I couldn't agree more. Keep it on summer time all the time. STOP THE INSANITY. It is a waste of time and resources and is terribly difficult to people with sleep disorders. Gain more USABLE sunlight all year round- later in the day- when 80+% of people can use it to their personal productivity after work.
If you were actually doing your job - your preferred solution would be that which was better for your employer. Instead, what's clear, is you place your own religious beliefs ahead of any other consideration.
I see, this is crystal clear to you. You have no idea what we do, what our systems are like, what our budgets are, what our users expect or need, what kind of support staff I have (or don't have), what other software we use, what our long-term goals are.... but you know it better than I do, and I haved worked there for 18 years. Hmmm...
Oh, I am not looking for anything free. Nothing is without some type of cost. Nothing would make me much happer than to find a commercial solution from a strong vendor with good support of the modules we need for our platform. What made you think I was looking for anything free?:)
You will be amused to know that we already use Quasar for our gift shop, complete with a Linux based POS! I like it a lot for a small setting.
However, it isn't quite up to the task of our whole organization. And without Payroll/HR, it doesn't fit the bill anyway. Their support is also somewhat lacking (yes, we have paid for support).
Yes, we could "outsource" payroll, but that wouldn't really help all that much, since it is almost the same amount of work, usually more expensive, would have to build interfaces, payroll companies often don't have much in the way of HR, etc. It is not completely out of the question, but it is not the ideal route for us at the moment.
I put my vote in for TinyERP.
It's easy to use, there are great demo's online, and it does everything, multi-platform support, interfacing with eCommerce engines, invoicing, orders, crm, etc...
Although it looks interesting. It doesn't appear to have USA Payroll. Since the "Features" section that lists the modules is in French, I can't quite tell:)
(In addition to Payroll, we will also need commercial-class support).
I work for a vendor. Our software doesn't address this application, but I'll tell you, if I get an RFP like this (provide information to me... and have a one in 39 chance of being selected), I say pound salt. Here's my website. Read it, you lazy ass. Don't have me answer your silly questionnaire just so I can waste my time, and then eliminate me and 37 of my competitors.
1) Vendors will not know who is on the list or how many are on the list.
2) I have spent countless hours sorting through often horrible websites that half the time don't even tell the exact modules they offer, much less what platforms they support.
3) No vendor is under any obligation to reply to the RFI/RFP if they look through the first page and see they can't meet the needs. Give me a bit of credit for being able to write something that is organized and easy on the vendors.
4) 39 possible choices, not actual choices. Some won't respond. Others will not have all the modules. Still many others will not really support the platform when it comes down to it. We hope to narrow it down quickly to several before doing what REALLY wastes vendor's time- demo.
5) I certainly hope you wouldn't treat your prospective customers like that! Let's say 15 responded. I would say a 1 in 15 chance of a many thousands-of-dollars sale and multiple years of support contracts is worth 30-60 minutes of paperwork by a technical salesman (I mean, that *is* his job, isn't it?)
Yes, SAP was on my list from the beginning. They might have Linux support on the server and client, and the modules we need. I have no idea if that is true yet, or it meets our needs, or if it is even affordible.... time will tell, but they will be sent a copy of the RFI/RFP.
SAGE is also on the list. They have direct information on their web site claiming Linux server/client support in some of their product lines.
Unfortunately, without Payroll, it isn't really in the running. We really would like to keep the core financials (AP/GL/PR) with a single vendor if possible.
Also, as evil as it sounds, we really will need a commercial company behind the software. Even if it is open-source software, we still need to have an entity we can pay and have their attention and assistance when necessary.
This is the fallacy that many people forget... for business-critical applications, the worth of the software is really only as good as the support behind it. Companies like mine would have no problem at all paying for otherwise free software if we have the support we need.
It is interesting to see commercial companies spring up to support some of the bigger FOSS projects... it is a good trend.
IEs4Linux is a neat thing (all of WINE, in general), but it is not terribly reliable, uses a lot of resources, and if there were even the slightest problem we would get zero support from the application vendor. Plus, that doesn't help with the server side (which is just as important).
We have 400 employees, and 150 users (not 400), and 130 thin-client Linux-based desktops.
