I understand that techinically we are talking about linux being the kernel and the window managers etc. sitting on top of this - but my argument still stands...
Ignore the techincal issues and the fact that it really should be GNU/Linux etc. and think about what the average Joe DESKTOP User is gonna want?
All they see is the number of distros - correct - but also they see the confusing number of window managers and then they find one that doesn't need X but wonder why apps won't work on it - there are too many choices to be made.
Choice is good for those informed or prepared to take time out - but - heres the kicker - Linux is being pushed to the masses - who typically don't want to make a choice - they just want their pr0n and MP3's.
This seems to be typical of what is causing a lot of problems for Linux on the DESKTOP - in that there is too much choice and lack of cohesion in development.
Say what you like - but M$ did enforce only one DESKTOP design (not OS and internals etc.) - so from the position of the folk who might move to Linux - this is just one more thing that will complicated and cloud the choice.
Eye candy is one thing - but too much candy is bad for your health.
I agree with your sentiments - I was never a sports kid - always more the _geek_ (if you wanna call it that) - over weight and picked on - OK - I dealt with it a different way - I hit back - once - and that was enough...
My point - not eveyone has the option/ability to do that. So...
In the UK there is a (apparently) very succesful scheme been set up called Childline - here kids can dial in - ask for help - whatever. Sort of like a Samaritans thing except for kids.
Maybe the folks at Pinkerton should take more a look at this model - it may not well fit in with the _macho_ security image (sorry Pinkerton people - but thats what your industry says to me) - but it sure as hell helps more than fighting violence with bribery - which the WAVE thing appears to be about.
First off - IMHO there are too many choices - perhap this is a problem with the xNIX world - but this is a side point...
Second - This is where I get burnt...
We've now written a good few distributed systems using NT and COM/DCOM. Whats different about this - well we also communicate freely with several Sun based products as well - this is perhaps where COM is kinda neat.
Many of our Sun applications come with their own APIs and already support remote connections. The drawback here is that they need C/C++ to talk freely. So - we create a small wrapper around this and make it into a COM component We then use VB as the glue to manipulate these smal components as well as to talk to our databases.
This all seems to work rather well - I know this will cause some laughs - but VB really is a great language for glueing things together and accessing databases either through ODBC or ADO. If you want fast crunching - create a component in C/C++ and expose it through an API.
The whole thing is easy(ish) to maintain but this is perhaps because we did a propper design first - I guess this is the main thing - get the design right.
We are currently looking into Java - but this - as has been previously stated - is not quite the cornucopia it promises - perhaps it's betterto forget the concept of one language - after all - a language is mearly a tool to getting a job done - so choose the right tool and the job is undertaken efficiently and correctly.
Slashdot Mirror
I understand that techinically we are talking about linux being the kernel and the window managers etc. sitting on top of this - but my argument still stands...
Ignore the techincal issues and the fact that it really should be GNU/Linux etc. and think about what the average Joe DESKTOP User is gonna want?
All they see is the number of distros - correct - but also they see the confusing number of window managers and then they find one that doesn't need X but wonder why apps won't work on it - there are too many choices to be made.
Choice is good for those informed or prepared to take time out - but - heres the kicker - Linux is being pushed to the masses - who typically don't want to make a choice - they just want their pr0n and MP3's.
C-))
Ok - technical aspects besides - why?
This seems to be typical of what is causing a lot of problems for Linux on the DESKTOP - in that there is too much choice and lack of cohesion in development.
Say what you like - but M$ did enforce only one DESKTOP design (not OS and internals etc.) - so from the position of the folk who might move to Linux - this is just one more thing that will complicated and cloud the choice.
Eye candy is one thing - but too much candy is bad for your health.
C-))
My point - not eveyone has the option/ability to do that. So...
In the UK there is a (apparently) very succesful scheme been set up called Childline - here kids can dial in - ask for help - whatever. Sort of like a Samaritans thing except for kids.
http://www.childline.co.uk/
Maybe the folks at Pinkerton should take more a look at this model - it may not well fit in with the _macho_ security image (sorry Pinkerton people - but thats what your industry says to me) - but it sure as hell helps more than fighting violence with bribery - which the WAVE thing appears to be about.
Check it out - maybe you learn some - maybe not.
regards
C-))
"Database and Food company sued for $1,000,000 as couch potatoe burns bits on microwave meal with incorrect internet cooking instructions."
Or
"Hackers hold cooking instructions for microwave popcorn to ransom."
Also - Not to be a downer or anything - but this was reported on CNET and AP news about a year or so ago...
C-))
First off - IMHO there are too many choices - perhap this is a problem with the xNIX world - but this is a side point...
Second - This is where I get burnt...
We've now written a good few distributed systems using NT and COM/DCOM. Whats different about this - well we also communicate freely with several Sun based products as well - this is perhaps where COM is kinda neat.
Many of our Sun applications come with their own APIs and already support remote connections. The drawback here is that they need C/C++ to talk freely. So - we create a small wrapper around this and make it into a COM component We then use VB as the glue to manipulate these smal components as well as to talk to our databases.
This all seems to work rather well - I know this will cause some laughs - but VB really is a great language for glueing things together and accessing databases either through ODBC or ADO. If you want fast crunching - create a component in C/C++ and expose it through an API.
The whole thing is easy(ish) to maintain but this is perhaps because we did a propper design first - I guess this is the main thing - get the design right.
We are currently looking into Java - but this - as has been previously stated - is not quite the cornucopia it promises - perhaps it's betterto forget the concept of one language - after all - a language is mearly a tool to getting a job done - so choose the right tool and the job is undertaken efficiently and correctly.
C-))