some arrogant software designer to second guess our intentional directives.
IEtab is not = "IE 'emulator' for FF. It embeds the IE rendering engine. And no, it does NOT work in Linux:
"IE Tab 1.5.20080803 by PCMan (Hong Jen Yee), yuoo2k
Categories * Web Development
IE Tab - an extension from Taiwan, features: Embedding Internet Explorer in tabs of Mozilla/Firefox...
Updated August 2, 2008 IE Tab is not available for Linux. "
One MIGHT be able to get IES4Linux working then point IEtab at it, but that is not the solution I would propose. One would still not using the browser of his/her choice, the thing is not reliable, it eats of lots of CPU and RAM. What I proposed was a cross-platform plugin that would modify and extend the rendering engine of FF to enable it to properly display IE-only sites.
>>This is exactly backwards to what most of us need. We need a [multiplatform] plugin
>IEtab is the plug-in you're looking for.
>It basically allows you to use the IE rendering engine inside of Firefox
In what way is "IEtab" multiplatform? Sounds MS-Windows-only to me
>>This is exactly backwards to what most of us need. We need a [multiplatform] plugin
>IEtab? I know it's not perfect, but it's something...
In what way is "IEtab" multiplatform? Sounds MS-Windows-only to me
If only your statement were relevant. Yes, most GOOD sites are cross-browser and cross-platform. But there are TONS of sites that are IE only and/or MS-Windows only. It is killing us all the time trying to be a Linux-only environment. It is not so much big players like Google, Ebay, Facebook, etc. It is the tons of smaller business sites- coding sites, inventory suppliers, lab companies, medical records, printer control, etc. There are far too many ways to make a site locked down to one browser and/or one OS (java type, scripting, plugins, OS calls, file formats, etc), and until you try and run an interconnected business using something other than IE on MS-Windows, you might not see just how big the problem still is.
Need a quick example off the top of my head? Count how many "share my PC" (for presentations, demos) sites actually work under Linux/Firefox. Of the dozen or so we have been forced to use, only one did.
This is exactly backwards to what most of us need. We need a [multiplatform] plugin for Firefox that will allow broken IE-only sites to work under Firefox so we can continue to use the browser of our choice. Not that I want to promote the use of IE-only coding, but the reality is that if the site doesn't work, the average users always blame Firefox, not the site designer.
But what will you use for payroll?
To: findaccountingsoftware.com
As a business who is willing to spend many tens of thousands of dollars on new accounting software, I thought you might like some feedback about my experience using "findaccountingsoftware.com".
First, let me say that I do like the idea of your site and think it can provide a very useful service to people like me. My main problem with the site is the lack of better categories in your "Desktop Platform" selection.
1) We are looking for software that runs on Linux desktops, and you have no such category. This immediately makes your site extremely hostile to our searches.
2) Although you don't list Linux (one the the three primary, modern operating systems), you do list OS/2, which is hopelessly obsolete. OS/2 is essentially unsupported and unobtainable. MS-DOS isn't much better.
3) You list "Web Based Interface" as a platform. That means very little. The majority of the vendors that check that category only support Internet Explorer under MS-Windows on their so-called "web interface". You really need to split it into two categories: "Multiplatform/OS Independent Web Interface" and "MS-Windows Web Interface"
You should also provide a page that gives instructions on how to contact you with feedback. I finally had to use Google to locate any Email addresses, and the only ones I could find were not really ideal. Hopefully these suggestions will make it to the right people and help you make your site better! If you have any questions, just let me know. Thanks
Without payroll, the whole exercise is futile. But yes, we looked at Tuple and many other "solutions". And yes, you are almost right- software companies (or projects) run scared away from Payroll. If we just wanted the non-payroll options, there would be many to choose from for Linux. Of course, not as many as MS-Windows, and fewer that are "pretty", but enough to have made us happy.
But, payroll is NOT COMPLICATED! It is far less complex than many existing open source applications. I understand payroll very well and it is not rocket science. More projects or companies should take the challenge and include payroll/HR with their GL, AP, AR offerings. Many sites, mine included, want an integrated business suite, not just a 70 or 80% solution.
As for "subbing out" payroll- it is often just as expensive as doing it yourself. For any company of any real size (we are 400 employees), they still have to have a payroll manager, still have to collect and massage timekeeping (the most labor intensive aspect of payroll), still have to do all the data entry, maintain local systems, manage the benefits, hire, train, etc.
So what does outsourcing "payroll" give them? A nice way to print checks remotely??? A warm fuzzy fake feeling that there is someone to point a finger at if something goes wrong? For us, it just doesn't fly. We have performed our own payroll, in-house, for 20 years and have never had a major problem. We are on our second system- the first vendor dropped all non-billing modules 7 years ago (Monette). The second has abandoned all platforms except MS-Windows (SOS), and thus our ability to run it on our systems.
We are seriously pursuing Southware at this point.
There is a market out there for commercial AND open-source Linux compatible payroll and real, strong accounting software. And it doesn't take an insurmountable effort to port well written, existing software such that it can be platform independent.
I won't comment on "Visual Basic".
As for Qt4: Is it compelling and appropriate for business software vendors? (I don't know).
Of course, having the tools is a major plus, but getting business application vendors to use them, I suppose that is the real challenge.
This is extremely true. We are a 95% Linux site- servers and clients, and it is nearly impossible to find industry specific Linux applications. The kicker is- we would be happy with even CLOSED source, commercial applications. There are needs for specific types of software for just about every industry: medical, dental, car repair, musician, distribution, auditing, education, scientific, etc, you name it.
But what is worse is the lack of applications for NON industry-specific business applications. EVERY business needs payroll, GL, AP, and AR. At least there are some choices with those, but surprisingly few. When you are trying to use Linux on the server AND client side, it is quite a challenge. I know. We are trying to get payroll, GL, AP, and AR *right now*. Fortunately, we found Southware- impressive stuff, although it is expensive, and text-based only.
And no, WINE doesn't cut it- we need real support. And no, we are not able to develop such apps ourselves. And no, we don't have the time or resources to start such development projects. But we have money and want to spend it on something that allows us to use the platform of our choice.
What is needed is a COMPELLING, modern, cross-platform, open-source, GUI, business application development environment. It is 2008. It shouldn't be difficult anymore for existing vendors to port their software to all major platforms and support them. Eventually this will happen, at least with a few major vendors. But in the meanwhile, Linux is suffering horribly in business outside of being web/file/print/compute servers.