Yes, it is about freedom- freedom to choose the server and client platforms. It is especially important when our whole system is already based around the platform of our choice (Linux). But the cost of that "freedom" is throwing away 80% (?) of the possible vendors, who don't support the platform. Nothing in life is free:)
I would give the highest preference to any vendor that met our application specifications and also supported all (reasonably all, anyway) platforms. The open/closed nature of the software application is mostly not important to us, as long as we have reliable support (training, improvements, patches, diagnostic, regulatory compliance changes, etc).
Should the choice of this tooling not be the responsibility of the Accounting department and are you not letting your bias get in the way of selecting the best tool for the Job?
I am responsible for the running of our information technology, the accounting department is not. Yes, they do have a say in which vendor is selected, but it is certainly not their sole decision.
I don't have any say in which A/C systems the facility uses. I don't decide which medications are used. I don't even pick which benefits the employees get.... those are not my department. But if they were looking for IT in those areas, then my department does have a role in specifications. Our infrastructure is based mostly on Linux, already.
Trying not to sound snobbish.... but if end users got to choose whatever technology they wanted to use, we would have an unreliable, extremely expensive, insecure, unmanagble mess! There are valid reasons why significant weight in such decisions are given to someone with a degree in IT, training in IT, and 20 years of experience in IT.
The "article" (actually the spec page) shows the device is much more that just a chip for toys. Otherwise, they would not have tone controls, stereo output, customizable firmware, "spacial processing", and most especially a FULL SPEED USB interface!
The unit looks like something that is much more useful as something like an iPod shuffle (since there is no display controller). And in reasonable quantity- the sucker only costs $4! Add a several more dollars of flash, battery, case, connectors, and buttons, and "ta da", you have a reasonable, cheap, portable audio stereo device.
and will be very inefficient in a system which places things in other places (say, if there is no way to see the formatting codes - God, I miss Word Perfect).
OMG- I know EXACTLY what you mean. Codes were the best thing ever, and it is what made WordPerfect the best word processor of all time. I still use it when possible, but the Linux binaries are aging and buggy now. Oh, if we could just get OpenOffice Writer to use and display codes. No more mysterious documents with lack of control.... oh well.
There's some validity to teaching MS office, since the $8/hr secretary jobs all require it. They don't care that you know OO, they want you to be able to sit down and type a memo without having to send you to a class.
If one can use MS Word, one can use OpenOffice Writer. Especially at the level of an $8/hr secretary. Besides, you and I both know that the company won't pay for any training, anyway!
Really, schools should teach WORD PROCESSING, not MS-Word OR OO-Writer. Good document formatting is a concept, not a procedure that can be memorized. I am constantly amazed at the poor quality of all sorts of documents coming to me from other companies.
In the USA, we already have a party that fights for privacy, smaller government, more freedom, etc. It is called the "Libertarian Party" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Liberta rian_Party. Unfortunately, most Americans are scared to death of a party that wants to follow the meaning and wording of the Constitution.
news that next-gen Penryn core processors are running various versions of Windows and Vista successfully
Actually, the article does not say "various versions of Windows and Vista successfully". It says: "Intel said it had already manufactured prototype microprocessor chips in the new 45-nanometer process that run on three major operating systems: Windows, Mac OS X and Linux."
Yes, you read that right.... they actually said "Linux".:) Of course, it is not a surprise it can run Linux (that is a major "duh"), but it is nice to see it in print, next to MS-Windows and MacOS 10.
It is later called in the description, "Alternate OS". Of course, nobody will ever want to actually run FreeDOS, it is just their way of probably getting around some anti-competition clause from Microsoft that every system must ship with an operating system.
You need to check out HP... suddenly EVERY SINGLE ONE of their business computers is available as a "Linux" model (actually a freeDOS install) and the amount saved is MUCH more than a measly $52. On a lower priced model, you can save 25% on the cost of the computer:
For example...
HP site: HP Compaq 2000 series (two models):
dx2200 microtower base model, MS-Windows XP Pro $637 dx2200 microtower base model, MS-Windows XP Home $557 dx2200 microtower base model, "Alternate OS" $487
Wow! $150 difference from XP Pro and $70 from XP Home! That is the *FIRST TIME* I have *EVER* seen a true, correct, and reasonable difference in the price. Could HP be doing something neat? I actually checked EVERY LINE of the quote to make sure that wasn't a mistake.
