Regarding the "Linux, Still an Awkward Alternative". article:
He should point out that Mandrake is free, if you want to download it. I have distributed literally thousands of copies. The article seems to imply that you have to buy it and compares the cost to MS-Windows.
Mandrake Move is the same concept as SuSe live, and you can download that for free, also.
I have installed Mandrake 10 on perhaps 10 different types of machines so far. Not once did it fail to "graphical system configure a graphical interface automatically".
He said " Unfortunately, to install any of these versions without wiping out most Windows installations, you'll need to buy a third-party program to partition your hard drive." That is just completely false. Mandrake will non-destructively repartition any MS-Windows partition.
He should clarify on "None supported the laptops' modems" to the readers that none of the modern laptops include real modems, only "win" modems which are proprietary and designed to work only with MS-Windows. Even so, 80% of them can be made to work under Linux, but it is not a super-easy task.
He also said this: " That brings up Linux's biggest embarrassment: software installation. Outside of core system updates (ably handled by each distribution's auto-update software), my attempts to add new programs were routinely stymied by the chancy availability of prepackaged downloads and "dependency" issues, in which the installation failed because the computer lacked needed library files." Dependency problems do not occur with any of the many thousands of software packages included in Mandrake 10.... only when you download generic packages off the web.
And this: "The better solution is the smart package-installer Fedora employs; its "yum" utility fetches a program from an online archive, resolves dependency issues and sets it up with one command." Both SuSe and Mandrake can do the exact same thing. Mandrake, for example, uses urpmi. If you set up a software mirror, you will be presented with a graphical point-and-click interface. Installing any package is just a click.
It is laughable. MS tries to convince its resellers how MS-Office is extremely superior to OpenOffice. Here are a few choice excerpts:
1) Question the "free" argument
License costs makes up only a small portion of the total cost of
ownership.
Really? So MS-Office gets even more expensive than the $1000+ retail? That really makes OpenOffice seem so expensive.
More significant costs include:
Installation and deployment.
Let's see, it was automatically installed and "deployed" when I installed Linux. $0 cost, no time.
Data migration and testing.
Click on.doc file, it is open. Done. $0 cost, 0 time.
Document conversion.
Click on.doc file, it is open. Done. $0 cost, 0 time.
Rewriting macros.
Neither I nor any of my users use macros. $0 cost, 0 time.
User support such as training.
Click on "File" "Open", click on file. Type. Click on "File" "Save". Wow- 90% the same as every other modern GUI application, including MS-Office. $0 cost, a little time.
Additionally, OpenOffice does not have an e-mail client, so customers
may incur a licensing cost associated with buying an e-mail application.
??? Talk about whacked. What does Email have to do with an office suite? Ok, I'll bite. Install Linux. 4 high-quality Email clients installed. $0 cost, 0 time.
I suggest that when the first Mandrake 10 release appears, it should be called "10.0". The "official" release, afterwards, should be called "10.0.1"
The next would be "10.1" and "10.1.1"; then "10.2" and "10.2.1".
This would fall in-line with the way 9.2 and 9.2.1 were released. Otherwise, I fear there will be **great** confusion!!! The release number should directly indicate which exact version is in an ISO image, or on a computer, etc.
I strongly support the idea of interim ISO releases, after all the bugs and security updates are shaken out.... the 9.2.1 release was an extremely good idea.
I forwared this comment to Mandrake, hopefully they are listening:)
Slashdot Mirror
Regarding the "Linux, Still an Awkward Alternative". article:
He should point out that Mandrake is free, if you want to download it. I have distributed literally thousands of copies. The article seems to imply that you have to buy it and compares the cost to MS-Windows.
Mandrake Move is the same concept as SuSe live, and you can download that for free, also.
I have installed Mandrake 10 on perhaps 10 different types of machines so far. Not once did it fail to "graphical system configure a graphical interface automatically".
He said " Unfortunately, to install any of these versions without wiping out most Windows installations, you'll need to buy a third-party program to partition your hard drive." That is just completely false. Mandrake will non-destructively repartition any MS-Windows partition.
He should clarify on "None supported the laptops' modems" to the readers that none of the modern laptops include real modems, only "win" modems which are proprietary and designed to work only with MS-Windows. Even so, 80% of them can be made to work under Linux, but it is not a super-easy task.
He also said this: " That brings up Linux's biggest embarrassment: software installation. Outside of core system updates (ably handled by each distribution's auto-update software), my attempts to add new programs were routinely stymied by the chancy availability of prepackaged downloads and "dependency" issues, in which the installation failed because the computer lacked needed library files." Dependency problems do not occur with any of the many thousands of software packages included in Mandrake 10.... only when you download generic packages off the web.
And this: "The better solution is the smart package-installer Fedora employs; its "yum" utility fetches a program from an online archive, resolves dependency issues and sets it up with one command." Both SuSe and Mandrake can do the exact same thing. Mandrake, for example, uses urpmi. If you set up a software mirror, you will be presented with a graphical point-and-click interface. Installing any package is just a click.
It is laughable. MS tries to convince its resellers how MS-Office is extremely superior to OpenOffice. Here are a few choice excerpts:
.doc file, it is open. Done. $0 cost, 0 time.
.doc file, it is open. Done. $0 cost, 0 time.
1) Question the "free" argument
License costs makes up only a small portion of the total cost of
ownership.
Really? So MS-Office gets even more expensive than the $1000+ retail? That really makes OpenOffice seem so expensive.
More significant costs include:
Installation and deployment.
Let's see, it was automatically installed and "deployed" when I installed Linux. $0 cost, no time.
Data migration and testing.
Click on
Document conversion.
Click on
Rewriting macros.
Neither I nor any of my users use macros. $0 cost, 0 time.
User support such as training.
Click on "File" "Open", click on file. Type. Click on "File" "Save". Wow- 90% the same as every other modern GUI application, including MS-Office. $0 cost, a little time.
Additionally, OpenOffice does not have an e-mail client, so customers
may incur a licensing cost associated with buying an e-mail application.
??? Talk about whacked. What does Email have to do with an office suite? Ok, I'll bite. Install Linux. 4 high-quality Email clients installed. $0 cost, 0 time.
Oh, it goes on with such drivel. Just amazing.
I suggest that when the first Mandrake 10 release appears, it should be called "10.0". The "official" release, afterwards, should be called "10.0.1"
:)
The next would be "10.1" and "10.1.1"; then "10.2" and "10.2.1".
This would fall in-line with the way 9.2 and 9.2.1 were released. Otherwise, I fear there will be **great** confusion!!! The release number should
directly indicate which exact version is in an ISO image, or on a computer, etc.
I strongly support the idea of interim ISO releases, after all the bugs and security updates are shaken out.... the 9.2.1 release was an extremely good idea.
I forwared this comment to Mandrake, hopefully they are listening
Yo Ethan! TWUUG is "da bomb!"!!
http://www.twuug.org