So... in this case, you really can avoid an almost 24% tax!
Certainly that is the only model. NO- they offer "configure Linux PC" on the entire 5000 line (4 more models) and get this- the difference is *$167* this time. And $160 on the entire 7000 line (three more models). In fact, every single small, medium, and large business line and even workstation line is available with "Alternate OS" (even business laptops!). You only lack the choice with their "Home" computers. Good going, HP!
I am not saying that MS-Windows isn't *worth* the $160 to some people. But it is worth $0 to people that want to install something other than MS-Windows or already own an MS-Windows individual or site license.
Now we need HP to do this with their home line too, and hopefully the other vendors will follow.
And there is absolutely nothing wrong with a school controlling what is available on the Internet in the school. In fact, it is probably a "good thing". Not much different than an employer trying to control who can access what parts of the net while on duty. The problem comes when censorship spreads to outside the classroom and starts controlling what *adults* can see with their own, private connections...
>... or you could just not feed them parts of their dead relatives?
Yep, that would be pretty logical, considering that cows are vegetarians and should never be eating other animals, anyway. You could come up with some interesting sayings:
"People don't let cows eat people" "Cows don't let cows eat cows" "People don't let cows eat cows" "Cows don't let people let cows eat people or cows"
It is kinda humorous- cows eating people! My solution is that I just don't eat cows or pigs:)
I have had hidef for about 3 years now (Samsung DLP), plus HD-TiVo. Once you get into hidef, you quickly get frustrated by lowdef- which looks much worse on a hidef TV than on a lowdef one. Lowdef DVD is not bad, though (Netflix, of course).
I suppose it will work in your favor if you can wait another year- real HD content choice should explode on the scene by then. Meanwhile, we have to settle for the few stations available on cable or Sat + locals (plus the few sports, premium movie, and PPV ones, none of which I count).
My wishlist for HD broadcast: SciFi Channel, TLC, National Geographic, History Channel, Discovery Health. In fact, those plus a few local stations and Discovery HD Theater are about all I watch, anyway.
I am glad I am not the only one thinking that too. It infuriates me that they don't air it on UHD at the same time as SciFi. I am growing very weary of watching low def year after year after year for no reason. Low def on a hidef TV is horrible. And it is even worse when it is 16x9 lowdef- it is like watching a crappy postage stamp on a 60" screen.
Oh what a boon it will be for sexual predators too... who can now hack into a system and track their prey.
The only assurance that information will not be abused is to not collect it or allow it to be collected in the first place. Just because something CAN be done doesn't necessarily mean it should be done. The crisis of the 21st century will be privacy vs safety, because they are absolutely diametrically opposed to each other.
Alas, the masses will keep on chanting "if you have nothing to hide"...
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>These models have about 24 hr battery life Strange- I have a nano too... I am lucky to get 5 hours out of it. 24 hours? Impossible.
I couldn't agree more. Keep it on summer time all the time. STOP THE INSANITY. It is a waste of time and resources and is terribly difficult to people with sleep disorders. Gain more USABLE sunlight all year round- later in the day- when 80+% of people can use it to their personal productivity after work.
Which says it is MS-Windows. Surprise surprise.
Thanks for the useful feedback!
Oh, I am not looking for anything free. Nothing is without some type of cost. Nothing would make me much happer than to find a commercial solution from a strong vendor with good support of the modules we need for our platform. What made you think I was looking for anything free? :)
You will be amused to know that we already use Quasar for our gift shop, complete with a Linux based POS! I like it a lot for a small setting.
However, it isn't quite up to the task of our whole organization. And without Payroll/HR, it doesn't fit the bill anyway. Their support is also somewhat lacking (yes, we have paid for support).
Yes, we could "outsource" payroll, but that wouldn't really help all that much, since it is almost the same amount of work, usually more expensive, would have to build interfaces, payroll companies often don't have much in the way of HR, etc. It is not completely out of the question, but it is not the ideal route for us at the moment.
(In addition to Payroll, we will also need commercial-class support).
2) I have spent countless hours sorting through often horrible websites that half the time don't even tell the exact modules they offer, much less what platforms they support.
3) No vendor is under any obligation to reply to the RFI/RFP if they look through the first page and see they can't meet the needs. Give me a bit of credit for being able to write something that is organized and easy on the vendors.
4) 39 possible choices, not actual choices. Some won't respond. Others will not have all the modules. Still many others will not really support the platform when it comes down to it. We hope to narrow it down quickly to several before doing what REALLY wastes vendor's time- demo.
5) I certainly hope you wouldn't treat your prospective customers like that! Let's say 15 responded. I would say a 1 in 15 chance of a many thousands-of-dollars sale and multiple years of support contracts is worth 30-60 minutes of paperwork by a technical salesman (I mean, that *is* his job, isn't it?)
Yes, SAP was on my list from the beginning. They might have Linux support on the server and client, and the modules we need. I have no idea if that is true yet, or it meets our needs, or if it is even affordible.... time will tell, but they will be sent a copy of the RFI/RFP.
SAGE is also on the list. They have direct information on their web site claiming Linux server/client support in some of their product lines.
Unfortunately, without Payroll, it isn't really in the running. We really would like to keep the core financials (AP/GL/PR) with a single vendor if possible.
Also, as evil as it sounds, we really will need a commercial company behind the software. Even if it is open-source software, we still need to have an entity we can pay and have their attention and assistance when necessary.
This is the fallacy that many people forget... for business-critical applications, the worth of the software is really only as good as the support behind it. Companies like mine would have no problem at all paying for otherwise free software if we have the support we need.
It is interesting to see commercial companies spring up to support some of the bigger FOSS projects... it is a good trend.
Just a few points-
:)
IEs4Linux is a neat thing (all of WINE, in general), but it is not terribly reliable, uses a lot of resources, and if there were even the slightest problem we would get zero support from the application vendor. Plus, that doesn't help with the server side (which is just as important).
We have 400 employees, and 150 users (not 400), and 130 thin-client Linux-based desktops.
Yes, it is about freedom- freedom to choose the server and client platforms. It is especially important when our whole system is already based around the platform of our choice (Linux). But the cost of that "freedom" is throwing away 80% (?) of the possible vendors, who don't support the platform. Nothing in life is free
I would give the highest preference to any vendor that met our application specifications and also supported all (reasonably all, anyway) platforms. The open/closed nature of the software application is mostly not important to us, as long as we have reliable support (training, improvements, patches, diagnostic, regulatory compliance changes, etc).
I don't have any say in which A/C systems the facility uses. I don't decide which medications are used. I don't even pick which benefits the employees get.... those are not my department. But if they were looking for IT in those areas, then my department does have a role in specifications. Our infrastructure is based mostly on Linux, already.
Trying not to sound snobbish.... but if end users got to choose whatever technology they wanted to use, we would have an unreliable, extremely expensive, insecure, unmanagble mess! There are valid reasons why significant weight in such decisions are given to someone with a degree in IT, training in IT, and 20 years of experience in IT.
UG! Don't you *HATE* marketing crappola???
:(
Guess that does put a dent in it being a really useful portable media device and relegates it to kind of a toy player
One has to wonder why for all the other features, then.
The "article" (actually the spec page) shows the device is much more that just a chip for toys. Otherwise, they would not have tone controls, stereo output, customizable firmware, "spacial processing", and most especially a FULL SPEED USB interface!
The unit looks like something that is much more useful as something like an iPod shuffle (since there is no display controller). And in reasonable quantity- the sucker only costs $4! Add a several more dollars of flash, battery, case, connectors, and buttons, and "ta da", you have a reasonable, cheap, portable audio stereo device.
http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=3
Really, schools should teach WORD PROCESSING, not MS-Word OR OO-Writer. Good document formatting is a concept, not a procedure that can be memorized. I am constantly amazed at the poor quality of all sorts of documents coming to me from other companies.
In the USA, we already have a party that fights for privacy, smaller government, more freedom, etc. It is called the "Libertarian Party" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Liberta rian_Party. Unfortunately, most Americans are scared to death of a party that wants to follow the meaning and wording of the Constitution.
Actually, the article does not say "various versions of Windows and Vista successfully". It says: "Intel said it had already manufactured prototype microprocessor chips in the new 45-nanometer process that run on three major operating systems: Windows, Mac OS X and Linux."
Yes, you read that right.... they actually said "Linux".
>I can see the FreeDOS option, is that what you are asking for? Can you please post a link please?
p age=config&ProductLineId=429&FamilyId=2366&BaseId= 19010&jumpid=re_R2515_store/smProdCat/PSG/desktops /HP_Compaq_dx2200
- 0-0-0-121.html
Yes, the FreeDOS option is what I am talking about.
http://h71016.www7.hp.com/dstore/MiddleFrame.asp?
It is later called in the description, "Alternate OS". Of course, nobody will ever want to actually run FreeDOS, it is just their way of probably getting around some anti-competition clause from Microsoft that every system must ship with an operating system.
There is also a link about HP Linux Desktop Certification which is most interesting:
http://h71028.www7.hp.com/enterprise/cache/317386
The grid shows information about Redhat, SuSe, Turbo, and Mandriva Linuxes
You need to check out HP... suddenly EVERY SINGLE ONE of their business computers is available as a "Linux" model (actually a freeDOS install) and the amount saved is MUCH more than a measly $52. On a lower priced model, you can save 25% on the cost of the computer:
For example...
HP site: HP Compaq 2000 series (two models):
dx2200 microtower base model, MS-Windows XP Pro $637
dx2200 microtower base model, MS-Windows XP Home $557
dx2200 microtower base model, "Alternate OS" $487
Wow! $150 difference from XP Pro and $70 from XP Home! That is the *FIRST TIME* I have *EVER* seen a true, correct, and reasonable difference in the price. Could HP be doing something neat? I actually checked EVERY LINE of the quote to make sure that wasn't a mistake.
So... in this case, you really can avoid an almost 24% tax!
Certainly that is the only model. NO- they offer "configure Linux PC" on the entire 5000 line (4 more models) and get this- the difference is *$167* this time. And $160 on the entire 7000 line (three more models). In fact, every single small, medium, and large business line and even workstation line is available with "Alternate OS" (even business laptops!). You only lack the choice with their "Home" computers. Good going, HP!
I am not saying that MS-Windows isn't *worth* the $160 to some people. But it is worth $0 to people that want to install something other than MS-Windows or already own an MS-Windows individual or site license.
Now we need HP to do this with their home line too, and hopefully the other vendors will follow.
And there is absolutely nothing wrong with a school controlling what is available on the Internet in the school. In fact, it is probably a "good thing". Not much different than an employer trying to control who can access what parts of the net while on duty. The problem comes when censorship spreads to outside the classroom and starts controlling what *adults* can see with their own, private connections...
>... or you could just not feed them parts of their dead relatives?
:)
Yep, that would be pretty logical, considering that cows are vegetarians and should never be eating other animals, anyway. You could come up with some interesting sayings:
"People don't let cows eat people"
"Cows don't let cows eat cows"
"People don't let cows eat cows"
"Cows don't let people let cows eat people or cows"
It is kinda humorous- cows eating people! My solution is that I just don't eat cows or pigs
Eeew- sorry to hear that.
I have had hidef for about 3 years now (Samsung DLP), plus HD-TiVo. Once you get into hidef, you quickly get frustrated by lowdef- which looks much worse on a hidef TV than on a lowdef one. Lowdef DVD is not bad, though (Netflix, of course).
I suppose it will work in your favor if you can wait another year- real HD content choice should explode on the scene by then. Meanwhile, we have to settle for the few stations available on cable or Sat + locals (plus the few sports, premium movie, and PPV ones, none of which I count).
My wishlist for HD broadcast: SciFi Channel, TLC, National Geographic, History Channel, Discovery Health. In fact, those plus a few local stations and Discovery HD Theater are about all I watch, anyway.
I am glad I am not the only one thinking that too. It infuriates me that they don't air it on UHD at the same time as SciFi. I am growing very weary of watching low def year after year after year for no reason. Low def on a hidef TV is horrible. And it is even worse when it is 16x9 lowdef- it is like watching a crappy postage stamp on a 60" screen.
Oh what a boon it will be for sexual predators too... who can now hack into a system and track their prey.
The only assurance that information will not be abused is to not collect it or allow it to be collected in the first place. Just because something CAN be done doesn't necessarily mean it should be done. The crisis of the 21st century will be privacy vs safety, because they are absolutely diametrically opposed to each other.
Alas, the masses will keep on chanting "if you have nothing to hide"...